Tag: Proud as a Peacock Brave as a Lion

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The 2011 OLA Forest of Reading® Nominees

Yesterday, the Ontario Library Association revealed the short-listed nominated titles for the 2011 Forest of Reading®. All nominated titles have been posted on the Reading Program page of the OLA website, which you can visit at http://www.accessola.com/reading.

Tundra would like to congratulate Jane Barclay, Renné Benoit, Monica Kulling, Bill Slavin, Ann Love, Jane Drake, and Nancy Hartry!

Blue Spruce Award (JK-Grade 2)

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
By Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
ISBN 978-88776-951-1
Hardcover
24 Pages
“…Barcaly has taken on an important topic in an effective and touching way…. The text is complemented beautifully with Benoit’s artwork rendered in watercolours and gouache. The gentle wash of colours is soft and expressive, with the red poppies making an impression….” – CM Magazine

Silver Birch Award – Express (Grades 2-4)

It’s a Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph
By Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
ISBN 978-88776-881-1
Hardcover
32 Pages
“…Love the story, the history and the illustrations. We had a great time reading it together and talking about how much cameras have changed. It’s great to look at our past to see how far we’ve come….” – The Book Broads

Silver Birch Award – Nonfiction (Grades 4-6)

Talking Tails: The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets
By Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
ISBN 978-88776-884-2
Hardcover
80 Pages
“…Written in what might be described as an infectiously friendly fashion, with an ample array of narrative … and plentifully illustrated with witty watercolours by the irrepressible Bill Slavin, Talking Tails will appeal to those who are contemplating having a pet in their lives, or those who just want affirmation of the rightness of their choice of pet – and perhaps more information about the cat, dog or leopard gecko they dote on.” – The Globe and Mail

Golden Oak Award (Adult Learners)

Watching Jimmy
By Nancy Hartry
ISBN 978-88776-871-2
Hardcover
160 Pages
“…Nancy Hartry’s observant, smart, and iconoclastic narrator floats the story over the surface of a despair which often threatens to engulf the characters, but somehow never does….” – Canadian Literature

The Festival of Treesâ„¢ will be taking place on May 11-12, 2011 at the Harbourfront Centre. We’ll be there to cheer on our authors and illustrators!

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The 2010 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award

The winners of the 2010 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award were announced today. As usual, we were all invited to attend the ceremony at the school. The winners were selected by two juries: students in grades 3 and 4 chose the children’s picture book winner and students in grades 7 and 8 picked the young adult/middle reader award winner.

Congratulations to our authors and illustrator!

Winner of the Children’s Picture Book Award Category
Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
Written by Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit

Winner of the Young Adult/Middle Reader Book Award Category
Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His 3rd Case
Written by Shane Peacock

Renné Benoit and Jane Barclay get their pictures taken with the grade 3 and 4 students and the awards committee:

Shane Peacock with the grade 7 and 8 student jurors:

Renné, Jane, and Shane stayed to sign books for the students:

Not to break tradition, there were cupcake treats at the end of the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award!

Thank you to the Ontario Arts Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, the Awards Committee, the Canadian Booksellers Association, the students, librarians, teachers, and school principal!

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Each One Remembered – On se souvient de chacun

Award-winning author Linda Granfield, has been very involved in a school poppy program, Each One Remembered – On se souvient de chacun, for Vimy Ridge Day. On Friday, April 9, Canadians are invited to make poppies to pay tribute to all of those who served in the First World War. To participate in this program and for more information, please click on the links for English and French.

We applaud Linda Granfield for her heroic efforts on acknowledging our beloved veterans!

Teachers, librarians, and parents may also want share these books:

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
By Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
ISBN 978-0-88776-951-1
Ages 4-7

“…beautifully modulated picture book about war and remembrance…. Renné Benoit’s subtle gouache and watercolour illustrations are perfectly attuned to Jane Barclay’s story.” – The Globe and Mail

The War to End All Wars: The Story of World War I
By Jack Batten
ISBN 978-0-88776-879-8
Ages 10+

“…Batten’s account is a model of lucidity, a good place for a young reader to start. Batten’s clean, intelligent prose makes this highly readable and comprehensible….” – The Toronto Star

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OLA Best Bets 2009

Each year the OLA Best Bets Committee selects the top 10 Canadian picture books, fiction and non fiction for children and fiction for teens. The selections are presented at OLA Superconference. Here are the Tundra titles that made their 2009 lists:

Picture Books:

Bird Child
By Nan Forler
Illustrated by François Thisdale
ISBN 978-0-88776-894-1
Hardcover
32 Pages
Ages 5-8
Bullying and the ability to rise above it are at the heart of this strikingly beautiful picture book.

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
By Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
ISBN 978-0-88776-951-1
Hardcover
24 Pages
Ages 4-7
Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion has relevance to a growing number of families, as new waves of soldiers leave home.

Same Same
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Tom Slaughter
ISBN 978-0-88776-885-9
Hardcover
24 Pages
Ages 2-5
Forget about differences! Here’s a wonderful new concept book to explore and enjoy!

Timmerman was Here
By Colleen Sydor
Illustrated by Nicolas Debon
ISBN 978-0-88776-890-3
Hardcover
32 Pages
Ages 4-7
Timmerman Was Here is a charming tale of mystery, perception, and the gift of friendship.

Children’s Fiction:

The Battle for Duncragglin
By Andrew Vanderwal
ISBN 978-0-88776-886-6
Hardcover
320 Pages
Ages 11+
Set in the time of William Wallace, this is historical fiction at its bloody best!

Watching Jimmy
By Nancy Hartry
ISBN 978-0-88776-871-2
Hardcover
160 Pages
Ages 9+
A novel of danger, warmth, and dark humor – about a brain-damaged young boy and the friend who knows a terrible secret.

Vanishing Girl
By Shane Peacock
ISBN 978-0-88776-852-1
Hardcover
320 Pages
Ages 10-14
The third case in the compelling Boy Sherlock Holmes series is full of as many twists and turns as the backstreets of Victorian London.

Children’s Non Fiction:

It’s a Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph
By Monika Kulling
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
ISBN 978-0-88776-881-1
Hardcover
32 Pages
Ages 5-8
Monica Kulling’s spunky, playful text is beautifully complemented by the stunning pen-and-ink with watercolour illustrations of artist Bill Slavin.

Which books do you think will make the 2010 list?

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Remembering Our Veterans

Introduce the very young to Remembrance Day and Veterans’ Day and what it means:

Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a LionProud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
Written by Jane Barclay
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
ISBN 978-0-88776-951-1
Ages 4-7 | 24 Pages | Hardcover

A gentle, lyrical, new book about war and remembrance. Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion is a special book that will put very young readers on the path to remembrance and lasting appreciation for those who sacrificed and risked their lives in service to their country.

“… a perfect choice for read alouds on Veteran’s Day. It explains why we honor veterans very succinctly and makes perfect sense – a serious but easily understood title.” – Chasing Ray

“… a quiet, loving dialogue between the generations punctuated with vividly realized war scenes. …makes a statement about heroism. …a tight narrative, rich language, a strong story arc….” – Feature Review, Quill & Quire

“…meaningful and engaging…. Barclay has taken on an important topic in an effective and touching way…. There is a lovely rhythm to the prose that would make this a perfect choice by parents and teachers to read-aloud. The text is complemented beautifully with Benoit’s artwork rendered in watercolours and gouache…. Highly Recommended.” – CM Magazine

“Small photos in sepia shades evoke the past in images… the lively animal images in the words are also part of the pictures. …The blend of grim reality, heroic battle, and playful fantasy will speak to kids.” – Booklist

For older readers, a concise history of World War I:

The War to End All Wars - The Story of World War IThe War to End All Wars: The Story of World War I
Written by Jack Batten
ISBN 978-0-88776-879-8
Ages 10+ | 160 Pages | Hardcover

Meet the soldiers who fought the deadly battles on the Western Front. Follow the trail of flying ace Billy Bishop as he tangles in the air with the Red Baron. The War to End All Wars evokes the heroism and suffering of the men from every country, whose stories changed the face of the world forever.

“…Batten’s account is a model of lucidity, a good place for a young reader to start. Batten’s clean, intelligent prose makes this highly readable and comprehensible….” – The Toronto Star

“This superb book – with its high production values and a multitude of archival photographs, it’s as handsome as it is informative – belongs in every school library and on every family bookshelf. [Jack Batten] makes history vivid, almost palpable, for readers of any age…. Batten’s elegant prose tracks the broad sweep of the war…. The quality that makes this book the outstanding achievement that it is, though, it Batten’s detail-rich delineation of the particular, the depth of his reach into a character, an incident or a battle….” – The Globe and Mail

For middle-grade readers, a novel of danger, warmth, and dark humour:

Watching JimmyWatching Jimmy
By Nancy Hartry
ISBN 978-0-88776-871-2
Ages 9+ | 160 Pages | Hardcover

A novel of danger, warmth, and dark humour – set in 1958, Watching Jimmy is a brilliant portrait of a time past, a family of strong women, and a resourceful young girl who exudes character, resilience, and most of all, love.

“Like a steady beat that pulses louder and louder, the story unfolds against a backdrop of postwar social and political concerns and Remembrance Day. Carolyn is a passionate and feisty character, delineated with love and precision, and readers will be drawn to her. A compelling and satisfying novel.” – School Library Journal

“…this short tale of a Canadian preteen whose life centers around protecting her brain-damaged friend recalls … it’s not until she falls in with some wise and savvy adults at a new church that she gains the confidence she needs to blow the whistle-which she does in the course of a passionate Remembrance Day speech arguing for universal health care. … [an] absorbing read.” – Booklist

“…lyrical language…. The book gives a picture of what it was like living in the post-World War II Canada. Readers will be drawn into the gripping story and will worry about the safely of both Jimmy and Carolyn.” – VOYA

“Hartry… has perfectly captured this determined child’s voice and vividly recreates the setting of Toronto in 1958. It’s not hard to connect the dots … which brings the story home to modern readers. As Carolyn encounters one nearly overwhelming challenge after another, they will find her ultimately optimistic tale impossible to put down.” – Kirkus Reviews

Please take time to remember today.

Tundra Book Group