Samantha Devotta – Tundra Book Group

April 29, 2022May 7, 2025

The FOLD: Exploring Identity in Young Adult Fiction Panel

It’s one of our favorite times of the year: The Festival of Literary Diversity (aka The FOLD) starts this weekend! We’re really looking forward to the “Exploring Identity in Young Adult Fiction” panel featuring H.N. Khan (Wrong Side of the Court) and moderated by our very own Senior Marketing & Publicity Associate, Sam Devotta.

The panel is happening on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 12:00 pm ET – make sure to register here if you’re interested in attending and check out the rest of the schedule for some amazing events!

Wrong Side of the Court
By H. N. Khan
312 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735270879 | Penguin Teen Canada
Fifteen-year-old Fawad Chaudhry loves two things: basketball and his mother’s potato and ground-beef stuffed parathas. Both are round and both help him forget about things like his father, who died two years ago, his mother’s desire to arrange a marriage to his first cousin, Nusrat, back home in Pakistan, and the tiny apartment in Regent Park he shares with his mom and sister. Not to mention his estranged best friend Yousuf, who’s coping with the shooting death of his older brother. But Fawad has plans: like, asking out Ashley, even though she lives on the other, wealthier side of the tracks, and saving his friend Arif from being beaten into a pulp for being the school flirt, and making the school basketball team and dreaming of being the world’s first Pakistani to be drafted into the NBA. All he has to do now is convince his mother to let him try out for the basketball team. And let him date girls from his school. Not to mention somehow get Omar, the neighborhood bully, to leave him alone.

November 17, 2017May 7, 2025

Fashion Friday: A Pattern for Pepper

Today, we’re celebrating Fashion Friday with a little pattern-obsessed girl!

Pepper is getting a dress made for a special occasion. It’s the first dress that has ever been made just for her, and she wants it to be perfect. But what pattern is right for her? Pepper is particular, and nothing works at first. Dotted Swiss? Too plain. Houndstooth? Not enough color. Pinstripe? Too glum. As Pepper learns about each fabric, she finds a reason why it’s just not the one. Will Pepper ever be able to find the perfect pattern?

We’ve paired Mr. Taylor’s patterns with real-life dresses in shades of blue that would make Pepper proud. Which pattern is your favorite?

Herringbone

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); HighHatCouture [etsy](right)

Seersucker

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); ShopFlourishVintage [etsy](right)

Tartan

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); KateDiNataleVintage [etsy](right)

Houndstooth

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); RustBeltThreads [etsy](right)

Ikat

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); DreamingOfAvonlea [etsy](right)

Argyle

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); FASHIONRERUN [etsy](right)

Pinstripe

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); FASHIONRERUN [etsy](right)

Dotted Swiss

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); AvionVintage [etsy](right)

Toile

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); laucreations [etsy](right)

Paisley

Credit: Julie Kraulis (left); TrunkofDresses [etsy](right)

A Pattern for Pepper
Written by Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 9781101917565
eBook: 9781101917589
“All that information about textiles could have been dry and didactic, but Kraulis keeps it lively and filled with giggle-inspiring double meanings and puns. The oil-and-graphite illustrations in varying tones of blues and browns are perfectly suited to the tale, which has an old-fashioned sensibility that will charm modern young readers.” – Kirkus Reviews

May 8, 2015May 7, 2025

Fashion Friday: Edie and Andrew

Hi everyone!

Sam here, one last time.

It’s been a while since we did a Fashion Friday post, but since this is my last hurrah as a Tundra intern, I thought it would be fun to go out with a stylish bang.

One of the first books I saw when I started my internship in November was the fabulous Edie’s Ensembles by Ashley Spires. A true fashion animal, Edie’s outrageous outfits are fascinating, but I also liked her more casual style. Here are some of my favourite looks.

This real-life dress isn’t as feathery as Edie’s, but the colour is gorgeous and I secretly want an elaborate hat (even though I don’t have anywhere to wear it!).

Purple and yellow is my favourite colour combination and you can never go wrong with a good denim jacket, especially in the fall!

This is one of Edie’s ensembles right before she lets her creative side loose, and I think she looks adorable. I’m pretty sure I have a similar outfit in my own closet.

We can’t ignore Andrew, Edie’s best friend! He shares Edie’s love for fashion, but he has a sassy style that’s all his own.

Make sure you check out Ashley’s own website, Drawn Out Wardrobe, for even more fashion fun! And look out for a new picture book starring the adorable Andrew next spring!

Edie’s Ensembles
Written by Ashley Spires
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-490-9
eBook: 978-1-77049-491-6
“A budding fashion maven learns the hard way what defines personal style. Taking the metaphor of a fashion animal rather literally, Spires here concocts the tale of zany rodent-like Edie and her bird best friend, Andrew…. The more attention Edie’s ensembles earn, the more driven she becomes to outdo herself, much to the detriment of her friendship with Andrew and-quite unbeknownst to Edie-her reputation…. A heartwarming tale of self-discovery and friendship.” – Kirkus Reviews

May 7, 2015May 7, 2025

If you like Sherlock, you’ll love Ellie Marney’s Every Breath!

Hi everyone!

Sam the intern here. I took over the blog again so that I could talk to you about two of my current obsessions: BBC’s Sherlock and Ellie Marney’s Every series. Conveniently enough, they complement each other perfectly.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Sherlock, it’s a modern retelling of some of Holmes’ famous cases, set in contemporary London. It stars:

Benedict Cumberbatch as the famous detective;

Martin Freeman (aka Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit!) as the faithful Dr. John Watson;

Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother;

Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson, the landlady;

and an excellent Andrew Scott as Sherlock’s arch-nemesis, Moriarty.

If you haven’t already watched it, I highly recommend you give it a chance.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a Sherlock Holmes-esque book, then look no further than Every Breath, the first book in Ellie Marney’s Every series.

When James Mycroft drags Rachel Watts off on a night mission to the Melbourne Zoo, the last thing she expects to find is the mutilated body of Homeless Dave, one of Mycroft’s numerous eccentric friends. But Mycroft’s passion for forensics leads him to realize that something about the scene isn’t right–and he wants Watts to help him investigate the murder.

While Watts battles her attraction to bad-boy Mycroft, he’s busy getting himself expelled and clashing with the police, becoming murder suspect number one. When Watts and Mycroft unknowingly reveal too much to the cold-blooded killer, they find themselves in the lion’s den–literally. A trip to the zoo will never have quite the same meaning to Rachel Watts again…

I picked this book up shortly after finishing the last episode of Sherlock, in an effort to tide me over until the next season (in 2016!). I finished it in a day. I was so hooked, I barely moved during the last quarter.

Like Sherlock, Marney’s novel is fast-paced and wonderfully detailed. The main mystery surrounding Homeless Dave is neatly wrapped up with no loose ends or random plot points thrown in at the last second. But there’s still enough of a mystery surrounding Mycroft himself that makes you – li Every Word ke Rachel – want to know more.

Also like Sherlock, the characters are so well rounded, you almost believe they’re real (I, for one, wish I knew Mycroft in real life). You get into their heads and slowly start to see what makes them tick and that journey is almost as fascinating as the mystery itself. Plus, the chemistry between Mycroft and Watts – aka”Wattscroft” – is palpable.

Trust me when I say their relationship gets even more explosive in the sequel, Every Word (out September 2015) and I can’t wait to find out what happens to them next! If you’re going to BEA this year, make sure you pick up an ARC – this is a series you don’t want to miss!

#Wattscroft forever!

May 5, 2015May 7, 2025

This Is Sadie – In Real Life

Samantha Devotta: One of the books I’m most excited for is Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad’s latest collaboration, This Is Sadie. It comes out next week, and it’s one of the sweetest stories I’ve ever read.

Sadie is a little girl with a big imagination. We thought it would be nice to see if we could find real-life counterparts to scenes from Sadie’s adventures.

As an Alice in Wonderland fan, my favourite spread is when Sadie throws a Mad Hatter-worthy tea party. This girl is very Sadie-like with her pretty dress and, of course, the bunting in the background (we at Tundra love bunting!).

Credit: Genevieve McKeiver

There’s no basket on this shiny red bike yet, but the resourceful Sadie would definitely be able to come up with a solution!

Credit: PublicDomainPictures (pixabay)

Sadie’s room is whimsically decorated with a mushroom lamp, bunting, and her plush fox family. Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a book in a room like this?

Credit: piperandpoppies (bedroom); milkmagazine.net (table/lamp – click through the photos); Red Red Completely Red (blanket photo) and Elizabeth Hartman (blanket pattern); Stuffed Safari (fox)

Sadie also builds herself a blanket tent where she can hang out with her foxes and plan some more adventures. This little guy already has the tent and animal pals covered!

Credit: Karen (artmarble)

So cute! I think it might be time to makeover my own bedroom.

If you’d like to see more real-life Sadies, please check out thisissadiebook.tumblr.com or the Sadie pinterest page. And if you have a Sadie in your life, please feel free to email a photo to ThisIsSadieBook@yahoo.com so that you can be added to the website!