TD Summer Reading Club 2023

TD Summer Reading Club is a free bilingual summer reading program for kids. Developed by the Toronto Public Library in association with Library and Archives Canada, the Club inspires kids to explore the joy of reading and build a lifelong love of literature.

All summer long, kids can read books online, get reading recommendations, track their progress, and connect with other kids all over Canada. There’s something for everyone including kids with print disabilities.

Some of our titles have been included on the Club’s Top Recommended Reads, and we’re so excited to share them with children all across the country this summer.

Picture Books

Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock
By Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
56 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735269255 | Tundra Books
What if you wrote a story about a detective, and he became the most famous detective ever? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Or . . . would it? Arthur has always loved stories. Even as he grew up poor, endured hardships at school and experienced danger on the high seas, Arthur was always thrilled and inspired by stories. Eventually, he writes his own, and after many years of struggle as a writer, he finally finds success with a series of mystery stories starring his genius detective, Sherlock Holmes. But is it possible for a character to become too successful? Too popular? And if that happens to Arthur, will he really throw his greatest literary creation . . . over a cliff?!

Big As a Giant Snail
By Jess Keating
Illustrated by David DeGrand
48 Pages | Ages 5-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593300848 | Knopf BFYR
It’s a big wide world, full of critters that are larger than life! Sure, there are the usual suspects: blue whales, polar bears, elephant seals . . . but others will take you by surprise. The giant snail, for instance, or the ginormous Atlas moth. Like Pink Is for Blobfish and Cute as an Axolotl, Big as a Giant Snail will cover a wide variety of species, while subtly delving into misconceptions and stereotypes associated with size. Best of all? These tall tales are totally true!

Eric
By Shaun Tan
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735269736 | Tundra Books
Eric is a foreign exchange student who comes to live with a typical suburban family. Although everyone is delighted with the arrangement, cultural misunderstandings ensue, beginning with Eric’s insistence on sleeping in a pantry cupboard rather than a specially prepared guest room. The family takes Eric on a number of excursions, but they’re never sure if he’s having a good time, as he just doesn’t say very much. He’s mostly interested in small things he discovers on the ground. When Eric leaves the family suddenly, they’re unsure if they’ve done something wrong. But Eric leaves them a surprise gift that they’ll never forget.

Expedition Backyard
By Rosemary Mosco and Binglin Hu
128 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593127346 | Random House Graphic
Each day, Mole and Vole venture out into the world – never forgetting their nature journal! – to see what they can find in their own backyard. From pigeons and jumping spiders to swamp milkweed and maple trees, these two explorers get to know every part of their local environment. But after an accidental move from the country to the city, Mole and Vole worry that everything will be different. As they explore, they discover plants to look at and animals to meet in their new home as well. The story of these two best friends brings to life a nonfiction adventure of finding wonder in nature everywhere – no matter where you live. This book concludes with fun activities for kids to do at home.

Flowers Are Pretty . . . Weird!
By Rosemary Mosco
Illustrated by Jacob Souva
36 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265943 | Tundra Books
Flowers are beautiful. They have bright colors, soft petals and sweet nectar. Yum! But that’s not the whole truth. Flowers can be WEIRD . . . and one bee is here to let everyone know! Talking directly to the reader, a bee reveals how flowers are so much stranger than what we think. Did you know that there are some flowers that only bloom in the nighttime? Some flowers are spooky, and look like ghosts, or bats, or a monster’s mouth. And while most flowers smell good, there are some that smell like dead meat, or even horse poop! This hilarious and refreshing book with silly and sweet illustrations explores the science of flowers and shows that these plants are not always stereotypically pretty and harmless as we often think they are – they are fascinating, disgusting, complicated and amazing.

I Talk Like a River
By Jordan Scott
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780823445592 | Holiday House
When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he’d like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice. Compassionate parents everywhere will instantly recognize a father’s ability to reconnect a child with the world around him. A book for any child who feels lost, lonely, or unable to fit in.

In the Clouds 
By Elly MacKay
44 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735266964 | Tundra Books
A bored and curious little girl wishes for a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. But a friendly bird soon whisks her off for an adventure in the sky, where she can contemplate questions both scientific and philosophical in nature: how do clouds float? Or carry the rain? Where do they go when they disappear? Are there clouds on other planets? Do they have memories? Have they ever seen a girl like her? This dreamy picture book from the inimitable Elly MacKay features her trademark stunning, light-infused spreads that beautifully capture the wondrousness of clouds and the power of nature to inspire and stimulate imaginations.

Kumo: The Bashful Cloud
By Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Nathalie Dion
64  Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267282 | Tundra Books
Kumo is a cloud whose only wish is to float unseen. When she’s assigned cloud duty for the day, she feels overwhelmed by self-doubt and her fear of being noticed. But after learning that closing your eyes isn’t a good solution to your troubles, Kumo pulls her fluff together and does her duties – drifting, releasing rain and providing shelter – meeting some new friends along the way and inspiring the imagination (and capturing the heart) of a small daydreamer like her. Kyo Maclear’s sweetly humorous and lyrical parable about shyness, vividly brought to life by Nathalie Dion’s ethereal illustrations, is an affirmation of the pleasures of community and the confidence that can arise from friendship and visibility.

Pink, Blue, and You!: Questions for Kids about Gender Stereotypes
By Elise Gravel and Mykaell Blais
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593178638 | Ann Schwartz Books
Is it okay for boys to cry? Can girls be strong? Should girls and boys be given different toys to play with and different clothes to wear? Should we all feel free to love whoever we choose to love? In this incredibly kid-friendly and easy-to-grasp picture book, author-illustrator Elise Gravel and transgender collaborator Mykaell Blais raise these questions and others relating to gender roles, acceptance, and stereotyping. With its simple language, colorful illustrations, engaging backmatter that showcases how “appropriate” male and female fashion has changed through history, and even a poster kids can hang on their wall, here is the ideal tool to help in conversations about a multi-layered and important topic.

The Bug Girl
By Sophia Spencer and Margaret McNamara
Illustrated by KERASCOET
44 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267527 | Tundra Books
Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder-and wouldn’t leave! – at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two-and-a-half years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers (her very favorite insects), as well as ants and fireflies . . . but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia’s mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response – letters, photos and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag #BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs – and it worked!

The Mystery of the Monarchs
By Barb Rosenstock
Illustrated by Erika Meza
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984829566 | Knopf BFYR
Young Fred Urquhart was fascinated by insects, especially his favorite, the monarch butterfly. He wondered where monarchs spent the winter. No one knew. After he became an entomologist (bug scientist),Fred and his wife, Norah, tagged hundreds of butterflies, hoping to solve the mystery of the monarchs. But they soon discovered that they needed help. They started a “butterfly family,” a community of children, teachers, and nature enthusiasts from three countries – Canada, the United States, and Mexico – to answer the question: Where do the monarchs go? Detailed materials in the back of the book include maps of monarch migration, the life cycle of the butterfly, and the cultural relevance of monarch butterflies in Mexico, as well as information on environmental efforts towards monarch conservation.

The Rock from the Sky
By Jon Klassen
96 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536215632 | Candlewick
There is a spot.
It is a good spot.
It is the perfect spot to stand.
There is no reason to ever leave.
But somewhere above there is also a rock.
A rock from the sky.
Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a hilarious meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there’s something off somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it. Merging broad visual suspense with wry wit, celebrated picture book creator Jon Klassen gives us a wholly original comedy for the ages.

The Treasure Box
By Dave Keane
Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
32 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781984813183 | Putnam BFYR
Searching for treasures with her grandpa is this young girl’s favorite thing to do. Every week they examine the items in her secret box and go on walks to find more – a broken robin’s egg, rusty spring, even a snakeskin that makes Grandpa squirm and make funny faces. But then Grandpa is too sick to come. She leaves him a few treasures in the hospital, but when he dies, she can’t bring herself to even open the treasure box. When Grammy brings her some treasures Grandpa wanted her to have, they open the box together and continue the tradition, showing that memories of time together are the greatest treasures of all. This poignant, gorgeously-illustrated story celebrates the special bonds kids have with grandparents, even after they are gone.

This Is Ruby
By Sara O’Leary
Illustrated by Alea Marley
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735263611 | Tundra Books
Ruby is a little girl with a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm that’s too big to contain! Ruby is always busy – she loves to make things, watch things grow, and figure out how things work, with her dog Teddy by her side. And Ruby has lots of ideas about what she wants to be: maybe an animal conservationist? Or an archaeologist? She’s great at excavating (i.e. digging holes). Or maybe an inventor? She’s already invented a book with smells instead of words (so dogs can read it) and a time machine (the dinosaurs did have feathers after all, and the future is looking wild). This is Ruby, and this is her world.

Time Capsule
By Lauren Redniss
Illustrated by Erika Meza
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593425930 | Make Me a World
A set of dice. A grandmother’s ring. The key to an old house. A child gathers keepsakes from everyday life, seals them in a jar, and buries them underground. A gift from the present day…to people of the future…that tells a story about the past. A time capsule. The first book for children by renowned artist and writer Lauren Redniss will get readers thinking about the times they are living through and how their world will be remembered in ages to come. It will also spark creativity, inviting young people to envision the future and to make their own time capsules. Extra pages in the back include tips on making your own time capsule and facts about different kinds of time capsules in history.

Wake Up, Little Chicks! (Little Loves)
By Sabina Gibson
18 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board book
ISBN 9781101940853 | Knopf BFYR
These adorable, spare board books follow Sabina Gibson’s fuzzy families as parents guide their babies through daily life. In Wake Up, Chicks!, readers will see mice and insects starting their days while a family of owls is just settling in to sleep. These warm and inviting spreads are perfect for new families to curl up with together.

Whose Bones Are Those?
By Chihiro Takeuchi
40 Pages | Ages 3-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781536221459 | Candlewick Studio
Whose bones? A scattering of tiny bones, spread across a vivid background, seem to offer no clues. But turn the page and the bones have elegantly come together, revealing the form of a snake or a lion, a crocodile or an elephant, a flamingo or even a whale. Every vibrant spread of this fascinating book features the skeleton – and also a stylized representation – of a different animal. Even the youngest of readers are invited to scrutinize the visual clues to figure out whose bones are portrayed in this fascinating introduction to vertebrates.

Middle Grade

Ghostlight
By Kenneth Oppel
400 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735272330 | 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.

Sneaks
By Catherine Egan
336 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593306406 | Knopf BFYR
When Ben Harp sees his teacher’s watch crawling across the hallway, he thinks he must be dreaming. But no, he’s just seen his first Sneak – an interdimensional mischief-maker that can borrow the form of any ordinary object.  He figured this school year would be bad – his best friend moved away, the class bully is circling, and he’s stuck doing a group project with two similarly friendless girls, Charlotte and Akemi. Still, he wasn’t expecting aliens!  And he certainly wasn’t expecting that the woman he and Charlotte and Akemi are assigned to interview for their “living local history” project would be a Sneak expert. Or that she’d foist an old book on them to keep safe . . . and then disappear. Now Ben, Charlotte, and Akemi are trying to understand a book that seems to contain a coded map while being pursued by violent clothes hangers, fire-spitting squirrels, and more. The Sneaks want that book! And they want something else, too: to pull a vastly more dangerous creature into the world with them. Can three misfit kids decode the book in time to stop an alien takeover? And if they do, will they get extra credit on their group project?

Super Detectives: Simon and Chester #1
By Cale Atkinson
64 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735267640 | Tundra Books
Welcome to the world of Simon and Chester, ghost and boy duo extraordinaire.
They like to kick butt and take names.
They don’t like chores.
They are best friends.
And they are about to solve the mystery of a lifetime.
(Oh, and eat some snacks probably.)
Join Simon and Chester in their first adventure, and fall in love with this hilarious odd couple by fan favorite author and illustrator Cale Atkinson.

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano
By Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Isabelle Follath
336 Pages | Ages 10+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735265486 | Tundra Books
Aggie Morton lives in a small town on the coast of England in 1902. Adventurous and imaginative, but deeply shy, Aggie hasn’t got much to do since the death of her beloved father . . . until the fateful day when she crosses paths with twelve-year-old Belgian immigrant Hector Perot and discovers a dead body on the floor of the Mermaid Dance Room! As the number of suspects grows and the murder threatens to tear the town apart, Aggie and her new friend will need every tool at their disposal – including their insatiable curiosity, deductive skills and not a little help from their friends – to solve the case before Aggie’s beloved dance instructor is charged with a crime Aggie is sure she didn’t commit. Filled with mystery, adventure, an unforgettable heroine and several helpings of tea and sweets, The Body Under the Piano is the clever debut of a new series for middle-grade readers and Christie and Poirot fans everywhere, from a Governor General’s Award-nominated author of historical fiction for children.

The Bear House
By Meaghan McIsaac
272 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780823452620 | Holiday House
Moody Aster and her spoiled sister Ursula are the daughters of Jasper Lourdes, Bear Major and high king of the realm. Rivals, both girls dream of becoming the Bear queen someday, although neither really deserve to, having no particular talent in… well, anything. But when their Uncle Bram murders their father in a bid for the crown, the girls are forced onto the run, along with lowly Dev the Bearkeeper and the half-grown grizzly Alcor, symbol of their house. As a bitter struggle for the throne consumes the kingdom in civil war, the sisters must rely on Dev, the bear cub, and each other to survive – and find wells of courage, cunning, and skill they never knew they had.

Water, Water
By Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Jon McNaught
160 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735270039 | Tundra Books
One morning Rafe wakes up to discover his bedroom is floating in a vast sea of water. Alone with only his dog for company, Rafe adapts to this strange new world by fishing cans of food out of the water and keeping watch. Boxes float by, as does a woman, playing her cello. Then, one day, Rafe fishes out a young girl, who joins him in his room – they don’t speak the same language, but together they will face this uncertain future together.

TD Summer Reading Club 2014

EurekaThe TD Summer Reading Club is an inclusive, bilingual program that strives to engage all children in the joy of reading during the summer months. This program is a joint initiative between TD Bank Group, Toronto Public Library, and Library and Archives Canada. Every year a theme is selected from suggestions made across the country. This year’s theme is EUREKA!

Children who register for the TD Summer Reading Club at their local library receive a free promotional reading kit and are encouraged to earn nine collectible stickers by reading books over the summer. They are also invited to participate in programs organized at their local library and share their love of reading with children across the country through the TD Summer Reading club website.

Here are some of the Tundra titles that are being featured in the reading lists this year, make sure you check them out at your local library!

Ella May and the Wishing StoneElla May and the Wishing Stone
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-410-7
“…Fagan believably captures the delicate balance of friendship in the very young and lets the story play out with welcome complexity. Côté’s illustrations are simple without being cartoonish, demonstrating the same warm understanding of childhood. Thoughtful and Touching” – Kirkus Reviews

I Like To PlayI Like to Play
World Vision Early Readers
Written by Marla Stewart Konrad
Hardcover | 24 Pages | Ages
ISBN 978-0-88776-998-6
“…full of gorgeous photographs and simple text…. The pictures are thought provoking and will prompt many questions from young readers…. There is so much joy and focus in these pictures… highly recommended….” – Excellent, Resource Links

In the BagIn the Bag!
Margaret Knight Wraps It Up

Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-515-9
“…a delightful picture book biography of a little known inspiring woman…. I love stories about smart and determined young women and Kulling’s lively text tells an inspiring story about this determined woman who ‘never gave up without a fight.’ David Parkins’ charming illustrations are filled with carefully drawn period details and engaging humor…. Don’t miss this really excellent book that opens the door to a multitude of curricular uses.” – Bookends, a Booklist Blog

Mr Zingers HatMr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-253-0
“A charming, marvelous tale surrounding the art of creating and telling stories, Mr. Zinger’s Hat celebrates the budding friendship between an elderly writer and a young boy who discovers a storyteller within … Fagan’s writing is beautifully crafted … Petričić’s engaging artwork deftly juxtaposes two distinct styles which portray a real-life setting and an imaginary world … The illustrations vividly depict the storyteller’s wry humour and the boy’s wide-eyed innocence.” – Jury Members (Winner of the 2013 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award)

Sweet!Sweet!
The Delicious Story of Candy

Written by Ann Love and Jane Drake
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Trade Paperback | 64 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN 978-0-88776-962-7
“…reading their new book is a little like dipping into a grab bag from the candy store: the experience is fun, varied, and relatively cheap, considering the pleasure it gives. The difference is that you can take in the whole book at a single sitting and feel the better for it. Underneath its whimsical exterior – the humorous cartoon illustrations, the fun bits of trivia – there’s a centre of solid research. The writing is clear and engaging…. This thoughtfully constructed book is a treat to read.” – Starred review, Quill & Quire

What Am IWhat Am I?
Written by Linda Granfield
Illustrated by Jennifer Herbert
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 2-5
ISBN: 978-0-88776-812-5
“Little ones will be kept on their toes as they guess which item is being described by a series of clues. Straightforward descriptions and bright, simple illustrations help kids figure out the right answers.” – Today’s Parent

readerparade
Please click here for more information about John Martz, the illustrator who created the artwork for this year’s Reading Club!

TD Summer Reading Club

TD Summer Reading Club 2012

Imagine
TD Bank Financial Group, the Toronto Public Library, and Library and Archives Canada are proud to support literacy in Canada by offering the TD Summer Reading Club to Canadian children across the nation in both English and French. This is a great program for parents, librarians, and teachers across the country!

Imagining is creating! What a wonderful introduction to Imagine, the theme of the TD Summer Reading Club 2012. As its name suggests, this theme will familiarize young readers with literature of the fantastic. Readers will be charmed by fantasy stories and novels and they will be enthralled by tales of wonder. They will discover the Gothic and steam-punk worlds where unusual creatures and strange machines can be found in mysterious locales.

Here is a list of our books that are on the TD Summer Reading Club’s various English book lists:

Legends, Folklore, Myths:
Spirits, Fairies, and Merpeople
Native Stories of Other Worlds
Written by C.J. Taylor
Hardcover | Ages 9-12 | Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-0-88776-872-9
C. J. Taylor draws from those stories and from her own Mohawk heritage in this collection of haunting tales about some of the powerful spirits who touch the lives of human folk. The spirits of heaven and earth from the Ute help bring an understanding of the stars in the sky. Illustrated with her own powerful oil paintings, this is a collection to read and an excellent story-teller’s resource.

Sindbad
From the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights
Retold by Ludmila Zeman
Trade Paperback | Ages 7-11 | Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-1-77049-264-6
Perhaps the best known of the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights are those about Sindbad the Sailor. For centuries, people have been fascinated by the stories of a simple, sometimes confused, sailor who mistakes a giant whale for a lovely island and the egg of the Roc (a bird so huge that she can carry an elephant in her talons) for a mountain. Sindbad encounters many dangers, but he prevails in this irresistible trilogy, thanks to nothing but his own wits.

Magic:
Daughter of the Great Zandini
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | Ages 8-10 | Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-88776-534-6
Tradition is important to the Great Zandini, the great magician of Paris. His grandfather was a magician, his father was a magician, and his son will be a magician too. Unfortunately, his son Theodore does not feel the same way. Zandini won’t hear of opposition. Besides, his arch nemesis, newspaper reporter A. S. Besette, has begun a smear campaign, suggesting the old master is washed up. Zandini creates a new magic show to introduce Theodore as his successor. There’s only one problem: Theodore is a hopeless magician.

Mythical Creatures:
Monsterology
Fabulous Lives of the Creepy, the Revolting, and the Undead
Written by Arthur Slade
Illustrated by Derek Mah
Trade Paperback | Ages 11-12 | Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-0-88776-714-2
Monsterology: Fabulous Lives of the Creepy, the Revolting, and the Undead is the most fun anyone can have with some of the nastiest creatures ever imagined! Who can resist morsels like the fact that “Drakul” means “son of the dragon” in Romanian, that the first Golem may have been Enkidu, who appeared in the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh, and that Frankenstein’s Monster was first inspired by Mary Shelley’s nightmare?

Scary Stories:
Don’t Go In There!
Written by Veronika Martenova Charles
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | Ages 5-7 | Easy Readers
ISBN: 978-0-88776-781-4
Ghostly tales of strange things lurking in forbidden places tie these three stories together. The boys have been warned not to go into a certain room while they are pet-sitting for the neighbor, but, of course, their bravado leads to a session of one-upmanship and the distinct possibility that the cats they are looking after may not be cats at all. Stories from Russia, the United States, and the West Indies are highlighted.

Don’t Talk to Strangers!
Written by Veronika Martenova Charles
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | Ages 6-8 | Easy Readers
ISBN: 978-0-88776-847-7
This time a lost dog sparks the theme of strangers and the wisdom in avoiding them. And what a collection of strangers they are! Headless trolls, people with pointy ears and huge eyes, and long-lost “aunties,” who enjoy eating their guests. Stories from Scandinavia, Sierra Leone, and Iraq are highlighted in this universal warning.

The Fortress of Kaspar Snit
Written by Cary Fagan
Trade Paperback | Ages 8-10 | Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-88776-665-7
Kaspar Snit is a villainous villain who is determined to steal all the fountains in the world. Why? Fountains are beautiful and give people pleasure, two things he can’t abide. Can a family of four who love fountains rescue them from the hands of this dastardly scoundrel? Especially when that family is made up of the four most eccentric individuals you’d care to meet?

Time Travel:
The Battle for Duncragglin
Written by Andrew H. Vanderwal
Hardcover | Ages 11+ | Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-88776-886-6
Set in the time of William Wallace, this is historical fiction at its bloody best! One of history’s most turbulent times comes to vivid life in this thrilling novel. Twelve-year-old Alex has been raised by his uncle since his parents disappeared on a trip to Scotland many years ago. He’s resigned to spending the summer in Scotland with yet another relative and finds himself on a farm near the ruined remnants of an ancient castle that is rumored to be haunted. Could it have a connection to his parents’ disappearance?

The TD Summer Reading Club is sponsored by TD Bank Group in co-operation with the Toronto Public Library and Library and Archives Canada. A team of children’s librarians from the public libraries of Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal developed the theme and the materials for the program. The participating regions are: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Please click here for more information about DuÅ¡an Petričić, the illustrator who created the artwork for this year’s Reading Club!

Past TD Summer Reading Clubs: 2010 and 2011

TD Summer Reading Club 2011

Splash! Celebrate Summer
Once again, TD Bank Financial Group, the Toronto Public Library and Library and Archives Canada are proud to support literacy in Canada by offering the TD Summer Reading Club to Canadian children across the nation in both English and French.

The TD Summer Reading Club has been successful in inspiring children to spend more time reading books and visiting their local libraries. During the summer of 2010, more than half a million children participated in programs offered at their local libraries and read more than 2 million books!

Here is a list of our books that are on the TD Summer Reading Club’s English book list:

Easy Readers
Don’t Go Near the Water!
By Veronika Martenova Charles
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 56 pages
Ages 5-8 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-780-7
eBook 978-1-77049-055-0
“Having been warned to stay away from the high waters of the local creek, three friends’ imaginations run as swiftly as the stream. Before they know it, they have scared themselves silly with stories from Britain, Hawaii and Central Europe.” – Canadian Children’s Book Centre

Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas
By Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Hardcover | 112 pages
Ages 8-11 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-895-8
eBook 978-1-77049-071-0
“Fagan has produced a lively tale of pirates, transatlantic voyages, and the usual heedless parents…” – Books for Young People: Books of the Year, Quill & Quire

Fiction 9-12 Years Old
Into the Ravine
By Richard Scrimger
Trade Paperback | 264 pages
Ages 11+
ISBN 978-0-88776-822-4
“Scrimger is a deft and funny storyteller who understands early adolescent boys, their dreams, and their realities…. A funny, scary, exciting, and spot-on adventure.” – Booklist

Noses are Red
By Richard Scrimger
Trade Paperback | 208 pages
Ages 8-12 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-590-2
eBook 978-1-77049-044-4
“As with its predecessors, this book is hilarious, with a wonderful blend of slapstick humor and dry wit. It will appeal to anyone who hates summer camp or who enjoys a refreshingly comic look at everyday life.” – VOYA

Folk Tales
Spirits, Fairies, and Merpeople: Native Stories of Other Worlds
By C.J. Taylor
Hardcover | 40 pages
Ages 8+
ISBN 978-0-88776-872-9
“Taylor’s retellings are crisp and lend themselves well to reading aloud. Each story is accompanied by a lushly hued, surrealistic painting. The powerful images featuring fearsome creatures and tiny human figures balance the taut economy of the text … this well-crafted collection is an accessible and thoughtful supplement to Native American culture studies.” – School Library Journal

Sindbad in the Land of Giants
By Ludmila Zeman
Hardcover | 32 pages
Ages 6+
HC ISBN 978-0-88776-461-5
TR ISBN 978-1-77049-266-0
“Engagingly written, the story is fleshed out by Zeman’s illustrations. Richly detailed, with intricate borders, the pictures are strongly reminiscent of Near Eastern miniatures, thus evoking the culture from which the story springs … for those who like adventure stories with gorgeous artwork, this title is a sound addition to folklore collections.” – School Library Journal

Lord of the Sky
By Linda Zeman-Spaleny
Illustrated by Ludmila Zeman
Hardcover | 32 pages
Ages 8+
ISBN 978-0-88776-896-5
“Zeman-Spaleny does a solid job with this classic, making the early ravens obnoxious but loveable whereas the thunderbird is both powerful and terrifying…. Illustrator Ludmila Zeman’s illustrations portray the strength of the story and its characters, with a palette of blacks, browns and autumn tones that captures the setting perfectly…. A glossy rendering of a classic; this is excellent mythology and delightful story-telling.” – Eclectica Magazine

Non-fiction
Sail Away with Me: Old and New Poems
By Jane Collins-Philippe
Illustrated by Laura Beingessner
Hardcover | 32 pages
Ages 3-6 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-842-2
“…The lively watercolor illustrations extend the images in the words, with pictures of ships on the ocean with patchwork sails and whimsical animal crews…. Ranging in theme from adventure to nonsense, these poems will be fun for reading aloud.” – Booklist

A Thousand Years of Pirates
By William Gilkerson
Hardcover | 96 pages
Ages 10+
ISBN 978-0-88776-924-5
eBook 978-1-77049-082-6
“The combination of strong storytelling and beautiful artwork and design make this an appealing book for children of all ages… Unparalleled in the presentation of pirate history… Gilkerson successfully weaves together fascinating tales to bring life and context to these adventurers of the high seas.” – Jury Comments, Finalist: Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction

Advanced Picture Books
A Seaside Alphabet
By Donna Grassby
Illustrated by Susan Tooke
Trade Paperback | 32 pages
Ages 6+
ISBN 978-0-88776-938-2
“…Each of Tooke’s 26 realistic paintings is a watercolor artwork in itself, capturing seaside scenes full of action, excitement, enjoyment, and wonder.” – National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature

Where I Live
By Frances Wolfe
Hardcover | 32 pages
Ages 3-6 years
ISBN 978-0-88776-529-2
“…words and images together take readers to a lovely, serene seascape and result in a lovely picture book.” – School Library Journal

Teen Books
Would You
By Marthe Jocelyn
Hardcover | 176 pages
Ages 9-12 years
HC ISBN 978-0-88776-816-3
TR ISBN 978-1-77049-223-3
eBook 978-1-77049-022-2
“The opening chapters give little hints of the intensity of Jocelyn’s…exquisitely honed novel…. Although the plot line sounds like that of a standard weeper, the author resists the urge to magnify emotions. Natalie reacts honestly, neither beautifully nor nobly…. The light touch with which Jocelyn handles her difficult material is best seen when Claire is declared brain-dead and taken off life support: the humanity in the author’s treatment affords the readers a sense both of grief and of peace.” – Starred Review, Publishers Weekly


Click here to see last year’s theme and book list.

British Columbia artist Kim LaFave, a recipient of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, has created the artwork for the program.

And… if you’re free tomorrow:

TD Summer Reading Club Launch – Splash Fair!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
York Woods
Join the Toronto Public Library for fun Splash-themed activities to kick start the beginning of TD Summer Reading Club. Face painting, surprise guests, arts & crafts and much, much, more! No registration required. This program will be held in the Children’s Department and Outside Parking Lot area.

TD Summer Reading Club 2010

Get ready to travel to exotic and exciting places and discover nature’s wonders right on the shelves of your local library! The theme for this year’s program is:

Here is a list of our books that are on the TD Summer Reading Club’s English Booklist:

Easy Readers:
Don’t Go into the Forest! (Easy-to-Read Spooky Tales)
Written by Veronika Martenova Charles
Illustrated by David Parkins
Paperback | 56 pages
Ages 5-8
ISBN 978-0-88776-778-4
“… Teacher’s will no doubt welcome this pedagogical device as a good motivator for narrative writing. They’ll also appreciate the fact that the series contains a balance of male and female protagonists, some of whom outwit the villain.” – Quill & Quire

Fiction 9-12 Years Old:
Afrika
Written by Colleen Craig
Paperback | 240 pages
Ages 12+
ISBN 978-0-88776-807-1
“The riveting revelations of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) are at the heart of this powerful novel….” – Starred Review, Booklist
“The realities of the society are carefully and skillfully portrayed…. The author does not sugarcoat the realities of South Africa…. Not just another multicultural title, by any means, this novel will really grab readers who appreciate realistic fiction about young people searching for their place in the world.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

Folk Tales:
How We Saw the World: Nine Native Stories of the Way Things Began
Written and illustrated by C.J. Taylor
Paperback | 32 pages
Ages 8+
ISBN 978-0-88776-373-1
All peoples have their own stories of how the Earth was created, what separated the land from the seas, and how the many animals, fish, and other creatures came to have their particular characteristics. The native tribes of North America are no different: they too have stories about the “way things began.” A fascinating collection of tales that explain the origins of tornadoes, forest fires, butterflies, horses, Niagara Falls, why dogs are our best friends, and even a very funny story of why owls and rabbits look the way they do.

Non-fiction:
In the Land of the Jaguar: South America and Its People
Written by Gena K. Gorrell
Illustrated by Andrej Krystoforski
Hardcover | 160 pages
Ages 9+
ISBN 978-0-88776-756-2
“…every chapter is packed with highlights, descriptions, and poetry in the narrative, in boxes, and in captions. The engaging prose includes descriptions of the unique animals and plants of each country and – coupled with Krystoforski’s vividly colored, jaunty maps and pen-and-ink drawings of everything from sailing ships to tango dancers – encourages readers to peruse every page.” – School Library Journal

Picture Books, Advanced:
The Birdman
Written by Veronika Martenova Charles
Illustrated by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko and Stéphan Daigle
Hardcover | 32 pages
Ages 5-8
ISBN 978-0-88776-740-1
“The first thing that must be said about The Birdman is that the illustrations… are gorgeous. With intricate Gustav Klimt-style patterns filling every brilliantly coloured area, the book’s illustrations are also reminiscent of Chagall… The paintings are still wholly individual and suited to the text. The story is simple, very touching, and elegantly told, evoking Calcutta’s colour, heat, and its citizens’ difficult lives. And – let me say it again – the illustrations are exquisite.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Preschool:
Eats
Written by Marthe Jocelyn
Illustrated by Tom Slaughter
Hardcover | 24 pages
Ages 2-5
ISBN 978-0-88776-820-0
“The word ‘eat’ never appears in the very minimal text accompanying Eats’ eye-catching cut-paper visuals….Top marks here for concept and execution.” – The Globe and Mail

Teen Books:
Swimming In the Monsoon Sea
Written by Shyam Selvadurai
Paperback | 280 pages
Ages 13+
ISBN 978-0-88776-834-7
“As lush and languid as its Sri Lanka setting…What captures readers is the way the story rolls in waves, mimicking how Amrith looks at himself, then looks away. The luxuriant language with details of architecture and verdant gardens doesn’t call attention to itself, but refreshes like a breeze. Selvadurai, who wrote so gracefully for adults…now does the same for teens.” – Starred Review, Booklist

Tundra Book Group