Defy: Book Launch (Port Colborne, ON)

There's a new YA novel coming from writer Sara de Waard, 

the author of White Lies

White Lies

Written by Sara de Waard

DCB
978-1-77086-649-2
224 pp.
Ages 13+

2022 

Reviewed here

 

 

She's launching

 

Defy

Written by Sara de Waard

DCB Young Readers

978-1-77086-7581

208 pp.

Ages 12-18 

October 2024 

 

on

 

Saturday, October 19, 2024

 

at

 

1-3 PM (EST)

 

at

 

Port Colborne Public Library

310 King Street

Port Colborne, ON

905-834-6512

 

This free event will include an author reading, refreshments and a book signing.

Limited copies of White Lies and Defy will be available for purchase.

A little bit about the book from publisher DCB Young Readers:

Enjoy your Final Days.

Escape a Natural Death with us.

Come to Zalmon’s Quiet End.

In the city of Zalmon, every Life Event is predetermined: where you’ll work, who you’ll marry, when you’ll die.

On a tour of Central Processing, seventeen-year-old Darius inadvertently unveils shocking information about his beloved little sister, Mahlah. His impulsive reaction may make him a target of the sinister people who run Zalmon, and could doom Mahlah to a worse fate than the one Darius uncovered.

Defying an unjust system, an unwanted Life Match, and an uncontrollable enemy, Darius fights to save Mahlah, leading him to expose a conspiracy at the heart of the city — and a potential life of autonomy, dignity, and love beyond what the Book of Zalmon dictates.

 

If White Lies, Sara de Waard's debut novel is any indication, lovers of dystopian YA are sure to find a great read in Defy.

2024 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards: Finalists announced

On October 1st, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, our nationally-renowned authority on all things related to youngCanLit, announced the finalists for the 2024 English-language Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards. (See their website announcement here with videos of shortlists on Bibliovideo.) These finalists for the seven awards are a sampling of the extraordinary books for young people created by Canadian authors and illustrators. They are a great resource for exceptional reads from 2023 and 2024.

This year, the children's book awards include the following:

• TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($50,000)
• Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000)
• Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000)
• Amy Mathers Teen Book Award ($5,000)
• Jean Little First-Novel Award ($5,000)
• Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy ($5,000)
• David Booth Children’s and Youth Poetry Award ($3,500)
• Richard Allen Chase Memorial Award ($2,500)

 (n.b. The French-language award short lists will be announced on October 16th and winners celebrated on November 13.)

• • • • • • •

 

Here are the short lists for each award category, as announced by the Canadian Children's Book Centre:

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

 

Do You Remember?
Written and illustrated by Sydney Smith
Groundwood Books

Reviewed here

 

Green Papayas
Written by Nhung N. Tran-Davies
Illustrated by Gillian Newland
Red Deer Press

Simon Sort of Says
Written by Erin Bow
Scholastic Canada

Skating Wild on an Inland Sea
Written by Jean E. Pendziwol
Illustrated by Todd Stewart
Groundwood Books

The Umbrella House
Written by Colleen Nelson
Pajama Press

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

 

 

Love Is in the Bear
Written by Judith Henderson
Illustrated by Nahid Kazemi
Owlkids Books

 

Our Pool
Written and illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Atheneum Books for Young Readers 

Skating Wild on an Inland Sea
Written by Jean E. Pendziwol
Illustrated by Todd Stewart
Groundwood Books

A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis
Written by Kathy Stinson
Illustrated by Lauren Soloy
Greystone Kids

When You Can Swim
Written and illustrated by Jack Wong
Orchard Books (Scholastic)

Reviewed here

 

 

 

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People 

 

Bernice and the Georgian Bay Gold

Written by Jessica Outram

Second Story Press

 

The Cricket War
Written by Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish
Kids Can Press 

Focus. Click. Wind.
Written by Amanda West Lewis
Groundwood Books

Mall Goth
Written and illustrated by Kate Leth
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Out of the Dark
Written by Julie Lawson
Nimbus Publishing

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

Brighter Than the Sun

Written by Daniel Aleman

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Delicious Monsters

Written by Liselle Sambury

Margaret K. McElderry Books

 

Only This Beautiful Moment
Written by Abdi Nazemian
Balzer + Bray

 

Something More
Written by Jackie Khalilieh
Tundra Books 

The Space Between Here & Now
Written by Sarah Suk
Quill Tree Books

Reviewed here

Jean Little First-Novel Award

Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters
Written by Emi Pinto
HarperCollins Publishers

The Boy Who Woke the Sun
Written by A.T. Woodley
Illustrated by Mike Deas
Red Deer Press

The Cricket War
Written by Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish
Kids Can Press

The Secret of the Ravens
Written and illustrated by Joanna Cacao
Clarion Books

Reviewed here

Where the Water Takes Us
Written and illustrated by Alan Barillaro
Candlewick Press

 

Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy 

 

Bonesmith (House of the Dead, Book 1)
Written by Nicki Pau Preto
Margaret K. McElderry Books

 

The Boy, the Cloud and the Very Tall Tale
Written by Heather Smith
Orca Book Publishers 

City of Nightmares (City of Nightmares, Book 1)
Written by Rebecca Schaeffer
Clarion Books

Nightbreaker (Nightbreaker, Book 1)
Written by Coco Ma
Viking Books for Young Readers

The Stars of Mount Quixx (The Brindlewatch Quintet, Book 1)
Written by S.M. Beiko
ECW Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Booth Award for Children's and Youth Poetry

 

Forever Our Home
Written by Tonya Simpson
Illustrated by Carla Joseph
Orca Book Publishers

I Want to Build a Seahouse
Written by Whitney Moran
Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon
Nimbus Publishing

 

Like a Hurricane
Written by Jonathan Bécotte
Translated by Jonathan Kaplansky
Orca Book Publishers

 

The Prisoner and the Writer
Written by Heather Camlot
Illustrated by Sophie Casson
Groundwood Books 

Robot, Unicorn, Queen: Poems for You and Me
Written by Shannon Bramer
Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
Groundwood Books

The Yellow Leaves Are Coming
Written by James Gladstone
Illustrated by François Thisdale
Red Deer Press

Reviewed here

 

 

Richard Allen Chase Memorial Award

Alone: The Journeys of Three Young Refugees
Written by Paul Tom
Illustrated by Mélanie Baillairgé
Translated by Arielle Aaronson
Groundwood Books

The Halifax Explosion: 6 December 1917, at 9:05 in the Morning
Written by Afua Cooper
Illustrated by Rebecca Bender
Plumleaf Press

Reviewed here

The Secret Pocket
Written by Peggy Janicki
Illustrated by Carrielynn Victor
Orca Book Publishers

Shizue's Path
Written by Mark Sakamoto
Illustrated by Rachel Wada
HarperCollins Publishers

A Star Explodes: The Story of Supernova 1054
Written by James Gladstone
Illustrated by Yaara Eshet
Owlkids Books

Reviewed here

 

 

 📚📚📚

The winners of these awards will be announced on October 28, 2024 at a ticketed event in Toronto.

Puffin and Penguin

Written by Helaine Becker

Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0654-9

80 pp.

Ages 6-9

October 2024

 

Who knew that Puffin's life would change so much when his mom got a new job at the United Avian Nations in New Stork City?! But a move from Iceland to their new home in Brookloon must also include the making of new friends, so there is that. 

From Puffin and Penguin, written by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

At his new school, Puffin is introduced to a diverse group of students, from Eaglet the nervous Nellie; King Penguin, the cool kid; Screech Owl,the coding whiz; and Canada Goose, the fashionista. When his teacher, Ms. Grey, buddies Puffin up with Penguin, it's not a perfect match. Penguin already has so many responsibilities and activities that taking on one more, especially the enthusiastic Puffin for whom he has little time, is just too much.

From Puffin and Penguin, written by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

 Initially Puffin is annoyed about being abandoned and with everyone calling him a "funny-looking lil' penguin" (pg. 27) but his father advises him that there's no need "to get so hot under the feathers" (pg. 29) and to give his new classmates a bit of "puffin pedagogy." (pg. 31)

 

So Puffin hatches a plan–lots of fun word play in Puffin and Penguin–to inform his classmates about himself and puffins and to make some new friends by joining the Drama Club. But his efforts come across as bragging and he realizes he often comes on too strong and appears to be trying too hard. Still when there's a glitch with the lighting during the performance of "King Midas and the Golden Pinkie," it's Puffin's fluorescent beak that saves the day. 

From Puffin and Penguin, written by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Puffin and Penguin has this amazing blend of science–who knew puffins' beaks fluoresced?–and word play and humour and plain old fun. Helaine Becker's story of two birds who are unlikely buddies shows young readers ways to make friends and to accept differences. And by telling her story with a plethora of puns, Helaine Becker actually makes you laugh while demonstrating ways to be a friend and make a friend while being true to yourself. (Puffin makes it clear, for example, how much he dislikes being called Puffy.)

 

And then there's Kevin Sylvester's artwork that adds even more humour. From making Penguin truly look overextended and weary to Puffin ranting about Penguin's neglect and Puffin's "Too Cool for School" backpack–highly relevant for a bird coming from Iceland–Kevin Sylvester's cartoon illustrations tell more about the story, intensifying the fun and revealing more about the characters than words alone could. 

From Puffin and Penguin, written by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Because it's an early reader graphic novel, Puffin and Penguin has to work for younger readers in the 6 to 9-years-old audience, giving them more than a picture book but less than a middle grade novel. But Helaine Becker and Kevin Sylvester have found a perfect combo of message and medium, giving readers a relatable story of moving to a new place and making friends with the chuckles and brightness of an illustrated book. Puffin and Penguin is a perfect bundle of everything to entertain and even inform. They don't need more Penguin and Puffin to complete their story but I think young readers would be delighted if Helaine Becker and Kevin Sylvester would take us on a few more adventures with our new avian friends. Do I see a cultural exchange in their future perhaps?