Paper is NOT Dead

LOVE IT!

Marissa Meyer!

Ok so it's not the best picture but still worth sharing. Marissa Meyer , author of Cinder and Scarlet was in town recently to promote her book. One of the booksellers, (who had been Marissa's Pen Pal for ten years but had never met her until now), made this awesome sweatshirt for Marissa's first visit to T-dot.

The School For Good and Evil - A Spellbinding New Middle Grade Novel

One of my picks for Spring/Summer is a funny, completely engaging debut middle grade novel from Soman Chainani called The School For Good and Evil. For those who love fairy tales re-imagined, this is a must read! 

Two best friends live in a village in the middle of an endless forest where all the children in town read fairy tales voraciously. Every four years, two children are snatched from the village by a School Master- one taken to a school for good, one to a school for evil. Those who survive graduate into fairy tales. 

The lovely Sophie is certain she is a princess and is desperate to be the one taken so she can win the prince of her dreams. Her friend Agatha, is plain and lives in a graveyard. She suspects that those who are taken meet with a foul end, so she tries to save Sophie from the School Master. Her plan backfires as both girls are taken. But the story REALLY begins when Agatha is deposited at the School for Good and Sophie at the School for Evil. As Sophie juggles her 'Uglification' and 'How to Train Your Henchmen' homework with plots to get into the school she thinks she belongs in, Agatha plots to find a way to get both girls home. But first, there are balls to attend, boys hearts to win, mysteries to solve, and magical curses to thwart!

The School For Good and Evil is funny, inventive and has a good (but not preachy) message about the beauty inside and the power of friendship.    

If you aren't intrigued already, I bet you will be after checking out the book trailer below!

 

-Rosalyn

Libraries of the Future

You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack, which collects many of Tom Gauld’s cartoons for The Guardian, is out in April. LOVE IT!

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park has been an in-house favourite and now it is out the buzz is building even more. It has already gone into three printings since it came out in February and has had starred reviews in Kirkus, Booklist and PW. The NYT gave it a rave review. My favourite line from the review was ‘Eleanor & Park’ reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.” 

C.A.K.E.

The inaugural Comic Arts for Kids Expo (CAKE), will take place on March 23rd, at Lillian H Smith Library in Toronto. The author list is pretty great! C-Ton, Evan Munday, Willow Dawson, The Brothers Leung and many more! Creators will also be asked to draw a panel on giant sheets of paper with kids. The panels  will be hung  on the wall. By the end of the day, they expect to have a giant comic story created by all of those taking part in CAKE.  (Small Printers and Little Islanders will be chronicling the creation of this mural throughout the day. Time lapse video. Enough said. )

Arranged by Little Island Comics and Small Print. For more info go to: Small Print.

Booklists Youth Announcements: Spring 2013 Webinar

One of my FAVE picture books this season.

 Windblown from OWLKids.

Check out this free hour-long webinar March 15th spotlighting new youth spring titles! Representatives from Owlkids, Groundwood Books, Sleeping Bear Press, Zondervan, and Holiday House will showcase their picture books and middle-grade novels for sharing aloud or for independent reading, as well as exciting new titles for young adults. Moderated by Booklist’s Books for Youth editorial director Gillian Engberg. To register click here.

Graphic Novel Webinar Today

J. Torres (Bigfoot Boy) and Scott Chantler (Three Thieves) present at this Booklist webinar — you can watch live or register to have the webcast emailed to you.

Panel Discussion: New Graphic Novels for Libraries and Classroom 

The popularity of graphic novels among readers of all ages continues to soar. Tune in for a preview of hot spring titles and industry insights from both graphic novel publishers and creators in this free, hour-long webinar moderated by Booklist Books for Youth editorial director Gillian Engberg and featuring a panel of representatives from Kids Can Press, ABDO Publishing, DC Entertainment, and Viz Media. Click here to register.