Nut and Bolt

by Nicole de Cock

Translated by Margriet Ruurs

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

978-1-55455-364-8

32 pp.

Ages 3+
April, 2015

Nut is a mouse.  Bolt is a donkey. And they are friends.  Real friends.  And "real friends would do anything for each other!" is the message that Nut and Bolt shares with young readers.  

While the very simple story is based on the litany of Nut's generosity–providing games, shade, cleaning, entertainment– all provided with great effort, joy and efficacy, the young reader will start to wonder whether the friendship is one-sided.  Nut is working tirelessly for his friend and Bolt enjoys the fruits of Nut's labours, page after page, but what of Bolt and his friendship for Nut?

Margriet Ruurs, whose recent book A Brush Full of Colour (Pajama Press, 2014) demonstrates the breadth of her writing, keeps the message of Dutch author Nicole de Cock's text short, simple and powerful.  And just when the reader will start to wonder what Bolt does for Nut, Nicole de Cock provides a final illustration, an endearing rendition of what Bolt gives Nut.  It's Home. It's Shelter. It's Comfort. It's Life.

It's a Delight.

The King of Keji: Book Launch (Wolfville)

Join 

author Jan L. Coates

and illustrator Patsy MacKinnon

for the launch of their new picture book

 from Nimbus Publishing

The King of Keji

978-1-771082815

32 pp.

More than just a camping trip to Nova Scotia’s Kejimkujik National Park

on Saturday, June, 6, 2015

11:00 a.m.

at

The Box of Delights Bookshop

466 Main Street

Wolfville, Nova Scotia

2015 Forest of Reading winners!

The Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading's book awards have been an important part of my school library program and my personal volunteer experiences for many years, so I am always proud to post the results of this wonderful reading program.

It's impossible to congratulate all those who made this reading program and the Festival of Trees such a success but here are some of the amazing people who play important roles in its success:

• the readers;
• the selection committees who read so many books to choose the best for the shortlists;
• the steering committees that organize and put on the fabulous Festival of Trees;
• the OLA staff, with Meredith Tutching at the helm;
• the authors and illustrators who provide enviable youngCanLit;
• the publishers who publish youngCanLit and promote it; and
• the winners and honourees in each reading program.

Here are this year's readers' choice winners for each reading program:

Blue Spruce

WINNER 

The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten
by Maureen Fergus
Illustrated by Mike Lowery
Kids Can Press

Reviewed here

  

Silver Birch EXPRESS

   WINNER

Let's Get Cracking: Kung Pow Chicken #1

by Cyndi Marko
Scholastic Canada


Reviewed here

Silver Birch FICTION

 WINNER

The Night Gardener

by Jonathan Auxier
Puffin

Reviewed here

Silver Birch NON-FICTION 

WINNER

Annaleise Carr: How I Conquered Lake Ontario to Help Kids Battling Cancer
by Annaleise Carr, as told to Deborah Ellis
Lorimer

 

Le prix Peuplier

            Lauréat                

Le voleur de couche 

by Nadia Sévigny, AnneMarie Bourgeois 

Éditions de la Smala

Le Prix Tamarac 

                   Lauréat

La plus grosse poutine du monde

by Andrée Poulin
Bayard Canada

Le Prix Tamarac EXPRESS

                   Lauréat

Guiby - Une odeur de soufre 

par Sampar (Samuel Parent)
Éditions Michel Quintin

Red Maple Fiction

WINNER

The Rule of Three
by Eric Walters 
Razorbill

Reviewed here

Red Maple Non-Fiction

WINNER

The Last Train: A Holocaust Story
by Rona Arato
Owlkids

White Pine FICTION

WINNER

Rush
by Eve Silver
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins

Reviewed here

                                                                                                              

Thrilling news for all authors, illustrators and publishers!

Enjoyed all the more for being selected 

by young Canadian readers!

Congratulations to everyone!

The full list of winners and honour books is posted at CanLit for LittleCanadians Awards here or from the news release from OLA .

Susan Juby and Susin Nielsen: Book Launches

Two authors

two new books

The Truth Commission reviewed here

We Are All Made of Molecules reviewed here

many book launch events

CALGARY 

Monday, May 11, 2015

7:00 p.m.

Indigo CrossIron 

BRAMPTON

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

7 :00 p.m.

Chapters Brampton

TORONTO (North York)

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

7:00 p.m.

Toronto Public Library, North York Central Branch 

OTTAWA

Thursday, May 14, 2015

6:30 p.m.

Ottawa Public Library, Carlingwood Branch

VANCOUVER (Kitsilano)

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

7:00 p.m. 

Kidsbooks in Kitsilano

We are All Made of Molecules

by Susin Nielsen

Tundra Books

978-1-77049-781-8

246 pp.

Ages 12+

For release May, 2015

Blending families can be difficult but even more so when each family has a young teen burdened by the issues related to why their original family no longer exists.  We Are All Made of Molecules is told in the alternate voices of two young teens, Ashley and Stewart, whose families are joined together when Stewart’s dad, Leonard Inkster, and Ashley’s mom, Caroline Anderson, decide to move in together.  Stewart’s wonderful mother, Janice, has died of ovarian cancer, and Ashley’s father, Phil, has realized that he is gay and now lives in the laneway house behind the very house Stewart’s dad, Ashley’s mom, and Ashley and Stewart, and Stewart’s cat Schrödinger, will now cohabit.  Yep. Awkward.

Even though Stewart could continue at Little Genius Academy, he chooses to attend Ashley’s high school, claiming “It’s time for me to work on my ungifted parts.” (pg. 31) In fact, he makes a list of things he will do at his new school like getting more involved, smiling more, making jokes, and not getting discouraged.   And with a new “sister” like Ashley who melds her drama queen with mean girl to perfection, Stewart has to work pretty hard.  But the serendipitous attraction between Ashley and a jock hottie and bully named Jared puts Stewart in the awkward position of liaison, one that gives him some respite from attacks on two fronts but also breeds some doubts.

Ashley’s emphasis on the Social Ladder and everyone’s placement on it,

People like Stewart don’t even count. They don’t even have a foot on the ladder. They can’t even touch the ladder.  They are forbidden from going anywhere near the ladder. (pg. 74)

is re-assessed courtesy of Stewart and his quality self.  Susin Nielsen dedicates her book “To Oskar–Boy, did Dad and I hit the Jackpot” and I think Stewart’s family did the same.  He’s a quality human being: incredibly gifted, kind-hearted, compassionate and loyal.  He could rip into Ashley any number of times for her selfishness and cruelty–and her misuse of common phrases are to dye for! (my deliberate faux pas)–but holds back, though he still thinks,

She doesn’t have to changes houses, and bedrooms, and neighbourhoods! And sure, her parents are divorced, but at least they are still ALIVE! (pg. 24)  

Still Stewart shares with Ashley the knowledge that they are all made of molecules, explaining his quirky but tear-jerking way of harnessing any remaining molecules of his mother’s soul. By contrasting these two teens, one with quirky wisdom ringed with love and the other who sees differences as hierarchy and can’t see the difference between “joie de beaver” (pg. 122) and joie de vivre, Susin Nielsen has once again created a story that slices into your heart with tenderness and splinters your side with humour.

Look for We Are All Made of Molecules on award lists everywhere soon. 

Giraffe Meets Bird

Written and illustrated by Rebecca Bender
Pajama Press
978-1-927485-35-4
32 pp.
Ages 2-5
May, 2015

Rebecca Bender’s award-winning duo, Giraffe and Bird, from Giraffe and Bird (Dancing Cat Books, 2010) and Don’t Laugh at Giraffe (Pajama Press, 2012), have returned in Giraffe Meets Bird and young readers will finally learn how the two unlikely but perennial friends came to be.

When little Bird emerges from his shell in the very tree which Giraffe has enjoyed, the two begin the dance of friendship, a fascinating play of learning more about each other’s personality quirks.

Then, not unlike many a friendship, a conflict creates a turning point. Scratching himself against the tree, Giraffe accidentally pitches little Bird into the grass, not far from a reclining lion! Giraffe springs into action, saving Bird and ensconcing them safely back in the tree (I know!) to wait out the departure of their potential predator. But then what?

As a teacher I might be tempted to use the text of Giraffe Meets Bird to demonstrate the richness of synonyms (e.g., fascinated/tickled, surprised/amazed, cross/angry) as the pair of creatures respond similarly but differently to their circumstances. Or I might focus on the value of sharing and thinking of others. But as a reader and lover of children’s illustration, I prefer to revel in a charming story about an unlikely friendship. Rebecca Bender’s story is sweet and hopeful and enchanting. But it’s her artwork that would charm birds out of the trees. (Oh wait, it already has!) Bird is a bundle of lime fluff, with a singing stance worthy of any Idol wannabe, whereas Giraffe has the wide-eyed wonder–and gorgeous lashes!–of a lanky and clumsy juvenile. They are young and naïve and innocent and generous of heart. And the rich turquoise sky and the flirty acacia tree (I used the book's endpapers of acacia branches as a frame for the book cover above) will transport young readers to a very real savannah, even one with a lion and elephant or two.

Rebecca Bender could have taken Giraffe and Bird on another adventure with a life lesson about friendship, but I am so glad that first she made sure that Giraffe Meets Bird and had the two became the extraordinary friends they are today.

Mad Miss Mimic: Book Launch (Toronto)

Author
Sarah Henstra 

and

will be launching her first book

Mad Miss Mimic

by Sarah Henstra

Razorbill

978-0-14-319236-7

272 pp.

Ages 13+

on

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

7-10:00 p.m.

at

High Park Curling Club

100 Indian Road

Toronto, ON

Wear a fancy hat (DIY embellishments encouraged!)
and participate in a contest  (judging at 8:30 p.m. sharp)
to win a free, signed copy of Mad Miss Mimic and other prizes

Special performance by Cantores Celestes Women's Choir

Book City will have copies on sale