Just Me and 6,000 Rats by Rick Walton

I know I know. It's been too long. But the fall is a busy touring season, and then I was coordinating the Canadian Children's Book Week touring illustrator here on Vancouver Island so I have a pretty good excuse.

I picked up this very funny picture book a while back that I just adore, and if you are a teacher, parent or kid, you will too. It's called Just Me and 6,000 Rats: a tale of conjunctions by Rick Walton, with illustrations by Mike and Carl Gordon. This is one of those totally understated stories where the illustrations belie the text in the funnies of ways. When a kid decides to visit the city, it's no surprise that he wants to do it all: ride the elevator to the top of a skyscraper, visit the museum, and even watch a pro baseball game. Most boys don't bring along rats; especially not 6,000 of them. Hilarious reactions ensue, but along the way, each scene is connected with conjunctions. The utter absurdity of the story allows a little grammar to go a long way. Look for this one today.

2007 Information Book Award Announced

The Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada proudly announces,

THE 2007 INFORMATION BOOK AWARD
WINNER
I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life and Death
by Jan Thornhill. Maple Tree Press


HONOUR BOOK
At Vimy Ridge: Canada’s Greatest World War I Victory
by Hugh Brewster. Scholastic Canada

The 2007 Information Book Award prize of $500 will be presented on February 23, 2008, at the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable Serendipity Conference. Accolades and heartiest congratulations to Winner Jan Thornhill (Maple Tree Press) and to Honour Book recipient Hugh Brewster (Scholastic Canada). And… a round of applause for the other exceptional and worthy short-listed authors, illustrators and publishers: Deborah Hodge, John Mantha (illustrator) and Kids Can Press (The Kids Book of Canadian Immigration), Herb Shoveller and Kids Can Press (Ryan and Jimmy and the Well in Africa that Brought Them Together) and Val Ross and Tundra Books (You Can’t Read This: Forbidden Books, Lost Writing, Mistranslations and Codes).

Sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the voting process of this very special award that acknowledges excellence in Canadian non-fiction aimed at informing, inspiring and connecting young readers from coast to coast.

Lois Brymer, National Chair, Information Book Award Committee, jmbrymer@axion.net

2008 Rocky Mountain Book Award short-list announced.

Another reader's choice short-list was just announced. Check out the Rocky Mountain Book Award's 2008 short- list of great books to read.

In My Backyard by Magriet Ruurs with paper sculpture illustrations by Ron Broda

With Canadian Children's Book Week coming up, I thought it appropriate to review In My Backyard, written by the Margriet Ruurs and Ron Broda, the illustrator who is touring Vancouver Island where I live. The title says it all in this delightful poetic celebration of nature close to home. "Welcome to my backyard! " Ruurs writes. "You will see that this is a busy place -- all year round." She with words, and Ron Broda with superb paper sculptures, proceed to demonstrate that nature is all around if you simply stop to look and listen. Spare poetic text is perfectly complimented by the rich and textured paper back drops on which Broda builds his multi-layered paper sculptures depicting slow-moving snails, helicoper-like humming birds, and bats catching insects on the wing. A legend at the end of the book supplements the text with more information as well as alerting the reader what to look for on each page. In My Backyard is a must for schools and libraries.

For information on Ron Broda's Victoria appearances, check out the Victoria Children's Literature Roundtable blog.

Charlie's Point of View by Richard Scrimger

Having enjoyed Richard Scrimger's The Nose from Jupiter, I recently picked up his recent mystery, From Charlie's Point of View to pass the time on a four hour plane trip to Chicago and wasn't disappointed. Charlie and Bernadette are neighbors as well as friends, but more importantly, they are a team. Bernadette has a less than happy home life, and relies on Charlie for the support she doesn't get at home. Meanwhile, Charlie has loving but over-protective parents, but his blindness leaves him vulnerable. Bernadette willingly takes on the responsibility of being Charlie's eyes and together they manage their respective home lives and the pitfalls of bullies and even dog attacks. A third character, their quirky school mate, Lewis, also suffering from a less than perfect home life, provides comic relief. The mystery comes up when Charlie's father is mistaken for a bank robber. The three kids set out to prove Charlie's father's innocence. Interestingly, an element of mysticisms is thrown into the works with a quasi guardian angel student by the name of Gideon who pops up at opportune moments.

The design of Charlie's Point of View is as ingenious as Scrimger's plot. Black pages mirror Charlie's perspective in addition to the reader's blindness as we follow the kids' path in solving the mystery of who really done it.

The Wall by Peter Sís

Sometimes a book comes along that sends shivers up and down your spine. The Wall by Peter Sís is one of those books.

It's not a typical picture book that draws the eye with flashes of color. The deceptively simple cover has a homemade look that invites you to open it's pages as if it were a child's school project to merely flip through. And yet, once you crack the cover you are immediately transported by the map to Sis' childhood home in Prague, Czechoslovakia. You enter Peter's world at infancy where he is already clutching the implements of the artist in his fists. This is the beginning of Sís' autobiography told as much in his illustrations and design as it is in text which is drawn from both memory and selections from his journals. They tell the story of his life growing up in Czechoslovakia under Soviet rule. Once children went to school, they were told what to draw and encouraged to report on their families. "He didn't question what he was being told.." Sís tells us until "...he found out there were things he wasn't told." There is gradual shift at this point in the illustration style and layout which mirror's Sís' inner growth. Fluidity, color, and themes begin to shine through, to grow and change until they culminate in a psychedelic Beatle-influenced two page spread in the centre of the book. This reflects a time of growth where everything seems possible to the artist.

Then another change takes place. Suddenly, that hope is quashed and Sís' art art shifts again to a mere line drawing followed by a tribute to "The Scream" explicated by simple text that states, "Russian tanks were everywhere." A glimmer of the artist remains in his dreams which he must keep to himself until eventually, he realizes that sharing his artistic vision is the thing that gives him hope. Since only sanctioned art is allowed, a gorilla art form starts to show up on public walls. Artististic freedom is considered an enormous threat though, and the practice is fraught with danger. The story ends, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Sís telling us, that "Sometimes dreams come true."

One of the things most powerful about The Wall is that, although Sis is telling his own story, he chose not to tell it from a first person point of view. In fact, he is telling the story of repression of the artistic if not human spirit as well as his own story. Thus he chooses not to end the story with his own escape from behind the Iron Curtain in 1984, but with the Berlin Wall's fall in 1989. If ever there was a picture book for older readers, this is it. If ever there was a picture book that speaks volumes, this is it. If ever there was a picture book that you should read, THIS IS IT!

A plethora of Readers Choice Awards

If you're looking for a way to keep your students motivated, look no further than the many kids readers choice award programs. The 2008 shortlist for the Ontario Tree Awards has been announced so check them out. Here on the west coast, we have a couple of different options for younger readers: The Chocolate Lily Book Awards and The Red Cedar Book Awards. For teens there is The Stellar Awards. But, don't forget about the Pacific Northwest Library Association's Readers Choice Awards for kids from grade 4 through high school in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, and Alberta. If you aren't from any of these areas, simply go to your state or province's library's website and see what is available for kids in your area.

GG's for kids books announced

More children's book news on Book Awards. The short-list for the GGs in children's literature in both text and illustrations are out and we have couple of west-coasters among them; John Wilson and Iain Lawrence. Now what I'm trying to figure out is why was Margaret Atwood on the jury for illustration? Ain't life strange!

Children’s Literature English-language Finalists (Text)

Hugh Brewster, Toronto, for Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose: The Story of a Painting, illustrations by John Singer Sargent
(Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press) ISBN: 978-1-55453-137-0

Richly evocative in word and image, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose is a fictional account of the creation of a painting, which also tells the larger story of the creative act. As he paints, artist John Singer Sargent is meticulously observed by young Kate, who longs to be immortalized in a great work of art – a beautiful book.

Christopher Paul Curtis, Windsor (ON), for Elijah of Buxton
(Scholastic Canada, distributed by the publisher) ISBN: 978-0-439-93647-7

Elijah Freeman, the first child born of freed slaves in Canada, is the protagonist in this tale which is by turns hilarious and tragic, and always an engaging historical adventure. Christopher Paul Curtis’ creation stands shoulder to shoulder with Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Iain Lawrence, Gabriola Island (BC), for Gemini Summer
(Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House; distributed by Random House of Canada) ISBN: 978-0-385-73089-1 (trade) / 978-0-385-90111-6 (glb)

Gemini Summer is an exquisite portrayal of two brothers’ fascination with the Gemini missions at the height of the space race in the early 1960s. A spiritual bond with a stray dog and complex issues of family, life, and death are at the heart of this beautiful novel by Iain Lawrence.

John Wilson, Lantzville (BC), for The Alchemist’s Dream
(Key Porter Books; distributed by H. B. Fenn) ISBN: 978-1-55263-934-4

In this engrossing historical adventure, John Wilson paints a vivid picture of a bygone era involving Henry Hudson’s fateful search for the elusive Northwest Passage, an alchemist, mysterious passengers, and enigmatic maps. The Alchemist’s Dream fascinates from start to finish.

Eva Wiseman, Winnipeg, for Kanada
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada) ISBN: 978-0-88776-729-6

In Nazi-occupied Europe, fourteen-year-old Jutka dreams of the Canada she has seen in a book, but before her family can flee to safety, the Nazis invade Hungary and Jutka and her family are sent to Auschwitz. There she engages in a daily battle for survival while never relinquishing her dream of one day making it to Canada.

The Jury: Deirdre Kessler (Charlottetown), Pamela Porter (Sidney, BC), Simon Rose (Calgary)

Children’s Literature English-language Finalists (Illustration)

Wallace Edwards, Yarker (ON), for The Painted Circus, text by Wallace Edwards
(Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press) ISBN: 978-1-55337-720-7

Wallace Edwards’ The Painted Circus both charms and astonishes with its ingenious, detailed, colourful and excellently rendered picture puzzles. The viewer becomes a participant in the effort to solve the book’s complex mysteries.

Joanne Fitzgerald, Orton (ON), for The Blue Hippopotamus, text by Phoebe Gilman based on a story by Joan Grant
( North Winds Press, an imprint of Scholastic Canada; distributed by Scholastic Canada) ISBN: 978-0-439-95260-6

Joanne Fitzgerald’s beguiling, warmly-toned and decorative series of illustrations perfectly reflects the text, helps it to tell its story, and displays the artist’s painstaking research, as well as her efforts – both in her use of colour and in her choice of detail – to accurately render the ancient setting of this tale.

Jirina Marton, Toronto, for Marja’s Skis, text by Jean E. Pendziwol
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada) ISBN: 978-0-88899-674-9

Jirina Marton’s vivid, painterly illustrations expertly and touchingly create both of the moods required by the text – the chill, snowy, shadowy exteriors of the winter scenes, and the warm, lamp-lit interiors.

Dušan Petričić, Toronto, for My New Shirt, text by Cary Fagan
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada) ISBN: 978-0-88776-715-9 -image not available.

Dušan Petričić’s humorous, dynamic and vividly expressive pictures perfectly complement the text of My New Shirt. The device of arranging the illustrations as a series of snapshots allows the figures to move as in a flip book, and the colour choices – both subdued and vibrant – are an unusual technique for portraying the realistic but comic events of the story.

Duncan Weller, Thunder Bay (ON), for The Boy from the Sun, text by Duncan Weller
(Simply Read Books; distributed by Publishers Group Canada / Raincoast Business Services) ISBN: 978-0894965-33-0-image not available.

Duncan Weller’s The Boy from the Sun, with its striking mix of techniques, lures the unsuspecting reader away from a dark, gloomy and featureless industrial-urban milieu into a brilliantly coloured alternative world of light, colour and hope.

The Jury: Margaret Atwood (Toronto), Michael Martchenko (Toronto), Ludmila Zeman (Montreal)

2007 Canadian Kids Book Awards Announced

This was a big week for kids books in Canada. The Canadian Children's Book Centre announced CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE AWARDS

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is thrilled to announce the winners of the four major children’s book awards it administers. The winners were announced last night at a gala event at the Design Exchange in Toronto.

This year’s winning titles follow a young boy who uncovers secrets about his late father after he is sent to live with his grandmother and five female cousins, explore the fascinating aspects of life and death, capture the essence of being a child, and follow a young girl through the horrors of Auschwitz.
. . . .

TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD ($20,000)
Sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group

Odd Man Out
Written by Sarah Ellis of Vancouver, BC
Groundwood Books

“Beautifully written… Ellis is at the top of her game... She skillfully weaves together a story within a story and creates a place for the reader… I re-read this book as soon as I finished… A brilliant ending.”

Jury members: Merle Harris, author and storyteller; Theo Heras, Children’s Literature Resource Collection Specialist, Lillian H. Smith Library, Toronto Public Library; Dr. Dave Jenkinson, professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba; Norene Smiley, author; and Maya Munro Byers, owner, Livres Babar Books, Montreal.
. . . .

NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION ($10,000)
Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation

I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death
Written by Jan Thornhill of Havelock, ON
Maple Tree Press
“Exceptional, original and engaging… The topics covered in this book are so powerful and so unusually fascinating… If you had to pick one way to explain our struggle with life and death this book would be it.”

JURY MEMBERS: Mary Anne Cree, Junior School Librarian, The Bishop Strachan School; Polly Fleck, Governor General’s Award-nominated poet and member of the Fleck family; Frieda Wishinsky, author; Sheila Koffman, owner, Another Story Bookshop, Toronto; and Todd Kyle, branch manager, Churchill Meadows Library, Mississauga Library System.
. . . .
MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD ($10,000)
Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie
When You Were Small
Written by Sara O'Leary of Hamstead, QC
Illustrated by Julie Morstad of Vancouver, BC
Simply Read Books
“Beautifully illustrated and timeless… O’Leary takes the reader on a whimsical tour of the imagination and captures the essence of what it is like to be a child... Simply amazing!”

JURY MEMBERS: Jeffrey Canton, Faculty of Arts, York University and children’s book reviewer; Myra Junyk, literacy advocate and author; and Janis Nostbakken, writer, producer, broadcaster and founding editor of ChickaDEE magazine.
. . . .
GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ($1,000)
Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund

Kanada
Written by Eva Wiseman of Winnipeg, MB
Tundra Books
“A poignant story that depicts the horrors of life inside the German concentration camps and the prejudice and persecution which the Jewish people experienced… Wiseman’s writing style is captivating and young people will be easily swept into the story.”

JURY MEMBERS: Albert Fowler, author and storyteller; Sharon McKay, author; Vicki Pennell, editor of Resource Links and IMPACT; and Gail de Vos (chair), storyteller and professor, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta.
. . . .
These books exemplify some of the best work by Canadian authors and illustrators. The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is proud to share these titles with you. For a complete shortlist for each award, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.
. . . .
ABOUT THE TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD
The TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award was established in 2005 to honour the most distinguished book of the year for children aged 1 to 13. Entries are judged on the quality of the text and illustrations and the book’s overall contribution to literature. All books for children, in any genre, written by a Canadian, are eligible for the award. The winning book receives $20,000 and there is $10,000 to divide amongst the honour books. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for promotional purposes.

ABOUT THE NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION
The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction was established by the Fleck Family Foundation in 1999 to recognize Canada’s exceptional non-fiction books for young people. The award honours Norma Fleck (1906 – 1998), who inspired a deep love of reading in her children and grandchildren. The winning book receives $10,000.

ABOUT THE MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD
The Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format, for children aged 3 to 6. Charles Baillie, retired Chairman and CEO of the TD Bank Financial Group, is delighted to give the prize in his wife Marilyn’s name. As an award-winning children’s book author and an early learning specialist, Marilyn is involved in and passionate about children’s literature. The winning book receives $10,000.

ABOUT THE GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The Geoffrey Bilson Award was established in 1988 in memory of the respected historian and children's author, Geoffrey Bilson. The $1,000 prize is awarded annually to the Canadian author of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young people. In 2005, an endowment fund was created to support this award. If you wish to contribute to this fund, please contact the CCBC.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in 1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.

Villianology by Art Slade

Ok, I've just been to Art Slade's website and you have to check out the trailer for his new book, Villianology: Fabulous Lives of the Big, the Bad and the Wicked. I admit that I haven't read it yet, but if it's anything like Monsterology: Fabulous Lives of the Revolting, and the Undead, you won't be disappointed. Then again, I admit that I'm a big Slade fan in general. I loved Tribes and read Dust in one sitting; I couldn't put it down!

The 2007 Moonbeam Awards

Fantastic News. The Smell of Paint is the gold medal winner of the Moonbeam Award in the Young Adult category. And, yes there's more! What's That Sound? By the Sea is a silver medalist in the Board Book category. How's that for making my morning!

Butler Book Prize

Great news in Victoria, BC. At the Butler Prize award ceremony it was announced that Bolen's Books and The Victoria Book Prize will be creating a new separate children's category for the Butler Prize. This is so welcome since there were more than a dozen children's books on this years long list and not one of them made the short-list! We have sooo many fabulous children's book authors here in Victoria.

Book Bites for Kids

Here is an interview that I did for Book Bites for Kids. This is a fabulous site where many children's book authors are interviewed. The host is Suzanne Lieurance who is a writer herself. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids

A Long Way Gone: memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah

This is the last YA posting for this blog. I am now posting all YA book reviews and news on my new Teen Reads Blog.
I will continue to post picture book and juvenile book reviews and news here.

We read A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier by Ismael Beah for my book group last month, and I was blown away. There is no pretension in this moving but disturbing real life story of the devastation and dehumanization of war on children's lives.

Now a child-rights advocate, Ismael Beah tells his own story of a childhood lost to war and destruction. It is as gripping as it is horrific. I'd say it's a must read adults and teens alike, but some might find it just too difficult. The story begins in Ishmael's small village in Sierra Leone when he is twelve. It ends after a grueling three years of war, followed by a difficult rehabilitation and finally a trip to the UN in New York as a child representative. It is a lonely and painful journey, one where trust is lost to fear and the ravages of war. It is a journey that you would not wish on your worst enemy much less a child.

Not unlike kids of the same age in Western Countries, Ishmael's world is about friends and music, with the safety net of family hovering in the background. This is where Ismael's story begins. Of course there are differences. Ismael and his brother and his friends (who are in a rap group) must walk to the next village sixteen miles away to perform whereas our kids can catch a ride with parents or take the bus. But, Ismael's innocence and carefree life ends suddenly when mutilated messengers stagger into the neighboring village where they have gone to perform. The news they bring is devastating. The boys home village has been torched and their families murdered. Worse still, the rebels are on their way. The boys scatter into the jungle along with the other villagers. Their new life becomes one of hunger and fear and endlessly putting one foot in front of the other with no real place to go to. The brutality of the civil war breeds fear and distrust even of children since both the rebels and the government kidnap children and turn them into drugged killing machines. After months aimless wandering, Ismael is taken by the government forces and turned into a child soldier as addicted to killing as he is cocaine. It is frightening to read about how a precocious twelve year old who loves music and pranks can be turned into a killer without a trace of remorse.

It isn't until Ismael has spent three years as a soldier that the UN plucks he and several other boys like him out of the army and into a rehabilitation centre. Although you might imagine this to be a welcome change, the child soldiers do not. By then, Ishmael, and others like him no longer think of themselves as children at all. Their AK-47's and killing, not age defines who are are. It is their means of survival and their power and place in the world. The psychological impact of taking their guns is even more difficult to endure than their withdrawal from the drugs that have helped to numb their humanity. The question of whether or not these children's psyches have been destroyed is an all too real one. However, the staff at the rehab centre persists and little by little, Ismael and the others begin to open up, to grieve, and to heal. In Ismael's case, is what helps to heal him.

Still, A Long Way Gone is a difficult road to walk as a mere reader. And it is equally difficult to grasp how this young man walked it real life. The fact that he has survived, that he has written this book and that he continues to speak out against war, is a testament to the human spirit. You won't read a more disheartening and nor a more uplifting story. Read it.

I have a new separate Teen Reads Blog

Ok, since the number of reviews is getting a bit unwieldy, my plan is to separate out the teen reads from books for younger readers. I've started the teen book blog so it that's your area of interest, you can hop over through this link but not all the reviews have been moved over yet so check both places for the next while.

A Perfect Gentle Knight by Kit Pearson

I finished Kit Pearson’s A Perfect Gentle Knight a week ago, but haven’t been able to get Corrie, the story’s eleven-year-old narrator, or her perfect gentle knight of a brother Sebastian out of my mind. They are so achingly real that it’s hard to let them go.

Set in Vancouver in the 50’s, the Bell family is both ordinary and extraordinary. Two years after the death of their mother, the six children have learned to rely on each other since their grief stricken father has thrown himself into work. Sebastian, the oldest, tenuously holds his ragtag siblings together partly through a game involving the Knights of the Roundtable. The lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur for Sebastian when he truly imagines that he is the reincarnation of Sir Lancelot. As Sebastian slips deeper into fantasy, Roz, the next oldest is increasingly saddled with parental responsibilities. Torn between family and the desire to be popular, twirl baton, and have dance parties like her peers, Roz downloads to Corrie. The middle child, Corrie does her best, but she is equally torn between a new best friend and trying to juggle the needs of her younger siblings and her father.

This might read as mere melodrama in the hands of a less skilled author. However, this is where Pearson shines. The picture she paints is so rich in historical and geographical details that they anchor the Bell children, their passions, insecurities and foibles. It’s easy to get caught up in Corrie’s life, and it is equally easy to see why the Bell children’s Arthurian fantasy is both a refuge and a trap. As Sebastian’s grip on reality slips, Corrie slides closer to that place where childhood and maturity collide. It is a tough place to be in and tougher place to write about. And yet, Pearson manages it all in such a perfect gentle way.

Review of A Perfect Gentle Knight by Kit Pearson is coming soon

Ok, so I had every intention of reviewing Kit Pearson's new book, A Perfect Gentle Knight this evening, but instead I'm going out to see a troop of Maori dancers/singers. It is going to be sooo cool. It's happening at the Esquimalt Long House shortly, so gotta run. But, I will get to this wonderful read tomorrow. Promise.

More coming from Garth Nix

Good new for all you Garth Nix fans. Nix will be writing a prequel AND a sequel to the Abhorsen YA fantasy trilogy, according to Matthew Thorton, of Publishers Weekly. The bad news is they won't be out any time soon, in fact, not until 20010, 20011. That will definitely call for re-reading the trilogy, which will be a pleasure since it was soooo good that it still sends shivers up my spine and it's been ages since I read the last book. A Confusion of Princes, a stand-alone fantasy, will be released first but even that won't be until 2009. Sigh...

Moonbeam Award Short-list announced

I couldn't be more thrilled. Two of my books have been short-listed for the new Moonbeam Children's Book Awards What's That Sound? by the Sea is one of five titles short-listed in the Board Book category. The Smell of Paint was a semi-finalist in the Young Adult Category.

Here are the full list of semi-finalists in these two categories.
Young Adult Fiction
The Smell of Paint (Fitzhenry & Whiteside); The Race to Eagle Mountain (Wine Press Group); The Alchemist’s Dream (Key Porter Books); Kristin’s Wilderness: A Braided Trail (Raven Productions); The Princess Mage (Sumach Press)


Board Book
What’s That Sound? By the Sea (Fitzhenry & Whiteside); My Alaska Animals - Can You Name Them? (Saddle Pal Creations); If You Were My Baby: A Wildlife Lullaby (Dawn Publications); Colorful Sleepy Sheep (Little Lion Press)

A winner (gold medalist) and runner-up (silver medalist) will be announced in each category during the week of October 15-19, and remaining semifinalists will become bronze medallists.

A formal awards presentation will be held on Saturday, November 3, in conjunction with the 2007 Children's Humanities Festival in Chicago.

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo

I have been a Michael Morpurgo fan for years. His Dear Olly remains one of my all time favourites and he constantly amazes me with the breadth of subjects and the sensitivity with which he addresses them. He is as prolific as he is highly acclaimed and has written more than 90 books. Not only has he served as one of Britain’s Children’s Laureate, but he was instrumental in getting creating the office. A master storyteller, now Morpurgo has tackled the subject of displaced War orphans. The characters he has created in Alone on a Wide Wide Sea are so real that it’s hard to believe they have grown not from flesh and blood, but are grown from imagination, meticulous research, lyrical craft, and an astute eye for detail.

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea, is the two stories and both are deeply moving. The first is the “Story of Arthur Hobhouse”, and it begins with these words, “I should begin at the beginning, I know that. But the trouble is that I don’t know the beginning.” Dying of a brain tumor, Arthur looks back on his life. His journey from little boy orphaned by the WWI and separated from his sister to the old man telling his story to his eighteen-year-old daughter is heart wrenching. Arthur is one of hundreds of children sent on a ship halfway around the world to Australia. Alone, frightened, and dreadfully seasick, Arthur is fortunate to be taken under the wing of a slightly older boy named Marty. The two become like brothers and they are among the unlucky ones who end up being physically and emotionally abused at an isolated farm. It takes several brutal years and the death of one of the other boys before they escape. With the help of Aboriginal people, the boys find their way to the eccentric Aunty Meg takes in strays until they are well enough to return to the wild. Aunty Meg nurtures the boys and sets them on a path to the sea where they learn boatbuilding. A drop in the shipping industry throws the boys into despair and leads to the death of Marty and to Arthur’s despair. Love, the sea and ship building revive him, but just as he is about to set out with his daughter to try to locate his long lost sister, he discovers the tumor. His death ends the first story.

“The Journey of the Kitty Four” is the second story. It is the journey Arthur’s daughter takes on the boat her father designed and her grandfather built in search of Arthur’s long lost sister in England. The solo journey on a small sailboat from Australia to England is nearly as grueling as Arthur’s life journey, but the results are equally satisfying. In the end, Allie completes her father’s story, and begins a new story, her own.

This was a difficult but moving. It may be fiction, but it follows the all too true stories of displaced children who were sent thousands of miles from their homes to Canada, New Zealand and Australia after WWII. Some of the children found loving homes; others had terrible harrowing experiences like those of Arthur and Marty. Morpurgo doesn’t sugar coat pain and suffering, but he does manage a bit of magic. He stretches the love between family across oceans and through time, and demonstrates the deep human connections it inspires in all of us.

Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Anyone on the look out for great chapter books for young readers can't go wrong with Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Larua McGee Kvasnosky. In fact, it was the winner of the first Theodor Seuss Geisel Award*. Each of the three chapters is a stand alone story, exciting yet simply written yet with universal appeal. Kids will enjoy the familiar themes of running away to the backyard as well creating secret concoctions in the kitchen. The more exotic idea of a time capsule is also sure to appeal. Each page has colorful spot or full page illustrations which enhance the story and encourage young readers to turn the page. And best of all, there are more Zelda and Ivy books to continue on to.

*The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is a relatively new American award which honors the best in beginning readers. It was established in 2004 and first presented in 2006 at the ALA annual conference.

Canadian Children's Book Centre announces awards...

The Canadian Children's Book Centre has just announced a wack of short-lists for Canadian Children's Book Awards. So exciting! You will definitely want to read them all!

TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD ($20,000)
Sponsored by the TD Bank Financial Group

I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death
Written by Jan Thornhill
Maple Tree Press

“Fascinating and one-of-a-kind… This book is groundbreaking… Complimented by wonderful photographs, this book covers a difficult subject in a beautiful way.”

Johnny Kellock Died Today
Written by Hadley Dyer
HarperCollins Canada

“This story moves like a meandering, enjoyable summer full of wit, humour and honesty… Dyer is a stylist, an exquisite writer.”

Odd Man Out
Written by Sarah Ellis
Groundwood Books

“Beautifully written… I re-read this book as soon as I finished… Ellis skillfully weaves together a story within a story and creates a place for the reader… A brilliant ending.”

Stanley’s Wild Ride
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Kids Can Press

“Bailey’s fabulous dogs paired with Slavin’s perfect illustrations make for a picture book that is successful on all levels… This book is laugh-out-loud funny… What a great ride!”

Rex Zero and the End of the World
Written by Tim Wynne-Jones
Groundwood Books
“A fabulous book about the new kid in town…I laughed, I cried… Brilliant and beautifully written… Wynne-Jones is a master writer at the top of his field.”

Jury members: Merle Harris, author and storyteller; Theo Heras, Children’s Literature Resource Collection Specialist, Lillian H. Smith Library, Toronto Public Library; Dr. Dave Jenkinson, professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba; Norene Smiley, author; and Maya Munro Byers, owner, Livres Babar Books, Montreal.
. . . .

NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION ($10,000)
Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation

Factory Girl
Written by Barbara Greenwood
Kids Can Press

“A fresh take on this universal topic… The research is meticulous… Greenwood expertly weaves together fact and fiction… Poignant, personal and fabulous, this book draws you in.”

Fire! The Renewal of a Forest
Written and illustrated by Celia Godkin
Fitzhenry & Whiteside

“This book demonstrates a scientific point in an enlightening way by showing examples of how wildlife not only survive but thrive after a fire… The artwork is stunning… Godkin marries fine art and non-fiction like no other.”

Genocide
Written by Jane Springer
Groundwood Books

“Well-written, well-argued, well-researched…This book is part of an incredible series… Springer explores this compelling and relevant topic making it accessible to teens.”

I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death
Written by Jan Thornhill
Maple Tree Press

“Exceptional, original and engaging… The topics covered in this book are so powerful and so unusually fascinating… If you had to pick one way to explain our struggle with life and death this book would be it.”

Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together
Written by Herb Shoveller
Kids Can Press
“Compelling, touching, true-to-life and inspirational… Written with empathy for a child’s point of view, this book manages to neither make its subjects seem like heroes nor trivialize their lives.”

JURY MEMBERS: Mary Anne Cree, Junior School Librarian, The Bishop Strachan School; Polly Fleck, Governor General’s Award-nominated poet and member of the Fleck family; Frieda Wishinsky, author; Sheila Koffman, owner, Another Story Bookshop, Toronto; and Todd Kyle, branch manager, Churchill Meadows Library, Mississauga Library System.
. . . .
MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD ($10,000)
Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie
Abby's Birds
Written by Ellen Schwartz
Illustrated by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin
Tradewind Books

“Beautiful integration of visuals and text... This innovative picture book uses paper collage and origami to illustrate its theme about the relationships between youth and age.”

Augustine
Written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt
Kids Can Press
“Watt invites young readers to explore art through her amazing, playful and luminous illustrations… The anxieties and fears of moving and making new friends are sensitively captured in this gentle tale… Watt knows exactly what her audience wants.”

Fox Walked Alone
Written and illustrated by Barbara Reid
North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada

“A beautiful book with amazing artwork… With lovely rhythm and perfect poetry, Reid shares a unique version of the animals’ journey to Noah’s Ark... A timeless, visual feast.”

Scaredy Squirrel
Written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt
Kids Can Press

“Clever, exciting and groundbreaking, this book is a real delight... A great and interactive way to get kids reading… Kids will love this book!”

When You Were Small
Written by Sara O'Leary
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Simply Read Books

“Beautifully illustrated and timeless… O’Leary takes the reader on a whimsical tour of the imagination and captures the essence of what it is like to be a child.”

Zoe and the Fawn
Written by Catherine Jameson
Illustrated by Julie Flett
Theytus Books

“A lovely and gentle picture book with a touching storyline that greatly appeals to younger readers… Beautifully integrates Native Okanagan (Syilx) words and expressions into the text.”

JURY MEMBERS: Jeffrey Canton, Faculty of Arts, York University and children’s book reviewer; Myra Junyk, literacy advocate and author; and Janis Nostbakken, writer, producer, broadcaster and founding editor of ChickaDEE magazine.
. . . .
GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ($1,000)
Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund

Kanada
Written by Eva Wiseman
Tundra Books

“A poignant story that depicts the horrors of life inside the German concentration camps and the prejudice and persecution which the Jewish people experienced… Wiseman’s writing style is captivating and young people will be easily swept into the story.”

Meyers’ Rebellion
Written by Connie Brummel Crook
Fitzhenry & Whiteside

“Crook brings us an action-packed story full of historical details about real people… The characters are strong and independent, holding to their beliefs as they become involved in the 1837 Rebellion in Upper Canada.”

A Rebel’s Daughter: The 1837 Rebellion Diary of Arabella Stevenson
Written by Janet Lunn
Scholastic Canada

“Lunn tells a tale of the “fall from grace” of an upper society family during the 1837 Rebellion… The book is well-researched and gives authentic details of the political situation in Upper Canada at the time.”
Terror at Turtle Mountain
Written by Penny Draper
Coteau Books

“Draper has done a first rate job of describing a terror filled night at Turtle Mountain… The reader lives the Frank Slide through the experiences of the well-developed and likeable character of Nathalie Vaughan and by the seamless weaving in of several historical stories.”

Where Soldiers Lie
Written by John Wilson
Key Porter Books

“This is an absolutely terrific book… Never lagging with a credible hero and an exotic setting which should engage both female and male readers… The pacing is flawless.”

JURY MEMBERS: Albert Fowler, author and storyteller; Sharon McKay, author; Vicki Pennell, editor of Resource Links and IMPACT; and Gail de Vos (chair), storyteller and professor, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta.
. . . .
ABOUT THE TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD
The TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award was established in 2005 to honour the most distinguished book of the year for children aged 1 to 13. Entries are judged on the quality of the text and illustrations and the book’s overall contribution to literature. All books for children, in any genre, written by a Canadian, are eligible for the award. The winning book receives $20,000 and there is $10,000 to divide amongst the honour books. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for promotional purposes.

ABOUT THE NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION
The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction was established by the Fleck Family Foundation in 1999 to recognize Canada’s exceptional non-fiction books for young people. The award honours Norma Fleck (1906 – 1998), who inspired a deep love of reading in her children and grandchildren. Dr. Jim Fleck, who initiated the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, is the son of Norma Fleck. The winning book receives $10,000.

ABOUT THE MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD
The Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format, for children aged 3 to 6. Charles Baillie, retired Chairman and CEO of the TD Bank Financial Group, is delighted to give the prize in his wife Marilyn’s name. As an award-winning children’s book author and an early learning specialist, Marilyn is involved in and passionate about children’s literature. The winning book receives $10,000.

ABOUT THE GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The Geoffrey Bilson Award was established in 1988 in memory of the respected historian and children's author, Geoffrey Bilson. The $1,000 prize is awarded annually to the Canadian author of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young people. In 2005, an endowment fund was created to support this award. If you wish to contribute to this fund, please contact the CCBC.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in 1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Charlotte Teeple
Executive Director
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 101
Toronto, Ontario M4R 1B9
Tel: 416.975.0010
Fax: 416.975.8970
charlotte@bookcentre.ca
www.bookcentre.ca

Kit Pearson and Ken Oppel are coming to Victoria

A special event is coming to Victoria hosted by Munro's Books. Kit Pearson and Ken Oppel will be reading from new works on Friday October 12th at 7:30 at The Conference Centre. It will be very cool. I will be introducing Kit and Grenfell Featherstone, a freelance editor and one of Ken's former high school teachers, will be introducing Ken. You won't want to miss these two fabulous writers. Hurry Hurry Hurry, tickets won't last long and are available at:
MUNRO’S BOOKS
1108 Government Street, Victoria BC V8W 1Y2
www.munrobooks.com
phone (250) 382-2464 fax (250) 382-2832

Ken and Kit will be reading from their new books followed by a signing. Tickets are available at the store for $5.00 and can be used toward the purchase of Darkwing or A Perfect Gentle Knight (one ticket per book). Don’t delay as we expect this event to sell out quickly!

The Cybils Awards

Sorry, no review today. It's Saturday almost afternoon, and I've spent the morning in bed reading. After a day of anxiety over the near loss of all my email files, I deserve it! I'm part way through a Michael Morpurgo title, which I will report on soon. Tomorrow the Victoria Children's Literature Roundtable (which I chair) will be voting on our pick for the Information Book Award. Our votes will be pooled with votes from other Roundtable votes from across Canada, and will be announced in November. I have held off reviewing any of those titles but will do once our votes are in. As well, I confess to having been distracted by Kathy Reichs Break No Bones. Yes, I have an addiction to forensic type murder mysteries, and Reich's Temple mysteries are a favourite. But, soon I'll be back to reading kids books.

In the meantime, the Cybils Blogger Children's and YA Literary Awards for 2007 are in the works. The organizers are in search of bloggers to read read read, so if you are over 13, are a kid's book lover, and are a blogger, check them out. Alas, I'm too busy with other things at the moment so can't participate. I will definitely read the books on the short-list though.

Madeleine L'Engle will be missed.

Sadly, Madeleine L'Engle died yesterday. She was the author of more than 60 books, some of which have been my all time favourites. She was 88. Here is the link to her obituary in the New York Time. She will be missed by so many fans.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

So, if you happen to be looking for a nice light read, and enjoy both teen and spy novels, you’re in luck. I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter has just hit the press, and it is a total hoot. Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy For Exceptional Young Women. While the name implies the epitome of snooty girls’ private school, it is anything but. Not only are the girls all geniuses, the Academy is a covert operation for young female spies in training. The girls get extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. PE involves advanced martial arts. And science class teaches the latest in chemical warfare. All the training in the world doesn’t help Cammie when it comes to dating though. She may be able to speak fourteen languages, kill a man seven different ways with her bare hands, or follow him without detection, but she gets weak in the knees when it comes to ordinary boys, especially one by the name of Josh Abrams. Of course any self-respecting spy is aware of the danger of infiltration, so Cammie’s friends decide to check Cammie’s potential new boyfriend out just to be on the safe side. Breaking into his house, hacking into his computer, and checking out the family trash are just a few of the tactics hilariously employed.

Carter’s book is a blast. She’s obviously has a solid handle on the James Bond variety of spy fiction as well as her target audience. This was a fun read, which has, by the way been optioned by Walt Disney so don’t be surprised when it arrives at a movie theatre near you. In the meantime though, Ms. Carter is working on a sequel, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy. I can’t wait to read Cammie’s further adventures with her friends, with boys, and with the whatever mission Gallagher Academy For Exceptional Young Women or life throws her way.

Potter Puppet Pals in

For those of you who love Harry Potter, have already read the 7th book, and are up for a chuckle, check out "The Mysterious Ticking Noise."

Canadian Flyer Adventures

Canadian Flyer Adventures is a cool new historical adventure series put out by Maple Tree Press. The books are written by Frieda Wishinsky, and wonderfully illustrated by Dean Griffins.

This weekend, the last before school started up again and sadly a rainy one, I read two of the four now available, Crazy for Gold and Beware Pirates. The series is aimed at grade two or perhaps grade three, and each title is a stand-alone, content driven historical adventure designed to inform as well as entice. The stories feature Emily Bing and her new friend Matt Martinez . Together they discover a magical sled in the attic of the house Emily's parents have inherited from her Great Aunt Miranda. Time travel adventures quickly ensue. The first book in the series involves an encounter with one of Queen Elizabeth's privateers, Martin Frobisher and his search for the fabled Northwest Passage. The children find themselves on his ship, are ordered to swab the decks. Instead, they befriend a native, visit his home, witness a kidnapping, carry out a rescue, and make it back to the safety of Emily's attic. Another of the adventures finds the children Klondike bound. They face hunger, bitter cold, the grueling climb to the Chilkoot Pass summit and a dangerous trip through rapids before reaching the gold fields. They even meet Samuel Steele, one of the first to join The Northwest Mounted Police, who kept the peace through the gold-frenzied rush.

One of the features of the series that will appeal to both kids and teachers is the information section at the back of the book. It is cleverly divided into "Emily's Top Ten Facts", "Matt's Top Ten Facts", and "So You Want to Know: from Author Freida Wishinsky". To find out more about other titles in the series, visit the Canadian Flyer Website.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I’d heard of Looking for Alaska by John Green from my daughter, Ali who was working in a bookstore when it came out. I had it on my must-read-one-of-these-days list long before I heard John Green speak at the SCBWI conference in LA this summer. It was his speech, which blurred the line of truths, lies and fiction which made me move it up to the top of my ever growing pile. I finished it last night, and know that it will stay with me for a long time to come.

The story begins with Miles, a sixteen-year old Florida boy about to leave for boarding school. At his mother’s insistence, Miles endures a going away party where, as he expects, almost no one shows up. Obsessed with last words, this only confirms his need to leave his lonely and uneventful life behind to pursue what Rabelais called “The Great Perhaps.” Of course, Miles is also hoping that he’ll meet friends and even have adventures at Culver Creek Boarding School.

He is as unprepared for the Alabama heat as for what lay in store. First, there is his new roommate, the five-foot nothing Chip Martin. Known as The Colonel, he renames Miles, smokes like a fiend; drinks vodka mixed will milk, and memorizes the names and capitals of countries. A middle of the night brush with another group of boarders called Weekend Warriors firmly establishes a friendship between The Colonel and Miles AKA Pudge. Friendships with Takumi, a Japanese-American who is clever with a rap, but hopeless at pre-calculus and the sweet Romanian-born Lara with whom Pudge has a short-lived romance follow. But, it is Alaska who is the glue that holds them all together. She is equal parts gorgeous, well read, and self-destructive. Of course Pudge is smitten with “her eyes that predisposed you to supporting her every endeavor.”

Looking for Alaska is a rich stew of characters brimming with energy intensity. Green serves up their stories with such potency that once you have a taste of these kid’s lives, you’ll want more. I expected great writing. After all, Looking for Alaska won the Michael L. Printz Award for Young Adult Literature. I expected subtle wit and a certain amount of well-drawn teenage angst. What I didn’t expect was to be thrown into the emotional minefield of adolescence. What I didn’t expect was to care so very much about Pudge, The Colonel, and Alaska, the girl they knew, and the one they never could. What I didn’t expect was that a lie could feel, and taste and smell so very real.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

When I attended the annual SCBWI conference in LA recently, by way of a quick introduction, each presenter characterized themselves with a single word. Some of the words were in keeping with what one might expect from coming from children's book writers, illustrators and publishers; words like poetry, inspire stubborn, and possibilities. Others came up with creative solutions to the one word dilemma (torture for writers who love language) by banding together to come up with statements. Still others like Ellen Wittlinger's word, "basement," and Walter Dean Myers "details" simply served to pique our interest for a later session. Myers keynote addressed the idea that the details you include in a story must be the ones that speak the truth about the character, a truth the reader will follow. In her keynote Wittlinger explained the word basement as one's innermost place, and spoke about how a writer must speak from their own inner most place, especially if writing for teens. This is something that Wittlinger does extremely well. Anyone who has read Hard Love, would agree, and it remains one of my all time favourite YA titles.

The word that received the most enthusiastic response though was "scrotum". If you have followed the news over the last few months, you will be correct in suspecting that this word was spoken by Susan Patron, author of The Higher Power of Lucky, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal and one of the most hotly debated titles of recent years. And yes, the censorship debate rests on that one word which appears on the first page of the book and again near it's end.

It is sad to imagine that some could not travel beyond that one word to follow the extraordinary adventures of ten year old Lucky and her quest to find her higher power. They will never have met the spunky and creative Lucky, nor the other 42 people who inhabit Hard Pan, California. They will miss the opportunity to meet Lucky's guardian, Britgitt, who left France temporarily to look after Lucky as a favour to her ex-husband when Lucky's mother dies. They will miss the fear of abandonment Lucky faces each time Bridgitt gets homesick. They will never know Lucky's friend Lincoln, future U.S. president (if his mother has any say in the matter) and a knot obsessed member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. They will not have gotten to know five year old Miles who is addicted to cookies and a book called Are You My Mother? They will have missed eavesdropping on the twelve-step anonymous programs where Lucky first hears about higher powers and where she learns the secrets of many of the towns inhabitants. Worst of all, they will not get to run away with Lucky and her dog HMS Beagle to the old mine shafts in the desert outside of town where she saves Miles, finds her higher power and where Bridgitt and the whole community of Hard Pan show Lucky just how loved and how lucky she truly is.

Not Afraid of Dogs by Susanna Pitzer, illustrated by Larry Day

Not Afraid of Dogs by Susanna Pitzer with Illustrations by Larry Day is a perfect primary and preschool book to help children not just with the fear of dogs, but with fear in general. It's hero, Daniel, is a very brave little boy indeed. He isn't afraid of spiders or snakes or even thunderstorms. But, like all of us, he is afraid of something, and that fear is largely based on the unknown. Dogs are scary to Daniel. However much he refuses to own up to his fear, it continues to plague him. Usually, Daniel avoids dogs (often in hilarious ways). His dog phobia begins to pose serious constraints when his family offers to look after his Aunt's sweet little dog, Bandit. Fortunately for Daniel, the dog isn't shy about his own fear of thunderstorms. Once Daniel realizes that Bandit is even more afraid than he is, he forgets his own fears and comforts the terrified dog during a late night thunderstorm. By forgetting his fears to comfort another, he soon realizes how groundless they were. The is a gem of a picture book that would be perfect both at home and in schools and preschools. The text is simple yet rich in the emotional landscape it evokes. Dialogue effectively moves the story along reducing the need for extensive narrative. As well, the illustrations truly enrich the text making for a perfect marriage between text and illustrations. For example, Daniel's chair at the dinner table is empty while he is still insisting (from off the page) that he isn't afraid. The empty chair with Bandit sitting next to it says it all. And this is not just my opinion. This delightful book took home the Golden Kite Book Award this year for best illustrated picture book published.

Stuart's Cape and Stuart Goes to School by Sara Pennypacker

I love Stuart. I can't believe that Sara Pennypacker's cape-creating, glasses-wearing, cutest ever worry-wart of a kid got nixed after only two books. Stuart, who began his short life is Stuart's Cape, was partly base on one of Pennypacker's nephews. Pennypacker's imagination filled in the blanks and what wonderful and wacky adventures she created. Stuart is as insecure as any kid who has just moved and whose best stuff got accidentally mistaken for a box of garbage. No wonder Stuart is a worrier. School is still weeks away, he has no friends, and he is bored. A superhero cape, he decides, is just the thing. He staples together his father's tossed off ties and adds a secret pocket made out of sock and and he has it, the perfect cape. How could it not be magical! Dinosaurs jumping on his bed, eating lighter than air sponge cake that floats him up up up, and growing giant toast are a few of the weird and wonderful adventures Stuart has when he's wearing his cape. Of course, magical capes can get you into trouble if you're the least bit careless. But I don't want to give it all away. Pick up a either Stuart's Cape or Stuart Goes to School, and I'll bet you'll be writing to publishers writing demanding more of Stuart's adventures.

Cornellia Funke is driving me crazy

On another note, Cornellia Funke is driving me crazy. I have just finished Inkspell, the second in the triology in which characters and stories come to life. Although it is 600 plus pages, Funke leaves you wanting more. Now I have to go out and buy next book in the series because I HAVE to find out what is going to happen to Meggie and her parents not to mention if the infamous Dustfinger is going to stay dead and whether the newly arrived Orpheus, with "the voice of heaven" and the conceit of the devil will will do more damage than good since he's been read into the story by Meggie. And of course, I can't help but wonder if there is a future for the love Funke has kindled between Meggie in a world where immortality has just been granted to a tyrant who hangs musicians and works peasants to dead in his silver mines. Oh it's all too much. I'll just have to get cracking and read more. Sheryl

The Smell of Paint is on the list for the Butler Book Prize and Corn

It's been a while since I've posted, but life has been busy and yes, I've been a bit lazy. Not so much about reading, but about reviewing. One of these days I'll get around to posting more reviews as I have about a dozen books I've been meaning to write about.

In the meantime, a good bit of news came my way on the weekend. My novel, The Smell of Paint, has made the long list for The Butler Book Prize, in the Young Readers' Category. It was in good company alongside books by Andrea Spalding, Dede Crane, Laura Langston, Diane Swanson and Nikki Tate to name a few. Will have to wait two months to see who makes the short-list of five though. I have my fingers crossed.

What a busy few months it's been. Lots of travel back and forth to Vancouver for book-related activities and in helping my daughter search for an affordable condo. Did finally find her a place, although I'd hardly call it affordable. Sigh...I suppose affordable is a relative term these days.

Went to a fantastic Young Authors forum the other day with good friend and fellow author Linda Bailey. Met up with several other author friends, Normal Charles, Irene Watts, Ellen Schwartz, and Debbie Hodge which was also fun. The forum featured fantastic writers like Susan Jube, Dennis Foon, Shelley Hrdlitschka, John Burns and Kit Pearson not to mention Bob Tyrrell from Orca Book Publishers, Ken Setterington, the library's Youth advocate from Toronto, Allison Taylor-McBryde from North Van. library who also chairs the YA reader's choice book awards in BC, etc. The topics included writing for reluctant readers, censorship in YA books, fantasy, historical fiction, and humour. Of course the titles were far more clever and literary, but you get the gist. The format included two presenters per topic speaking for about 10 minutes each, followed by a panel discussion with moderator Phyllis Simon from Vancouver Kid's Books posing questions. Then the audience was invited to ask questions too. So so good.

Sadly, not as much writing getting done as I had hoped though, although plenty of thinking about writing which we all need to do on occasion. For example, Alison Taylor McBride pleaded for more books which reflect average teen concerns as opposed to the extremely brutal talley she's seen come across her desk recently while Orca Bob explained how their edgy reluctant teen series has coped with censorship issues in the US. There was plenty more insight as well as suggestions to mull over while I painted walls at my daughter's place that evening.

When Max Became a Mom by Tracey Kuffner

I'm not usually a big fan of self-published books given they often need a good editor, but I quite enjoyed When Max Became a Mom by Tracey Kuffner. Kuffner is both the author and illustrator but her illustration style is totally unique; they are created with felt.

Tracey started out as a felt artist who raises sheep, dyes the wool and creates beautiful clothing. She is full of stories though, and so far two have spilled out. This one is her first, and like many good story tellers, she's dug into her own experiences to create this one. Felt is about layering raw wool in different directions, and this story mimics that process. Max lives on a sheep farm and when he discovers that one of the twin lambs isn't thriving he decides take matters into his own hands. Max has a hard road ahead of him though since bottle-fed lambs have to be fed often and at inconvenient times. Max sticks with it though and the payoff comes in an unexpected form when Max's lamb becomes a mom herself. Friendship and responsibility lay at the heart of this lovely story, but Kuffner is wise enough not to hit her readers over the head with it. It's a gentle story, and having recently met Max (and his little sister Isabelle) I could see why exactly where the story's sensibility came from. Kuffner clearly gets that story is about character. You'll enjoy meeting Max, if it's between the pages of a book.

Kuffner's whimsical illustrations ,while limited in scope, are as charming as this tale is well told. You can check out both of Kuffner's books at Woolmine Publishing

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Ok, I admit it. I hadn't read Cornilia Funke. Hard to believe I know considering that her books have been wildly popular. But then, I'm not a huge fantansy fan, although once I discover a fantasy author that I like, I generally read everything they write and pick up their new books fairly quickly. It happened though that we were speaking at the same conference recently (she being one of the big draws, me being local small pototatoes) and she was an extremely compelling speaker, so I picked up a couple of her books including Inkheart. Here she is signing books. I totally loved Inkheart, especially the premise that characters from a book come to life. The good versus evil theme was very well handled, and I particularly like the lack of sugar coating; people die, bad things happen. In fact, Funke is a real marvel at upping the ante, something that new writers may want to consider when tackling a novel. Her characters are compelling enough to make me want to read more, and I wasn't at all displeased to find the first chapter of book II conveniently located at the end. Wise publisher!

I might also mention that Cornelia's translator was at the same conference. If you are ever privileged enough to hear Anthea Bell speak, don't pass up the chance. She is one of those incredible throw-backs to the past...ie a real scholar who is as thoughtful as she is learned. I totally loved her. One of the best things about that conference (Serendipty put on by the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable by the also wonderful Dr. Ron Jobe) was the dialogue that translator and author engaged in after their respective talks. The two spoke back and forth as well as answered questions from the audience and it was so informative in terms of the play between art and craft and language.

More later. Sheryl

Great YA book reveiw site

I know that it's been ages since I've posted, but here is a really cool link I've discovered to more great reviews, bios and book excepts not to mention a great place to win book prizes, so check it out. http://www.yabookscentral.com/ Sheryl.

Put an end to name fumbling with the help of Jon Scieszka

Children's Literature Roundtables are truly wonderful, and so are young teachers. Colleen Eckardt and Bridget Hearsey, two new teachers in the Victoria district, gave a fabulous presentation at our last Roundtable on using literature to inspire young readers. They hauled in a huge stack of books (including some of my all time favourites as well as some I hadn't heard of previously) and spoke about how they can be used in various learning environmentst. A total bonus was that they turned us all on to a very cool article by Jon Schiska that you just have to read if you have ever stumbled over someone's name. It is a characteristic piece that no self-respecting Schiska fan will want to miss. Here is the link. More reviews coming. I promise. Sheryl

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass - Official Teaser

I totally loved Philip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy. Now The Golden Compass is coming out in as a film, and staring one of my favourite actors, Nicole Kidman. I can hardly wait!

Blogger award for kid's books

Just wanted to let everyone know who doesn't already that bloggers give out awards too! Check out http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2007/02/the_2006_cybils.htmlto find out about the best of the best in kids' books according to us regular folk. Hey, a Canadian book even made the list; Melanie Watt has won for fiction picture books for her book Scaredy Squirrel published by Kids Can Press. Later, Sheryl

The 25 Pains of Kennedy Baines by Dede Crane

The 25 Pains of Kennedy Baines by Dede Crane surprised me. Crane, who is new to writing, started off with an adult novel, Sympathy. Although Sympathy garnered a great deal of praise, I admit that I haven't yet finished it. The writing was good, but the subject matter of losing a husband and child in a car accident and the main character's tenuous grip on sanity was something you have to be up for and I just wasn't. So, I expected Crane's first YA novel be as grueling. Not so. It was fresh and easy to read and was about as true to the ups and downs of teenage life as you can get. I enjoyed the way Crane wove threads from the classic Pride and Prejudice, Kennedy's favourtie book, throughout the structure of her novel. There is modern day version of Austen's flashy Wickham character, Colin, the handsome yet sleazy son of Kennedy's mother's university friend. Colin is unappealing to all except Kennedy and her inexperienced friends. His counter is Eliot, an ethnic version of Mr. Darcey, who is every bit the gentle, learned soul. Like Elizabeth, Kennedy finally figures it all out in the end, but not before a sexual encounter heats things up. This scene was my only problem with the book and my discomfort had nothing to do sex. I just found that Colin stepped too far out of character to make it believable. Still, The 25 Pains of Kennedy Baines is a great teen read and I'd definitely recommend it. In fact, giving a young reader both would be a perfect way to introduce a classic, and it may just help to keep the door to discussions about sex open.

Deborah Ellis

I have just returned from taking Deborah Ellis to her hotel after her last presentation during the Victoria leg of her western tour. I have spent the last several days listening to Deb address the effects of war, aids, poverty, and the drug trade on the lives of children with audiences that ranged from grade four students to senior citizens. The importance of the themes that Deb’s stories bring to the forefront are especially evident in the questions the young people in her audience ask; questions like how can kids live in prisons, why can’t kids who are sick get the medicine they need, and why can’t girls go to school in Afghanistan? Many will have read The Breadwinner, Pavanah's Journey and Mud City, but Deborah Ellis has written many other books. She is no one trick pony, despite this label she so often gives to herself. She is about shaking us out of our complacency and about empowering young people to demand more of our world and it's inhabitants. She is about social justice.

Not surprisingly, I was excited to hear that Deb has turned her compassionate yet critical storyteller’s eye on North American. Jakeman will be the title of her next novel. It's about kid whose mother goes to prison. It's about poverty and the feeling of being powerless, but it's also about alter-egos and about kids taking back their power. I can hardly wait to read it.

The Power of Lucky & Three Wishes

So what do The Higher Power of Lucky and Three Wishes have in common? Read on...

It’s unbelievable. The controversy around this year’s Newbery Award-winner, The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron is growing in leaps and bounds. The ugly head of censorship has been rearing it’s head in the New York Times, on Publisher Weekly’s Website, and in blog after blog. It seems that a lot of librarians have trouble with the word “scrotum”, and that’s enough to keep the book away from sensitive young readers! I must admit that I agree totally with Ms. Patron who explained that scrotum is a “delicious” word. Unbelievable, and of course one of the many ironies (I’m not even going to go into sex-driven advertising or music videos here) is that as the ‘ban the book frenzy’ reaches it’s peak, we are just about to celebrate Freedom to Read Week. Don’t they get it? Banned books are wildly appealing to the young and curious, as I first learned back in the 1960’s when J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was banned from my high school. Even the kids who had an aversion to reading devoured that book (or at least key passages of it). So, congratulations Ms. Patron. You can expect to sell more books and you are in very good company!

It was only a year ago that a huge controversy developed when one school district in Ontario chose to drop Deborah Ellis’ Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak from a provincially sanctioned readers’ choice award, again just as we were heading into Freedom to Read Week!

For anyone in the Victoria, BC area, the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable will be hosting Deb Ellis as part of our celebration of Freedom to Read Week at Spectrum Community High School @ 957 Burnside Rd in the school library @ 7:30.

Or you can go to http://www.freedomtoread.ca/ to find out how you can celebrate this important week in your own area. Defy the censors. Read a banned book!

Sheryl

What Athletes are Made of by Hanoch Piven

I came across the coolest picture book the other day and I do mean coolest. It's an information book about athletes by Hanoch Piven called What Athletes Are Made Of. Americans may know him for his earlier What Presidents Are Made Of. I confess, that as a Canadian, I didn't look twice at his earlier book. The subject just wasn't of interest. This book, though, is pure gold. Covering athletes like Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, David Beckham, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Joe DiMaggio, kids will get a glimpse into the lives of some of sport's greatest.

In addition to quotes and quirky bits of information about his favourite athletes, Piven added sports tidbits that kids and adults will be delighted to know at the bottom of each page. For instance, have you ever wondered what the significance of the special yellow jersey in The Tour de France? Or, do you have any idea just how fast David Beckkham's kick has been clocked at? Do you have any idea where the term "saved by the bell" comes from.

The best part of the book though, is Pavil's illustrations, especially the athletes' portraits, which are alone worth the price of the book. He uses everyday items like coke bottles, pencil sharpeners, rulers, golf balls, marbles and elastic bands in a way that those of us without an artistic outlook can only marvel at. Short biographies can also be found at the end of this most wonderful of books. Any sports lover of any age will love this fabulous picture book published by Antheum.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but computer woes have kept me both from reading and writing. Three hard drive crashes in two weeks has convinced or shall I say forced, me to take drastic action in the form of not only a new computer but a new operating system. Yes, I’ve gone Mac...My daughter, who is a big fan tells me I will love it, but the various quirks (such as no right click) find me spending far more time reading on-line explanations of how to do what I used to on this new system. As well, I continue to try to retrieve my email and not yet backed up files from a now dead computer, and transferring backed up files into a new operating system. For instance, I spent all of last evening reentering my contacts into my new address book while many of you probably watched the Grammy’s or read a good book. All very onerous!

But enough! After finishing getting my contacts in order, I allowed myself to start a new book, Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier. This fantastic first novel by Australian newcomer is downright magical and it will delight avid readers, most especially female teens. Set high in the Transylvanian woods, in a castle known as Piscul Draculi, it follows five sisters and their monthly forays into a magical realm of fairies and full moon dancing. When one of the sisters falls in love with one of the creatures of the Other Kingdom, it is left to Jenna, the practical sister, to ensure that her lovesick sister doesn’t risk all for the impossible. Meanwhile, left under the care of relatives while their father goes south for his health, their cousin Cezar moves in ostensibly to help the girls through a brutal winter. Tormented by the loss of his brother ten years earlier, Cezar has much darker motives. Can Cezar be stopped? And will Jena’s sister be lost to them forever? I

It so happens that I could tell you, but I'm sure you'd much rather enjoy the journey yourself. All I can say is if you’re anything like me, don’t start this book at bedtime! I believe it was about 4am when I finally turned the last page and turned out the light. Needless to say, this morning was no so good. Later...