Tag: Heather Smith

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: 2 Books About Costumed Jobs

For some, summer comes with a new job that is less than exciting. Have you ever had to dress up in a costume for a job? Here are two reads and a title generator for your own novel!

Chicken GirlChicken Girl
By Heather Smith
ISBN 9780143198680 | Penguin Teen Canada
Hardcover | 240 pages | Ages 12+
Poppy used to be an optimist. But after a photo of her dressed as Rosie the Riveter is mocked online, she’s having trouble seeing the good in the world. As a result, Poppy trades her beloved vintage clothes for a feathered chicken costume and accepts a job as an anonymous sign waver outside a restaurant. There, Poppy meets six-year-old girl Miracle, who helps Poppy see beyond her own pain, opening her eyes to the people around her: Cam, her twin brother, who is adjusting to life as an openly gay teen; Buck, a charming photographer with a cute British accent and a not-so-cute mean-streak; and Lewis a teen caring for an ailing parent, while struggling to reach the final stages of his gender transition. As the summer unfolds, Poppy stops glorifying the past and starts focusing on the present. But just as she comes to terms with the fact that there is good and bad in everyone, she is tested by a deep betrayal.

Hot Dog GirlHot Dog Girl
By Jennifer Dugan
ISBN 9780525516255 | G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 12+
Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:

  • She’s landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog.
  • Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. But Lou’s never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.
  • Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who’s always been up for anything, suddenly isn’t when it comes to Lou’s quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou’s scheme to get close to Nick.
  • And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland – ever -unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.

Jennifer Dugan’s sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love – and themselves – in unexpected people and unforgettable places.

Now make your own title – and don’t forget to choose a genre!

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: Pride Reads 2019

Pride month might be almost over but that doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating! We’ve made a list of some of our recent titles featuring LGBTQ+ characters – check them out below and let us know which ones you’ve read!

BONUS: We put together a #pridemonth playlist for your listening pleasure – we recommend putting it on shuffle and reading (or, let’s be real, dancing) the night away.

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: Penguin Teen Social 2019 Recap

Yesterday we hosted our second #PenguinTeenSocial event – we invited bloggers and booksellers to our office for a fun night of trivia, pizza, and author signings. Check out some of our highlights below!

Welcome to Penguin Teen Social 2019!
Our author guests were: Tanaz Bhathena, Jeff Zentner, Heather Smith, Lesley Livingston, Lizzy Mason (who unfortunately couldn’t make it), and Laura Sebastian.
We used the Penguin Shop Cart as an author signing booth!
Swag bags including some Penguin Teen Canada sunglasses
Free ARCs!
#Penguin10 – the 10 books you NEED to read this fall!
Pizza generously donated by Panago Pizza. #RandomActsOfPizza
Marketing & Publicity Associate Director Vikki VanSickle introducing the evening’s schedule.
Our authors Jeff Zentner, Lesley Livingston, Heather Smith, Tanaz Bhathena,and Laura Sebastian playing a trivia game with our host/publicity manager, Evan Munday.
Signing line for Lesley Livingston.
Heather Smith and Tanaz Bhathena!
Signing line for Jeff Zentner.
So many book lovers in one room!
Your Penguin Teen Canada team: Sylvia Chan, Sam Devotta, Vikki VanSickle, and Evan Munday.

Thanks to everyone for a great night – hope to see you again next year!

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The 2019 OLA Forest of Reading® Winners and Honour Books

The 2019 Forest of Reading awards were announced last week and we are so thrilled that eight of our titles were honoured at the Festival of Trees. Congratulations to our authors and illustrators!

Blue Spruce Award
#2 Honour Book
The Magician's SecretThe Magician’s Secret
Written by Zachary Hyman
Illustrated by Joe Bluhm
Hardcover
Published by Tundra Books
“The conversational tone draws the reader through the story. The remarkable art work by Joe Bluhm showcases the relationship between Charlie and his grandpa and transports the reader into each adventure, providing glimpses of how the imagination can make a dream a reality . . . this book is best shared as a read-aloud. Any adult will be equally thrilled by the story, its rich language and the wonderful illustrations.” – CM Magazine

Silver Birch Fiction Award
Winner
Chase - paperbackChase
Written by Linwood Barclay
Published by Puffin Canada
Paperback
“The action in Chase begins on the first page and doesn’t let up in this new thriller from Linwood Barclay  . . . readers will enjoy the twists and turns of the action and will relate to all three main characters.” – CM Magazine

#1 Honour Book
Elephant SecretElephant Secret
Written by Eric Walters
Published by Puffin Canada
Hardcover
“Walters interweaves his beautiful family story with a thorough description of elephant behavior-their intellect, compassion, and loyalty-and factual scientific possibilities of cloning an extinct species…A must-read for anyone with an interest in elephants and their welfare.” – Booklist

Red Maple Non-Fiction Award
#2 Honour Book
Innovation NationInnovation Nation: How Canadian Innovators Made the World Smarter, Smaller, Kinder, Safer, Healthier, Wealthier, Happier
Written by David Johnston and Tom Jenkins
Illustrated by Josh Holinaty
Hardcover
Published by Tundra Books
“[R]eminds us just how ingenious Canadians are, despite our golly-gosh-shucks tendency to downplay our accomplishments… Bright illustrations by Josh Holinaty swirl around each page of text to evoke the brilliance of fun and curiosity.” – Quill & Quire

Red Maple Fiction Award
#2 Honour Book
Fourth DimensionFourth Dimension
Written by Eric Walters
Hardcover
Published by Penguin Teen Canada
“I recommend Fourth Dimension to fans of The Rule of 3 series as well as those readers who enjoy action/adventure, realistic, or post-apocalyptic stories. Emma and her mother are strong female characters who are great role models for teenage girls. . . . Recommended.” – CM Magazine

White Pine Award
Winner
The Agony of Bun O'KeefeThe Agony of Bun O’Keefe
Written by Heather T. Smith
Hardcover
Published by Penguin Teen Canada
“Although Bun is 14, she possesses the endearing naiveté and honesty of a child, but her first-person narration isn’t sappy or immature. . . . Bun O’Keefe will settle comfortably at home in readers’ hearts.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

The Forest of Reading is Canada’s largest recreational reading program. This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers seven reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages. The Forest helps celebrate Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators. More than 270,000 readers participate annually from their School and/or Public Library. All Canadians are invited to participate via their local public library, school library, or individually.

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Putting the YA in FRIYAY: Chicken Girl Blog Tour Recap

This week, we’ve been running a blog tour for Heather Smith’s poignant coming-of-age novel, Chicken Girl, and now all the reviews are in!

Monday, February 25

Vicky @ Vicky Who Reads gave us a guest post from Heather, as well as five reasons to read Chicken Girl
Lisa @ Remarkably Lisa loves Poppy’s gay twin brother, Cam
Jaaron @ Worn Pages and Ink called it one of the best YA novels she’s read in a long time

Tuesday, February 26

Malanie @ malanie loves fiction thinks a lot of people will enjoy it despite the heavy topics
Chelsea @ Twirling Pages wrote a love letter to the book, saying that she saw herself in almost every character
Alexa @ Like Literally Literary is especially fond of Poppy’s new friend, Miracle

Wednesday, February 27

Kaitlyn @ Midsummer Night’s Read really connected with Poppy’s character
Wendy @ A Cupcake and A Latte loves Heather’s “touching and emotionally uplifting writing”

Thursday, February 28

Summer @ Butter My Books is hoping for a sequel about Lewis (or Cam!)
Christine @ Padfoot’s Library posted a short piece about writing from Heather
Olivia @ The Candid Cover thinks the book has a great message about respect – both online and IRL

Friday, March 1

Kate @ Snarky Yet Satisfying fell in love with Poppy and her friends on the first page
Zuhra @ Venus Reads couldn’t put it down

Thanks so much to all the bloggers who participated – we hope they convince the rest of you that you need this book in your life. Look for it on shelves next week!

Don’t forget to add Chicken Girl to Goodreads!

Tundra Book Group