January 2019 Newsletter

The First Nation Communities READ Program awards excellence in Indigenous YA/Adult and Children’s literature.
Two separate librarian-led juries choose the selected titles for each category. The creator of each selected title is awarded the Periodical Marketers of Canada Indigenous Literature Award.To apply, fill out the application form here. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2019.

The number one bestselling Canadian book of 2018 is The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline!

Links We Love

Articles and videos of interest to educators

Download our free literary calendar

Book sales are up this year over last year, and physical books are thriving

‘We were doing it for love’: Moms start companies to meet demand for Spanish-language children’s books

“I Learned That Writing Could Be Hilarious” Naseem Hrab on the Books that Shaped Her Writing Life

How Katherena Vermette combined Métis history with sci-fi to write her first graphic novel

The CCBC’s 2019 Reading Challenge

Instagram is helping save the indie bookstore

‘Mum this is me!’: the pop-up bookshop that only sells diverse children’s books

Local libraries see surge in Indigenous materials being checked out

#IndigenousReads by Indigenous Writers: A Children’s Reading List

One Dad’s Reading Resolutions for the New Year

After-School Program Teaches Literacy Through Comic Books

Comics Are Books — 5 Things To Remember When You Read Them With Your Kids

Twelve Books for Feminist Boys and Girls

Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to Read More This Year

Bookish Fun for Winter: A January Reading Challenge for Kids

The best Canadian YA and children’s literature of 2018

Our Favourite Book Covers of 2018

How to Raise a Reader

10 Buzzworthy YA Books to Read in 2019

Q&A with Linda Bailey, author of Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein 

‘Love From A To Z’ By S.K. Ali Is A Spring Break Romance That Tackles Big Issues — Start Reading Now

11 Secrets of Children’s Book Authors

Storytime in Space: Canadian Astronaut Reads ‘Explorers Club’ Children’s Book in Orbit

Understanding Immigration and the Refugee Experience through Picture Books

Africville: the untold story through a poet’s eyes

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January Reading List: Start the New Year with Kindness

“Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.” ― J. M. Barrie

A new year can mean a new you! We all want to be our best self in the new year, and what better way to start than by being a little kinder? We love these books that encourage kindness and empathy.

Picture Books
The Branch Written by Mireille Messier Illustrated by Pierre Pratt Kids Can Press, 2016 ISBN 978-1-77138-564-0 IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 2-3 When an ice storm snaps a small girl’s favourite branch from the tree in her yard, she’s crestfallen. Her neighbour, Mr. Frank, says it’s full of potential. And so, with imagination and Mr. Frank’s guidance and tools, the girl transforms the branch into something new, giving it another purpose, and her another place to treasure! This title is also available in French as Ma branche préférée. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	I Am Human: A Book of Empathy Written by Susan Verde Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN 978-1-4197-3165-5 IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 1-2 A hopeful meditation on all the great (and challenging) parts of being human, I Am Human shows that it’s okay to make mistakes while also emphasizing the power of good choices by offering a kind word or smile or by saying “I’m sorry.” At its heart, this picture book is a celebration of empathy and compassion that lifts up the flawed fullness of humanity and encourages children to see themselves as part of one big imperfect family — millions strong. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
The Lion and the Bird Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc Enchanted Lion Books, 2014 ISBN 978-1-59270-151-3 IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3 One autumn day, a lion finds a wounded bird in his garden. With the departure of the bird’s flock, the lion decides that it’s up to him to care for the bird. He does and the two become fast friends. Nevertheless, the bird departs with his flock the following autumn. What will become of Lion and what will become of their friendship? This title is also available in French as Le lion et l’oiseau. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Shelter Written by Céline Claire Illustrated by Qin Leng Kids Can Press, 2017 ISBN 978-1-77138-927-3 IL: Ages 3-8 RL: Grades 2-3 As a blizzard approaches, two strangers emerge from the fog enveloping the forest. From inside their cozy homes, the animal families fearfully wonder: Who are these strangers? What do they want? Desperate for shelter, the strangers go to each home, hopeful someone will take them in. Will anyone help? This title is also available in French as L’abri. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Junior & Intermediate Fiction
The Cat at the Wall Written by Deborah Ellis Groundwood Books, 2014 ISBN 978-1-55498-491-6 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? Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	A True Home (Heartwood Hotel, Book1) Written by Kallie George Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin HarperCollins Publishers, 2017 ISBN 978-1-44344-393-7 IL: Ages 7-10 RL: Grades 2-3 Mona the mouse stumbles across the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm and desperately hopes to stay. As it happens, Mona is precisely the maid they need at Fernwood’s grandest hotel, where forest animals come for safety, luxury and comfort. But danger lurks nearby and Mona must use all her wits to protect the place she’s beginning to think of as home. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Kasey & Ivy Written by Alison Hughes Orca Book Publishers, 2018 ISBN 978-1-4598-1574-2 IL: Ages 9-13 RL: Grade 5 Through 26 letters to her friend Nina, 12-year-old Kasey chronicles her observations and impressions of her unexpected, month-long stay in a geriatric ward for the treatment of a rare but treatable bone disease. Hospital food, insomnia and the germy communal bath are enduring sources of dread, but some new friends make her life bearable. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Random Acts Written by Valerie Sherrard Puffin Canada, 2015 ISBN 978-0-14-319104-9 IL: Ages 9-13 RL: Grades 4-5 Zoey Dalton and her best friends, Bean and Jenna, make a pledge to begin performing random acts of kindness — anonymously. But what if their random acts of kindness are unwanted and misunderstood? What if, instead of spreading joy and good will, the trio’s actions stir up trouble, and wreak havoc? That, of course, would be a different story. This story, in fact. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Young Adult Fiction
The Agony of Bun O’Keefe Written by Heather Smith Penguin Teen Canada, 2017 ISBN 978-0-14-319865-9 IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 8-9 It’s Newfoundland, 1986. Fourteen-year-old Bun O’Keefe has lived a shuttered, lonely life with her negligent mother, who is a hoarder. One day, Bun’s mother tells her to leave, so she does. Hitchhiking out of town, Bun learns that the world extends beyond the walls of her mother’s house and discovers the joy of being part of a new family — a family of friends who care. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	We Are All Made of Molecules Written by Susin Nielsen Tundra Books, 2015 ISBN 978-1-77049-779-5 IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8 Thirteen-year-old Stewart is academically brilliant but socially “ungifted.” Fourteen-year-old Ashley is the “It” girl of Grade 9, but her marks stink. When Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom, their worlds collide. They are complete opposites. And yet, no matter their differences, they share one thing in common: they — like the rest of us — are all made of molecules. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
Non-Fiction
Bear on the Homefront Written by Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat Illustrated by Brian Deines Pajama Press, 2014 ISBN 978-1-927485-13-2 IL: Ages 5-12 RL: Grades 3-4 During World War II, nurse Aileen Rogers and her stuffed bear, Teddy, greet English ‘guest children’ sent overseas for safety. Teddy befriends homesick William and his sister Grace, sharing the experience of the cross-country train ride and five years on a host family’s farm. Narrated by Teddy, this poignant and beautifully illustrated book is the companion to A Bear in War. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Life Lines: The Lanier Phillips Story Written by Christine Welldon Breakwater Books, 2014 ISBN 978-1-55081-551-1 IL: Ages 10-14 RL: Grades 4-5 In 1942, African-American serviceman Lanier Phillips was rescued from a sinking warship off the coast of Newfoundland — an event that transformed his life and ignited a lasting passion for civil rights. Having grown up amidst deep racism, Phillips was inspired by the Newfoundlanders’ kindness. He joined the Civil Rights Movement and told his story of transformation to inspire change. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers
On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty Written by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Jaime Casap Orca Book Publishers, 2018 ISBN 978-1-4598-1617-6 IL: Ages 5-8 RL: Grades 2-3 A gentle introduction to the issue of poverty, this title explores the realities of people living with inadequate resources and addresses issues such as mental illness, homelessness and refugee status. Sidebars with insightful quotes from individuals and organizations such as UNICEF add further food for thought. Readers are encouraged to take what they have learned and make a difference. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers	Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation Written by Monique Gray Smith Orca Book Publishers, 2017 ISBN 978-1-4598-1583-4 IL: Ages 10 and up RL: Grades 5-6 Canada’s relationship with its Indigenous people has suffered as a result of both the residential school system and the lack of understanding of the historical and current impact of those schools. Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of survivors and learn from the allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action. Amazon | Indigo | Canadian Bookstores | Wholesalers

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Author’s Corner: Polly Horvath

Polly Horvath has written many books for children and young adults. She has won numerous awards including a National Book Award, Newbery Honor, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, International White Raven, Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book of the Year, short-listed for Germany’s most prestigious literature award, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, the Writers’ Trust Vicky Metcalfe Award for her body of work, and many others. Her books have been New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestsellers and Rosie O’Donnell and Oprah picks. She is translated into over 25 languages and her books are taught in children’s literature curricula in North America and internationally. Polly Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She now lives in Metchosin, British Columbia and is both an American and a Canadian citizen. She is married and has two daughters.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get started as an author? What is your writing process like?

I think writing began for me when I was about four and would sit on our kitchen counter and play with all the cans and boxes in the cupboard.  I had intricate stories going constantly and characters changed as things were eaten and replaced by grocery shoppers.  Writing today is not much different from those early years.  I sit at a desk and noodle around with the stories and characters.  The major change being that no one eats my characters when I’m halfway through a book.

How do you continue to find inspiration for such amazing stories and unique characters?

I have no idea what happens.  Writing is a Mystery to me with a capital M.  Sometimes bits and pieces come from my life but they always morph into something else and take on a life of their own that is equally real to me while I am working on it.

There is something Dickensian about your most recent novel, Pretty Rich. What past works did you draw on when creating the world of Rupert and the River family?

I really didn’t draw on anything.  I don’t know a writer who really wants people to think she is drawing on someone else’s work to do her own.

Looking at your many past titles, you have a great deal of range as a writer. Is there any type of genre you’ve always wanted to try your hand at?

I have completed what I think is a good adult novel which is something I have always wanted to do.  I would like to do picture books but I don’t have the talent for it.  And I’ve always thought a mystery would be a lot of fun but again, most writing isn’t fun, it’s engrossing and exciting and hard work but seldom fun and I haven’t the right talent for mysteries.

What projects are you working on now? Can you tell us about any upcoming books?

I just completed an adult novel that I am very happy with it.  It is called The Canadian and it is with my agent, Andrea Cascardi, who is reading it right now so too soon to say what will become of it.

Find out more about Polly on her website www.pollyhorvath.com

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Amy’s Travels in Teen Fiction

Going into my podcast with author Sylvia McNicoll, most recently known for Body Swap, I had ideas about what I wanted to ask her. Focusing on her last four YA/teen books alone, the themes of death, rebirth and second chances have fascinated me, especially since they keep reappearing and are obviously something Sylvia has wrestled with.

Sometimes though, podcasts get away from me. While I did get to bring a bit of that out in my conversation with Sylvia, ultimately when she started to talk, all I wanted to do was listen. Her writing career has spanned decades and continents — experiencing first hand how our ideas of writing have changed over time. Sylvia knows how to engage her listener, and I could have continued our conversation for a lot longer.

I say in the podcast that it was recorded for December, but we’re releasing it in January because I have been dealing with health concerns. Hoping to bring you many new podcasts in 2019 — next month I have an excellent podcast recorded with author Robin Stevenson about the power of activism.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

—Amy

*Any beliefs expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

In 2014, Amy Mathers read and reviewed 365 YA books to raise funds to create the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award.

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Illustrator’s Studio: Mike Boldt

Mike Boldt is an author-illustrator who has been working professionally for the last 20 years. While starting out illustrating speech therapy puzzles, concept art for animation, and toy design, he now focuses most of his time in publishing. Picture books he’s illustrated include Get Me Another One, by Robert Munsch, How to Grow a Dinosaur, by Jill Esbaum, and the I Don’t Want to be a Frogseries, by Dev Petty. He’s also written and illustrated a number of his own books, including 123 Versus ABC, Colors Versus Shapes, A Tiger Tail, and his latest, Attack of the 50-Foot Fluffy. Mike lives with his wife and three children in the countryside, just outside of Edmonton. He’s also a big fan of ice cream.

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get your start as an author and illustrator?

Ever since I was young, I was creating stories and drawing pictures for them, but I never thought of being an author/illustrator. Instead I believed animation school and Disney were the only course for someone who wanted to draw for a career and tell their own stories. Shortly after high school, I was hired to create some speech therapy products after a complete stranger saw a couple of my doodles. It was a great experience that sort of became my secondary education as I first learned about digital illustration and what is meant to be working as a professional illustrator.

After two great years, I found myself suddenly out of work when the company I worked for was bought out. So I reset my target on the goal of working at Disney and I applied and was accepted to Vancouver Film School, but I never even made it there. That summer, I landed another local job with a small publisher as an in-house illustrator for their books. I learned that everything I wanted to do in animation, was actually right in a book. The initial idea, story, character design, story boarding, final artwork — it could all be done by the author/illustrator of a book, and I loved that!

Roughly 12 years ago I left that small publisher to pursue a new dream of creating my own picture books. It really felt like I had come full circle back to books from where I started as a kid writing and illustrating my own ideas. After I self-published my first book, I was fortunate enough to gain representation from literary agent, Jennifer Rofé, and sold my first book deal with a publisher, HarperCollins, in early 2011. It’s been a pretty incredible journey so far, and one I’m very grateful for.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

I normally sit down at my desk and get started shortly after my children have left for school. Respond to a few emails, make a (hopefully) short stop on social media, and dive into what ever book project is on my schedule. If I’m doing illustrations for a book, I’ll often fire up a Skype conversation with a few other author/illustrator friends. We have sort of a virtual office where we toss ideas around, get opinions and give critiques, and just chat. A couple of us have been hanging out like this for nearly 8-9 years now.
If I’m writing and working on story development, it’s sort of the opposite though, and I work offline. I’m definitely not that person who’s mind can handle talking (or doing anything else) and writing at the same time. My work day breaks around 4-5pm and may resume again after my wife and kids go to bed. More so when I have deadlines.

We love Attack of the 50-Foot Fluffy! Where do you come up with ideas for you stories?

Thank you! Honestly, I don’t have a special formula for where my ideas come from. Sometimes I just sit down and start writing whatever comes to mind, sometimes it’s from a random doodle or observation in life, and a couple times it’s even been a passing statement that suddenly stood out during a conversation.

Attack of the 50-Foot Fluffy actually came from a request for a commissioned drawing of a family as characters in some sort of old monster movie poster. I noticed the little girl had a stuffed bunny from the photo, and thought it would be funny to incorporate that somehow. A quick Google search for retro monster movie posters, and I instantly knew it was going to be based on Attack of the 50 Foot Movie and the bunny was going to be the monster. Once the commission was complete I ended up realizing that there may be something more to this, and so started developing it further. The best part of that story is that earlier this year, I was able to visit the class of the little girl who inspired the book. It was pretty amazing.

What advice would you give to teachers who want to use your books in their classrooms?

That’s tough! Teachers are the professionals and are already using my books in amazing ways that I would have never thought of. So they may already know this, but one of my favourite times in a school visit is the question period. I just love the way kids’ imaginations work reason out what or why I’ve done something in a book. So, sometimes I respond to their question by asking them a question right back — without defining or sharing my own answer too quickly for them.

Student: “Did Fluffy really get big and wreck everything or was that just Claire’s imagination?”
Me: “That’s a great question, what do you think really happens?”

Student: “Is Fluffy really alive?”

Me: “You tell me!”

Get their imaginations started without restrictions and you’ll really see their genius then.

What is next for you? What projects are you working on now?

I’ve recently finished up a couple of really fun books that will be out in the second half of 2019. Thunder Trucks! by Cheryl Klein and Kate Beebe, which is my first book with Hyperion (sort of my Disney dream come true!). Also being released at that time is another of my own books, Bad Dog (actually a story about a cat), which is with Doubleday.

Currently, I have two other picture book projects on the table that are due in 2019 and am always developing other ideas. But I don’t like to get too far ahead of the myself. I know each and every book I get to work on is an amazing privilege. I want to make sure I bring my best work and truly enjoy the journey.

 Find out more about Mike Boldt and his work at mikeboldt.ca

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