Friday, November 16, 2007
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.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
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.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
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.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
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!
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.
Children’s Literature English-language Finalists (Text)
(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
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. 
(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
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
( 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.
(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.
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 OutWritten 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 & DeathWritten 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 SmallWritten 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
KanadaWritten 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.
Friday, October 19, 2007
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!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The 2007 Moonbeam Awards
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.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
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
Sunday, October 14, 2007
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.
Monday, October 08, 2007
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.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
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.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
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...
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
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.
Monday, September 24, 2007
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.
Friday, September 21, 2007
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.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
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
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
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