2014 Write for a Better World Contest

World Literacy Canada

presents its annual

WRITE FOR A BETTER WORLD  

contest

for Canadian students in Grades 5-8

This year, the writing theme was created by  

Kelley Armstrong

 author of numerous award-winning fantasy books

(here's a sample below)

What to do:
• Using this story starter, tell what happens next in 400 words or less:

It’s been a long, sleepless night of strange dreams. Even once you wake up, you think you’re still dreaming, because you aren’t in your own bed. You aren’t even yourself! It’s no dream. You’ve woken in another part of the world, as someone from another culture. 

How stories will be evaluated:

• Has the writer written about a place and culture that is different from their own? Is there indication that the author learned something about the culture?

• How unique is the writer’s approach to the topic?

• How is the story organized? Is there a clear beginning, middle and ending?

• Does the writer use proper spelling and grammar?

• Is the main character well-written? Does he/she represent the ideals of global citizenship?

Deadline:
• April 4, 2014


Full Details:
• Details of prizes and the entry form can be found at http://www.worldlit.ca/canada-programs/write-for-a-better-world/write2014/

Marsha Skrypuch: Book Launch (Paris, ON)

Author Marsha Skrypuch 

 

 

will launch her two newest picture books

When Mama Goes to Work 

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Illustrated by Jessica Phillips
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
978-1-55455-314-3
32 pp.
Ages 3-6

 

 and

 

The Best Gifts

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
98-1-55455-283-2
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

Reviewed here

 

on

Thursday, November 21, 2013

at 7:00 p.m.

at the  

County of Brant Public Library,
12 William St.
Paris, Ontario

It's a Feudal, Feudal World: A Different Medieval History

by Stephen Shapiro

Illustrated by Ross Kinnaird

Annick Press

978-1-55451-552-3

44 pp.

Ages 9-12

August, 2013

Children love reading about the Middle Ages, a.k.a. medieval times, convinced it's all about knights and castles and the black plague in Great Britain. But their rather limited view of this historical time restricts their understanding of the extent to which developments then in exploration, trade, religion and other socio-cultural foundations were the basis for everything that came afterwards.  It's a Feudal, Feudal World takes steps to amend this by addressing all nature of the medieval times world-wide but uniquely in the form of infographics, thereby drawing all readers in.

Infographics are visual representations of factual information and include graphs, timelines, tables, maps, scaled diagrams and a variety of informational images which author Stephen Shapiro  ensures includes content that goes beyond the typical in It's a Feudal, Feudal World.  Topics included are the occupations of women (see image above from pg. 26); temporal and spatial distributions of the major religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism); the Crusades; the means and purposes of travel; the why's, what's and how's of trade; social hierarchies and occupations; general demographics; spread of knowledge; and the reasons for the onset and conclusion of the Middle Ages. 

By using images to portray the data, visual learners and others are more likely to recall and become engaged with the information.  Moreover, by presenting and organizing the information with

an assortment of visually inviting, colourful, bold images rife with humour (see image at left from pg. 32), illustrator Ross Kinnaird ensures the info is remembered. Using quirky caricatures of serfs, women, religious figures, machinery, landscapes and more, the general appeal of It's a Feudal, Feudal World guarantees it's use as a tool for research and a satisfying read for the young with historical queries about Medieval Times.

Oh My Goth!: Goth Portraits by Evan Munday (Toronto)

Did I mention that October Schwartz, 

of Dead Kid Detective Agency (ECW, 2011) and Dial "M" for Morna (ECW, 2013), 

is goth?

  

Did I mention that author Evan Munday is also an illustrator? 

Did you realize that it's October and Halloween is just around the corner? 

Of course you did. 

So did the good people at Type Books (who brought us the amazing video The Joy of Books).  They've invited Evan Munday, author of The Dead Kid Detective Agency and Dial "M" for Morna, to draw quick goth portraits of customers this weekend. 

This photo of the window display at Type Books was retrieved from Evan Munday's blog, I don't like Mundays

So, if you're feeling a little goth or not, 

visit Type Books

at

883 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON

this weekend

Saturday, October 26, 2013   12 - 5 p.m.

or Sunday, October 27, 2013   12 - 4 p.m.

Drop by and meet Evan Munday, 

pick up a Dead Kid Detective Agency book or two

and

get your goth on!

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Dial "M" for Morna: The Dead Kid Detective Agency, Book 2

Written by Evan Munday
ECW Press
978-1-77041-073-2
296 pp.
Ages 8-13
October, 2013

Dial "M" for Morna and for middle-grade, murder, mystery and for Munday, author Evan Munday, whose first book The Dead Kid Detective Agency (ECW Press, 2011) was shortlisted for the Silver Birch award and Sunburst Award for Young Adult Speculative Fiction.  In this sequel, Evan Munday has October Schwartz starting to make good on her promise to help solve the mysteries of the deaths of her five dead accomplices: Morna MacIsaac, Cyril Cooper,  Tabetha Scott, Kirby LaFlamme, and Derek Running Water.  First up: Morna, who died when she was thirteen years old in 1914 while living with her family at the Crooked Arms boarding house in their town of Sticksville.

With the help of the new history teacher and museum volunteer, Ms. Fenstermacher, October locates the old Crooked Arms and learns the identities and backgrounds of its former residents.  Amongst the MacIsaac's neighbours were an alleged traitor, an inventor, a suffragette, and a doctor, and, with input from a woman who speaks to October through a disconnected old-fashioned phone, the living teen delves into Morna's demise.

Meanwhile, in October's living world, her friends Yumi and Stacey earn a slot deejaying on the school radio station. While they know that Devin McGriff, member of the Phantom Moustache band and boyfriend of queen bee Ashlie Salmons, is enraged for losing out to them, a spate of hostilities couched in racist remarks catches Yumi, Stacey and October by surprise.

Luckily, October is able to breach both worlds to help solve Morna's death and the attacks staged against Yumi.  And, with a couple of surprise connections and revelations, Evan Munday left me (and undoubtedly all other readers) longing to learn more about Mr. Santuzzi and Fairfax Crisparkle and anticipating Book 3 in the series.

Past or present, there are a lot of nasty people around making others' lives miserable, willing to murder for their own needs, and directed by fears, arrogance and greed (and maybe even magic here). But with the Dead Kid Detective Agency (i.e., October and her deceased cohorts), wrongs are righted, the guilty are identified and justice is anticipated.  Evan Munday will draw you in so subtly that you'll be snagged before you realize it.  However, never think that you are just a reader, the vesicle into which words are poured from the page, when reading Dial "M" for Morna.  Evan Munday breaks down the fifth wall, speaking directly to his audience of young readers, enlightening them, reassuring them, humouring them, apologizing, and even hinting at plot developments.

You can expect the same kind of madcap exploits featured in book one – our plucky heroine with a penchant for black eyeliner and her five most deadest BFFs uncovering dark secrets that will rock the quiet town of Sticksville to its secretly rotten core and doing so in the zaniest possible manner. (pg. 11)

Watch for font changes to help determine whether the narrator is October or a third person (a.k.a. Evan Munday). And be prepared to enjoy Evan Munday's dry wit which he doles out generously in his subplots, his action scenes, and the voices and foibles of his characters.  While answers to the big questions i.e., "How did Morna die?" and "Who is harrassing Yumi?" are inevitable, don't expect all plot lines to find closure.  The beginnings of new mysteries, ready to be solved by The Dead Kid Detective Agency, are embedded, leaving clues sure to bear fruitful storylines. 

2013 TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards: Winners announced

Tonight, the Canadian Children's Book Centre and TD Bank Group presented the 2013 CANADIAN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AWARDS at the Carlu in Toronto. A spectacular reception preceded the awards ceremony at which six awards were presented. (Le Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse will be presented next week  in Montreal.)
 

Hosted by CBC's Shelagh Rogers, the program began with addresses by Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair of TD Bank Group and Todd Kyle, President of the Canadian Children's Book Centre and an announcement of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway.

Boy Soup
by Loris Lesynski
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Annick Press

Annually, TD sponsors a Canadian picture book giveaway for all children in Grade One in Canada.  This year the selection that will be distributed to fortunate children in Canada will be Boy Soup by author Loris Lesynski and illustrator Michael Martchenko. 

Then the following book award winners were announced:

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

• $30,000 Award
• Sponsored by TD Bank Group 
• Presented by Tim Hockey, President and CEO of TD Canada Trust

Winner

One Year in Coal Harbour
Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books
Ages 9-13

     Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award   

• $20,000 Award
• Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie
• Presented by Marilyn Baillie

Winner

 

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Tundra Books
Ages 4-8

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

• $10,000 Award
• Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation
• Presented by Quinn Fleck and David Fleck

 

 

Winner

Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
Written by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books
Ages 11+

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People

• $5,000 Award
• Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund
• Presented by  Todd Kylie

Winner

 

The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press
Ages 12+

John Spray Mystery Award

• $5,000 Award 
• Sponsored by John Spray, President, Mantis Investigation Agency
• Presented by John Spray

Winner

The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press
Ages 12+

Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy

• $5,000 Award  
• Sponsored by HarperCollins Canada
• Presented by Adrienne Hughes

Winner

 

Seraphina

Written by Rachel Hartman

Doubleday Canada

Ages 14+

***********************

New this year:

The TD Canadian Children's Literature Fan Choice Award 

was presented by fan Annaka Leib from Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan to 

Winner

One Year in Coal Harbour
Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books
Ages 9-13

Congratulations to these winners and all the finalists for having their youngCanLit recognized as the exceptional reads that they are.

The celebration began with hors-d'oeuvres, drink, chatting, introductions, and ended with champagne, desserts, and congratulations, all to the accompaniment of magical company.  Amongst the hundreds of guests I spoke to, recognized, or remembered were the following authors and/or illustrators: Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Elizabeth Stewart, Rachel Hartman, Monica Kulling, Bill Swan, Jennifer Lanthier, Dušan Petričić, Stephanie McLellan, Tara Anderson, Gillian Chan, Loris Lesynski, Michael Martchenko, Rebecca Bender, Richard Scrimger, Kevin Sylvester, Natalie Hyde, Shane Peacock, Ken Setterington, Catherine Rondina, Mahtab Narsimhan, Hugh Brewster, Nancy Hartry,  Rona Arato, Jocelyn Shipley, Evan Munday, Nancy Runstedler, Vikki VanSickle, Deborah Kerbel, and Barbara Reid.  And it was delightful to meet and chat with so many Canadians passionate about youngCanLit, including publishers, publicists, editors, book sellers, teachers, librarians, literacy specialists and children's lit advocates.  The TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards Celebration is an event I always enjoy, with its richness of words, conversation, appreciation, camaraderie, and encouragement.  

Thanks to the TD Bank Group and the Canadian Children's Book Centre for hosting such a wonderful Canadian event.

Barnabas Bigfoot, The Bone Eater: Book Launch (Edmonton)

Join

Marty Chan

author of

Barnabas Bigfoot: A Close Shave (Thistledown Press, 2011)

Barnabas Bigfoot: A Hairy Tangle (Thistledown Press, 2012)

for the launch of

the newest book starring B.C.'s teen sasquatch

Barnabas Bigfoot: The Bone Eater

Thistledown Press

978-1927068434

112 pp.

Ages 7-11

September 2013

at

Audrey's Books

10702 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, AB


on

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (MDT)