Tag: Irene N. Watts

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Tuesdays with Tundra 33

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

Whimsy Heavy ThingsWhimsy’s Heavy Things
Written by Julie Kraulis
Illustrated by Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-403-9
“[Whimsy’s] … solutions are ingenious, and the ending surprises with a mature little twist that is reassuring as well as realistic. Every page is sweetly rendered by author and illustrator Julie Kraulis’s oil and graphite artwork, which evokes a softer, gentler version of Tim Burton’s style.” — Quill & Quire

Making ContactMaking Contact!
Marconi Goes Wireless
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-378-0
The fifth book in Tundra’s Great Idea Series, Making Contact! tells the story of Guglielmo Marconi, who became the father of wireless communication. As a boy, Marconi loved science and invention. At the age of twenty, Marconi realized that no one had invented a wireless telegraph. Determined to find a way to use radio waves to send wireless messages, Marconi found his calling. And, thanks to his persistence, on December 12, 1901, for the first time ever, a wireless signal traveled between two continents. The rest is history!

Escape from BerlinEscape from Berlin
Written by Irene N.Watts
Trade Paperback | 432 Pages | Ages 8-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-611-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-612-5
Life for Jewish families in 1938 Berlin is increasingly difficult. Neighborhood shops and synagogues are looted and burned, homes are invaded by the Gestapo, Jewish children are expelled from school, their fathers and brothers imprisoned without cause. With even darker times on the horizon, parents are searching for an escape route for their children. On the morning of December 1st, 1938, eleven-year-old Marianne Kohn and seven-year-old Sophie Mandel meet on a train, the first Kindertransport that will take children to safety in England. But what will happen when they arrive? Who will be their guardians? Will they be able to learn the customs and language of their new country? Will they ever see their parents again? The Kindertransport saved almost ten thousand children before the outbreak of World War II. The three critically acclaimed, award-winning novels in Escape from Berlin—Good-bye Marianne, Remember Me, and Finding Sophie—poignantly chronicle what happens to Marianne and Sophie as they grow up away from home. December 1, 2013, marks the 75th Anniversary of the first Kindertransport.

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new September 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 1, 2013!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Susan who will be getting a copy of Whimsy’s Heavy Things.

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WORD Vancouver 2013

WORDVancouver2013Since 1995 The Vancouver Book and Magazine Fair Society has produced The Word On The Street Vancouver, the primary literary festival for Western Canadian book lovers and literacy enthusiasts. In 2013 the festival is rebranding as WORD Vancouver.

12:30 pm on Sunday, September 29, 2013 at the Canada Writes Tent
Readings by fresh new faces and well-known voices. Touched by Fire, Irene N. Watt’s exquisite new novel, explores one family’s journey as they flee from the pogroms of Russia in 1905, where the Cossacks burn villages to the ground, to Berlin, Germany, where Jews have a hard time living and working in peace, to the streets of the Lower East Side in New York.

Touched by FireTouched by Fire
Written by Irene N.Watts
Hardcover | 208 Pages
Ages 10 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-524-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-525-8
“I am always intrigued by this historic event, and the lives of immigrants during this time period. One book I’ve owned for over 30 years is Meredith Tax’s 1982 Rivington Street. Never been able to get rid of it. I really liked the span of the story, taking our characters from the pogroms in Russia to the eve of WWII. Nicely written, with good characters.” – Ms. Yingling Reads

For more information about the WORD Vancouver, you can visit their website, facebook page, and twitter.

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Tuesdays with Tundra 32

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

Death of a KingDeath of a King
Written by Andrew H. Vanderwal
Hardcover | 304 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-398-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-399-5
Twelve-year-old Alex, determined to get to the bottom of his parents’ disappearance, sets out on a quest to find them. An ambitious time-travel novel set in Scotland at the time of William Wallace, Death of a King explores the turbulence of the bloody late thirteenth century after King Alexander dies on his way to Kinghorn without leaving an heir to the throne. The country is thrown into chaos, and Alex must overcome many obstacles along his path.

Little Red LiesLittle Red Lies
Written by Julie Johnston
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-313-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-314-8
The war is over, but for thirteen-year-old Rachel, the battle has just begun. Putting childhood behind her, she knows what she wants – to prove she has acting talent worthy of the school drama club, and what she doesn’t want – to romantically fall for someone completely inappropriate. Worries about her veteran brother’s failing health and repugnance at her mother’s unexpected and unwanted pregnancy drive her to seek solace from a seemingly sympathetic, but self-serving teacher.

ShadowsShadows
Written by Paula Weston
Hardcover | 400 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-547-0
eBook: 978-1-77049-549-4
It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous . . .

Touched by FireTouched by Fire
Written by Irene N.Watts
Hardcover | 208 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-524-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-525-8
Teenage Miriam gives a first-hand account of the excitement everyone feels about going to America, the “Golden Land,” the journey in steerage, the arrival at Ellis Island, and the discrimination the immigrants feel while seeking employment. When Miriam finally lands a job at the Triangle Shirt Waist Company as a cuff setter, she believes her future in the New World is finally secure. But on March 25, 1911, the fire that starts from overflowing bins of material scraps rages into what becomes known as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and Miriam’s life is forever changed.

My Name Is BlessingMy Name Is Blessing
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-301-8
Based on the life of a real boy, this warm-hearted, beautifully illustrated book tells the story of Baraka, a young Kenyan boy with a physical disability. Baraka and eight cousins live with their grandmother. She gives them boundless love, but there is never enough money or food, and life is hard – love doesn’t feed hungry stomachs or clothe growing bodies, or school keen minds. Baraka is too young, and, with his disability, needs too much, and she is too old. A difficult choice must be made, and grandmother and grandchild set off on a journey to see if there is a place at the orphanage for Baraka.

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new September 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, September 16, 2013!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Lori who has won a copy of My Name Is Blessing!

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The 2012 Chocolate Lily Short-list

The short-list for the 2012  Chocolate Lily Book Award has been announced. Tundra has two nominated titles under the Novel category:

No Moon
By Irene N. Watts
Trade Paperback | 240 Pages | Ages 10+
ISBN: 978-0-88776-971-9
eBook: 978-0-88776-972-6
“…Watts provides a fascinating account of what the great unsinkable ship was like. The catastrophe is rendered in a heartbreakingly graceful style, and Lou performs heroically in shepherding her two little girls to safety on a lifeboat in this uniquely engaging and satisfying coming-of-age historical adventure tale.” – Starred Review, Booklist

Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom
By Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 11-14
ISBN: 978-0-88776-977-1
eBook: 978-0-88776-978-8
“Nielsen (Word Nerd) has created a narrator as sassy and candid as this memorable novel’s title…. Nielsen skillfully balances her story’s keen humor…with poignancy. Especially affecting are Violet’s struggles to accept her father’s new family….” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

The Chocolate Lily Award encourages grade school students to read some of the best fiction by British Columbia’s children’s authors and illustrators. There are three categories: Best Picture Book, as voted by students in kindergarten through grade 3, Best Chapter Book, as voted by students in grades 2 through 5, and Best Novel as voted by students in grades 4 through 8.

Congratulations to Irene N. Watts and Susin Nielsen!

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Read Comics in Public Day!

Saturday, August 28, is the first annual celebration of International Read Comics in Public Day. So pick your favourite comic or graphic novel, go outside, and read! Need suggestions? We recommend:

Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventures
Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Bone
Trade Paperback | 96 pages
Ages 8-11 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-934-4
“…Bone’s open art is a wonderful counterpart to these funny tales of derring-do that don’t quite go as expected. His figures are simple and compact, suggesting unexpected power and ability…. Torres’ writing is playful, with occasional pop culture references…. It’s his humor that gives Alison Dare its unique twist. Many kids dream of magical adventures, and Alison’s experiences fill that desire nicely.” – Comics Worth Reading

Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden
Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Bone
Trade Paperback | 104 pages
Ages 8-11 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-935-1
“…are packed with action and wit, and I recommend them to kids and adults alike….” – Bildungsroman

Tyranny
Written by Lesley Fairfield
Trade Paperback | 120 pages
Ages 11 UP
ISBN 978-0-88776-903-0
“… This is one of the most moving and important graphic novels to come along in years.… The simple yet powerful black-and-white drawings do wonders in bringing the book’s message to its readers. Tyranny is so important that both younger and older teens will benefit from reading it. Every public and school library should own at least one copy of this amazing book. – Starred Review, School Library Journal

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Adapted by Alan Grant
Illustrated by Cam Kennedy
Trade Paperback | 48 pages
Ages 10 UP
ISBN 978-0-88776-882-8
“This classic has tremendous modern appeal. A complex detective story for the most part, this adaptation depicts the gaslight era of London in all its gloomy grandeur…. Public libraries with an eye to keeping a varied teen fiction shelf should consider this title.” – School Library Journal

Kidnapped
Adapted by Alan Grant
Illustrated by Cam Kennedy
Trade Paperback | 64 pages
Ages 10 UP
ISBN 978-0-88776-843-9
“Grant’s words are clean and gracefully streamline Stevenson’s, while unobtrusively preserving the sense of time and place through colloquialisms and accent. Kennedy’s characters are distinct and dramatic, and his settings, using his trademark greens and blues, are atmospheric and eerie…. This is an adaptation done absolutely right.” – Booklist

Good-bye Marianne: A Story of Growing Up in Nazi Germany
Written by Irene N.Watts
Illustrated by Kathryn E. Shoemaker
Trade Paperback | 128 pages
Ages 8-11 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-830-9
“…one of the most powerful books is a black and white graphic novel. Good-bye Marianne is the retelling of the award-winning novel…. Moody pencil drawings capture the dark despair of that time, of the mother’s desperate, unselfish gamble to save her daughter’s life.” – The Chronicle Herald