February 2024 Newsletter
News from the Canadian Children's Book Centre & Friends
Stephanie Wells appointed Executive Director of the Canadian Children's Book Centre
Following an extensive recruitment and interview process, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Wells as Executive Director effective January 29, 2024. Stephanie brings a wealth of leadership experience in both trade and educational publishing, as well as in the not-for-profit and business sectors. Learn more here.
Apply to host a Book Week visit today!
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this exciting event. Apply to host a Book Week visit today! Application deadline is February 9, 2024. Learn more here.
Looking for a unique and everlasting Valentine's Day gift for the loved one in your life? Gift the gift of art. Visit the Picture Book Gallery today!
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.
For our Growing Literacy campaign, we are currently developing a webinar and downloadable resources supporting emergent reading that will be available on the CCBC’s website and Bibliovideo, our YouTube channel.
We invite educators to share their input on the project through a short survey. Complete the survey to be eligible for a prize package of books. We appreciate your feedback! Click here to access the survey.
Stock Up on CCBC Illustrated Greeting Cards!
Support the CCBC today by purchasing our pack of eight greeting cards featuring art from past Canadian Children's Book Week posters. Each pack includes art by Barbara Reid, Julie Flett, Ian Wallace, Wallace Edwards, Bill Slavin, Elly MacKay, Gabrielle Grimard and Eugenie Fernandes.
Our friends at IBBY Canada have announced the finalists of the 2023 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. Established in 1985, the prize is awarded to a Canadian illustrator in recognition of outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book. Learn more here.
Mark Your Calendars!
Our friends at IBBY Canada are planning a KidLit Trivia Night with special host Naseem Hrab at The Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave., Toronto) on March 26, 2024 at 7 pm. Test your knowledge of kids’ books at this fun event that celebrates and supports the work of IBBY Canada. Tickets are $25 and go on sale the week of February 19, 2024. Stay tuned for more details.
Accessibility Column
Do you make use of accessible books in your classrooms or libraries? Many educators are now offering students the choice of reading audiobooks, ebooks, or books in other formats to accommodate all kinds of learners.
“I think it’s really important to embed in our classrooms the practice of accessing alternative formats… Having a choice and normalizing that in classrooms is key.” — Tracey Hagen, Special Education Consultant (retired)
Join us for a FREE webinar to hear more of what Tracey and others have to say. Tune in to share your thoughts and learn about our brand-new Accessible Books Bank. Watch for a chance to win an armload of great Canadian books for kids and teens. Register today!
February Book List: Lunar New Year
In honour of Lunar New Year, our book list features books about this special holiday—celebrated by millions of people across the globe—as well as books that celebrate different aspects of Asian cultures. Get young readers excited about reading with this curated list, great for families, librarians and teachers.
Picture Books
Boys Don't Fry
Written by Kimberly Lee
Illustrated by Charlene Chua
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2023
978-0-374-38985-7
IL: Ages 4-7 RL: Grades 2-3
It’s the eve of Lunar New Year, and Jin can’t wait for the big family reunion dinner. His grandmother, Mamah, is cooking up a storm! As his aunties dice, slice and chop, there’s nothing Jin wants more than to learn about the history of his family’s cooking and to lend them a helping hand. But his aunties shoo him away. Luckily, Mamah steps in and asks Jin to help her prepare their special meal. Soon, Jin is squeezing, slicing and stirring, too!
Friends Are Forever, Friends
Written by Dane Liu
Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield
Henry Holt and Company
978-1-250-77818-5
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3
In Northeastern China, it’s Dandan’s last Lunar New Year’s Eve with Yueyue. Tomorrow, she moves to America. Yueyue gives Dandan a gift so that she can carry on their tradition—crafting paper-cut snowflakes, freezing them and hanging them as ornaments. But in her new home, Dandan has no one to enjoy the gift with—until she meets Christina.
New Year
Written by Mei Zihan
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Greystone Kids, 2021
978-1-77164-731-1
IL: Ages 10 and up RL: Grades 4-5
At Lunar New Year, Chinese families come together for a feast. A father longs to be with his daughter—but she is grown up and living far away. Feeling a sense of loss, he recalls fond memories of time spent with her. While he misses her deeply, he also recognizes her need to move away, grow up, and become herself.
The Tray of Togetherness
Written and illustrated by Flo Leung
Owlkids Books, 2022
978-1-77147-462-7
IL: Ages 3-7 RL: Grades 2-3
A little girl and her family are celebrating the Lunar New Year. First, they make a trip to the market for some special treats. A New Year celebration isn’t complete without a Tray of Togetherness filled with sweet wishes for sharing with friends and family—like peanuts for a long life and candied winter melon for good health!
Junior & Intermediate Fiction
Krista Kim-Bap
Written by Angela Ahn
Second Story Press, 2018
978-1-77260-063-6
IL: Ages 9-13 RL: Grades 4-5
Krista's fifth-grade class is busy preparing for Heritage Month and she has mixed feelings about being her school’s “Korean Ambassador." Should she ask her intimidating grandma to teach the class how to make traditional Korean kim bap? Between trying to please her grandma and a new friendship pulling her away from her best friend, Jason, Krista has a lot to deal with!
The Scroll of Chaos
Written by Elie Chapman
Scholastic Press, 2023
978-1-338-80323-5
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4
In an old book of Chinese myths, Astrid Xu finds and unseals a magic Chinese scroll which transports herself and her sister Marilla (transformed into a cat) to Zhen—where the Chinese legends of old are real! But an ancient evil known as Chaos is wreaking havoc throughout the land, and only Astrid can stop it.
The Secret of the Jade Bangle
(The Nguyen Kids, Book 1)
Written by Linda Trinh
Illustrated by Clayton Nguyen
Annick Press, 2022
978-1-77321-715-4
IL: Ages 6-9 RL: Grades 2-3
Nine-year-old Anne Nguyen misses her Grandma Nội a lot. But even though Grandma Nội passed away, it doesn’t mean she’s disappeared. Anne discovers that the gift her grandmother left her—a beautiful jade bangle—has a secret, magical power. Anne finds the strength to stand up to her ballet teacher and embraces her Vietnamese identity through cooking Grandma’s recipes. Other titles in the series include The Power of the Pearl Earrings, The Mystery of the Painted Fan and The Journey of the Ancestors' Gifts.
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor
Written by Xiran Jay Zhao
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2022
978-1-6659-0070-6
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4
After his gaming headset is possessed by the spirit of the First Emperor of China, 12-year-old Chinese American Zack Ying must travel across China to steal an ancient artifact, fight figures from Chinese history and myth, and seal a portal to prevent malicious spirits from destroying the human realm. Can Zack prevent spirits of the underworld from flooding into the mortal realm?
Young Adult Fiction
Iron Widow
Written by Xiran Jay Zhao
Penguin Teen Canada, 2021
978-0-7352-6993-4
IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 9-10
In Huaxia, it’s an honour for girls to be selected as concubine pilots, paired with male pilots to power Chyrsalises—giant robots that battle aliens. This honour often ends in death. Zetian, 18, signs up and assassinates the male pilot responsible for her sister's death. Labelled an Iron Widow, Zetian is determined to dismantle the piloting system that relies on sacrificing girls.
Made in Korea
Written by Sarah Suk
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021
978-1-5344-7437-6
IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8
Valerie Kwon runs V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s top student-run enterprise. Every sale gets Valerie closer to taking her beloved halmeoni (grandmother) to her dream city, Paris. Enter Wes Jung, who begins selling promo products for a popular K-pop group to finance his dream of pursuing music. Stakes are high as the two vie for sales—even as they fall for each other.
A Magic Steeped in Poison
(The Book of Tea, Book 1)
Written Judy I. Lin
Feiwel and Friends, 2022
978-1-250-76708-0
IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 7-8
Ning unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her mother and threatens to take her sister. She enters the kingdom’s magical tea-steeping competition, hoping to win a favour from the princess—her one chance to save her sister’s life. Now Ning must navigate backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious boy with a shocking secret. Teens will also enjoy the sequel, A Venom Dark and Sweet.
The Red Palace
Written by June Hur
Feiwel and Friends, 2022
978-1-250-80055-8
IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 7-8
Hyeon, 18, is a palace nurse, one of the only esteemed positions open to illegitimate daughters in 1758 Joseon Korea. Hyeon is thrust into the dangerous world of court politics when she starts her own secret investigation to clear her friend and mentor, who is accused of killing four women. Teaming up with Eojin, a young police inspector, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace and uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.
Non-Fiction
Chinese New Year
(Canadian Celebrations)
Written by Lydia Lukidis and Lloyd Sciban
Beech Street Books, 2019
978-1-77308-618-7
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 1-2
This series examines holidays and important days in Canada, the reasons for each holiday, and the ways in which Canadians gather to celebrate them. Chinese New Year happens between late January and late February and lasts 15 days. It is the most important holiday for Chinese people everywhere, including Canada. Learn about Chinese New Year festivities, celebrations and traditions.
Chinese New Year: A Celebration for Everyone
(Orca Origins)
Written by Jen Sookfong Lee
Orca Book Publishers, 2017
978-1-4598-1126-3
IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 4-5
From its beginnings as a farming celebration marking the end of winter to its current role as a global party featuring lots of food, gifts and public parades, Chinese New Year is a snapshot of Chinese culture. Award-winning author and broadcaster Jen Sookfong Lee weaves family stories into the history, traditions and evolution of Chinese New Year. Illustrated with colour photographs throughout.
A Song for China: How My Father Wrote Yellow River Cantata
Written and illustrated Ange Zhang
Groundwood Books, 2019
978-1-77306-151-1
IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8
In early 1939, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, a suite of lyrical short poems by revolutionary poet Guang Weiran (a celebrated pen name) was set to music. Weiran fought for a socially just China using art, theatre, poetry and song. In this book, his artist son has written this stirring account of his father's courageous life and work during politically turbulent times, centred on the famous Yellow River Cantata—a symbol of Chinese national spirit.
Creator's Corner: Catherine Little
Catherine Little is an educator, consultant and writer living in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and son. She has a passion for picture books and often used them in the classroom to enhance her mathematics, science and language lessons. Her debut picture book, Twelve in a Race, celebrates The Great Race that established the order of the Chinese zodiac. Dragon's Dilemma, an adventure detailing The Great Race from Dragon's point-of-view, is her second collaboration with illustrator Sae Kimura. She is also the author of Endgame: The Secret Force 136 which tells the story of a little-known part of Canadian history within the backdrop of a game of Xiangqi (Chinese chess). CBC recently listed Endgame as one of 11 Canadian books to read for Remembrance Day.
Tell us about how you became a picture book author.
I've always loved to read and especially loved the picture book format but I never really thought I could become a writer. I was good at mathematics and science so I was encouraged to pursue those fields of study. Eventually I became a primary/junior qualified teacher but because I had completed a B.Sc, I started my career teaching mathematics and science in junior high school. I began writing for the educational market—teacher resources, textbooks, etc. After I had my son, I looked for a simple book to help him learn about the Zodiac race but couldn't find one, so I wrote my rhyming version, Twelve in a Race, to teach him the story. I couldn't find an interested publisher at the time so I put my story aside and kept busy with my teaching and taking care of my family. In 2020, I realized that Maggie Goh, the publisher of Rubicon Publishing had started Plumleaf Press, a trade book imprint; I reached out to her because I had worked for her on several other projects in the past. She happened to be looking for picture book manuscripts and said she knew the perfect artist for Twelve in a Race.
What inspired you to write picture books inspired by the Chinese zodiac?
Twelve in a Race was inspired by my son who is now 21 years old. When I read that story to children, including my son when he was a child, they often expressed disbelief that Dragon did not win the race. Maggie and I realized that the Year of the Dragon would be in 2024 and saw an opportunity to tell the story from Dragon's point of view to address the question, "How did the biggest, fastest and only contender who could fly end up placing fifth?"
What is your Chinese horoscope sign? In what ways, if any, do you identify with the sign? How accurate would you say the sign represents your personality?
I was born in the Year of the Rooster. In my book, I focussed on the positive traits associated with each animal, so I wrote that Rooster was "practical and observant." Roosters are also said to be intelligent, organized, boastful and opinionated. I guess I'm pretty practical and organized and may be somewhat opinionated in certain circumstances.
Your latest book is told in the first-person point of view. What prompted/inspired you to tell the story from this perspective?
I felt letting Dragon tell the story would be the best way to explain how he ended up in fifth place. Also, I thought it would be interesting to present the two stories as companion pieces. Twelve in a Race presents the results of the race without much detail. Dragon's Dilemma allows children to see the race from Dragon's point of view. This could lead to discussions about how each of the contenders had their own experience of the race, giving parents and teachers the opportunity to discuss this difficult concept of seeing things from another's perspective in more detail.
Dragons are an integral part of Chinese culture but intrigue readers who are from outside this culture. What is it about dragons that fascinate and interest young people across cultures?
I think that the idea of such a large and powerful creature is very intriguing for children. Dragons provide great scope for imagination. In Chinese culture, dragons don't have wings but they can fly. They are powerful but they help instead of harm. They are noble creatures and I think that intrigues children in a different way than the winged, fire-breathing creatures they may encounter in other stories.
What is it you would like readers to take away from your books?
I hope readers see my books as great stories with beautiful art and walk away wanting to know more. Twelve in a Race and Dragon's Dilemma may inspire young readers to learn more about the zodiac. [My book] Endgame: The Secret Force 136 may inspire children to learn about Xiangqi (Chinese chess) or the role early Chinese immigrants played in Canada's history.
February is Black History Month and we’ve created a reading list full of books that are perfect for educators, librarians and parents to use all year round. What are you reading to celebrate Black Canadian voices and stories? Learn more here.
Picture Book Gallery Profile: Qin Leng
This month's Picture Book Galley profile is Qin Leng, a designer and illustrator known for her illustrations of children's books. She graduated from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema and has received many awards for her animated short films and artwork.
Throughout her career, Qin has illustrated picture books, magazines and book covers with publishers around the world. Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, written by Chieri Uegaki, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and received the APALA Award for best picture book. She lives in Toronto with her husband and her son.
You illustrated a picture book entitled New Year. The story tells of a father who wishes to spend the Lunar New Year with his daughter but she lives in another country. What type of research, if any, did you conduct to illustrate this book? In what ways, if any, did this story and/or the father-daughter relationship resonate with you?
I felt drawn to the story when the manuscript was presented to me, as this young girl's path of leaving China for Paris was the exact route my father took back in the 80s. Through her, it was a fascinating way to dive into the streets of Paris and imagine what it was like for this young woman to see and experience a life so different and new: the excitement, and at the same time this sense of longing for home. Emotions I am certain my father must have felt, knowing my mother my sister and I were still back home in Shanghai. This story resonated with me and I'm sure many families who have had to leave their country and found themselves split up. I have also seen it with my parents leaving my grandparents for Canada, and now my sister leaving our family in Canada to make her life in Sweden. So many families have the same experience and I wanted to explore through this book these complex emotions of exhilaration to jump into the unknown and start a life of your own and the solitude from separation that can come with it, too.
Your father, who was an artist, greatly inspired you. How did he influence/inform your career as an illustrator? Which other artists inspire and/or have inspired your work?
From a very early age, I remember visiting him in his studio to watch him paint. Sometimes my sister and I would also bring some paper and pencils and sketch beside him. The arts were such a big part of our life growing up and though my father never directly taught me anything, he always encouraged me to draw, to explore and try new things. I also learned, by watching him, to be disciplined and to spend long hours working. I say work, but drawing always felt like pleasure and I would often lose myself in it, forgetting what time it was or how long I had been at it. My father was trained in traditional Chinese techniques of inks and washes. I feel there is maybe a subconscious influence in my love for watercolour.
You are a film school graduate and have received numerous awards for your animated short films. What was it like to make the transition from working for the screen to working on the page? How is telling stories on film similar to and different from telling stories through book illustration?
Movement is what is at the root of animated film. I was always fascinated by that. I also enjoyed the painstaking repetition of drawing. Can you imagine having to draw a character 12 times with only subtle changes just to make it move for one second? I found this tedious procedure meditative. However, after a few years in animation working as a background artist, I wanted to do my own things, draw in my own style. While transitioning to illustration, I found my knowledge of body language, movement, facial expression (all of what we spent years studying in animation) really played a big part in my illustration work. I have always had a fascination for people; I love watching and noticing the subtleties of movement... how many different ways people can stand, run, push their glasses up their nose. I found myself really studying these in order to make the characters in my books feel real, relatable and recognizable.
Experts' Picks
A Star Explodes: The Story of Supernova 1054
Written by James Gladstone
Illustrated by Yaara Eshet
Owlkids Books, 2023
978-1-77147-498-6
IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3
This lyrical narrative non-fiction picture book takes readers back in time to 1054 China, when the light from an exploding star appeared in the morning sky. The “guest star” (as it was dubbed by an astronomer’s daughter) was one of the brightest supernova events ever in recorded history. Flash forward to today and the remnants are still visible and live on as the Crab Nebula. Norma Fleck Award-winning author James Gladstone’s informative text sparkles with surprising astronomical facts. End notes explain the Crab Nebula is expanding about 1,500 kilometers per second: “At that speed, you could circle our planet in about 27 seconds.” Yaara Eshet’s dreamy watercolour and ink illustrations include an homage to Van Gogh’s Starry Night. This poetic and scientific introduction to supernovas is illuminating.
— Linda Ludke, Collections Management Librarian, London Public Library
All That Grows
Written and illustrated by Jack Wong
Groundwood Books, March 2024
978-1-77306-812-1
IL: Ages 3-6 RL: Grades 2-3
A boy marvels at all the wondrous things that his older sister shares with him: about magnolias and quince trees and daffodils. She tells him about dandelions and fiddleheads: you can eat them both but never eat fiddleheads raw! He wonders how she can know all of these things, how can we ever know all that there is to know about the mysteries of the great, wide world? When his sister invites him to help her pull out the weeds in her garden, one particularly weedy patch catches his attention. His patience and curiosity and sense of wonder lead to a pleasant discovery for both siblings. Soft and hazy illustrations that are dappled with colour and light beautifully capture the natural setting of this story and the magic and mystery of it all which has so captivated this thoughtful young child. This quiet, ruminative story leaves lots of room for big questions and for one's own reflections on nature and knowing.
—Lisa Doucet, Co-Manager, Woozles Children’s Bookstore
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