Summer Reading List 2015 - Canadian Children's Book Centre

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has compiled a list of great Canadian books, for kids of all ages, for the 2015 summer holidays. The books featured in this list are starred selections from the Spring 2015 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens. While the CCBC does not sell these items, they can be purchased directly from the online booksellers linked below each book, from your local bookseller or from a wholesaler. Alternatively, you can borrow these titles from your local library.

Interest Level (IL) is listed by age; Reading Level (RL) is listed by grade.

Board Books	Picture Books	Beginning Readers & Early Chapter Books
Junior & Intermediate Fiction	Young Adult Fiction	Teen Fiction (Hi-Lo)
Graphic Novels	Folklore & Legends	Health & Wellness
History, Geography & Culture	Poetry	Science
Magazines

Board Books

Alligator Pie
Written by Dennis Lee
Illustrated by Sandy Nichols
Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, 2014
$12.99 BD 978-1-44341-161-5
24 pages, full-colour, 8″ x 8″
IL: Ages 2-6 RL: Grades 1-2

Poetry | Humour | Imagination

A slice of Alligator Pie — sized for little ones! One of the best-loved Canadian poems of all time, Dennis Lee’s timeless rhyme is now paired with whimsical artwork by Sandy Nichols, winner of a nationwide competition to find the perfect illustrator for this iconic poem. This special 40th-anniversary-edition board book is a must-have for every young child’s library.

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Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That
Written by Victoria Allenby
Illustrated by Tara Anderson
Toronto: Pajama Press, 2014
$10.95 BD 978-1-927485-66-8
30 pages, full-colour, 8″ x 7″
IL: Ages 1-4 RL: Grade 1

Cats | Kittens | Humour

Nat has a talent for sleeping all day long. Name any place in the house and Nat can sleep in, on, under or sprawled over it. In fact, Nat is so devoted to slumber that the imaginative antics of a crazy kitten don’t seem to bother him one bit, until… Originally published in hardcover in 2013, by Pajama Press.

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Picture Books

Any Questions?
Written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$19.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-55498-382-7
54 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 12 1/4″
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3

Stories | Writing | Imagination | Creativity

Marie-Louise Gay’s new picture book is a whimsical exploration of the writing process. When she has a fictional encounter with some very curious children, they end up collaborating on a fantastical story within a story. Here is a world where kids can become part of the story and let their imaginations run wild… and maybe they will be inspired to create stories of their own.

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An Armadillo in Paris
Written and illustrated by Julie Kraulis
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$19.99 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77049-526-5
32 pages, full-colour, 11 1/4″ x 8 3/4″
IL: Ages 5-9 RL: Grades 2-3

Paris | Travel | Eiffel Tower | Adventure

A winsome armadillo goes to Paris, accompanied by his grandfather’s journals, to meet the Iron Lady. Along the way, he eats a croissant, visits the Louvre and walks beside the Seine as he follows his grandfather’s path to the Iron Lady. But who is she? Each spread has a clue, and readers will see hints of her scattered throughout the book.

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Bob’s Hungry Ghost
Written and illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$19.99 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77049-713-9
32 pages, full-colour, 10 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 1-2

Ghosts | Pets | Friendship | Understanding

Bob wants a dog for his birthday, but instead he gets a ghost named Fluffy. Fluffy doesn’t sit or fetch, but he does eat everything, and soon all of Bob’s things and even Bob himself end up in Fluffy’s belly. After reading this story, everyone will want a birthday ghost! This title is also available in French as Bob et son fantôme.

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The Cardinal & the Crow
Written and illustrated by Michael Moniz
Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2014
$18.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-927018-58-3
32 pages, full-colour, 8 3/4″ x 11 3/4″
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3

Parables | Pride | Bullying | Forgiveness

All the birds tease old Crow for his scraggly feathers and harsh call, especially proud Cardinal. But when Cardinal gets into trouble, only Crow is smart enough to get him out. Will Crow choose to help the boastful bird? This thoughtful picture book reminds us all that pride and foolishness often go hand in hand, or in this case, “claw in claw.”

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Chik Chak Shabbat
Written by Mara Rockliff
Illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014
$18.00 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-0-7636-5528-0
32 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 11″
IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 1-2

When Goldie Simcha doesn’t welcome everyone in for her famous cholent, her neighbours wonder what could be wrong. Little Lali Omar knocks on the door to 5-A and discovers that Goldie was too sick on Friday to cook, and everyone knows you can’t make cholent in a hurry! But it just isn’t Shabbat without Goldie’s soup. Can her neighbours save the day?

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Dashing Through the Snow: A Canadian Jingle Bells
Written by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Werner Zimmermann
Toronto: North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada, 2014
$16.99 HC 978-1-4431-2452-2
30 pages, full-colour, 10 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 2-6 RL: Grades 2-3

Christmas | Canada | Animals | Humour

When Sasquatch upsets Santa’s sleigh, everyone gets the wrong present. But that doesn’t stop them from having a great time! Join in the mayhem as a wild cast of Canadian characters takes over the Christmas holidays. This Canadian twist on “Jingle Bells” is the must-have, must-give book for the holidays. This companion to A Porcupine in a Pine Tree is also available in French as Vive le vent d’hiver!

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Goodnight, You
(Piggy and Bunny, Book 4)
Written and illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014
$16.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77138-050-8
$5.99 EB 978-1-77138-265-6
32 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 2-6 RL: Grades 1-2

Fears | Friendship | Camping | Encouragement | Differences

In this heartwarming title from the Piggy and Bunny picture book series, the two friends explore what scares them as they prepare for their first camp out together. Bunny is afraid of monsters, while Piggy is afraid of the dark, but they discover that together they can overcome their fears! This title is also available in French as Bonne nuit, toi!

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Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin
Written by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014
$18.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-894786-33-1
$5.99 EB 978-1-77138-269-4
32 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3

Music | Japan | Performing | Grandparents | Perseverance

In this beautifully written picture book, Hana Hashimoto has signed up to play her violin at her school’s talent show. The trouble is, she’s a beginner, and she’s had only three lessons. Her brothers insist she isn’t good enough. But Hana practises every day and once it’s her turn to perform she surprises everyone — even herself!

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Hope Springs
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$19.99 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77049-530-2
32 pages, full-colour, 8 5/8″ x 10 3/4″
IL: Ages 6-12 RL: Grades 3-4

A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives, and the orphans are unwelcome at the village’s tiny spring. When the orphanage’s well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely tale of kindness and heart, this story shows that through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.

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A Library Book for Bear
(Bear and Mouse, Book 5)
Written by Bonny Becker
Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014
$19.00 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-0-7636-4924-1
40 pages, full-colour, 11″ x 9 1/2″
IL: Ages 5-7 RL: Grades 2-3

Books | Libraries | Friendship

Bear does not want to go to the library. He already has all the books he will ever need. Yet cheery bright-eyed Mouse thinks differently. When Bear reluctantly agrees to go with his friend to the big library, neither rocket ships nor wooden canoes are enough for Bear’s picky tastes. How will Mouse ever find the perfect book for Bear?

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Loula and the Sister Recipe
Written and illustrated by Anne Villeneuve
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014
$18.95 HC 978-1-77138-113-0
$9.99 EB 978-1-77138-273-1
32 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 11 1/4″
IL: Ages 5-9 RL: Grades 2-3

Family | Siblings | Imagination | Problem Solving

Loula’s three brothers don’t want to play with her. She decides what she needs is a sister. She asks her parents to make one for her. It’s not that simple, her father explains, it’s like making a cake — you need the right ingredients. Well, Loula can follow a recipe! This title is also available in French as Loula et la recette fantasformidable.

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Mr. Frank
Written and illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$16.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-55498-435-0
$16.95 EB 978-1-55498-436-7
32 pages, full-colour, 8″ x 10″
IL: Ages 4-7 RL: Grades 2-3

Sewing | Grandparents | Love | Creativity | Fashion

Mr. Frank is a tailor who has stitched all kinds of clothes — from stylish suits and uniforms to mini-skirts and tutus, he has seen (and sewn) just about everything. But on his last day of work, Mr. Frank receives an order for the most important outfit of all. Who could it be for?

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Nancy Knows
Written and illustrated by Cybèle Young
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$19.99 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77049-482-4
40 pages, full-colour, 10 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 1-2

Elephants | Remembering | Play | Memory

This is the charming story of an elephant who remembers lots of things, except the very thing she is trying to remember. Each spread of this whimsical, arresting picture book features fantastic miniature paper sculptures within the expressive outlines of a puzzled pachyderm. It’s a book that will be remembered and treasured by readers young and old.

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The Old Ways
Written by Susan Margaret Chapman
Illustrated by John Mantha
Markham, ON: Fifth House Publishers, 2014
$19.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-92708-316-1
$19.99 EB 978-1-92708-380-2
32 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 5-8 RL: Grades 1-3

Inuit | Northern Canada | Traditional Ways | Storytelling | Intergenerational Relationships

Simon loves his grandparents, but they are stuck in their ‘old ways.’ Simon doesn’t want to learn how to build an igloo and isn’t interested in his grandma’s stories. It takes a blizzard and a broken-down snowmobile to show Simon that the ‘old ways’ are more interesting — and useful — than he ever could have imagined!

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Sam & Dave Dig a Hole
Written by Mac Barnett
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2014
$19.00 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-0-7636-6229-5
40 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 11″
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3

Friendship | Adventure | Imagination

Sam and Dave are on a mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find… nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.

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Sam! A Little Treasury
(A Stella and Sam Book)
Written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$19.95 HC 978-1-55498-705-4
89 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 2-5 RL: Grades 1-2

Imagination | Play | Siblings | Humour

Marie-Louise Gay’s beloved stories about Stella’s little brother, Sam, are here in this vibrant and humorous collection, which brings together all three books about Sam for the first time: Good Morning, Sam; Good Night, Sam and What Are You Doing, Sam? This collection also features an illustrated introduction from Stella herself and new endpaper art.

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Stop, Thief!
Written by Heather Tekavec
Illustrated by Pierre Pratt
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014
$18.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-77138-012-6
$9.99 EB 978-1-77138-281-6
32 pages, full-colour, 8 3/4″ x 10 1/2″
IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 1-2

Farms | Animals | Humour | Dogs

“Max,” said the farmer to his dog one day, “can you catch a thief?” Of course! Max can catch anything! So off he runs to catch the bandit who’s been stealing all the carrots, berries and beans from the farmer’s fields. Max gives chase to a little blue bug he is sure must be the thief, while the real culprits finish their munching!

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Work: An Occupational ABC
Written and illustrated by Kellen Hatanaka
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$16.95 HC 978-1-55498-409-1
$14.95 EB 978-1-55498-410-7
40 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 9 1/4″
IL: Ages 5-8 RL: Grades 2-3

Careers | Jobs | Alphabet | Abecedary | Letters

Are you open to adventure? Here is a tour through the coolest jobs you can imagine — and some you might never have heard of! Knowledge of the alphabet is desirable but not required, since successful applicants will receive training from A to Z! This original picture book introduces children to both the alphabet and a range of alternative careers.

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Early Chapter Books

Soapstone Signs
(Orca Echoes)
Written by Jeff Pinkney
Illustrated by Darlene Gait
Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2014
$6.95 PB 978-1-4598-0400-5
$6.95 EB 978-1-4598-0402-9
48 pages, b&w, 5 1/4″ x 7 5/8″
IL: Ages 6-9 RL: Grades 3-4

Cree First Nation | Soapstone Carving | Hunting | Patience | Growing Up

A nine-year-old Cree boy is visited by a master soapstone carver who gives him four pieces of soapstone. The secret to carving, the boy learns, is recognizing that each piece of soapstone already holds its true form inside. The boy learns to listen to the soapstone and watch for signs as to what form is in the stone waiting to be carved.

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Junior & Intermediate Fiction

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$21.99 HC (jacket) 978-1-77049-602-6
$11.99 EB 978-1-77049-604-0
232 pages, b&w, 6 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4

Animals | Cows | Farm Life | Escape | Adventure

Audrey is a cow with poetry in her blood who yearns for adventure. When she discovers that she is headed for the slaughterhouse, Audrey must leave her home and friends sooner than she ever imagined. Cleverly written as an oral account, this unique illustrated tale of an animal on the run is full of heart and humour. A touching and insightful story.

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The Cat at the Wall
Written by Deborah Ellis
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$16.95 HC (jacket) 978-1-55498-491-6
$9.95 PB 978-1-55498-707-8
$9.95 EB 978-1-55498-492-3
152 pages, 5″ x 7 1/2″
IL: Ages 9-13 RL: Grades 4-5

On Israel’s West Bank, a hungry stray cat sneaks into a small Palestinian house that has just been commandeered by two Israeli soldiers for surveillance. The house appears to be empty, until the cat realizes that a little boy is hiding beneath the floorboards. Should she help him? After all, she’s just a cat. Or is she?

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The Elevator Ghost
Written by Glen Huser
Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014
$14.95 HC (jacket) 978-1-55498-425-1
$9.95 PB 978-1-55498-426-8
$9.95 EB 978-1-55498-427-5
166 pages, b&w, 5″ x 7 1/2″
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4

Ghosts | Halloween | Ghost Stories | Babysitting

Carolina Giddle is a babysitter with a difference. She wears sequin-sprinkled sneakers and her sidekick is a tarantula named Chiquita! The parents are happy because Carolina seems to have an uncanny ability to calm the most rambunctious child with her ghostly stories. But just what is Carolina’s connection to the Blatchford Arms and the ghost that still haunts it?

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The End of the Line
Written by Sharon E. McKay
Toronto: Annick Press, 2014
$21.95 LIB 978-1-55451-659-9
$12.95 PB 978-1-55451-658-2
$7.99 EB 978-1-55451-660-5
119 pages, 5 1/2″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 4-5

It is 1942 in Amsterdam. Beatrix watches in horror as her mother is forced off a tram by a Nazi soldier. When the soldier turns toward Beatrix, the ticket collector declares that she is his niece. Together with his brother the tram driver, he rescues Beatrix. This poignant novel pays tribute to ordinary citizens who perform heroic acts under dangerous conditions.

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The Madman of Piney Woods
Written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2014
$18.99 HC (jacket) 978-1-4431-3912-0
$16.99 EB 978-0-545-63376-5
363 pages, 5 3/4″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 11-14 RL: Grades 4-5

Living in the towns of Buxton and neighbouring Chatham, Ontario, in 1901, Benji and Red aren’t friends. But their fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. There’s a strange presence in the forest… Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real? This is the companion novel to Elijah of Buxton.

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Rain Shadow
Written by Valerie Sherrard
Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2014
$12.95 PB 978-1-55455-341-9
150 pages, 5″ x 7 3/8″
IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 4-5

Bethany doesn’t learn things easily, and her classmates call her names — including the really ‘bad’ name. But Daddy and Mrs. Goldsborough love her, and Mira has promised to protect her from the bullies in the new school year. Then tragedy strikes, tearing Bethany’s world apart, and she wonders if there will ever be a place that feels like home again. Award-winning author Valerie Sherrard revisits the world of The Glory Wind in this historical novel.

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Rocket Blues
Written by David Skuy
Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2014
$9.99 PB 978-1-4431-3375-3
$9.99 EB 978-1-4431-3376-0
236 pages, 5″ x 7 3/4″
IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 5-6

Hockey | Poverty | Coming of Age | Change | Friendship

Hockey is Bryan “Rocket” Rockwood’s passion, and making it to the pros is how he hopes to escape his crummy neighbourhood. So when he is cut from his bantam AAA team for being too small, Rocket is stunned. He is forced to play at a lower level just to stay on the ice. Could there be more to life than the game?

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Somewhere I Belong
Written by Glenna Jenkins
Charlottetown: The Acorn Press, 2014
$12.95 PB 978-1-927502-27-3
256 pages, 5″ x 7 1/2″
IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 5-6

When P.J.’s father dies, his Ma moves the family from Boston to her home in PEI. The winter is harsh, the farm chores endless, and his drunken teacher bullies him. P.J. lashes out but ends up in a heap of trouble. Then tickets arrive for a charity ballgame with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig — will P.J. get to see his idols play ball?

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The Swallow: A Ghost Story
Written by Charis Cotter
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$21.99 HC (jacket) 978-1-77049-591-3
$10.99 EB 978-1-77049-593-7
318 pages, 6 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 5-6

In 1960s Toronto, Rose and Polly retreat to their attics to escape the loneliness of their lives. But they soon discover that they’re actually neighbours who share a wall and they become friends. Polly is ecstatic to learn that Rose can see and talk to ghosts. Maybe she will finally see one, too! But is there more to Rose than it seems? Why does she look so… ghostly?

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Theo Bentley’s War of 1812
(Theo Bentley’s Wars)
Written by Beverley Boissery
Vancouver: Wesbrook Bay Books, 2014
$17.50 PB 978-1-928112-04-4
$7.99 EB 978-1-928112-06-8
260 pages, 5″ x 8″
IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 5-6

When his family is killed and his house burnt down by invading Americans, Theo Bentley vows to burn down the house of the US President. But he’s only 13, and the militia won’t let him join up. Then he’s offered a chance to be a British spy and discovers that Americans are not all bad. Will he keep his vow to set fire to the White House?

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Walking Home
Written by Eric Walters
Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2014
$12.99 PB 978-0-385-68157-5
$10.99 EB 978-0-385-68158-2
290 pages, 5 3/8″ x 8 1/8″
IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 6-7

Thirteen-year-old Muchoki and his sister Jata barely recognize what’s become of their lives. Political violence has killed their father and destroyed their home. Then their mother dies in the refugee camp. Driven by both hope and desperation, Muchoki and Jata set off on what seems like an impossible journey: to walk hundreds of kilometres to find their last remaining family members.

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Young Adult Fiction

The Art of Getting Stared At
Written by Laura Langston
Toronto: Razorbill Canada, 2014
$18.99 HC (jacket) 978-0-670-06750-3
$11.99 EB 978-0-14-319298-5
293 pages, 5 3/4″ x 8 3/4″
IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 6-7

Sixteen-year-old Sloane is given an incredible opportunity — the chance for a film school scholarship. Then she discovers a bald spot on her head and is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that has no cure and no definitive outcome. Determined to produce her video and keep her condition secret, Sloane is forced to make the most difficult choice of her life.

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The Gospel Truth
Written by Caroline Pignat
Markham, ON: Red Deer Press, 2014
$12.95 PB 978-0-88995-493-9
$12.99 EB 978-1-55244-349-1
327 pages, 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″
IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 6-7

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe is a plantation slave and a keen observer of the brutality that comes with being owned. Mute since her mother was sold, Phoebe has taught herself to read — an advantage and a danger. When a Canadian doctor, the ‘birdman,’ visits the plantation for bird watching, Phoebe soon realizes it’s more than birds that he is after.

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Obasan
(Puffin Classics)
Written by Joy Kogawa
Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2014
$10.99 PB 978-0-14-319234-3
357 pages, 5″ x 7″
IL: Ages 15 and up RL: Grades 9-10

This is a moving story of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, told through the eyes of a child. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, five-year-old Naomi’s life is changed forever. Separated from her mother, a bewildered Naomi watches as she and her family become enemy aliens, persecuted and despised in their own land. Includes an introduction by Teresa Toten.

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On the Edge
Written by Allison van Diepen
New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2014
$21.99 HC (jacket) 978-0-06-230344-8
$11.99 EB 978-0-06-230346-2
294 pages, 5 3/4″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 9-10

Maddy Diaz witnesses two gang members attacking a homeless man and now, as the only witness able to identify the men, she is in real danger. Her safety depends on Lobo, the mysterious leader of a rival gang who promises to protect her. As sparks fly between them, Maddie is drawn into the dangerous Miami underworld of gangs and sex trafficking.

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Rachel’s Hope
(The Rachel Trilogy, Book 3)
Written by Shelly Sanders
Toronto: Second Story Press, 2014
$12.95 PB 978-1-927583-42-5
319 pages, 5 3/8″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 8-9

Rachel Paskar and her remaining family members have finally made it to the safety of San Francisco. No longer facing persecution because she is a Jew, Rachel confronts different challenges. Nothing, however, will stop her from following her dream to be a journalist — not even the great San Francisco earthquake. But will Rachel ever see her childhood friend, Sergei, again?

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Switch
Written by Douglas Davey
Markham, ON: Red Deer Press, 2014
$12.95 PB 978-0-88995-524-0
$12.99 EB 978-1-55244-340-8
252 pages, 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″
IL: Ages 13-16 RL: Grades 8-9

Sheldon shares the story of what it was like when he was 17. It’s the story of how he shocked himself by kissing another guy when he was in love with a girl. It’s the story of how he learned about his bisexuality, and about what happened when everyone else learned about it. It’s the story of the strength he never knew he had.

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Tug-of-War
Written by Judith Somborac
Bloomington, IN: iUniverse Inc., 2014
$28.95 HC (jacket) 978-1-4917-4470-3
$16.50 PB 978-1-4917-4468-0
$5.99 EB 978-1-4917-4469-7
134 pages, 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 7-8

World War II | Serbia | Coming of Age | Family | Friendship

In 1942, while various factions struggle for power and control over Serbia, 15-year-old Miriana is growing up in Bela Palanka with her parents and her aunt and cousin, who have fled German-occupied Belgrade. Their existence is fraught with fear and danger as well as curfews, air raids and conflict with Nazis. It is family, friends and small pleasures that help them survive throughout the war.

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With Fearful Bravery
Written by Lynne Kositsky
Toronto: Dancing Cat Books, 2014
$14.95 PB 978-1-77086-409-2
$9.99 EB 978-1-77086-410-8
186 pages, 5 3/8″ x 8″
IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

Freda’s father disappears on Crystal Night, and she flees with her mother and sister to the “safe haven” of Shanghai. But when their mother abandons them, Freda is forced to become an adult before her time. Finding strength, work and new friends, she joins the Junior Jewish Resistance, a group determined to show their defiance of the Japanese and Nazi soldiers who threaten their new home.

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Graphic Novels

A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories
Written and illustrated by John Martz
Toronto: Koyama Press, 2014
$19.95 HC 978-1-927668-10-8
52 pages, full-colour, 8 3/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 3-8 RL: Grade 1

Animals | Imagination

In this visually engaging book, a duck and a mouse go on a wild adventure, Tim the cat golfs on a whale and paints, and a girl named Connie goes through her day in a mechanical house! Every page is an adventure to be pored over again and again in this whimsical collection of mostly wordless comics for the young reader.

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In Real Life
Written by Cory Doctorow
Illustrated by Jen Wang
New York: First Second, 2014
$19.99 PB 978-1-59643-658-9
175 pages, full-colour, 6″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

Gaming | On-line Universe | Economic Inequalities | Accountability

Anda loves playing the massively multiplayer role-playing game where she can be a leader, a fighter, a hero. Gaming is, for Anda, entirely a good thing. Complications arise when she befriends Raymond, a poor Chinese kid who is a gold farmer collecting virtual gold to sell to rich players for real money. Anda tries to help him — with disastrous results.

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Through the Woods
Written and illustrated by Emily Carroll
New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2014
$26.50 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-4424-6595-4
$18.99 PB 978-1-4424-6596-1
$11.99 EB 978-1-4424-6597-8
208 pages, full-colour, 7 1/4″ x 9 1/4″
IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 9-10

Horror | Gothic | Supernatural

Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection featuring five hauntingly beautiful, spine-tingling graphic stories, including webcomic sensation “His Face All Red.” These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll. Come, take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you.

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Biography

A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison
Written by Margriet Ruurs and Katherine Gibson
Toronto: Pajama Press, 2014
$22.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-927485-63-7
39 pages, full-colour, 11 1/4″ x 9 3/4″
IL: Ages 6 and up RL: Grades 3-4

Ted Harrison | Canadian Artist | Biography | Painting

Ted Harrison’s passion for learning saved him from a life in England’s coal mines and led him to become one of Canada’s most celebrated artists whose distinctive images of the Arctic are recognized worldwide. This child-friendly volume is a wonderful introduction to an iconic Canadian artist. Includes a preface by the late Ted Harrison and many beautiful full-colour reproductions of his artwork.

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Folktales

The Walrus Who Escaped
Written by Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley
Illustrated by Anthony Brennan
Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2014
$16.95 HC 978-1-927095-68-3
32 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 7 1/4″
IL: Ages 4-10 RL: Grades 2-3

Inuit Folktales | Myths | Arctic | Jealousy

In this tale, Walrus has beautiful, spiralled tusks. Raven, hungry and proud, becomes jealous of Walrus’s great clam-hunting skills, so when Walrus surfaces with a mouthful of clams, Raven casts a spell, freezing Walrus in ice. But Raven learns that his magic is no match for Walrus’s physical strength. Walrus escapes, but his tusks will never be the same!

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History, Geography & Culture

Birchtown and the Black Loyalists
Written by Wanda Lauren Taylor
Halifax: Nimbus Publishing, 2014
$15.95 PB 978-1-77108-166-5
73 pages, full-colour, 6 3/4″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 7-12 RL: Grades 5-6

Black Loyalists | History | Nova Scotia | Settlement | Slavery

In this title, young readers are introduced to the story of the Black Loyalists of Birchtown, from slavery to the American Revolution to settlement and struggle on Nova Scotian soil in Birchtown, and finally to mass exodus to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Their legacy, carried on through Black Loyalist descendants, is an enduring spirit despite a history marked by hardship and loss.

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The Chinese Head Tax and Anti-Chinese Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century
(Righting Canada’s Wrongs)
Written by Arlene Chan
Toronto: James Lorimer, 2014
$34.95 HC 978-1-4594-0443-4
96 pages, full-colour, 9 1/4″ x 11 1/4″
IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 6-7

Racism | Canadian History | Immigration | Head Tax | Chinese Canadians

Through historical photographs, documents and first-person narratives from Chinese Canadians who experienced the Head Tax or who were the children of Head Tax payers, this informative book offers a full account of the injustices inflicted during this grim period in Canadian history. It documents how this official racism was confronted and finally acknowledged.

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From Vimy to Victory: Canada’s Fight to the Finish in World War I
Written by Hugh Brewster
Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2014
$19.99 HC 978-1-4431-2461-4
48 pages, full-colour, 10 3/4″ x 9 1/4″
IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 5-7

World War I | Battlefields | Canadian Armed Forces | History

After their hard-won victory at Vimy Ridge, Canada’s soldiers proved themselves again and again on bloody battlefields. Their sacrifice cost a young country dearly, yet many historians believe it was in this fiery crucible that modern Canada was born. This title is also available in French as De Vimy à victoire: Le combat du Canada durant la Première Guerre mondiale.

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The Great Law
Written by David Bouchard
Illustrated by Raymond R. Skye
Translated by Franklin W. Miller
North Vancouver: More Than Words Publishers, 2014
$21.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-927727-03-4
27 pages, full-colour, 7 1/4″ x 10 1/4″
IL: Ages 10 and up RL: Grades 4-5

Hiawatha | History | Language | Traditional Knowledge

Hiawatha is perhaps the best-known First Nations person of all time. Immortalized by Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha,” this telling of the story of Chief Ayenwahtha, and how he worked alongside Peacemaker in establishing The Great Peace, is the way the Rotinonhshon:ni would have their children hear of the great Chief Ayenwahtha. This book will introduce readers to important historic characters and events.

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The Magician of Auschwitz
Written by Kathy Kacer
Illustrated by Gillian Newland
Toronto: Second Story Press, 2014
$18.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-927583-46-3
32 pages, full-colour, 8 3/4″ x 11 1/4″
IL: Ages 7 and up RL: Grades 3-4

The true story of Werner, a young Jewish boy in Auschwitz who shares his bunk with a kind, quiet man named Herr Levin. Levin seems like any other prisoner, until one night he performs magic for the guards, telling Werner that his life depends on his ability to entertain their captors.

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Residential Schools, With the Words and Images of Survivors: A National History
Written by Larry Loyie with Wayne K. Spear and Constance Brissenden
Brantford, ON: Indigenous Education Press, 2014
$34.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-0-9939371-0-1
103 pages, full-colour, 10 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 7-8

Native Peoples | Residential Schools | Canadian History

This unique national history co-authored by award-winning Cree writer Larry Loyie, a residential school survivor himself, reflects the ongoing commitment to express the truths about residential school experiences and to honour the survivors whose voices are shared in this book. Along with the voices, readers will be engaged by the evocative archival and contemporary photographs. A must-have resource for schools and libraries.

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Poetry

To This Day: For the Bullied and Beautiful
Written by Shane Koyczan
Illustrated by various artists
Toronto: Annick Press, 2014
$19.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-55451-639-1
70 pages, full-colour, 6 3/4″ x 10″
IL: Ages 11 and up RL: Grades 6-8

Spoken-word artist Shane Koyczan electrified the world with his passionate anti-bullying poem, which went viral on YouTube. Now his poem has been adapted into a powerful and visually arresting book with illustrations by 30 international artists. Each page is a vibrant collage of images, colours and words that will resonate with anyone who has experienced bullying, whether as a victim, observer or participant.

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Science

Branching Out: How Trees are Part of Our World
Written by Joan Marie Galat
Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2014
$19.95 HC 978-1-77147-049-0
$13.95 PB 978-1-77147-082-7
63 pages, full-colour, 8 1/2″ x 10″
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 4-6

Trees | Natural Environment | Symbiosis | Ecosystems | Climate Change

This book encourages young readers to discover the world of trees. Profiling 11 different trees from around the world, including familiar ones such as the red maple as well as lesser-known trees like the tall-stilted mangrove, it highlights the many complex ways trees are part of our society, culture and economy. The symbiotic relationship between trees and animals is also explored.

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A Children’s Guide to Arctic Birds
Written by Mia Pelletier
Illustrated by Danny Christopher
Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2014
$16.95 HC 978-1-927095-67-6
30 pages, full-colour, 8 1/4″ x 9 3/4″
IL: Ages 8-11 RL: Grades 4-5

Arctic | Birds | Natural World

With a simple layout and easy-to-follow headings for 12 birds that call the Arctic home, either for the whole year or for the summer, this beautifully illustrated book is filled with fascinating facts, including where each bird nests, what their eggs look like and their distinctive songs. Step inside and journey North — you may even spot a familiar feathered friend.

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How to Save a Species
Written by Marilyn Baillie, Jonathan Baillie and Ellen Butcher
Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2014
$18.95 HC 978-1-77147-063-6
$12.95 PB 978-1-77147-080-3
48 pages, full-colour, 8 1/2″ x 11″
IL: Ages 8-13 RL: Grades 3-5

Endangered Species | Wildlife Protection | Extinction | Conservation

With a logbook-style layout and full-colour photographs, this book introduces readers to 17 of the world’s 100 most endangered species, from the greater bamboo lemur to the reclusive saola. Highlighting the efforts of scientists, communities and campaign groups, it includes astonishing success stories of species that have been saved from the brink of extinction, as well as urgent cases needing immediate action.

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If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers
Written by David J. Smith
Illustrated by Steve Adams
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014
$19.95 HC (jacket & PLC) 978-1-894786-34-8
40 pages, full-colour, 9 5/8″ x 9 5/8″
IL: Ages 8-14 RL: Grades 4-6

Scaling | Size | Measurement | Numbers | Infographics

This intriguing guide to better understanding all those really big ideas and numbers children come across on a regular basis uses clever devices to scale down everything from timelines (the history of Earth compressed into one year), to quantities (all the wealth in the world divided into one hundred coins), to size differences (the planets shown as different types of balls).

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Saving Turtles: A Kids’ Guide to Helping Endangered Creatures
Written by Sue Carstairs
Richmond Hill, ON: Firefly Books, 2014
$19.95 HC 978-1-77085-434-5
$9.95 PB 978-1-77085-290-7
64 pages, full-colour, 9″ x 9″
IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 5-6

Turtles | Endangered Species | Wildlife Protection | Animal Rescue

Although turtles have been around for 220 million years, now almost half of the roughly 300 species are threatened with extinction. Turtles are losing their habitats, suffering from the effects of pollution and the pet and food trade and are killed by cars and snared in fishing nets. Scientists, environmentalists and volunteers around the world are helping to protect and save turtles. Readers learn how they can help!

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The Slug
(Disgusting Critters)
Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel
Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014
$12.99 HC 978-1-77049-655-2
32 pages, full-colour, 6 1/4″ x 8 1/2″
IL: Ages 6-9 RL: Grades 2-3

Slugs | Land Slugs | Humour

This hilarious illustrated non-fiction title about slugs covers such topics as the slug’s two pairs of tentacles, for seeing and for smelling (it sees you’re a kid and you smell like broccoli), its breathing hole (on the side of its head!) and its mucous covering (so one slug can follow another slug’s mucous trail… ick!). This title is also available in French as La limace.

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Magazines

Chirp
Toronto: Owlkids
www.owlkids.com/chirp
$5.25/issue
$34.95 one-year subscription (10 issues)
ISSN 1206-4580
IL: Ages 3-6

Preschool Activities | Reading Skills | Crafts | Animals

This magazine is packed with stories, puzzles and activities designed to inspire laughter and a love of learning, Youngsters follow the adventures of the lovable and curious chick, Chirp, as he encourages them to play, imagine, and explore their world. Lively illustrations and fantastic stories by some of North America’s most talented authors and artists entertain and engage children preparing to read on their own.

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