Roy MacGregor – Page 2 – Tundra Book Group

April 9, 2015May 7, 2025

2015-2016 Chickadee Book Award

More great news, The Highest Number in the World has been nominated for the 2015-2016 Chickadee Book Award! Congratulations to Roy MacGregor and GeneviÃ¨ve Després!

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by GeneviÃ¨ve Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-5753
“MacGregor’s writing packs an emotional punch without relying on sentimentality (‘Gabe’s heart felt as if a skate had just run across it’). Expressive pencil drawings, brightened with color washes, perfectly capture the characters’ feelings. From the moment Grandma begins to share her past and her passion for hockey, the story’s context becomes broader, more complex, and more meaningful. A memorable, intergenerational picture book perfect for sharing.” – Starred Review, Booklist

The Chickadee Award is a picture book award program for children in kindergarten through fourth grade. This award is given annually to one of ten picture books nominated by a committee of teachers, librarians, and early literacy professionals. Each year the books are chosen from those published in the previous year and are selected because they present a solid original story and artwork that supports and extends the text.

March 30, 2015May 7, 2025

Tundra Reading Club: The Highest Number in the World Reviews

Hi everyone!

It’s time to share the Reading Club reviews for The Highest Number in the World!

TundraReadingClub

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor | Illustrated by GeneviÃ¨ve Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-5753

“MacGregor’s writing packs an emotional punch without relying on sentimentality…Expressive pencil drawings, brightened with color washes, perfectly capture the characters’ feelings…A memorable, intergenerational picture book perfect for sharing.”- Starred Review, Booklist

Adrienne at BooksandBassets likes that it’s about “girl power and historical context.”
Lee-Ann at Goodreads thinks the book does “a wonderful job at showing how if you look at disappointment a different way it is possible to see it as an opportunity to discover something else and just as thrilling.”
Mary-Esther at Sister’s Library calls it a “sweet story that warms the heart.”
Stephanie at The Nomadic Reader felt the story “resonated with [her] as a Canadian and of course as a lover of hockey.”
Ann Marie at a dainty dish calls it a “hat-trick – in its story, words and images!”

If you read the book as well, please let us know what you thought about it in the comments below! Are there any other inspirational hockey stories you love?

I’m also very excited to announce our April reading club book: Outstanding in the Rain by Frank Viva! Make sure you check back here next Monday to sign up for your chance to win a review copy.

Thanks for participating and see you next week!

March 2, 2015May 7, 2025

Tundra Reading Club: March 2015

Hi everyone!

Another month, another book!

Just to remind you:

Each month, we’ll post a book and a sign-up form for bloggers. Then we’ll randomly choose the lucky five who will receive a copy (in some cases, an advance copy) in exchange for a review on their blog!

Of course, everyone is free to participate via tweets (@TundraBooks) or in the comment section on the monthly post.

To make it easy to work into your busy schedules, we’ve chosen picture books so it shouldn’t take you too long to read the book of the month (or like me, you might pore over it for hours and be distracted by the illustrations).

Since the hockey season is ending next month, our pick for March, The Highest Number in the World by Roy MacGregor, is perfect for any hockey fan. It’s also a lovely inter-generational tale about a grandmother and her granddaughter, and includes wonderful illustrations by GeneviÃ¨ve Després.

Nine-year-old Gabe (Gabriella) Murray lives and breathes hockey. She’s the youngest player on her new team, she has a nifty move that her teammates call “the Gabe,” and she shares lucky number 22 with her hero, Hayley Wickenheiser. But when her coach hands out the team jerseys, Gabe is stuck with number 9. Crushed, Gabe wants to give up hockey altogether. How can she play without her lucky number? Gabe’s grandmother soon sets her straight, though – from her own connection to the number 9 in her hockey-playing days to all the greats she cheered for who wore it, she soon convinces Gabe that this new number might not be so bad after all.

Also, if you know any middle grade hockey lovers, make sure you check out Roy’s successful Screech Owls series.

Visit your local library or bookstore to get reading! If you’re interested, fill in the form below and we’ll randomly select five bloggers to read and review a copy of The Highest Number in the World and join our discussion. You have until Monday March 9 at 3 pm EST to sign up, so don’t delay!

SIGN-UP FORM CLOSED!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Lee Ann, Mary-Esther, Stephanie, Adrienne, and Ann Marie! We look forward to your reviews!

Check back in on Monday, March 23, 2015 for our reading club discussion of The Highest Number in the World!

February 10, 2015May 7, 2025

Tuesdays with Tundra 45

Happy New Year! This is our first Tuesdays with Tundra of 2015, we’re so excited to begin because there’s so many great books this year! Tuesdays with Tundra is a monthly post on our new releases. The following books are available today in stores and online!

Best Friends through Eternity
Written by Sylvia McNicoll
Hardcover | 192 Pages | Ages 12 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-710-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-712-2
Inspired by the true story of a teen who was killed at a railway crossing, the author weaves the tale of fourteen-year-old Paige, who, taking a shortcut alongside the tracks to avoid the school bullies, is tragically hit by a train and transported to a surreal world where she encounters Kim, who died seven years before. Convinced she is only dreaming, Paige must discover a way to return to her former life. Poignant, gripping, and full of unexpected twists and turns, Best Friends through Eternity will resonate with readers who have struggled with cultural identity, a sense of belonging, and the real meaning of home.

Head Lice
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6 to 9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-661-3
Part of a series of hilarious nonfiction books about disgusting creatures, this book examines head lice. It covers such topics as head lice habitats (human heads only, dogs are gross) anatomy (his body is slightly see through, so he can always see what he ate for lunch), and parenting practice (the female louse sticks eggs to human hair and uses the leftover glue for her model airplanes). Although silly and off-the-wall, Head Lice contains factual information that will both amuse and teach.

Reality Check in Detroit
Written by Roy and Kerry MacGregor
Trade Paperback | 209 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-422-0
eBook: 978-1-77049-427-5
The Screech Owls are invited to compete in a four-day skills competition in Detroit. Along with another team, they will be participating in a reality show called Goals and Dreams. They’re staying at a fancy hotel, being showered with hockey swag, given Hollywood nicknames, and posing for the film crew – Hockeytown doesn’t look bad at all! That’s until they meet the other team and start noticing how differently they’re being treated. Are the producers engineering certain tensions and situations to pump up the show? The Screech Owls don’t like to be manipulated . . .

The Spider
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6 to 9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-664-4
Part of a series of hilarious nonfiction about disgusting creatures, this book looks at the spider. It covers such topics as the spider’s habitats (pretty much everywhere but outer space), the silk it spins (it can trap prey and makes a nifty bowtie), and its parenting practice (female spiders carry around their eggs in a silk purse). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Spider contains real information that will both amuse and teach.

Pub Date Giveaway: In the comments below, please tell us which new February 2015 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, February 16, 2015!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Erin, winner of The Spider by Elise Gravel!

December 5, 2014May 7, 2025

2014 Holiday Gift Guide: The Sports Fan

Listed by age range:

Baseball Animals
Written by Christopher Jordan
Hardcover | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-474-9
In Baseball Animals, children will learn about the various animals specific to professional baseball and discover why each team selected the particular animal when naming their club.

Baseball Opposites
Written by Christopher Jordan
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-518-0
In Baseball Opposites, children will be introduced to an array of familiar opposites clearly defined through bright and colorful photographs from the world of Major League Baseball.

M Is for Maple Leafs
An Official Toronto Maple Leafs Alphabet Book
Written by Michael Ulmer
Illustrated by Melanie Rose
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-798-6
For nearly a century, the Toronto Maple Leafs have stood as one of the most popular hockey franchises in the NHL. With M Is for Maple Leafs, children across North America will discover the alphabet while being introduced to interesting Leaf history. From people (such as Mats Sundin and Johnny Bower) to hockey terminology (line change and face-off) and places and things (dressing room, Air Canada Centre, puck), the world of hockey is depicted in this fun and lively picture book. Featuring rhyming text from author Mike Ulmer and striking illustrations from Melanie Rose, this book captures the spirit of “Canada’s game.”

Puckster Plays the Hockey Mascots
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Illustrated by Kelly Findley
Trade Paperback | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-760-3
In Puckster Plays the Hockey Mascots, Puckster and his pals realize the dream of being on the ice with their hockey heroes – the Toronto Maple Leafs mascot Carlton the bear and the Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi. These legendary NHL mascots inspired Puckster to play hockey and cheer for Hockey Canada and now here he was playing in a real game with these hockey greats. But when his drive to win and desire to impress others gets in the way, Puckster realizes that he has let his team down and forgotten the true spirit of teamwork.

Puckster’s Christmas Hockey Tournament
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Illustrated by Kelly Findley
Trade Paperback | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-758-0
In Puckster’s Christmas Hockey Tournament, it is Christmas Eve and Puckster is nervously watching the heavy snowfall gather on the ground and in the trees. It is his first Christmas away from home and though he is excited to be with Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Tournament, he is afraid that the winter storm will prevent his family and friends from travelling to the remote arena and arrive in time for Christmas morning.

The Bambino and Me
Written by Zachary Hyman
Read by Jason Alexander
Illustrated by Zachary Pullen
Hardcover | 48 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-627-9
It’s 1927, and ten-year-old George Henry Alexander is full of the joys of summer: long days, warm nights and baseball, especially the greatest player in the game: Babe Ruth – the Bambino. When George’s parents surprise him with tickets to a game between his beloved Yankees and their rivals, the Boston Red Sox, he couldn’t be more excited. But when the big day arrives, things don’t quite go according to plan …

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by GeneviÃ¨ve Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-575-3
Nine-year-old Gabe (Gabriella) Murray lives and breathes hockey. She’s the youngest player on her new team, she has a nifty move that her teammates call “the Gabe,” and she shares a lucky number with her hero, Hayley Wickenheiser: number 22. But when her coach hands out the team jerseys, Gabe is stuck with number 9. Crushed, Gabe wants to give up hockey altogether. How can she play without her lucky number?

Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine
Written by Brian Mcfarlane
Illustrated by Geri Storey
Hardcover | 34 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-583-8
In Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine, Peter’s good friend, Tony the Zamboni, longs for adventure. When Tony disappears, Peter and referee George Phair head out to find him. Tony loves being out in the big wide world, especially when he enters a race at the speedway. Peter arrives just in time to hop on and drive, but a run-in with two nasty drivers threatens to put them on the sidelines. Can Peter and Tony stay in the race? And will the runaway Zamboni return to the arena and prepare the ice for the big game?

The Mystery of the Russian Ransom
Written by Roy MacGregor
Trade Paperback | 176 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-420-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-425-1
The Screech Owls have never had such a wonderful surprise. A famous Russian billionaire has offered to pay and fly the whole team to his country. He wants the Owls to visit his homeland so the Russians can learn from the Screech Owls’ style of play. The team will play in a tournament while they are there, but even before their first practice on Russian ice, Sarah is taken off the snowy streets. Her kidnappers want ten million rubles in exchange for her safe release! The billionaire wants to pay for Sarah’s safe return, but Travis and his teammates decide to take matters into their own hands.

The Boston Breakout
Written by Roy MacGregor
Trade Paperback | 176 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-421-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-426-8
The Screech Owls are in Boston for the Paul Revere Peewee Invitational. Nish decides to drop out of school. If it worked for Ben Franklin, it will work for him. Sarah becomes increasingly concerned about Samantha’s attraction to a group of protesters demanding that the New England Aquarium “Free the Penguins.” When the girls learn that the protesters have far more in mind than speeches and waving placards, the Owls have to act fast to save the lives of thousands of sea creatures.

The Hockey Sweater, 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
Hardcover | 48 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-762-7
The Hockey Sweater is a Canadian children’s classic, and we are very excited to be doing an anniversary edition. It will include lots of extras, including original material from the author and illustrator, stills from the animated film, letters and quotes from celebrities and more.