Tag: Matteo L. Cerilli

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Our Stars of 2024

At Tundra Book Group, we think all our books are brilliant, and it’s nice when others think so too! Congratulations to our authors and illustrators; these are our starred books of 2024!

FIVE STARS:

We Are Definitely Human
By X. Fang
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882023 | Tundra Books
“What starts out as a fish-out-of-water comedy becomes a close encounter of straightforward acceptance.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“DEFINITELY a good book.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Laugh-out-loud lovely.” – Starred Review, Booklist
“A fabulously illustrated, rib-tickling, and affecting picture book in which Mr. Li and his neighbors demonstrate the potential of kindness and cooperative spirit.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
“This warm and giggle-worthy tale will please young readers – whether human or definitely human.” – Starred Review, BookPage

THREE STARS:

Barnaby Unboxed!
By The Fan Brothers
80 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882436 | Tundra Books
“In this delightful take on the classic toys-come-to-life story, the text and art – and Barnaby – will surely charm while conveying a reassuring message of the value of being appreciated for who you are.” – Starred Review, Booklist
“A heartfelt and emotional commentary on love and the limits of the human attention span.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
“The story is a poignant delight that seamlessly incorporates striking lessons about pets, responsibility, and furever commitment.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness

Boy vs. Shark
By Paul Gilligan
240 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880449 | Tundra Books
“An authentic and funny look at masculinity and growing pains that resonates across the decades.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Gilligan powerfully explores shifting middle-grade friendship, exquisitely illustrating feelings of fear, anxiety, and joy in simple but expressive cartoon artwork.” – Starred Review, Booklist
“This hilarious look into life as a kid in the summer of 1975 is a must-have for any and all middle grade libraries.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

I’m From
Written by Gary R. Gray, Jr.
Illustrated by Oge Mora
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774886168 | Puffin Canada
“Poet Gray, making a picture book debut, models the process of, and the power in, learning that “I come from/ somewhere.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“A beautiful, simple look into one child’s typical experience that all readers can learn from and relate to.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
“This beautifully rendered picture book serves as a reminder of the importance of familial and cultural identity and the grounding that it offers in the wider world.” – Starred Review, The Horn Book

Tove and the Island with No Address
By Lauren Soloy
48 Pages | Ages 4-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774883150 | Tundra Books
“The adventure channels the darkly mischievous tone for which Jansson’s works are beloved and re-creates the strange, wild atmosphere of the island in this windblown tribute to the creator’s artistry and sensibility.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“The best part of art is how and what it makes us feel, and a picture book about an artist that skips past the facts of biography and manages to successfully cultivate the feeling of experiencing that artist’s work is a bit of magic worth treasuring.” – Starred Review, Booklist
“This pairing of a strange escapade in the wild with a warm and a cozy welcome home epitomizes the appeal of Jansson’s Moomin books; Moomin fans of all ages will especially enjoy this tale.” – Starred Review, The Horn Book

Viewfinder
By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka
144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books
“Beautiful and precisely depicted, a gentle, generous reflection on civilization and community life.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
“A gorgeous, digitally sketched and painted picture book debut that welcomes the deeply curious to piece together a surprising and touching tale of what it means to find home.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness

TWO STARS:

Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf
By Deke Moulton
304 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880524 | Tundra Books
“Moulton explores relevant issues surrounding anxiety, faith, prejudice, sexuality, and prioritizing others’ safety over personal comfort in this allegorical creature feature.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“Highly recommended for readers looking for a unique take on the werewolf trope. Readers will root for the gentle and introspective protagonist.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

Boy Here, Boy There
By Chuck Groenink
56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774881064 | Tundra Books
“A contemplative telling that seeds rich conversations about connection across species and time, and about what it means to make art.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“A lyrical and beautifully imagined prehistoric encounter.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

Frostfire
By Elly MacKay
44 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735266988 | Tundra Books
“This tale is magical anytime, but it’s a top choice when seeking a winter story that doesn’t center on a holiday.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“An enchanting outing that will have readers longing to wander a winter wonderland.” – Starred Review, Booklist

Lockjaw
By Matteo L. Cerilli
328 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882306 | Tundra Books
“Cerilli delivers a stunning debut in this gripping paranormal horror novel about queer teens growing up in a community that doesn’t accept them and the insidious danger of apathy.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“A horrifyingly honest tale with a hopeful ending, this engrossing novel is sure to get hearts racing and leave readers reflecting upon their own place in their communities.” – Starred Review, BookPage

Métis Like Me
Written by Tasha Hilderman
Illustrated by Risa Hugo
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774881125 | Tundra Books
“A joyful story that encourages empathy and affirms identity.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Despite the specificity implied in the title, this is a book for everyone. A first purchase for libraries looking to expand Indigenous representation in collections.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

The Lightning Circle
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Laura K. Watson
224 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882498 | Tundra Books
“This journal-like free-verse novel expertly conjures the essence of the summer camp experience while exploring self-identity and highlighting the importance of friendships.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness
“A richly imagined and deeply felt story that speaks to the power of female friendship, the gift of reinvention, and the perspective-shifting joy of being outdoors.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Tig
By Heather Smith
160 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267497 | Tundra Books
“A devastatingly honest novel about foster care, neurodivergence, family, and resilience.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal
“In the complex, unforgettable Tig, Heather Smith explores the stunning (and sometimes self-sabotaging) resourcefulness children can muster in the face of adversity.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness

Whalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to Orcas
By Zachariah OHora
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774883945 | Tundra Books
“Sweet-tempered illustrations soften difficult moments in this memorable ode to the power of music and the possibilities of communication – a work that also casts quiet doubt on keeping animals in captivity.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
“As conservation books for kids go, Whalesong may be the grooviest.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness

ONE STAR:

A Garden Called Home
Written by Jessica J. Lee
Illustrated by Elaine Chen
48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880470 | Tundra Books
“This heartfelt story beautifully depicts the sorrow that can be felt during the cold winter months, especially when one has come from a completely different environment.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

An Anishinaabe Christmas
Written by Wab Kinew
Illustrated by Erin Hill
48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774883570 | Tundra Books
“A heartwarming and beautifully crafted book that shares the joy of Christmas through the lens of Anishinaabe culture.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt!
Written by Rukhsana Khan
Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882641 | Tundra Books
“The pairing of the rhythmic text and the vibrant pictures is sure to intrigue readers of all ages to explore a culture and way of life that they may not be as familiar with, or revisit a place where they or relatives have lived.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

I Am Wind
Written by Rachel Poliquin
Illustrated by Rachel Wada
80 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735272187 | Tundra Books
“While the soft yet dynamic and detailed illustrations are the stars of this book, the lyrical writing combined with solid scientific information make it a must-have for upper elementary and middle school library collections” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf
Written by Danielle Daniel
Illustrated by Matt James
64 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880708 | Tundra Books
“Every worry is addressed and every need is met in this eloquent portrait of the interconnectedness of the living world.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

Into the Goblin Market
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Jensine Eckwall
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
“In this bravura picture book – a mischief-rich, rhyming fairy tale with modern touches – a girl contends with enchanted adversaries and something almost as fearsome: her sister’s terrible judgment.” – Starred Review, Shelf Awareness

Once Upon a Sari
Written by Zenia Wadhwani
Illustrated by Avani Dwivedi
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
“Wadhwani shows the young, and reminds the older reader that saris are heirlooms of memory and stories are not just found in books, but also within the walls of our wardrobes.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Rebel Skies
By Ann Sei Lin
360 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781774884003 | Tundra Books
“This debut, the first in a trilogy, creates a fascinating world based on Japanese mythology and has a unique magic system . . . The uniqueness of the world created in the story makes this a book adventure fantasy lovers will enjoy.” – Starred Review, Booklist

Shine
By Bruno Valasse
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774884287 | Tundra Books
“A gentle look at fear, darkness, strength, and light . . . The work’s apt title encompasses both the moth’s journey of self-discovery and the luminous art.” – Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

The Green Baby Swing
Written by Thomas King
Illustrated by Yong Ling Kang
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735269361 | Tundra Books
“An affecting, supportive portrayal of navigating loss and the ways love and family connection endure.” – Starred Review, Booklist

The Gulf
By Adam de Souza
240 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781774880753 | Tundra Books
“An evocative tale reminiscent of Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer, this book is a great match for teens searching for community, purpose, and the possibility of existing just for the sake of it.” – Starred Review, Booklist

The Island Before No
Written by Christina Uss
Illustrated by Hudson Christie
56 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735272415 | Tundra Books
“A super fun read, a visual treat and an excellent conversation starter all in one . . . A quirky gem of a tale that’s sure to elicit giggles even as it inspires confidence.” – Starred Review, BookPage

Towed by Toad
By Jashar Awan
48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774883488 | Tundra Books
“A pitch-perfect picture book with broad appeal, ideal for both truck-obsessed toddlers and emerging readers.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

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Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. These titles are now available in stores and online!

Lockjaw
By Matteo L. Cerilli
328 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882306 | Tundra Books
Chuck Warren died tragically at the old abandoned mill, but Paz Espino knows it was no accident – there’s a monster under the town, and she’s determined to kill it before anyone else gets hurt. She’ll need the help of her crew – inseparable friends, bound by a childhood pact stronger than diamonds, distance or death – to hunt it down. But she’s up against a greater force of evil than she ever could have imagined. With shifting timeframes and multiple perspectives, Lockjaw is a small-town ghost story, where monsters living and dead haunt the streets, the homes and the minds of the inhabitants. For readers of Wilder Girls and The Haunted, this trans YA horror book by an incredible debut author will grab you and never let you go.

Lockjaw is also available today in audiobook!

New in Paperback:

Don’t Want to Be Your Monster
By Deke Moulton
304 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Paperback
ISBN 9781774880517 | Tundra Books
Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people. Well, not so much eat . . . just drink a little blood. They’re vampires, hiding in plain sight with their eclectic yet loving family. Ten-year-old Adam knows he has a better purpose in his life (well, immortal life) than just drinking blood, but fourteen-year-old Victor wants to accept his own self-image of vampirism. Everything changes when bodies start to appear all over town, and it becomes clear that a vampire hunter may be on the lookout for the family. Can Adam and Victor reconcile their differences and work together to stop the killer before it’s too late?

We can’t wait to see you reading these titles! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.

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2024 PLA Conference

Hello book lovers! The Tundra Books team is headed to the PLA 2024 Conference happening in Columbus, Ohio from April 3rd to April 5th at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. We’ll be showcasing many of our wonderful titles at booth 2616! Come by and say hello to our Marketing and Publicity Senior Associate, Sam Devotta, our Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Stephanie Ehmann, and our Editor, Peter Phillips. We have lots of great programming scheduled with our awesome guest authors, so be sure to check out our list of panels and signings below!

Panels:

Thursday, April 4th

At 6:00pm at the Hyatt Regency-Taft Room, join author Kern Carter for the School Library Journal Evening of Dialog.

Signings:

We will also be hosting author signings! Our guest authors will be signing provided copies of their books and art cards. You must be in line for the signing to receive a complimentary copy. Signings are based on first come, first served: one copy per person while quantities last.

Looking for literary assets for your schools and libraries? We’ve got you covered – ask about our catalogs, bookmarks, art cards, and more!

And don’t forget to follow us online @tundrabooks and @penguinteenca as we post live from the show floors!

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New Year, New Boo!

2023 may be in the past, but ghosts are always in our present and future. Let’s celebrate and ring in the new year with a new BOO!

A Super Scary Narwhalloween: A Narwhal and Jelly Book #8
By Ben Clanton
76 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735266742 | Tundra Books
In the hilarious eighth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series, Narwhal and Jelly celebrate the spookiest time of the year – Halloween – with a super twist! Dive into three new stories that are sure to fright and delight! Narwhal loves Halloween – it’s a great excuse to dress up in a spooky and silly costume, like a ghost, a mermaid, a banana or maybe even Marlow the Mustachioed Moose. It’s a skeleTON of fun! Jelly isn’t dressing up, though – he’s a little scared of this time of year, and would prefer to hunker down in a hidey-hole until Halloween is over. But when a scary sea monster makes an appearance and swallows Narwhal (gulp!), can Jelly, with the help of some super friends, pluck up the courage to save his best bud?

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls
By Cherie Dimaline
280 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265639 | Tundra Books
Winifred has lived in the apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works in the crematorium all her life, close to her mother’s grave. With her sixteenth birthday only days away, Winifred has settled into a lazy summer schedule, lugging her obese Chihuahua around the grounds in a squeaky red wagon to visit the neglected gravesides and nursing a serious crush on her best friend, Jack. Her habit of wandering the graveyard at all hours has started a rumor that Winterson Cemetery might be haunted. It’s welcome news since the crematorium is on the verge of closure and her father’s job being outsourced. Now that the ghost tours have started, Winifred just might be able to save her father’s job and the only home she’s ever known, not to mention being able to stay close to where her mother is buried. All she has to do is get help from her con-artist cousin to keep up the rouse and somehow manage to stop her father from believing his wife has returned from the grave. But when Phil, an actual ghost of a teen girl who lived and died in the ravine next to the cemetery, starts showing up, Winifred begins to question everything she believes about life, love and death. Especially love.

Ghostlight
By Kenneth Oppel
400 Pages | Ages 10+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735272354 | Puffin Canada
The story of the tragic death of sixteen-year-old Rebecca Strand and her lighthouse keeper father is just an elaborate tale Gabe tells tourists for his summer job on the Toronto Island. Or so he thought. When his ghost tours awaken Rebecca’s spirit, Gabe is drawn into a world far darker than any ghost story he’s ever heard. Rebecca reveals that she and her father were connected to The Order, a secret society devoted to protecting the world from “the wakeful and wicked dead” – malevolent spirits like Viker, the ghost responsible for their deaths. But now the Order has disappeared and Viker is growing even stronger, and he’ll stop at nothing to wreak chaos and destruction on the living. Gabe and his friends – both living and dead – must find a way to stop Viker before they all become lost souls.

House of Ash and Bone
By Joel A. Sutherland
336 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880968 | Tundra Books
Seventeen-year-old Josephine Jagger is a talented writer with special abilities she doesn’t fully understand. Over the years she has developed methods to cope with the voices she hears in her head, but the old house her family has inherited in Vermont makes Josephine question what’s real and what’s not more than anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s filled with shadows, and whispers, and the unshakable feeling of being watched. Josephine then catches her first glimpse of a shadowy woman with long hair, pale skin, an impossibly wide smile and hollow pits for eyes. Her name is Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. She has summoned the family to Vermont to ensnare them – then consume them – in order to rise from the grave and live again . . .

How to Make Friends with a Ghost
By Rebecca Green
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Paperback
ISBN 9781774880401 | Tundra Books
What do you do when you meet a ghost? One: Provide the ghost with some of its favorite snacks, like mud tarts and earwax truffles. Two: Tell your ghost bedtime stories (ghosts love to be read to). Three: Make sure no one mistakes your ghost for whipped cream or a marshmallow when you aren’t looking! If you follow these few simple steps and the rest of the essential tips in How to Make Friends with a Ghost, you’ll see how a ghost friend will lovingly grow up and grow old with you. A whimsical story about ghost care, Rebecca Green’s debut picture book is a perfect combination of offbeat humor, quirky and sweet illustrations, and the timeless theme of friendship.

Super Friends: Simon and Chester #4
By Cale Atkinson
152 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774880012 | Tundra Books
Welcome to the world of Simon and Chester, ghost and boy duo extraordinaire. Chester lives with his Grandma, his cat Mr. Pickles and Simon the ghost. Simon and Chester are best friends. Their attic is the location for some of the best activities known to humankind: making up songs about passersby, acting out scenes from Simon’s exciting Dr. Darington novels and creating the incredible Treat-A-Matic snack dispenser. But Chester has also befriended a non-ghost named Amie, and she is coming over to work on their science fair project. Amie has a surprising idea for this project, and Simon and Chester’s friendship will be put to the test as a result. Will Simon behave? Will Amie come between the two friends? Will an invisible Simon make fart noises that Chester has to explain? All will be revealed . . .

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt
By Riel Nason
Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler
48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735264472 | Tundra Books
Ghosts are supposed to be sheets, light as air and able to whirl and twirl and float and soar. But the little ghost who is a quilt can’t whirl or twirl at all, and when he flies, he gets very hot. He doesn’t know why he’s a quilt. His parents are both sheets, and so are all of his friends. (His great-grandmother was a lace curtain, but that doesn’t really help cheer him up.) He feels sad and left out when his friends are zooming around and he can’t keep up. But one Halloween, everything changes. The little ghost who was a quilt has an experience that no other ghost could have, an experience that only happens because he’s a quilt . . . and he realizes that it’s OK to be different.

Preorder Today:

Lockjaw
By Matteo L. Cerilli
328 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882306 | Tundra Books
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Chuck Warren died tragically at the old abandoned mill, but Paz Espino knows it was no accident – there’s a monster under the town, and she’s determined to kill it before anyone else gets hurt. She’ll need the help of her crew – inseparable friends, bound by a childhood pact stronger than diamonds, distance or death – to hunt it down. But she’s up against a greater force of evil than she ever could have imagined. With shifting timeframes and multiple perspectives, Lockjaw is a small-town ghost story, where monsters living and dead haunt the streets, the homes and the minds of the inhabitants. For readers of Wilder Girls and The Haunted, this trans YA horror book by an incredible debut author will grab you and never let you go.

Tundra Book Group