DK Marvel Superheroes!

Hello everyone! DK Books have prepared the perfect quiz to go in tandem with one of their newest books, WE ARE SUPER HEROES. There are some great questions that will help you find out if you're more of a Black Panther than a Ms. Marvel.

Take the quiz HERE

Operation Readaloud

Operation Readaloud was created by Lisa von Drasek (formerly of Bank Street and now directing the Kerlan Collection) in response to the need to aggregate children's book creators read-alouds while children are sequestered at home. Submissions from all authors and illustrators are more than welcome! There are millions of Canadian kids out there who had their school years cut short by the pandemic, and countless more who don't have access to the generous resources our school systems and libraries provide. Spread the word, my friends! You never know how far a virtual read-along can go!

Here is the link to Lisa von Drasek's Facebook page for Operation Readaloud:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/138080447610791/

DK Canada's "Stay Home, Stay Curious" Campaign

DK Canada is thrilled to share their "Stay Home, Stay Curious" campaign on DK Canada's website.

This hub will house content from across DK Canada's books and divisions. Everything from home learning ideas, recipe extracts to great Canadian content such as a free downloadable teacher's guide for Our Great Prime Ministers. There's also DIY ideas & Gardening tips as well as excerpts to make staying fit at home easy!

#OperationReadAloud

Operation Read Aloud is a much needed site to aggregate children's book creators to read-aloud while children are sequestered at home. Join the group to enjoy story-time with your little ones, all while watching some of our favourite authors #readaloud.

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!

Ken Liu & Chinese Sci-Fi Translations!

Hello to all you lovely Sci-Fi fans. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to read Cixin Liu's SF-revelation The Three-Body Problem which was published by TOR (one of my favorite books in recent memory), please do yourself a favor: head to your nearest Indie Bookstore and buy a copy immediately. If you're like me, and you've read it already (and perhaps more of Liu's work, revolving in and around this series) there's a great article to check out that centers on the book's translator, Ken Liu.

Check out the full article here:

OLA Superconference 2020 Author Signings- HarperCollins/Harlequin

Please be sure to visit the HarperCollins (732/734) and Harlequin (730) Booths at the OLA Superconference this week! 

We have some great authors signing throughout the day on Thursday and Friday, and lots of great ARC giveaways and contests in-booth!

Thursday, Jan 30^th

• Molly Fader (The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season) 10:30am
• Kate Hilton (Better Luck Next Time) 10:30am
• Bryn Turnbull (The Woman Before Wallis) 11:30am 
• The Fan Brothers (The Scarecrow) 12:30pm 
• Hannah Mary McKinnon (Sister Dear) 2:30pm.

 Friday, Jan 31st

• Kelly Rimmer (Truths I Never Told You) 10:30am 
• Jessica Westhead (Worry) 10:30am
• Ken Oppel (Bloom) 11:30am 
• Kate Elizabeth Russell (My Dark Vanessa)- 12:30 pm 

Tune in tomorrow for a preview of some of the ARCs we'll have on hand at the HarperCollins booth!

Hope to see you at the conference!

Rosalyn

The Biblio File - An Amazing Bookish Podcast!

The Biblio File, hosted by Nigel Beale, is one of the world's leading podcasts on all things book-nerdy! In Nigel's own words, his podcast "features wide-ranging conversations with authors, poets, book publishers, booksellers, book editors, book collectors, book makers, book scholars, book critics, book designers, book publicists, literary agents and other certified bibliophiles". Recently, he sat down with Leslie Hurtig and Jan Walter to discuss, among other things, their experiences over the years in the Canadian book industry and the lasting impact that Leslie's father, Mel Hurtig, had on the industry.

Check out Nigel's interview with Leslie Hurtig & Jan Walter here

Booknet Canada - Innovative Bookselling Podcast

The good data folks over at Booknet Canada have been putting out consistent podcasts for the past couple years that delve into all sorts of Book-Industry topics, hosted by the charming and knowledgeable Zalina Alvi. Recently, one of their podcasts focused on outside-the-box partnerships in book-selling, as well as innovative practices that several interviewed bookstore owners offer. But there's so much more! And if podcasts aren't for you, there's an entire transcript of the conversation to skim through.

Check out the podcast here:

Interested in more Booknet Canada podcasts? There's a whole bunch more here

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!

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! 

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.

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!