December 2024 Newsletter
News from the Canadian Children's Book Centre & Friends
Announcing the Tour Roster for Canadian Children’s Book Week 2025
We're excited to announce the tour roster for Canadian Children's Book Week 2025. Thirty-two authors, illustrators, and storytellers have been selected to take part in this hybrid tour. Of the thirty-two tour participants, twenty-seven participants are touring as part of the event for the first time. The upcoming national tour will take place from Sunday, April 27 to Saturday, May 3, 2025. Read more.
Thank you for your support on Giving Tuesday.
We appreciate the support shown to us on Giving Tuesday. Your donations in support of Canadian Children's Book Week allow us to send creators across Canada to inspire young readers and writers. Our fundraising campaign is still open. Please consider supporting Canadian Children's Book Week with your end-of-year donations. Make a donation.
The giveaway is on the way!
The TD Grade One Book Giveaway program provides a free Canadian picture book to all Grade 1 students across Canada. This year, Grade 1 students nationwide will take home Violet Shrink, written by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Carmen Mok and published by Groundwood Books. Nearly 500,000 books are now en route to Grade One readers.
Special for this year’s giveaway, we’ve created Activities and Resources that include tips for reading aloud, videos with Violet Shrink’s creators, word searches, and more! The resources are also available in French.
New Growing Literacy resources now available.
With a grant from the Canada Post Community Foundation, this year the CCBC undertook a project to help educators, librarians, and families build early literacy skills.
In response to a survey, a number of educators asked for advice and strategies for reading aloud to their students, especially in genres beyond the picture book. Building on these ideas, we developed a video series, tip sheets, and a webinar. Explore them here.
Give the gift of great art this holiday season!
The holidays are just around the corner. Why not celebrate with a beautiful piece of art? Visit the Picture Book Gallery today to find one-of-a-kind art, perfect for gifts, library spaces, corporate use and more.
In November 2021, we launched the Picture Book Gallery as a way to generate funds for Canadian Children’s Book Week, which connects Canadian creators with children and teens across Canada. The Picture Book Gallery supports our annual tour that allows 28,000 young Canadians to participate in over 400 readings and workshops in a single week. Illustrators set their own prices, with 60% of the value of their art sold donated to Book Week. This event is a great opportunity for illustrators to showcase their work to a wider audience, all while generously contributing to a love of reading in children across Canada.
December Book List: Holiday Gift Guide
Our December book list features some of our favourite titles from 2024. These are books that stood out and stayed with us throughout the year. Looking for a last-minute gift for a young reader in your life? This list serves as an excellent gift guide. Search for these books at a local independent bookstore near you. Happy reading!
Creator's Corner: Trina Rathgeber
In 1944, thirteen-year-old Ilse Schweder got lost in a snowstorm while checking her family's trapline in northern Canada. How did a young Indigenous girl defy the odds and endure nine days alone in the unforgiving barrens? Ilse's story is now being told in a powerful new graphic novel from Orca Book Publishers. Written by Ilse Schweder's granddaughter, Trina Rathgeber, Lost at Windy River details the many challenges Ilse faced, including freezing temperatures, wild animals, snow blindness and frostbite. With no food or supplies, Ilse relied on Traditional Indigenous Knowledge passed down from her family to find her way home.
We had the pleasure of talking with Trina Rathgeber about the story behind Lost at Windy River.
Many writers have appropriated and exaggerated parts of Ilse’s story over the years. What motivated you to reclaim this story and tell it accurately?
This story is fascinating and unique–it’s no wonder folks wanted to write about it. But sadly, it was never in the way she wanted and not with permission either. I know my grandma wanted her story told in a way that was true to her experience, and no one else but a family member would be able to create that…except her, of course. She told it best!
Lost at Windy River brings together many family stories and anecdotes from my grandma’s own life. I highly value participating in preservation of culture and in Truth and Reconciliation. It means alot to provide an educational book like this–that preserves the legacy of an Indigenous woman–for teachers and parents to share knowledge via Ilse’s story.
You did much research to bring rich historical details to the story. What’s the most interesting thing you learned that didn’t make it into the book?
This journey started with the most special kind of research–sitting with my Grandma and asking her to describe to me in as much detail as possible what happened! Having heard only bits of it from her and others as a child, I had never taken the time to ask detailed questions. What did she see, hear, feel? She had a remarkable memory and saved a lot of things from her past. She had heaps of photos for me to look at and items she had saved including the wool blanket that she carried with her on the journey.
I also read books about the North, found details in newspaper articles, and explored the Hudson Bay Archives. I connected to people from back home who are fantastic historians and knowledge keepers of the area. One thing that didn’t make it into the book was more of the day-to-day life at the trading post. My grandma talked about sawing out a block of ice from the lake or river. Then they’d drag it into the cabin and put it in a big basin to melt to be used for water. I pictured that scene from the beginning of Frozen where the townsfolk are harvesting the ice.
You originally wrote the story as a novel. What was the process of turning it into a graphic novel?
When I originally wrote this story, I just wanted to get all the information down on paper as best I could. When Orca Book Publishers suggested a graphic novel, I was skeptical at first. Then I started looking at other graphic novels that were out there tackling serious topics. It began to feel like the right avenue to share this story.
Graphic novels are also very accessible to kids and their different learning styles. My grandma was a respected community elder, always in the schools teaching beadwork, traditional arts, and telling her story. It seemed like a natural fit for her story to land in the hands of school-aged children. I feel this is part of her legacy and she can continue to teach!
Alina Pete and Jillian Dolan brought my words to life through pictures. When you’re dealing with real people–and those you are personally connected to–the imagery becomes a point of focus. There are so many details that needed to be researched and perfected based on the setting and the time period. I’m grateful for everyone involved in bringing the graphic novel to fruition.
Survival stories are always popular with young readers. What do you think it is about survival stories that capture young readers' attention?
Most people feel inspired and uplifted by survival stories and often learn more about human potential, including their own! This one is unique, it’s real, and it’s downright exciting. The landscape, time period, and Ilse’s Indigenous culture add elements to the survival story that will be new to many readers.
Young readers experience a range of emotions while reading Ilse’s story–excitement, worry, care, fear, and relief. What part of Ilse’s story do you hope will stay with young readers after they finish the book?
I imagine people will be in awe of her character. The immense amount of courage and wit it took to navigate her journey is remarkable. I think how connected Ilse was to the land and animals holds a wonderful message about how special Mother Nature is and that there are lessons to be learned by spending time outdoors. I hope readers might feel this and find themselves paying more attention to their surroundings.
I also hope readers are inspired to talk to their grandparents and elders to learn the stories that are part of their family history. Chat over a cup of tea, no devices. Ask questions and listen to the answers.
Picture Book Gallery Profile: Michael Martchenko
This month's Picture Book Galley profile is Michael Martchenko. Michael Martchenko was born in Carcassone, France. He immigrated to Canada with family at age seven. He graduated high school in Cambridge, Ontario then went on to graduate from OCAD University, Toronto. He worked as an Art Director in several Toronto advertising agencies. He illustrated his first book, The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, in 1980. Since then, he has illustrated over 100 books, authored and illustrated two books of his own. He now lives in Burlington, Ontario where he likes to spend his days by the waterfront.
Throughout your career, you’ve illustrated over a hundred books for children. What does it mean to know stories you illustrated over 40 years ago are still being read and loved by children today?
I feel very fortunate to have worked with some great authors. I still find it amazing that books we produced years ago are still relevant and popular. For instance, The Paper Bag Princess, my first collaboration with Robert Munsch and my first children's book, is as popular as ever. Princess Elizabeth is pushing fifty and may not fit into that paper bag anymore, but she's still going strong. One reason is that I don't think kids have changed all that much. They still like a good story, enjoy laughing, and perhaps identify with the characters a little. Kids still love being read to.
To young readers, your illustrations feel like they magically appeared on the page. In reality, illustration is a process that takes a lot of time and effort. What’s the first thing you do when you’re handed a manuscript?
When I get a new manuscript, the first thing l do is go to the coffee pot, fill up my favourite mug, get into my comfy chair and read the story several times over. As I do this, I get the “feel” of the book and start getting visual ideas. I then do a storyboard–one frame for each page–to establish the flow of the story. The next step is to develop each page in pencil form. But first, l get more coffee!
You continue to illustrate new children's books every year. What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
My favourite part of illustrating a story is the rough pencil stage. This is when the real creativity comes in–when the characters and locations are developed. I design each illustration to match and complement the copy. The fully developed pencils are then presented to the publishers for approval.
You’ve inspired many young people to pick up a pencil and draw. What advice do you have for aspiring artists who are feeling stuck creatively?
If you get stuck creatively (artists’ block), look at art books, art magazines, go on your computer–there's so much information there. Look at other people's work, especially those you admire. I can still be inspired by paintings, illustrations, or graphic designs that I really like. Sometimes, a little thing that you've seen can lead to big creative ideas. Also, as I've always said, keep drawing. Doodle! I've had some great character ideas from doodling while on the phone. After all these years, I can still get that feeling when looking at all those words on the paper, “What am I going to do with this?”. But, I still love the challenge.
Experts' Picks
The Probability of Everything
Written by Sarah Everett
HarperCollins, 2023
978-0-06-325656-9
IL: Ages 9-13 RL: Grades 4-5
When 11-year-old Kemi and her family discover that an asteroid is likely to wipe out the earth and life as they know it in four days, they gather together at her aunt and uncle's house. Kemi, who loves science and statistics, searches for facts about asteroids and undertakes a special project: creating a time capsule filled with the things that her family members love. But try as she might, she can't seem to help her father find the thing that he should include in the time capsule. As the end of Kemi's world draws near, she (and readers!) are forced to face some heartbreaking truths.
Sarah Everett explores grief and loss in a beautiful and unexpected way. She demonstrates the power of family, friendship and community, while also confronting issues such as hate and racial discrimination. But at its heart, this is an unforgettable story of a girl and her dad.
—Lisa Doucet, Co-Manager, Woozles Children’s Bookstore
Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival
Written by Trina Rathgeber
Illustrated by Alina Pete
Coloured by Jillian Dolan
Orca Book Publishers, 2024
ISBN 978-1-4598-3226-8
IL: Ages 8-12 and up RL: Grades 4-5
While checking her family’s trapline near Windy River Trading Post (now Nunavut) in 1944, 13-year-old Ilse Schweder gets separated from her brothers during a fierce blizzard. Lost and alone, without food or supplies, she survives a harrowing nine-day ordeal by relying on traditional Indigenous knowledge.
Compelling illustrations by Alina Pete, a Cree artist from Little Pine First Nation, coloured by Métis artist Jillian Dolan, capture the many challenges Ilse faces, from frostbite to snow blindness, as well as the help received from animals, ancestral spirits, and a kind trapper. Informative sidebars provide definitions and explanations for several words in the narrative, including tundra, inukshuks, and pemmican. Based on extensive interviews, Schweder’s granddaughter Trina Rathgeber, a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, tells her grandmother’s story of courage and resilience in this powerful graphic memoir.
— Linda Ludke, Collections Management Librarian, London Public Library
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