The Most Borrowed Library Books of 2019 - So Far!

Amidst all the great studies and data sifting, BookNet Canada put together a study that delves into library books and Canadians' borrowing habits in the first half of 2019. They explore the metrics of popularity within age range and genre, coupling together the most popular titles with a few surprises. Curious? Check out the full article here - and remember to keep supporting your local library branch!

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

Allison Mills Talks "The Ghost Collector"

Allison Mills, the debut author of Annick's lead title for the Fall 2019 season, "The Ghost Collector", recently sat down with the good people over at School Library Journal for an extended interview. All sorts of topics were covered, including Allison's familial inspiration for the book, the thematic presence of troubled and healing relationships, what kind of books she wanted to read as a kid, and her background in children`s literature. Allison`s book comes out September 10th; it`s spooky, fun, and heartwarming. You don`t want to miss it!

Link to the full interview:

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=allison-mills-on-the-ghost-collector

#MOVETHEDATE - Earth's Overshoot Day

The good folks over at New Society Publishers are doing their part to raise awareness about climate change, and our relationship with the environment. Ecological Footprint, written by Mathis Wackernagel and Bert Beyers. Earth's Overshoot Day, according to a quote on New Society's website, "marks the date when humanity’s annual demand on nature exceeds what Earth’s ecosystems can regenerate in that year." In 2019, Earth's Overshoot Day was July 29th - the earliest ever. It's a natural reaction to feel individually dwarfed by the global crisis of climate change, but there are ways to help! Every little thing you do matters. If you want to check out some steps to move the date, follow the link here - and if you want an extended overview of the whole situation, check out https://www.overshootday.org/ and explore. Blessings to you, fellow Earthling! We're all in this together.

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!

Independence: Roots in the Community

Sales at independent bookstores rose nearly 5 percent in 2018. CreditJeenah Moon for The New York Times

Although the book business seems to be shifting in the direction of e-commerce, spurred on by Amazonian giants, independent bookstores are not going away; rather, they are experiencing a resurgence, and becoming cultural hearths of their communities. The New York Times recently published a very interesting article on this topic, interviewing booksellers from New York`s McNally Jackson, exploring the tailspin of Barnes and Noble, and shedding light on how difficult yet important it is to keep independent bookstores afloat.

Check out the article! It elaborates on much more than we can summarize:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/business/independent-bookstores.html?searchResultPosition=1

Bestselling Indigenous Books in Canada

BookNet Canada has compiled a useful and informative list on the bestselling Indigenous books in Canada, which you can find here. Forty titles are included in total, ranging in the categories of Fiction, Non-Fiction, Juvenile and YA Fiction, and Juvenile and YA Non-Fiction. BookNet put some serious work into this data collection, so please check it out! It`s a great place to start if you`re interested in exploring Canadian Indigenous Literature for the first time, or catching up on any titles you might`ve missed.

BookNet has also put together a handy Catalist catalogue containing all 40 titles, to compliment their research.

Esme Weijun Wang: The Collected Schizophrenias

"In Wang's kaleidoscopic essays, memoir has been shattered into sliding and overlapping pieces...Her multifaceted arguments can be gratifyingly mind-expanding" - The New York Times

Esme Weijun Wang, author of The Collected Schizophrenias, which was published by Graywolf Press, was interviewed by Peter Armstrong on CBC The Sunday Edition on June 30. Wang's book presents a rare first-person account of someone suffering from schizophrenia, relating her terrifying involuntary hospitalizations and constant social alienation as she attempts to dissolve the stigma that surrounds the disorder. In her own words, Wang says "I haven't figured out what OK is, but I think the closest thing to OK is what is not actively suffering...being healthy is not having to think about how you feel all the time."

Link to the CBC interview:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/writer-esm-

weijun-wang-on-life-with-the-collected-schizophrenias

John Oliver & the Amazon Warehouses

 

John Oliver, the celebrated host of Last Week Tonight, spent almost an entire episode discussing the perils of Amazon and their labyrinthine warehouses. The Week wrote a nice article that condenses many of Oliver`s key points, and provides a good summation of the episode for those of us without HBO (and those of us in Canada, blocked by YouTube`s access). Our main takeaway is this: don`t be a lazy shopper! Get out there and support your local Independent Bookstore, friends!

Where To Travel - Based On Your Hogwarts House!

For the Potters, Cedrics, Lunas, and Malfoy's alike: Lonely Planet has the ultimate article on your next travel destination! Based upon your House (which, if you don't know where you belong yet, head over to pottermore.com to take the test), Lonely Planet offers a plethora of ideas, from Canada to Tokyo, from Nicaragua to Ethiopia. If only broomsticks were real...but then again, would any of us really want to jet over the Pacific on a Firebolt, romantic as it sounds?

Whatever you do, remember the Sorting Hat's wisdom: you have the final say on where you end up!

Anthony Daniels and C-3PO: The Man In The Machine

How else are you supposed to prepare for Episode 9? DK Publishing has a very exciting new title coming out this November, a little over a month before the third Star Wars trilogy is set to conclude, and it is written by a droid who's been there since the beginning. Anthony Daniels is the man behind the lovable golden visage that is C-3PO: companion to Luke, translator to R2-D2, made animate by the yet-to-be sinister Young Anakin in Episode One...no, maybe we should forget about Episode One. Except Darth Maul; oh, and Liam Neeson's ponytail.

Anyways, Mr. Daniels' autobiography, I AM C-3PO: The Inside Story (with a foreword by J.J. Abrams) jets from his first words onscreen - and the first words in the entire Star Wars franchise - to lifelong friendships with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, among others. What was it like, clumping around in that gold shell for twelve-hour day shoots? Was Anthony Daniels ever in danger? How'd he use the bathroom? Perhaps you'll find out, young Padawan!  

Tarnished Wisdom: John Waters, the First Filth Elder

The grotesque king sits upon his throne, and imparts as much wisdom as we can bear! John Waters, the pencil-mustache visionary behind such cult classics as Pink Flamingos and Hairspray, has been all over the US late-night talk shows recently, sharing some revelations and excerpts from his book, Mr. Know-It-All. An interview Mr. Waters did with Bill Maher can be found here, as well as a delightful chat with Terry Gross from NPR. Hopefully, we'll see the legend himself on CBC Q with Tom Power at some point in the future!

Head on over to  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux's website to order yourself a copy of John Waters' new book; or enjoy the summer air, and waltz on over to your nearest independent bookstore!

Dax DaSilva's Age Of Union - Anteism Books

The newest title from Anteism Books, Dax Dasilva's Age Of Union, is an entrancing work both aesthetically and thematically. Grounded in four pillars—leadership, culture, spirituality, and nature the book advocates—the book advocates that the time for change is now and that our choices are the catalyst.

Also, Anteism has opened up a new exhibition space! There's a nice shot of it below Dax's book. It's still under construction, but set to open up later in June. It's a 4000 square-feet level space on Beaubien Ave in the Mile X neighborhood in Montreal. They're planning to use the space to present installations around their new Fall titles, and Anteism hopes to eventually open an art book store!

Photo credits: Nik Mirus

  

Melinda Gates: The Moment of Lift on CBC

Melinda Gates, the wife of Microsoft's founder Bill Gates, is a force for change in her own right. Her book, The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, was published in April 2019 by Flatiron Books to universal acclaim. Taking account of her vast travels across the globe over the past twenty years, Melinda relays both personal tales and universal anecdotes of the worldwide battle for feminine empowerment.

On June 4th, Melinda Gates stopped by the CBC's The Current, and had a fascinating discussion with Anne Marie Tremontie. You can find the interview here (which starts around the 22:00 minute mark).

Woodstock '69 to '19: Celebrating Fifty Years with Michael Lang

The legend of Woodstock comes full circle! Curated by Michael Lang, one of the original co-founders and promoters for the immortal festival that took place from August 15-18 in 1969 (attended by nearly half a million people), Real Art Press's Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music is the quintessential guide for fans both young and old. Set to release just in time for the anniversary in July 2019, the book includes many never-before-seen photographs, artist setlists and correspondences, along with contracts and design plans for the event. From Hendrix to the Who, Santana to Jefferson Airplane, and Creedence Clearwater Revival to Janis Joplin, all performances live on, thanks to Michael Lang!

Want to explore some more titles by Real Art Press? Visit their website.

Also, check out a sweet promo vid that Real Art Press put together for the book!

Arsenal Authors Win Lambda Literary Awards in Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Fiction

 

Hooray! We are proud to announce that three books from Arsenal Pulp Press have won Lambda Literary Awards in the categories of Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Fiction! The awards were presented at a ceremony in New York last night (June 3).

Larissa Lai’s visionary novel The Tiger Flu won the Lammy for Lesbian Fiction. It was also shortlisted for the Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize and appeared on the James Tiptree Jr. Honor List.

Joshua Whitehead’s Indigiqueer novel Jonny Appleseed won the Lammy for Gay Fiction. It was also shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, the Firecracker Award for Fiction, the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, and the George Bugnet Fiction Award, and was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Casey Plett’s brilliant novel Little Fish won the Lammy for Transgender Fiction. It also won the $60,000 Amazon Canada First Novel Award and was shortlisted for the Firecracker Award for Fiction and the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award. 

Eve Ensler & The Apology: Toronto Talks

Eve Ensler, author of The Apology, and most known for her  bestseller-sensation The Vagina Monologues, was in Toronto yesterday (June 3rd) for an event with the "In Her Voice" series produced by Ben McNally Books. Taking place at Victoria College, and moderated by Denise Balkisoon, the event provided inspiring and moving insights to all those who attended. We wish Eve well as her book tour for The Apology, published by Bloomsbury Books, continues its route into Chicago!

Eve Ensler also had an interview with Anna Maria Tremonti for CBC The Current on the morning of June 4th which will  be broadcast on Tuesday, June 11. Topics of discussion included atonement, trauma, and sexual violence.

One more thing: Eve Ensler was interviewed by Judith Gerstel for Zoomer Magazine, which you can find here.

Follow Eve Ensler on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eveensler/ 

Here's Eve's website: 

http://www.eveensler.org/

And finally, here's the Instagram for Eve's new book, The Apology:

https://www.instagram.com/theapology/

Three Cheers for Kid McGear!

Anyone remember Mighty Machines?  Kid McGear, the hardworking brainchild of Sherri Duskey Rinker and AG Ford, is the newest truck to join the Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site crew, an incredibly popular children's title from Chronicle Books. Can the new Kid on the site prove she's big enough? 

Three Cheers For Kid McGear will be released on September 24th. In the meantime, Chronicle has put together a fun character reveal video done by illustrator AG Ford, which you can watch here, and a dedicated landing page which you can view here.

#AskAnnick: An Online Opportunity!

Greetings, everyone! Our friends over at Annick Press will be answering questions about the children's publishing industry on Twitter this Thursday (May 30th), from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (EST). #AskAnnick is the hashtag to remember! Ready up those thumbs for an hour of inquiries, and help Annick open up an untapped resevoir! What do they need more, in terms of books? What are you seeking to read? What are you seeking to write? Annick is always looking for new and fresh voices, especially diverse ones, and they feel this is a great platform to get the conversation going.

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day!

Pay your local indie bookstore a special visit on April 27th, to show them some love and support on Canadian Independent Bookstore Day! This day is meant to support the amazing independent bookstores in our communities, and to encourage people to go out and visit their local bookstores.  Click here for a list of Canadian independent bookstores that will be participating in this years' Independent Bookstore Day! 

Library Venues are Trending!

Who said libraries are only for reading?  Libraries are becoming the latest venue trend for weddings and party celebrations! These venues are central and affordable, and are perfect for dance parties and dinner events. Plus, everyone is surrounded by beautiful books!  Contact Toronto Public Library at venuerentals@torontopubliclibrary.ca, to plan your next event!

Man Booker Longlist Announced

With Canada Reads over, many of us are looking for a new curated booklist to work through. Luckily, the Man Booker International longlist, or "Man Booker Dozen," was recently revealed. Like a baker's dozen, it consists of thirteen toothsome delights to delve into before the winner is announced on May 21st. These translated novels hail from Chile (The Remainder) to South Korea (At Dusk) and everywhere in between, each promising an engaging and challenging read. For full details of the shortlist check out the Man Booker International website, where the shortlist will be posted on April 9th.

The Woes of the Comic Industry -- Interview with Faith Erin Hicks

Award-winning comics creator, Faith Erin Hicks, describes in her own words what it was like to write her first YA novel, Comics Will Break Your Heart, and her experience in the comic industry.

Hicks shares how as a comic creator, it was extremely difficult for her to read about how some comic creators don't retain ownership of the characters they create, or they lose copyright to their creations. This book was inspired by these issues, and to shed light on the struggle many comics face in this industry. 

Comics Will Break Your Heart is a sensitive and funny modern day romance, and shows what it takes to heal the past.  Click here to read more!

Canada Reads is finally here!

At long last, the week of Canada Reads is upon us, when bookish Canadians join together to listen to "literary Survivor." The debates take place at 11 a.m. today, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. There are many ways you can tune in: watch the livestream on cbc.ca/books, YouTube or Facebook, watch on CBC TV, listen on CBC Radio or on your favourite podcast app. For full details, check out the site. See you there!

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! 

Kate Greenaway and CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlists Announced

The shortlists for the Kate Greenaway Medal and the CILIP Carnegie Medal were released this week. The Kate Greenaway shortlist includes bewitching ode to nature The Lost Words (House of Anansi) illustrated by Jackie Morris, alongside the latest from Jon Klassen, an illustrated history of the suffragette movement by David Roberts, and more. Last year saw Canadian illustrator Sydney Smith win for his illustrations in Town Is by the Sea (Groundwood Books).

Mark your calendars for June 18th when the winner is announced!

Happy Birthday, Toronto! 5 of Toronto's Oldest Indie Bookstores

This year, the City of Toronto is turning 185 years old!  This post features some of the oldest independent bookstores throughout the city. Click here to see how these historic bookstores have changed and grown with the support of readers over the years!

Books in Fashion, Ooh La La!

French creator and fashion designer, Sylvie Facon, creates stunning designer dresses made from book spines! Click here to view more of her bookish creations.

Turning Death Threats into a Comic Book

Artist Ness Lee and writer Vivek Shraya are interviewed by Vice Canada in this video essay, about the making of their graphic novel Death Threat.  

Death Threat tells the story of Vivek Shraya's experiences with receiving vivid and disturbing transphobic  hate mail from a stranger in the Fall of 2017.  Together artist Ness Lee and Vivek Shraya bring these letters and Shraya's responses to startling life.  Book available April 2019.

Step into Spring with CBC Books' Spring 2019 Kids&YA Preview!

Step into Spring with this list of CBC Books' Spring 2019 Kids and YA preview!  This list features two of Raincoast's Spring books, Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks, and The Worst Book Ever by Elise Gravel.  Keep your eyes peeled for these amazing books coming out in the first half of 2019!

Comics Will Break Your Heart is a funny, Romeo and Juliet tale of modern romance, about a family who should have become rich from their grandfather's smash-hit comics series, “The TomorrowMen.” But when he sold his rights to the series for practically nothing, Miriam and her family are left with nothing. When a cute boy shows up in Miriam's town, Miriam's life gets a lot more complicated when the boy turns out to be the grandson of the man who defrauded Miriam's grandfather, and is now heir to the comic series fortune. Will these two families be able to heal the long-festering scars of the past?

The Worst Book Ever takes the reader on an unexpected journey, where award-winning author Elise Gravel attempts to write the world's most boring book. But her rebellious and goofy characters are having none of it. What was supposed to be a blasé story quickly transforms into a unique and hilarious tale as the characters steer the narrative in a more interesting direction. After all, the characters are stuck in the story forever!

Look out for these Raincoast Books on CBC's Spring 2019 Canadian Fiction list!

Raincoast has two books on CBC Book's newly-released Spring 2019 Canadian Fiction list! A Deadly Divide by Ausma Zehanat Khan will be on sale Feb 12/2019, and Radicalized by Cory Doctorow comes out March 19/2019.

Wattpad is launching it's own Publishing Imprint!

Wattpad's online social storytelling platform has announced that it will be launching it's own book publishing imprint, Wattpad Books!  Using their unique machine learning technology and their editors, Wattpad will select stories from their site for publication. This September, Wattpad will launch its first six titles, ranging from fantasy to YA to mystery. Keep an eye out for these promising new reads! 

Human Rights, Crisis, and Writing

Immigration lawyer, magazine editor, a PhD in international human rights law - Oh, did we mention she's also a badass mystery fiction series writer? Ausma Zehanat Khan is a person of phenomenal talent, and yet stays incredibly down-to-earth. In this interview on Rungh.org, Zehanat Khan gets into the roots of her writing, what drives her, and how her real life research and experience has influenced her work. Her newest title, A Deadly Divide, hits shelves February 2019. Check out her past work here! 

Introducing Red Apple Reading!

Canadian Children's Book Centre is excited to launch it's new Red Apple Reading program! This is a fantastic online community where Canadian librarians and educators connect through their love of books for children and teens. Ask librarians and educations questions and share ideas by joining their Facebook community online! 

The Legacy of George and Hana Brady

The significance of Hana's Suitcase cannot be understated. This amazing story of a brother's search for his sister and the Japanese curator who worked on bring closure to touched many of us. In fact this book is one of the most awarded Canadian children's books of the past 20 years. Hana's Suitcase inspired a play, movie and has been translated into 40 different languages.

George Bradywho was searching for his sister for over 50 years and who inspired this book passed away on January 11th, 2019. To hear the documentary that started it all you can go here.

A Year of Beautiful Covers!

Here's to celebrating a year of beautiful Canadian book covers! Click here for The Canadian Children's Book Centre's list of Favourite Book Covers of 2018.

HAVE A HOLLY AND A JOLLY :)

Harry Potter Book Night is Thursday 7th February 2019!

This year's theme is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you are a bookstore or a library and want to host Harry Potter Book Night please contact michelle@raincoast.com and she will set you up with an awesome kit sure to delight all! For more information you can go here. Let the good times begin!

Loan Stars Jr is rocking and rolling!

Loan Stars Jr. is here! The adult program has been a great success. 

Every month for three years, library staff have voted for their most anticipated fiction and non-fiction reads. And thanks to their efforts, the Loan Stars top pick lists boast over 300 adult titles! 

And now the kidlets (books) can join in.

Titles publishing in March 2019 (and beyond) are eligible for Loan Stars Jr. picks. The first list will be released in March and it will consist of March and April 2019 titles (10 in total).  Read more about how you can participate. 

Snoop is in the House!

Snoop Dogg has written a new cookbook  From Crook to Cook and it is cannabis free. Here's a clip from his tour promoting the book...he really loves Canada!

Friday Black

Race, class, consumerism, and justice? Tackling some of the most relevant issues we face today, Nan Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's debut collection of short stories has it all. Friday Black has been described by Roxane Gay with three simple words: "read this book." Adjei-Brenyah recently joined CBC's Q with guest host Saroja Coelho to chat about his sudden rise and the themes he tackles in his fantastic authorial debut. Check out the interview here.