Tag: Becoming Holmes

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Shortlist for the 2013 Arthur Ellis Awards

Becoming HolmesThis year marks the 29th anniversary of the Arthur Ellis Awards! The Arthur Ellis Awards, established in 1984 and named after the nom de travail of Canada’s official hangman, are awarded annually by the CWC in various categories.

The Arthur Ellis Awards are for crime writing, which includes crime, detective, espionage, mystery, suspense, and thriller writing, as well as fictional or factual accounts of criminal doings and crime-themed literary works.

Tundra would like to congratulate Shane Peacock, nominated for the 2013 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book for Becoming Holmes: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case.

arthurellisCongratulations to the other nominees in this category:

  • Lisa Harrington, Live to Tell
  • Y.S. Lee, The Agency: The Traitor in the Tunnel
  • Sylvia McNicoll, Crush Candy Corpse
  • Elizabeth Stewart, The Lynching of Louie Sam

The winners will be announced at the Arthur Ellis Awards gala dinner on Thursday, May 30, at the Arts & Letters Club, 14 Elm Street, Toronto.

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CLA Announces 2013 Award Shortlists

The Amelia Frances Howard‐Gibbon Illustrator’s Award Jury of the Canadian Library Association announced the shortlist for the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award. This award recognizes an illustrator of a noteworthy Canadian book that appeals to children up to the age of 12 years. Congratulations to Rogé!

The French Fry KingThe French Fry King
Written by Rogé
Illustrated by Rogé
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-350-6
“…Rogé’s illustrations feature rounded lines and characters that are full of life. Clever details provide many visual delights for the attentive reader…. This is a marvelous allegorical tale that will delight children and adults alike.” – Quill & Quire

Congratulations to the shortlisted authors and illustrators:

  • Bigfoot Boy Into the Woods illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
  • Goodnight, Canada illustrated by Andrea Beck
  • Mr. King’s Things illustrated by Geneviève Côté
  • Night Sky Wheel Ride illustrated by Yayo
  • Ojibway Clans illustrated by Mark A. Jacobson
  • Stamp Collector illustrated by François Thisdale
  • Tooth Mouse illustrated by Janice Nadeau
  • Virginia Wolf illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
  • You are Stardust illustrated by Soyeon Kim

The CLA Young Adult Book Award Jury announced the shortlist for the Young Adult Book Award. This award recognizes an author of an outstanding English-language Canadian work of fiction that appeals to young adults between the ages of 13 and 18. Congratulations to Susin Nielsen and Eva Wiseman!

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K LarsenThe Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 11-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
“Nielsen treats a heavy subject with a light, optimistic touch, and while Henry’s passion and distress are evident, his wacky commitment to ‘Saturday Night Smash-up’ and his own ironic, yet earnest, perspective leavens the serious subject matter.” – The Toronto Star

The Last SongThe Last Song
Written by Eva Wiseman
Hardcover | 232 Pages | Ages 11+
ISBN: 978-0-88776-979-5
eBook: 978-0-88776-980-1
“This historical fiction novel is set in Toledo, Spain in the 1490s, surrounded by the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition…. The climax of the novel will set the reader in a spiraling whirlwind of intense emotions. This novel is a great read for young adults who enjoy historical fiction dealing with horrifying persecution and the will to survive.” – VOYA

Congratulations to the shortlisted authors:

  • The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
  • Bright’s Light by Susan Juby
  • 40 Things I Want to Tell You by Alice Kuipers
  • My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt
  • One Good Hustle by Billie Livingston
  • Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin
  • Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel
  • What Happened to Ivy by Kathy Stinson

The CLA Book of the Year for Children Award Jury announced the shortlist for the Book of the Year for Children Award. This award recognizes a Canadian author of an outstanding book which appeals to children up to and including age 12. Congratulations to Michael Bedard, Susin Nielsen, Shane Peacock, and Cyndi Sand-Eveland!

The Green ManThe Green Man
Written by Michael Bedard
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 10-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-285-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-293-6
“The specter of an evil magician returning to destroy another life will lure readers into the novel’s eerie core…. Mr. Bedard masterfully interlaces the real with the supernatural in these passages, evoking a sense of myriad magical possibilities.” – New York Journal of Books

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K LarsenThe Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 11-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
“…Henry is forced to keep a journal by his therapist; he is at first reluctant, then obsessive about it. A born diarist, he exhibits the idiosyncratic voice of a memoirist, one keenly interested in documenting both his inner and outer worlds. He captures both with humour and heart…. Yet the novel is a dramedy, and believably balances lightness and darkness. It is a shame when the reader must put down the journal and say goodbye to Henry.” – The National Post

Becoming HolmesBecoming Holmes
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | 264 Pages | Ages 10-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-232-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-291-2
“…Peacock concludes his stellar saga with a final mystery…. This is a solid period mystery. Peacock once again uses London as a character…. Such characters as Irene Doyle, Malefactor (who will become Moriarty), Lestrade, and even a whiff of Watson all contribute to a feeling of authenticity … this is a strong story. The ending is exciting and unexpected. This is an excellent conclusion to a wonderful series.” – VOYA

A Tinfoil SkyA Tinfoil Sky
Written by Cyndi Sand-Eveland
Hardcover | 224 Pages | Ages 10-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-277-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-294-3
“…this touching picture of a child torn between her need for a stable home and her love for her troubled mother feels deeply authentic … this depiction of wounded people forming healing bonds goes straight to the heart.” – Booklist

Congratulations to the shortlisted authors:

  • Middle of Nowhere by Caroline Adderson
  • One year in Coal Harbour by Polly Horvath
  • Ungifted by Gordon Korman
  • And Nothing But the Truth by Kit Pearson
  • Island of Doom by Arthur Slade
  • The Grave Robber’s Apprentice by Allan Stratton

Thank you to the Jury Members who took the time to read, discuss, and narrow the list down – not an easy task! The winners and honour books will be announced on April 15. The award will be presented at the annual awards reception during the CLA National Conference and Trade Show at the Winnipeg Convention Centre in Winnipeg on May 30, 2013.

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Tuesdays with Tundra 23

Tuesdays with Tundra is a monthly post on our new releases. The following books are available today in stores and online!

Becoming Holmes
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Hardcover | 264 Pages
Ages 10-14
ISBN: 978-1-77049-232-5
“And so the end comes to the beginning of the story of the world’s most beloved detective in Shane Peacock’s Becoming Holmes, the last of his boyhood Holmes mysteries. I have thoroughly enjoyed the world of Victorian England from this first person, close up and tangible version of Holmes. The series has courageously woven together famous people, popular myths and the street-level views of London. The mysteries, themselves, contain the illusive clues so reminiscent of Doyle’s work. In this last installment and, dare I say, his final bow, Peacock sets the scene for the man Sherlock Holmes. The story is ripe with premonitions…. Readers who have been captivated by “The Boy Sherlock Holmes” series will find this a satisfactory and hang-on-to-your-seat read. It was sad to know this is the final installment.” – Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

The Bridge
Written by Jane Higgins
Hardcover | 352 Pages
Ages 12+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-437-4
“…the gritty, painfully tense passages describing the ways in which war affects children – teens in particular – are compelling and deftly written.” – The Horn Book
“This grim first novel, set on a not-so-distant future Earth … packs a significant emotional wallop…. Higgins works hard to expose the religious and racial bigotry lurking behind so many military conflicts, and she is adept at showing that, frequently, neither side is without blame.” – Publishers Weekly

Going Up!
Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Hardcover | 32 Pages
Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-240-0
“… In his realistic, fine-lined illustrations, Parkins both enhances the sense of period and supplies the only hints of how Otis’ invention actually worked. He captures the narrative’s broad, high-energy tone in images of the inventor with eyes bulging, mouth wide open and arms flung out wildly during various Eureka! moments….” – Kirkus Reviews

The Hunting of the Snark
An Agony in Eight Fits
Written by Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Oleg Lipchenko
Hardcover | 48 Pages
All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-407-7
One of the most well-known creations by world-famous master of nonsense, Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark is a poem whose meaning has proved as elusive as the mysterious titular monster itself. Even Carroll confessed to not knowing who the Snark is or what the poem is about. But one thing about this much-scrutinized work of literature is perfectly clear: this is a tale of high adventure and great wit sure to delight readers of all ages.

Miss Mousie’s Blind Date
Written by Tim Beiser
Illustrated by Rachel Berman
Hardcover | 24 Pages
Ages 3-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-251-6
“Spring fever strikes even the rodents. And who knows where the heart leads? … Beiser’s sprightly text has warmth, heart, and a valuable lesson. Berman’s pictures, in watercolor and gouache on rag, suggest Beatrix Potter, ably matching the crisp elegance of the story. Wonderful.” – Starred Review from Kirkus Reviews

Rescuing the Children
The Story of the Kindertransport
Written by Deborah Hodge
Hardcover | 64 Pages
Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-256-1
“Fitting neatly into primary-classroom units about World War II and the Holocaust, … Hodge’s account … sketches in Germany’s history from Hitler’s rise to Kristallnacht, noting the reluctance of other national governments to take German refugees, particularly Jewish ones…. Then-and-now portraits of her eight survivors, with a mix of period photos and paintings by Kind artist Hans Jackson, provide plenty of visual witness to those dangerous times and the children caught in them. A quick but systematic overview, well-endowed with both visual and documentary supporting material….” – Kirkus Reviews

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, tell us which new October release of Tundra’s you would love to read and one lucky reader will receive their requested book! One request per person and please review our rules. This giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, October 15, 2012!

Update: Congratulations to Connie who has won a copy of The Bridge by Jane Higgins.

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THIN AIR 2012


Each year in September, Winnipeg welcomes writers from Canada and around the world for a week of readings, lectures, interviews, conversations, book launches, and other events. That week of literary feasting is known as THIN AIR, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival. With programming for adults and children, in English and French, THIN AIR is an infusion of energy into the thriving literary culture of this city. This year’s festival dates are September 21 – 29! The following Tundra authors will be busy visiting young readers in the area, click on their names for a list of their events:

Shane Peacock
Shane Peacock is an award-winning novelist, biographer, journalist, screenwriter, and playwright. He has made his most dramatic impact on readers and critics with his wildly popular Boy Sherlock Holmes series, which mixes brilliant storytelling with fascinating historical detail about turn-of-the-century London. The long list of honours for the first five books include the Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz and Geoffrey Bilson Awards; all five are Premier Selections for the Junior Library Guild of America. Three titles have hit the Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award lists, including The Dragon Turn for 2012. The final installment in the series, Becoming Holmes, appears this fall. Peacock lives near Cobourg, ON.

Susin Nielsen
Gemini Award-winner Susin Nielsen is an acclaimed television writer, with sixteen episodes of Degrassi Junior High and an adaptation of Susan Juby’s Alice, I Think to her credit. She is also gifted at reaching the young adult audience with her fiction. Word Nerd and Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom have generated an impressive list of awards and nominations. Both titles have won the Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award, and Nielsen will receive her honour this fall in Winnipeg. Her new title, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen, presents another resilient adolescent dealing with extraordinary challenges. Nielsen lives in Vancouver, BC.

Heather Hartt-Sussman
Heather Hartt-Sussman has had a lively career as a print and broadcast journalist and Hollywood columnist. She hit the book world with Nana’s Getting Married, which introduced young readers to a grandmother with attitude, and a grandson who struggles to deal with his jealousy of her new boyfriend. Nana and the boy deal with other competitions for attention in Here Comes Hortense!. Hartt-Sussman’s illustrator, Georgia Graham, captures the rollicking energy of the grandparents and the delicate sensibilities of the child. Hartt-Sussman was born in Montreal, lived and worked in LA for nearly fifteen years, and lives now in Toronto.

Georgia Graham
Georgia Graham has illustrated numerous children’s books, including the Wanda books by Barbara Azore, and her own The Lime Green Secret. One of her recent collaborations is with Heather Hartt-Sussman. Their first book, Nana’s Getting Married, introduced young readers to a somewhat possessive boy and his wonderfully unconventional grandmother. Nana is back, and the boy has to deal with Nana’s new husband’s granddaughter in Here Comes Hortense!. Graham’s vivid colours and expressive characters are a big part of the story. Graham grew up in Calgary and now lives on a tree farm in central Alberta.

And you’ll probably want to watch this, the THIN AIR volunteer coordinator has been taking the picture books home for her son to read and review. She’s managed to do a video for the each of the ones he’s read so far!
[youtube=http://youtu.be/pcLUHeg8f5g]
Go Carter!

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2012 Telling Tales: A Festival of Stories

This year, the 4th annual Telling Tales: A Family Festival of Stories is being held on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at the Westfield Heritage Village. Gates open at 9:30am and the festival ends around 4:00pm. Parents, grandparents, educators, aspiring writers and illustrators, established writers and illustrators, storytellers, musicians, literacy champions, history buffs, and lovers of stories will enjoy Telling Tales!

Location:
Westfield Heritage Village
Rockton, ON L0R 1X0

Free parking available only at the Rockton Fairgrounds with complimentary shuttle service to Westfiled Heritage Village.

Don’t forget to meet our authors at the festival this year:

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Where: One Room School House
When: 11:30-12:00 p.m.
Cary Fagan is the award-winning author of several young adult novels and picture books. This wonderful new story is about stories, and story-telling, and is sure to enchant and instruct children at home and at school for years to come.

Ones and Twos
Written and illustrated by Marthe Jocelyn
Where: One Room School House
When: 12:30-1:00 p.m and 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Marthe Jocelyn’s ability to present important-to-learn concepts to the very young has garnered accolades from around the world. Each brightly illustrated page invites children to identify familiar objects ranging from kites to socks, from one nest to the two birds sitting in it. Ones and Twos gives little toddlers and their caregivers much to discuss and to enjoy together, and it introduces an exciting new creative team.

Me & Death: An Afterlife Adventure
Written by Richard Scrimger
Where: Jerseyville Railway Station
When: 11:45-12:15 p.m.
Where: Bandstand
When: 1:15-1:45 p.m.
Fresh from having stolen a piece of fruit and taunting the grocer, Jim, a fourteen-year-old wannabe gangster, bully, and car thief, is run over by a car. What follows is a hilarious, bleak, and ultimately hopeful visit to the afterworld, courtesy of Richard Scrimger, one of the country’s finest writers.

Becoming Holmes: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Final Case
Written by Shane Peacock
Where: Jerseyville Railway Station
When: 12:30-1:00 p.m.
Where: Bandstand
When: 2:15-2:45 p.m.
Becoming Sherlock is the final book in Shane Peacock’s award-winning Boy Sherlock Holmes series, combining brilliant storytelling with fascinating historical detail, and a mystery worthy of one of the greatest sleuths in English literature.

There’s more information about the festival on the website and downloadable program. See you there!

Tundra Book Group