Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour Writing

Stephen Leacock (1869-1944), one of Canada's most famous humourists, was honoured with the creation, in 1947, of the annual Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.

The timeline for the award is as follows:

• June - November 30: Submissions accepted

• April 1: Shortlist of five titles announced

• end of April: Winner announced at luncheon

• beginning of June: Dinner for presentation of the Medal and $15000 cash prize, and $1500 for each runner-up.

As one of the five nominated titles has been written by YA author, Susan Juby, we present the shortlist for the 2012 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour alphabetically here:

• The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

• On the Outside Looking Indian by Rupinder Gill

• The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby

• Happiness Economics by Shari Lapeña

• Most of Me by Robyn Michele Levy

 Congratulations to Susan Juby on her Leacock Medal nomination.  Read the National Post article on Susan Juby here. 

The Woefield Poultry Collective

by Susan Juby

HarperCollins

336 pp.

2011

Hold the Pickles

Written by Vicki Grant
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-55469-920-9
103 pp.
Ages10-14
2012

Dan Hogg, from Vicki Grant's Pigboy (Orca, 2006) is a little older but he still feels like the short, skinny guy whom girls ignore and whom guys think is weird.  But when his Uncle Hammy offers him $10/hour to wear a hotdog costume and handout samples of his new "Frank Lee Better" healthy hotdog, Dan grabs at the chance to make some money and eat free food, all in disguise.  Even better, the disguise makes him look taller and more muscular which is pretty important to a fifteen-year-old guy with braces, glasses and allergies.

Unfortunately, when a pretty girl approaches, Dan loses his balance (his center of gravity is a bit off, and his pickle feet are quite large) and knocks himself out.  Surprisingly, the girl, Brooke, sticks around and seems to enjoy chatting him up.  But, with another fall after an altercation with the nasty Cupcake Katie (who is no piece of cake), Brooke is nowhere to be found.  Then an angry guy in blue shows up, and Brooke begs Dan to help her evade Blue Boy.  Another fall, this time onto Blue Boy, and Uncle Hammy's hotdog costume isn't going to cut the mustard anymore.

Dan often has great ideas but things just don't work out very well.  For example, at this point, he doesn't relish showing Uncle Hammy the condition of the very expensive costume, or how little business he's been drumming up (most of the samples end up on the floor), so Dan decides it's best just to quit for the day.  But his plan is quickly forgotten when Brooke reappears, charming him once again, into making several very poor choices.  He's a fifteen-year-old and a girl is being nice to him.  What else could he do?

Luckily for Dan, things usually turn out all right in the end. So what if he ends up wrapped in toilet paper? It isn't as bad as running through the mall in only his white cotton underwear (that happens too). Of course, there is the theft of a lady's purse. But, like I said, Dan's hotdog escapade does resolve itself, probably just not the way he or the reader anticipates.

Vicki Grant is the "it" author for YA humour of the real world. She doesn't use supernatural elements or expect the reader to suspend belief. And she never condescends to the reader or her characters. She is frank (not furter) and empowers her characters to be bonafide teens, with many positive attributes, as well as a few foibles. Her stories are funny because they could be the anecdotes of any teen. In fact, I'm sure that somewhere a reader is remembering a similar incident to one from Hold the Pickles and laughing hysterically. For example, what guy hasn't had a friend tell him a girl was out of his league? But, when Shane tells Dan this, he encourages him with, "Don't be upset, old buddy. You'll find someone. Who knows? There's probably a nice little female meatball or chicken nugget prancing around here today who'd love to get to know a guy like you." (pg. 45) Even Dan wonders, "What guy longs to meet the meatball of his dreams?" (pg. 46).

There are many teens, most especially reluctant readers, who appreciate the hi-lo nature of the Orca Currents series: compelling characters, uncomplicated vocabulary, and contemporary plots in a short read. But it's Vicki Grant's comic stylings that make Hold the Pickles an exceptional Orca Currents book, as it elicits numerous laughs embellishing on the dilemmas of youth.

Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada

Named after Alcuin of York (c. 735 to 804 A.D.), a man who cared deeply about books and literacy, Canada's Alcuin Society has as its mandates: 1) the promotion of a wider appreciation of books and reading, and 2) supporting excellence in book design and production.

On Tuesday, April 3, 2012, the Alcuin Society announced the winners of its 30th annual Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada competition. The 35 winning titles in eight categories will be presented in a travelling exhibition across Canada as well as in Germany and Japan.

Congratulations to this year’s winners in the CHILDREN's category:

First Prize
Michael Solomon
for A Few Blocks 
by Cybèle Young
Groundwood Books

Second Prize
Marie-Ève Boisvert
for Billy Stuart
by Alain M. Bergeron
Illustrated by Sampar
Éditions Michel Quintin

Third Prize
Teresa Bubela
for Wellington's Rainy Day
by Carolyn Beck
Illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan
Orca Book Publishers

Honourable Mention

Michael Solomon

for City Numbers 

by Joanne Schwartz

Photography by Matt Beam

Groundwood

When I Was Small

Written by Sara O'Leary
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Simply Read Books
978-1-897-476-38-3
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2011

My photo of When I Was Small does not do justice to the pervasive delicacy of Sara O'Leary's book.  Holding the cloth-spined hardcover book with its unadorned font and images, the reader will feel whisked away to the simpler time of childhood.  No matter whether the reader is eight or fifty years of age, When I Was Small will embrace the wonder of being little and the unconditional affection of a parent.

Henry's curiosity about his parents' childhoods is satisfied with his mother's "recollections" of being younger.  She shares with him a wealth of reminiscences: having a lady bug as a friend; wearing the same size shoes as her doll; playing jump rope with a piece of yarn.  But her accounts become fantastical experiences in Julie Morstad's pen and ink drawings depicting the mother when she was small. Not just small as in young but literally small à la Thumbellina.  Innocent observations of a mother, speaking to her young son, loving in her affection for her child and in her long-gone youth, are transformed into delightful intimacies for both mother and son.  Sara O'Leary is frugal with her words, binding the experiences to youth, still many years away from the weight of adult words and worries.  Likewise, Julie Morstad uses watercolours sparingly to enhance her ink illustrations but perfectly to capture the brightness of youth with the washed-out tones of another time.

Anyone who argues that the book in any form other than electronic is becoming obsolete needs to bring a copy of When I Was Small into their life.  The sheer pleasure of holding a story that is as delightful in its jacket as it is in its heart is very rare today and should be cherished.  Sara O'Leary's When I Was Small is just such a singular luxury.

The Friday Society: Cover revealed

Adrienne Kress, author of Alex and the Ironic Gentleman (Scholastic Canada, 2007) and Timothy and the Dragon's Gate (Scholastic Canada, 2009), revealed on her blog today the cover for her upcoming steampunk novel, The Friday Society, due out in November, 2012 from Dial, Penguin.

Voilà!

The blurb on the back cover of The Friday Society will intrigue any lover of strong female characters, adventure, mystery and danger, all within a steampunk milieu.

Be Your Own Hero . . .

Set in London at the turn of the last century, the novel follows the stories of three intelligent and very talented young women, all of whom are assistants to very powerful men: Cora, lab assistant to a member of parliament; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant to a martial arts guru; and Nellie, a magician's assistant. The three young women’s lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It’s up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder—and the crimes they believe may be connected to it‐‐without calling too much attention to themselves.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

(Retrieved from http://ididntchoosethis.blogspot.ca/2012/04/cover-reveal-for-friday-society.html?m=1 on April 3, 2012)

 In Her Words

Reading Adrienne Kress' blog (http://ididntchoosethis.blogspot.ca), I was especially curious about her take on the cover and what she especially loved about it.  With her permission, I share her words with you here:

What I love about this cover:

1.  The three girls.  Let's meet them shall we?  From left to right - Nellie Harrison (magician's assistant), Cora Bell (personal assistant/lab assistant to a member of Parliament), Michiko Takeda (fight assistant to a self defense guru).

I've already talked about what I like about how the girls look (though I should add I also adore their outfits . . . and weapons).  What's also fantastic about them, is the way they are posing.  They look tough.  They look like they have agency, that they can take care of themselves. Which is good.  Because they do and can. :)

2. The pinwheel effect.  Okay, note to self, adding a pinwheel automatically makes stuff look awesome.  It's subtle, but present.  It both draws the eye into the middle of the page, and explodes out in fantastic fun times.  It adds a wonderful sense of energy.  Love it.

3. The London skyline.  Because it's the London skyline.

4. The grainy effect.  Look up close, the picture has been made to look slightly weathered. Cool?  Yes, yes it is.

5. The font(s).  Font, to me, is often far more important than any other element on a cover.  It can make the difference between whether a cover is seen as professional or not.  And it can dictate the intended audience for the book.  I love both the fonts on this cover.  I love the title, I love how strong it looks, how cool, both contemporary and classic.  And I love my name.  I mean, I love seeing my name on a cover of a book in any font really (it's kind of overwhelming every time when you do see it - and maybe just maybe I got choked up seeing it on this cover for the first time), but this font is also just plain cool. I don't know why, but I love that the A isn't pointy.  Yeah, I know, but I do.

6. The border.  Now I have had the honour of being bordered by many a great object.  With ALEX we had octopus tentacles.  TIMOTHY we had a dragon:

And this time, well this time we get a supremely kick-ass Steampunk mechanical piece.

That border might be just about my favourite part of the cover.  Not quite my fav, we'll get to that at 7.  But still.  Yes it is all kinds of Steampunk amazing, but what I love about it the most is that it really looks mechanical, like a real machine where one piece influences the other, and not just like there are some random gears hanging out together 'cause, you know, they're gears and they've got that in common.  I also love how the border makes the whole cover have a kind of movie poster vibe.  And as a fan of movies, you can understand why this would make me happy.

Lastly I love the accidental continuity.  That I get to be border girl!  All my books have borders (despite being published by different publishers and being different genres), and I love borders, and I love my books.  So it's like such a love fest man.

7.  And my number 1 (which I guess is number 7 for some reason) thing I love about this cover is . . . wait for it . . .

This:

??

This is a screw.

There are four of them, one in each corner of the cover.  Making the cover look like it's been screwed onto the book.  It might not be grand, it might hardly be noticeable at first glance, but it's this kind of small detail I absolutely adore.  It demonstrates care, and I think wit as well.  The cherry on top of the sundae. 

 * * *

November seems like a long time from now, doesn't it?

Mental Health Book List: Part I

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In support of Partners for Mental Health's Not Myself Today campaign across Canada, I've compiled several lists of literature with characters, both main and secondary, dealing with issues of depression, trauma, self-abuse, grief, and suicide. Here is my first list:

Picture Books

Virginia Wolf
by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 5-10
2012
Virginia, awakens feeling "wolfish": dark, unhappy and reclusive. Her sister, Vanessa, is surprised by the extent of Virginia's doldrums, and unsuccessfully tries to cheer her up. Only when she makes the effort to ask Virginia what she needs is Vanessa successful in using her artistry to engage Virginia and brighten her mood. 


Fiction

Almost Eden 
by Anita Horrocks
Tundra
284 pp.
Ages 9-13
2006
When Elsie Redekop's Mom, who suffers from depression, is hospitalized at Eden, the local mental health hospital, Elsie is convinced it is her fault.  Her sisters and Dad, and even the cat, Tommy, have their own ways of dealing with Mom's illness and absence, and not always well.

Burn
by Alma Fullerton
Dancing Cats Books/Cormorant
255 pp.
Ages 10-13
2010
After her mom takes off to return to performing on the road, Casey must deal with her autistic sister, Ginny, taunts from friends and bullies about her mom's leaving,  and her mom's partner's despair and despondency.  Casey's confusion leads to make several attempts to set fires solely for the purpose of sending smoke signals to her mom.

The Crazy Man

by Pamela Porter

Groundwood Books

214 pp.

Ages 8-12

2005

After Em loses her foot in a farming accident, her father leaves, blaming himself.  Her mother enlists the help of Angus, a quiet, hard-working man from the local mental hospital, to help with the farm. While dealing with her own disability, and desperately trying to find her father, Em witnesses how prejudice and abuse towards Angus has its roots in fear.

Dear Jo: The Story of Losing Leah ... and Searching for Hope
by Christina Kilbourne
Lobster Press
188 pp.
Ages 10-15
2007
After her best friend Leah goes missing, as a result of online chatting, twelve-year-old Max shares her experiences in her diary, revealing how the trauma affects her relationships with everyone, ultimately threatening her psychological well-being.

Johnny Kellock Died today
by Hadley Dyer
HarperCollins Canada
152 pp.
Ages 9-12
2006
What starts off as the boring summer of 1959 becomes one in with Rosalie enlists the help of David, the Gravedigger, to help find her cousin, Johnny, when he disappears.  While no one knows what has happened to Johnny, David 's experiences and even a secret help Rosalie become more aware of issues with which her family is dealing.

Meeting Miss 405
by Lois Peterson
Orca Book Publishers
102 pp.
Ages 8-11
2008
When Tansy's mother goes away to deal with her depression, and her dad is overwhelmed with work and home responsibilities, arrangements are made for Tansy to be babysat after school by Miss Stella who lives down the hall in Apt. 405.  Miss Stella, a unique woman with an unusual life, helps Tansy manage life and all its complexities.

Odd Man Out
by Sarah Ellis
Groundwood Books
160 pp.
Ages 9-12
2006
With his mother newly remarried and on her honeymoon, Kip is sent to stay with his Gran and his 5 girl cousins. Through a variety of quirky adventures and discoveries, Kip comes across a special place of his father's and his notebook of odd notations and evidence of a strange conspiracy.)

Out of the Box
by Michelle Mulder
Orca Book Publishers
150 pp.
Ages 9+
2011
Thirteen-year-old Ellie eagerly travels to Victoria to spend the whole summer with her fun-loving aunt Jeanette who recently lost her partner, Alison, to leukemia.  But, it's not her aunt who is having troubles dealing with life.  It's Ellie's mother whose anxiety and stress seem to be driving wedges between herself and her husband, daughter and sister.

A Perfect Gentle Knight
by Kit Pearson
Penguin Books Canada
192 pp.
Ages 8-12
2008
After their mother’s death, five children must resolve whether to continue to find security in their Round Table fantasy or accept the confusion of reality.

POP
by Gordon Korman
Scholastic Canada
262 pp.
Ages 12-15
2010
Marcus Jordan is the new kid in town, hoping to make a name for himself as quarterback on the all-star football team. When Marcus befriends Charlie, a mischievous man in his 50s who crashes Marcus' solo practices at the local park, he has no idea that Charlie was a celebrated NFL linebacker.  While teaching Marcus a lot about football, Charlie demonstrates some unpredictable behaviours that threaten Marcus' position in the community.

Shimmerdogs
by Dianne Linden
Thistledown Press

134 pp.

Ages 9-13

2008
Young Mike and his sister move to live with their uncle when their mother joins a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. But, his mother's absence and a series of incidents leave Mike fixated on death.  He finds solace with unusual  companions both real and otherwise.

Walking Backward
by Catherine Austen
Orca Book Publishers
167 pp.
Ages 10-13
2009
Twelve-year-old Josh is unclear about how to grieve following the recent death of his mother in a car accident (resulting from a snake in her car). While Josh’s four-year-old brother, Sammy, finds solace in talking to his Power Ranger and his dad keeps busy building a time machine to bring back their mom before the accident, their psychiatrist, Dr. Tierney, encourages them to keep journals.

Wounded
by Eric Walters
Penguin Canada
Ages 11+
171 pp.
2009
Marcus (15), Megan(10) and their mom have been waiting anxiously for the return of dad, who has been serving as part of Special Operations in Afghanistan for nine months.  Upon his return, though, he doesn’t act the way he used to and through Marcus’ narration, we learn of dad’s post-traumatic stress disorder.

Not Myself Today

Maybe you were feeling anxious, or stressed, or even depressed. 

Paying attention to those feelings is part of dealing with your mental health. The more you look after it, the healthier your life will be.

Now, imagine living with those same feelings amplified many times and not just for one day but many days.  That's what 1 in 5 Canadians will have to deal with this year.  Worse is that those living with mental illness often live with the shame, discrimination and lack of treatment and support that goes with it. 

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Today, Partners for Mental Health is launching their Not Myself Today campaign across Canada.  The campaign which will run from April 2 to 30 will culminate with Not Myself Today Day, commemorated with numerous special events.

To bring greater awareness to mental health and mental illness and to help transform Canada's mental health system, take the pledge at NOTMYSELFTODAY.COM

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For authentic accounts of individuals dealing with mental health issues, I'll post several lists of titles with a variety of characters, both main and secondary, dealing with issues of depression, trauma, self-abuse, grief, and suicide.  Here's just one of the best:

Virginia Wolf
by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 5-10
2012
Virginia, awakens feeling "wolfish": dark, unhappy and reclusive. Her sister, Vanessa, is surprised by the extent of Virginia's doldrums, and unsuccessfully tries to cheer her up. Only when she makes the effort to ask Virginia what she needs is Vanessa successful in using her artistry to engage Virginia and brighten her mood.