Blue Spruce Awards Go Virtual!

The Blue Spruce Awards are going virtual! Visit Forest of Reading (see attachment for the link ; read-aloud schedule) to catch this years Blue Spruce Nominees!  These books will enrich young readers learning experiences with beautiful illustrations blended with fun, interesting, and exciting stories.

Paper Bag Princess Turns 40: A Podcast Primer

A classic of children's literature will be celebrating a big birthday in May 2020; its 40th, to be precise. And what a celebration it will be! Robert Munsch's seminal story, The Paper Bag Princess, has been adored by millions of children around the globe, and inspired countless artists over the last forty years to challenge the framework of 'normal' fairy-tales. The CBC recently published an illuminating interview (which you can check out here) on Munsch's creative process and various inspirations for PBP, along with the exclamation that Elizabeth's proud declaration of independence is indeed a happy ending; Munsch adds, "That's the ending it's supposed to have."

Stay tuned for more PBP news & updates - there's going to be plenty this year!

Child of Glass by Beatrice Alemagna

A tribute to strength and sensitivity, Child of Glass perfectly expresses our dual desires to embrace ourselves and to fit in. Italian author Beatrice Alemagna uses transparent pages and collage-like illustrations to bring her heroine to life in this poignant tale.

Resonating with many, the book has received a starred review in the School Library Journal, and was a 2019 NYT/NYPL Best Illustrated Children's Book.

Kirkus Reviews say it will "reach both small and older readers struggling to conceal, manage, and express complicated inner worlds."

Hervé Tullet: Inside the Creative Process

Hervé Tullet is the wondrous mind behind the worldwide-acclaimed children's book Press Here, published by Chronicle Books, among another 80-odd titles he's put out. He recently sat down with the New York Times to discuss his studio work-space and the methods he utilizes in crafting his unique art, as well as moving his entire operation (and family) from Paris to Harlem. The extended interview can be found here

Mr. Tullet is currently engaged in a project he calls "The Ideal Exhibition", a multifaceted, hands-on workshop that allows all who visit to contribute to his art. You can check out the promotional vid here

Curiosity Day - September 14th!

Curiosity Day is approaching, my friends! The smiling legend that is Curious George, published for decades by the renowned Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, will be celebrated nationwide on September 14th, 2019. Booksellers, please consult the handy-dandy poster for any information you might need, and if there's anything you need to know that isn't on there, please email Michelle & Ellen over at Raincoast with your requests!

In the meantime, friends, stay Curious, and enjoy the rest of the summer!

The first Loan Star Jr. list!

BookNet Canada has finally announced their Loan Stars list for Juvenile and Young Adult titles, the Loan Stars Jr. list!

This new list allows library staff to recommend forthcoming picture books, middle-grade, and YA titles.  Click here to review the top 10 picks from BookNet's first Loan Star Jr. list! 

Earthrise

The space race defined the mid-twentieth century, and culminated in one of the most remarkable achievements in human history. But in one poignant moment the gaze of this incredible, decades-long campaign was shifted from the unimaginable depths of the universe to the rare beauty of our own home. As the crew of Apollo 8 emerged from the dark side of the moon during their orbit, they became the first humans to witness Earthrise - the magnificent view of the Earth breaking the lunar horizon. The pictures the crew scrambled to take would prove awe-inspiring. This incredible documentary by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee explores this human connection to the earth from space, and contains raw footage of the Apollo 8 Earthrise. Also be sure to checkout James Gladstone and Christy Lundy's beautifully touching picture book Earthrise, that explores the impact and details of the Apollo 8 mission. 

Canada's Best New Picture Books!

Spring is upon us. And what better way to spend a rainy afternoon than curled up with a picture book! CBC has put together a collection of 12 New Canadian Picture Books to look forward to this Spring 2018, and with stories about family, fantasy, adventure, and opportunity. Canada’s picture book authors and illustrators have never looked so good! 

Imagine Peace

September 21^st is the International Day of Peace – and what anthem celebrates peace more than John Lennon’s “Imagine”? With the help of illustrator Jean Jullien, Lennon’s words have been translated into a beautiful picture book, published in partnership with Amnesty International. Celebrate the International Day of Peace with these fantastic “Imagine Day” activity kits, available here. 

For more details on the International Day of Peace, and Imagine, head over to this beautiful website featuring Lennon's music video, and user written messages of peace from around the world. Be sure to leave your own!

Finding Winnie

We've all seen the fantastic Historica Canada video on the Canadian roots of the bear the world has come to know as Winnie the Pooh from the book series by A.A. Milne. I don't know about you, but I've always wondered how the soldier from the video, Captain Harry Colebourn, came in possession of Winnie in the first place. Well, after reading the lovely picture book FINDING WINNIE, now I know!

Author Lindsay Mattick is the great grand-daughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian who enlisted in 1914 to care for the animals that were sent to serve the troops overseas in WWI. At one of the train stops en route from Manitoba to the training camp in Quebec, Harry bought a bear cub from a trapper. He named the bear Winnipeg (Winnie for short) and she became the mascot for the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade. Before deploying to France, Colebourn donated Winnie to the London Zoo for safekeeping. 

Excerpt:

"That's the end of Harry and Winnie's story," I said. 

"But I don't want it to be over," said Cole.

"Sometimes", I said, "you have to let one story end so the next one can begin."

"How do you know when that will happen?"

"You don't," I said. "Which is why you should always carry on."

It was at the London Zoo that a young boy named Christopher Robin befriended the bear, a friendship that spawned the book series, and later, the Disney films we all know and love.

The book is plotted as a bedtime story that a mother is reading to her son, which she reveals at the end is not just a bedtime story, but rather to be a true family story. The last few pages of the book are set up like a family 'Album' featuring photos of Harry and Winnie and other ephemera.  

Lindsay stopped by the HarperCollins offices in Toronto on Wednesday November 11th between media interviews for a meet and greet with our staff. She gave a very interesting talk about her family history, the process of writing the book, and the reasons why she wanted to share the story with a new generation of children, including her son Cole, who was named after his great-great-grandfather.

Do check out this beautiful and educational new picture book! 

Want to read more? 

• The fantastic blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast did a roundtable discussion back in September featuring the women behind FINDING WINNIE: Lindsay, illustrator Sophie Blackhall, Little, Brown (U.S. publisher) editor Susan Rich and Little, Brown art director Saho Fujii.  Check it out here if you haven't seen it, as it features lots of interesting information about the process of creating the book!

• Lindsay worked with Ryerson University on an exhibit called Remembering the Real Winnie. Many of the family artifacts that are featured at the end of the book were on display at the exhibit. Don't worry if you missed it- Ryerson has made an online archive that you can still access. 

-Rosalyn