Triple Author Book Event (Winnipeg, MB)

 It's always a great day for an author event 

and an even more memorable one when it includes 

three great writers of middle-grade fiction.

 

• • • • • • •

 

Join authors

 

Sidura Ludwig

 

Carol Matas

 

Colleen Nelson

 

authors of

Swan: The Girl Who Grew (Nimbus, 2024)

Zevi Takes the Spotlight (Orca, 2024)

Mystery at the Biltmore (Pajama Press, 2024)

respectively

on

Thursday, November 28, 2024

 

at

7 PM

 

at

McNally Robinson Booksellers

Grant Park in the Atrium 

Winnipeg, MB

 

(Event will be live streamed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/7CRKTMImsI4)

 

A discussion and readings will be following by a Q & A and book signings.

• • • • • • •

For more details about the authors and their books, as well as the event, visit the McNally Robinson website at https://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/event-18692/Sidura-Ludwig,-Carol-Matas-&-Colleen-Nelson-Book-Event

Author Event: Writing Adventures with Gordon Korman (Milton, ON)

Middle grade readers LOVE author Gordon Korman's books. His books range from the silly to the dramatic, to adventures and fantasy. There are suspenseful reads, and humourous ones, standalones and multiple series. There's something for every middle-grade reader out there, and the opportunity to hear from this award-winning author is a unique opportunity. So, whether you're a teacher or a parent, a school librarian or an administer, I encourage you to get your Gr. 2-8 students registered for one of two presentations Gordon Korman will be making with the Milton Public Library in the early new year. Details follow.

 

• • • • • • •

 

Gordon Korman 

 

will be presenting

 

WRITING ADVENTURES WITH 

GORDON KORMAN

 

on

 

Thursday, January 30, 2025

 

 

at

Mattamy Theatre

 FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton

1010 Main Street E

Milton, ON

 

• • • • • • • 

 

Two sessions will be held at

 

10:30 AM for Grades 2-4

and

12:30 PM for Grades 5-8

 

Each session will last between 45 and 60 minutes 

and  

will be followed by a Q & A.

• • • • • • •

Special price for schools: $15 per ticket 

(note: all attendees must purchase a ticket)

 

Links to register schools and purchase tickets may be found at 

the Milton Public Library site here.

 

 • • • • • • •

 

Author visits are always a treat and catching a youngCanLit star like Gordon Korman is a one-of-a-kind event. Don't miss your opportunity to be inspired and learn more about his writing and his books.

Group Book Launch: May 26, 2024 (Toronto, ON)

If you read my January 1st post about upcoming books, you'll know that there are hundreds of books of kidCanLit released in a 6 month period. While it's hard to get to all the launches that are set, it is far easier when multiple authors get together to launch their new books. In the spirit of cooperation, and under the umbrella of Authors' Booking Service, eight authors of picture books, and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction will be launching their new books in a special Group Book Launch.  

 

Creators who will be present are Dana L. Church, Caroline Fernandez, Deborah Kerbel, Amanda West Lewis, Monique Polak, Sade Smith, Michael F. Stewart, and Farida Zaman. These are their books:

 

Remember This: The Fascinating World of Memory (Orca Think)

Written by Monique Polak

Illustrated by Valéry Goulet

Orca Book Publishers

96 pp.

Ages 8-13

March 2024

Iggy Included

Written by Deborah Kerbel 

Scholastic Canada

240 pp.

Ages 8-12

May 2024

 

Seeking Draven

Written by Michael F. Stewart

Red Deer Press

200 pp.

Ages 9-12

April 2024

 

 

 

 

A Planet is a Poem

Written by Amanda West Lewis

Illustrated by Oliver Averill

Kids Can Press

40 pp.

Ages 8-12

May 2024

 

Asha and Baz Meet Katia Krafft

Written by Caroline Fernandez

Illustrated by Dharmali Patel

Common Deer Press

114 pp.

Ages 6-9

February 2024

 

 

 

Plague Thieves

Written by Caroline Fernandez

DCB Young Readers

208 pp.

Ages 9-12

May 2024

 

 

The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People

Written by Dana L. Church 

Scholastic Focus

320 pp.

Ages 8-12

April 2024

 

 

 

Meena Can't Wait 

Written and illustrated by Farida Zaman

Orca Book Publishers

32 pp.

Ages 6-8

March 2024

 

 

 

And the launch?  Here are its details:

Sunday, May 26th, 2024

2-3 PM (EST)

at

Toronto Public Library

Northern District Branch

Gwen Liu Meeting Room

40 Orchard View Blvd.

Toronto, ON

Get this free, family-friendly event into your calendar now. It's a great opportunity to chat with creators of kidCanLit and get autographed books for all your young readers.

Night of the Living Zed: Book launch (Toronto, ON)

Join authors

  Basil Sylvester & Kevin Sylvester 

 

for the launch 

 

of their newest middle-grade collaboration

and

sequel to their Governor General Literary Award-nominated book The Fabulous Zed Watson!

HarperCollins Canada, 2021
 

 

Night of the Living Zed

Written by Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester

HarperCollins Canada
978-1-4434-6920-3
256 pp.
Ages 8-12
January 2024

Review here

 

on

 

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

at

7:00 -9:00 PM

at

Another Story Bookshop
315 Roncesvalles Ave. (at Grenadier)
Toronto, ON

416-462-1104 

 

If you thought The Fabulous Zed Watson! was a fabulous mystery with lots of twists and turns, then you're going to love Night of the Living Dead as young sleuths Zed and best friend Gabe set out at Halloween to solve the mystery of Glyndebourne Manor. It's a weirdly wonderfully romp through a house filled with opera costumes and magician's props, trap doors and secrets, and ghosts and plenty of laughs.

 

Dual Book Launch: Gnomes is Where Your Heart Is & The Magic Cap (Toronto)

 

Authors Casey Lyall and Mireille Messier 

are promising

 

E-GNOME-US FUN

 

with a joint book launch for their newest books

 

 

Gnome is Where Your Heart Is

 Written by Casey Lyall
Greenwillow Books (Imprint of HarperCollins)
978-0-06-323982-1
304 pp.
Ages 8-12
May 2023 

Reviewed here

and

The Magic Cap

Written by Mireille Messier
Illustrated by Charlotte Parent
Milky Way Picture Books
978-1-990252-21-1
32 pp.
Ages 4-7
May 2023 

Reviewed here

 

 

Here's the info to get in your calendar early:

 

Date:  Sunday, July 30, 2023

 

Time: 1 PM

 

Location:  Another Story Bookshop

315 Roncesvalles Avenue

Toronto, ON

416-462-1104 

I haven't been to many launches in the past few years 

but I may just see you there. 

With two charming books, one middle-grade and one picture book, 

and a whole lot of gnomes, this may the one to get me out to celebrate great #youngCanLit.

Forest of Reading®: Festival of Trees coming soon

If it's April, then young readers are voting for their favourite books in the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading® award programs. And those votes will be tallied and awards announced at the Festival of Trees. These award ceremonies were always a big event at Toronto's Harbourfront, though over the pandemic, award ceremonies were conducted online. For the first time in several years, young readers will have the opportunity to attend in-person events which include workshops by authors and/or illustrators, get their books autographed by authors, and cheer in person when the award winners are announced. The Festival of Trees will be held from Tuesday May 16 through Thursday May 18, 2023. If you're still not convinced to attend (tickets available here), check out the full schedule of events below.

 

TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023

SILVER BIRCH EXPRESS

 

AWARD CEREMONY 10:30-11:30 AM

 

WORKSHOPS

 

11:45 AM-12:15 PM Eric Walters: Bear in the Family

  

12:15-12:45 PM  Shenaaz Nanji: Alina in a Pinch

 

12:45-1:15 PM Alma Fullerton: Flipping Forward Twisting Backward

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

 

11:45 AM-12:45 PM

    Alma Fullerton: Flipping Forward Twisting Backward
    Greer Stothers: Kaleidoscope of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life: Their colors and patterns explained

    Rachel Poliquin: The Strangest Thing in the Sea: And Other Curious Creatures of the Deep

 

1:00-2:00 PM

    Shenaaz Nanji: Alina in a Pinch
    Eric Walters: Bear in the Family
    Juliana Armstrong: This is What I’ve Been Told / Mii yi gaa-bi-wiindmaagooyaan

    Kallie George (tentative): Crimson Twill: Witch in the City
  

 

 

SILVER BIRCH FICTION

 

AWARD CEREMONY 12:00-1:00 PM

 

WORKSHOPS

 

10:15-10:45 AM Colleen Nelson: The Undercover Book List

10:15-10:45 AM J. Torres and David Namisato: Stealing Home

 

10:30-11:00 AM  Wesley King: Butt Sandwich & Tree

11:15-11:45 AM Catherine Egan: Sneaks

 

11:15-11:45 AM Meagan Mahoney: Meranda and the Legend of the Lake

1:15-1:45 PM David A. Robertson: The Stone Child (The Misewa Saga, Bk 3)

 

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

 

10:00-11:00 AM

    Rosena Fung: Living with Viola
    Meagan Mahoney: Meranda and the Legend of the Lake

    Catherine Egan: Sneaks

    David A. Robertson: The Stone Child (The Misewa Saga, Bk 3)

 

1:00-2:00 PM

    Wesley King: Butt Sandwich & Tree

    Colleen Nelson: The Undercover Book List
    J. Torres and David Namisato: Stealing Home  

 

 

BLUE SPRUCE

 

DIGITAL AWARD CEREMONY 1:30-2:00 PM EST

 

 

 •   •   •   •   •   •   •

 

 WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023

 

RED MAPLE

 

AWARD CEREMONY 10:30-11:30 AM

 

WORKSHOPS

 

11:45 AM-12:15 PM  Teresa Toten: Eight Days

12:15-12:45 PM Meaghan McIsaac: The Bear House

12:15-12:45 PM Chad Lucas: Let the Monster Out

 

12:45-1:15 PM Kevin Sands: Children of the Fox (Thieves of Shadow, Bk 1)

1:15-1:45 PM Paul Coccia and Eric Walters: On the Line

 

1:15-1:45 PM Lori Weber: The Ribbon Leaf

 

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

 

11:45 AM-12:45 PM

    Kevin Sands:  Children of the Fox (Thieves of Shadow, Bk 1)
    Paul Coccia and Eric Walters: On the Line

    Lori Weber: The Ribbon Leaf

    Joanne Levy: Sorry for Your Loss

    Kathy Kacer: Under the Iron Bridge 

 

1:00-2:00 PM

    Leisl Adams: Batter Royale
    Meaghan McIsaac: The Bear House

    Teresa Toten: Eight Days

    Chad Lucas: Let the Monster Out

 

WHITE PINE

AWARD CEREMONY 12:00-1:00 PM

WORKSHOPS

10:15-10:45 AM Christy Goerzen: River Mermaid

 

10:15-10:45 AM H. N. Khan: Wrong Side of the Court

 

10:30-11:00 AM Kate McLaughlin: Daughter

11:15-11:45 AM Nicola Davison: Decoding Dot Grey

 

11:15-11:45 AM Jen Ferguson: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

1:00-2:00 PM
    Kate McLaughlin: Daughter

    Nicola Davison: Decoding Dot Grey

    Christy Goerzen: River Mermaid

    Jen Ferguson: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet

    Louisa Onomé: Twice as Perfect

    H. N. Khan: Wrong Side of the Court 

 

 

YELLOW CEDAR

 

Digital Award Ceremony  1:30-2:00 PM EST

 

 •   •   •   •   •   •   •

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023

LE PRIX MÉLÈZE

 

AWARD CEREMONY 10:30-11:30 AM

 

WORKSHOPS

 

11:45 AM-12:15 PM Andrée-Anne Gratton: L'enfant qui jouait du piano dans sa tête
 

11:45 AM-12:15 PM Marie-Andrée Arsenault: La Guerre des pupitres

  

12:15-12:45 PM  Patrick Blanchette: Aube du monde des rêves 01 Le réacteur onirique
 

12:15-12:45 PM Carole Tremblay: La chose dans l'étang

 

12:45-1:15 PM  Jocelyn Boisvert: La ligue des (pas si) champions
 

12:45-1:15 PM Pierre Chastenay: Une visite guidée du système solaire

 

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

 

11:45 AM-12:45 PM
    Jocelyn Boisvert: La ligue des (pas si) champions
    Pierre Chastenay: Une visite guidée du système solaire

 

1:00-2:00 PM

    Patrick Blanchette: Aube du monde des rêves 01 Le réacteur onirique
    Carole Tremblay: La chose dans l'étang
    Andrée-Anne Gratton: L'enfant qui jouait du piano dans sa tête
    Marie-Andrée Arsenault: La Guerre des pupitres

 

 

LE PRIX TAMARAC

 

AWARD CEREMONY 12:00-1:00 PM

 

WORKSHOPS

 

10:15-10:45 AM Annie Bacon: Chroniques post-apocalyptiques d'un garçon perdu

 

10:15-10:45 AM Dïana Bélice: L'escouade du bonheur

 

10:30-11:00 AM Isabelle Roy: Brûlé 01 Premier degré

 

10:30-11:00 AM Marie-Hélène Jarry: Les carnets de novembre

 

11:15-11:45 AM Simon Lafrance: Carnet de bord d'un (aspirant) chef de meute

 

11:15-11:45 AM Alexandre Côté-Fournier: Quincaillerie Miville

 

1:15-1:45 PM  Suzanne Aubry: Le Septième étage et demi

 

 

AUTHORS AUTOGRAPHING

 

10:45-11:45 AM

    Isabelle Roy: Brûlé 01 Premier degré
    Marie-Hélène Jarry: Les carnets de novembre
    Suzanne Aubry: Le Septième étage et demi
    Paul Tom: Seuls
    Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay: La voix de la nature

 

1:00-2:00 PM

    Simon Lafrance: Carnet de bord d'un (aspirant) chef de meute
    Annie Bacon: Chroniques post-apocalyptiques d'un garçon perdu
    Dïana Bélice: L'escouade du bonheur
    Alexandre Côté-Fournier: Quincaillerie Miville 

 

 

LE PRIX PEUPLIER

 

Digital Award Ceremony: 1:30-2:00 PM EST 

 

 •   •   •   •   •   •   •

         

Links to purchase tickets for these Festival of Trees (including General Admission tickets without award ceremonies but all other events) as well as those that are only available as Digital Ceremonies (Blue Spruce, Yellow Cedar and Le prix Peuplier) are available at https://forestofreading.com/festival/.

I Read Canadian Day: November 2

Get ready!  

It's less than a week away until Wednesday, November 2 when we'll be commemorating the wealth of books for young readers by Canadian authors and illustrators on our I Read Canadian Day. Now's the time to get on board and CanLit for LittleCanadians would like to encourage everyone–schools, libraries, day cares, community groups and families– to join the rest of Canada in reading, being read to, or listening to a Canadian book for 15 minutes on that day. To that end, here's where to get free resources, sign up for free author and illustrator presentations, and become part of a national reading party like no other!

 

DETAILS

Date:  Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Sign up to be counted:  Google form here

What you have to do that day:  Read, be read to, or listen to a Canadian book for 15 minutes

Free Resources (Scavenger Hunt, Book Hunt, Bingo Challenge, bookmarks, posters, PowerPoint presentation, etc.): Go to https://ireadcanadian.com/day/

Free Virtual Presentations

    • For Kindergarten to Gr. 4 (Hosted by Mireille Messier and Wali Shah and featuring, among others, Sigmund Brouwer, Monique Gray Smith, Michael Martchenko, Ruth Ohi, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, and  Barbara Reid)

                    11 AM – 12 PM EST 

                    Register for the live streamed event here

    • For Gr. 5 to Gr. 10 (Hosted by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Angela Misri and featuring, among others, Melanie Florence, Kenneth Oppel, David A. Robertson, and Teresa Toten)

                    1 PM – 2 PM EST 

                    Register for the live streamed event here

 

Social Media: Tag #IReadCanadian in your posts and reposts

 

Partners in this endeavour include the Ontario Library Association and the Forest of Reading, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, Canadian School Libraries, and CANSCAIP.

Halloween Book Launch with Kenneth Oppel and Kevin Sylvester (Toronto and streamed)

If you're fortunate to be in and around Toronto this weekend, consider this extra special book launch with two of youngCanLit's favourite authors to start off your Halloween season.

 

📙📙📙📙📙 

 

Halloween Book Launch!

 

with authors 

 

Kenneth Oppel and Kevin Sylvester

 

for 

 

Ghostlight  and  Apartment 713 

On

 

 Sunday, October 16, 2022

 

there will be an Author Talk and Book Signing

 

 

at 2 PM

 

at the

 

Revue Cinema

400 Roncesvalles Avenue

Toronto

 

 

This will be followed by a free screening of 

the movie "Monster House" at 3 PM

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/oppelsylvesterlaunch

(The author event will also be streamed at

 https://youtu.be/5l-UKFoL0Zg  

for those who can't attend in person.)

 

📙📙📙📙📙

 

Do check out my reviews of both books to see why you'll want to attend this event!

 

 

Apartment 713

Written by Kevin Sylvester
HarperCollins
978-1-4434-6094-1
240 pp.
Ages 8-12
September 2022 

Reviewed here

and

 

Ghostlight

Written by Kenneth Oppel
Puffin Canada
978-0-7352-7233-0
400 pp.
Ages 10+
September 2022

Reviewed here

 

📙📙📙📙📙

A Bend in the Breeze: Book discussion (online)

 Join author Valerie Sherrard

 

for a book discussion to launch 

her newest middle-grade novel

 

A Bend in the Breeze

 Written by Valerie Sherrard

DCB

978-1-77086-647-8

248 pp.

Ages 9-12

April 2022 

Reviewed here

 

on April 21, 2022

 

2 - 3 PM (ET)

 

Hosted by Bobbie Henley,

this online event (via Zoom) is free 

and a great opportunity for young readers 

to connect with an award-winning Canadian author 

and hear about her newest book

 

Register at EventBrite here

Funny Pages Festival: April 22 (Halifax and Online)

It's time to get kids laughing again by celebrating books that crack them up with the hope "to laugh low literacy rates right out of existence." 

This brainchild of author Vicki Grant is the aim of Canada's first and only festival dedicated to children's books of humour.

For parents, teachers and kids interested in participating here are some of the details:

Date:                 Friday, April 22, 2022

Participants:     Kids of Grades 4 to 8

Events:             Author presentations, writing workshops, book signings and online fun. Plus there will be the awarding of the first Funny Pages Readers' Choice Awards.

Presenters:      This year's presenters will include Kate Beaton, Sheree Fitch and Angela Misri. 

Location:         Halifax Central Library (public health guidelines permitting) and Online

 

Tickets:            Available to schools at www.funnypages.ca on March 1st, with only 25  tickets per school. As per public health guidelines, 250 free tickets will be available through Eventbrite.  (If public health guidelines permit, more tickets will become available closer to the event.  Also, several tickets have been set aside for marginalized groups and home-schooled students.)

 

 

 

Full details about the Festival, the presenters, tickets and more are posted at the Funny Pages Festival website.

Vancouver Writers Fest (October 18-24, 2021)

The Vancouver Writers Fest is again presenting a stellar list of authors in dozens of virtual, in-person and hybrid events. While many BC readers have been able to partake in the VWF over its 30+ years, virtual events have now opened up possibilities for young readers across Canada to enjoy these same events.  I encourage teachers and parents to check out the plethora of author events at this year's VWF, to be held from October 18-24, knowing that there is something for everyone here.

 

To help get you interested, let me tell you about the events featuring Canadian authors of books for young readers. Then you can head to the festival website, check out this year's Program Guide, look into all their youth events, or book a visiting author as part of their Writers in the Classroom.

 

 

Scheduled Events  

(of Canadian authors for youth)

Monday, October 18, 2021

 

9:30 AM

Caroline Adderson

Sunny Days Inside and Other Stories

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson

When You Get the Chance

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:00 PM

Wab Kinew

Walking in Two Worlds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

 

9:30 AM

David A. Robertson

On the Trapline

Illustrated by Julie Flett 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Jen Sookfong Lee

Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees

 

 

 

and 

Lois Peterson

Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

9:30 AM

Ashley Spires

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Sarah Raughley

The Bones of Ruin

 

 

and

Xiran Jay Zhao

Iron Widow

Thursday, October 21, 2021

9:30 AM

David A. Robertson

The Great Bear (The Misewa Saga, Book 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Susin Nielsen

Tremendous Things

and 

Peyton Thomas

Both Sides Now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:00 PM

Gordon Korman

Linked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writers in the Classroom

 

The Vancouver Writers Fest also organizes a program called Writers in the Classroom which provides opportunities for young readers to connect with authors. This year, sixteen authors offer virtual presentations for classes from Grades 1-12. Deadline to apply for an author visit is September 30, 2021 and are booked on a first come, first serve basis, so teachers are encouraged not to delay. Details may be found at https://writersfest.bc.ca/youth#writers-in-the-classroom.

 

Hope young readers get to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to listen to some Canadian authors of books for young people read and speak about their books. 

It's sure to be a great author event.