Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

Join author Mireille Messier and illustrator Kass Reich

for the launch of their first collaboration

a non-fiction picture book

Sergeant Billy: The True Story of a Goat Who Went to War

Written by Mireille Messier

Illustrated by Kass Reich

Tundra Books
978-0-73526-442-7
40 pp.
Ages 4-8
September 2019

on 

November 3, 2019

2 - 4 p.m.

at

Queen Books 
914 Queen Street E
Toronto, ON

From the Penguin Random House Canada website:

A delightful tale inspired by the true story of a brave goat war hero. Perfect for fans of Finding Winnie and Rescue and Jessica.

During World War I, a goat named Billy was adopted by a platoon of soldiers and made his way across the ocean to be part of the war effort.

Billy . . .
  •   Trained with the soldiers
  •   Was smuggled across the ocean
  •   Got snuck into the frontlines in a box of oranges
  •   Ate some secret documents and was arrested for treason
  •   Got trench foot
  •   Head-butted soldiers into a trench and saved them from a shell
  •   Came back home a decorated war hero

This charming true story follows Sergeant Billy from his small prairie town to the trenches of World War I and back, through harrowing moments, sad moments, moments of camaraderie and moments of celebration. This unforgettable goat and the platoon that loved him will capture your heart!

Register 
for this free event at
 https://bit.ly/32XL7Dh

How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read: Book launch (Toronto)

Join author Andrew Katz 

for the Toronto launch of his picture book

How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read

Written by Andrew Katz and Juliana Léveillé-Trudel 

Illustrated by Joseph Sherman

CrackBoom! Books 

978-2924786475

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

November 2018

on

Sunday, November 11, 2018

2 p.m.

at

Queen Books

914 Queen Street East

Toronto, ON 

There will be:

 • a reading of the book by Andrew Katz 

(with music provided by singer-songwriter Peter Katz) 

and

• book signing by author Andrew Katz and
illustrator Joseph Sherman

The event is detailed as follows:

Queen Books invites you to join a spunky girl, her forest animal friends, and a book-loving bear for a reading by Montreal author Andrew Katz of his new picture book How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read (ages 4-7), co-written with Juliana Léveillé-Trudel. Special musical guest, JUNO-nominated and Canadian Screen Award-nominated singer-songwriter Peter Katz, will be lending his guitar to the storytelling, and Gemini Award-winning illustrator Joseph Sherman will be there as well for a book-signing following the reading.

Bear- and book-lovers of all ages are welcome!

Details here.

Swallow's Dance: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

Canadian-born Australian writer

Wendy Orr

author of

Dragonfly Song (Pajama Press, 2017)

and

Nim's Island (Allen & Unwin, 1999)

(among many others!)

launches her TD Children's Literature Award-nominated

middle-grade historical fiction novel

Swallow's Dance

Written by Wendy Orr

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-062-8

288 pp.

Ages 10-14

October 2018

 on

 Saturday, October 27, 2018

from

 2-3:30 p.m.

at

Queen Books

914 Queen St. East

Toronto, ON

From publisher Pajama Press's website:

In the myth-rich culture of Bronze Age Crete, a volcano cuts short the coming-of-age training of a young priestess. When her world is shattered and her future appears lost, she must find the strength within herself to ensure the survival of her family.

Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home–and her family–in pieces. And the earth goddess hasn’t finished with the island yet.

With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born are reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira must find the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

Retrieved from https://pajamapress.ca/book/swallows_dance/ on October 17, 2018.

There will be:

• a reading

• book signing

and 

• light refreshments.

All are welcome!

Missing Mike: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

Author 

Shari Green

is launching her newest middle grade novel

Missing Mike

 

Written by Shari Green

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-045-1

244 pp.

Ages 8-12

May 2018

on

 Wednesday, May 16, 2018

4:00 - 5:30 pm

at

Queen Books

914 Queen St. E.

Toronto, ON 

From Pajama Press's website at http://pajamapress.ca/book/missing_mike/:

From the acclaimed author of Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess, a timely middle-grade story about the devastation of wildfires and the resilience of the human spirit.

He’s a rescue, a mutt. Maybe there’s a little golden retriever in him, although he’s not exactly pretty. He’s had a run-in with coyotes and he’s missing an eye. But Mike is eleven-year-old Caera Donovan’s dog, and they love each other absolutely. Usually her pet follows Caera everywhere, but on the day the family first smells smoke in the air, Mike becomes anxious. Pine Grove is in the path of a wildfire, and the family is ordered to evacuate. In the ensuing chaos, Mike runs off. And then the unthinkable happens; there is no time to search for Mike. They are forced to leave him behind.

Shocked and devastated, Caera watches helplessly as the family drives through a nightmare, with burning debris falling from the sky and wild animals fleeing for their lives. Once in the city far from the burn zone, the Donovans are housed with a volunteer host family. Jewel, the hosts’ daughter, is nice, but Caera can only think about what she may have lost. What will happen if nothing is left? But as she reflects on what “home” means to her, Caera knows only one thing. She is not going to lose Mike. She will do what it takes to find him, even if it means going back to Pine Grove on her own.

With her signature style combining simplicity and lyricism, Shari Green, the author of Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles and Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess tells an uplifting story of love and loss. And she shows how one girl’s stressful journey eventually leads her to an unexpected place, and a new definition of home.

Retrieved on May 2, 2018 from http://pajamapress.ca/book/missing_mike/. 

What Happens Next: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

Join 

author Susan Hughes 

and

 illustrator Carey Sookocheff 

for the launch of their first book together

What Happens Next

Written by Susan Hughes

Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff

Owlkids Books

9781771471657

40 pp.

Ages 4+

March 2018

on

  Saturday, March 3, 2018

2-4 p.m.

at

Queen Books

914 Queen Street East

Toronto, ON

It is a book about the bullied, the bully, the bystander and family.

This will be an important book

 for children to read, 

with which educators can teach and 

which can help parents relate to the emotions of one who is being bullied.

This trailer from Owlkids Books captures a glimpse of the book's message.

What Happens Next book trailer

 Uploaded by Owlkids to YouTube on December 22, 2017.

Woodrow at Sea: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

The wonderfully talented author and illustrator

Wallace Edwards

is set to launch his newest picture book of youngCanLit

Woodrow at Sea

Written and illustrated by Wallace Edwards

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-029-1

24 pp.

Ages 3-5

November 2017
Review here

on

  Saturday, December 9, 2017

11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

at

Queen Books

914 Queen St. East

Toronto, ON

In addition to book sales and signing by Wallace Edwards,
there will be:
• story time
• a drawing lesson
• crafts
• light refreshments

Look for my review of this special wordless picture book tomorrow!