Fall Wrap-Up

As we head deeper into fall, things are definitely getting busy. The good news is there are lots of great events going on in the book world. Even if you can't attend in person, browsing through the programs might uncover some great new authors!

• Last week (Oct. 14-18) was the Frankfurt Book Fair; stay tuned for a wrap-up with our very own Susan Shipton next week.


• Happy Teen Read Week (Oct. 18-24)! This year's theme was Read Beyond Reality; teens are invited to vote on next year's theme.


• The International Festival of Authors kicked off this week on Oct. 21 and runs until Oct. 31; visit their website for events listings or check out my list of children's lit readings and events.


• The National Reading Summit is coming up on Nov. 12 and 13; click here to view the full schedule.


• TD Canadian Children's Book Week takes place from Nov. 14 to 21. Check out this list of touring authors, illustrators, and storytellers to find out who will be visiting your province or territory! You can also order Book Kits, which include posters, bookmarks, suggested activities, and more.

More Fall 2009 Books!

Following up on last week's post about our new Fall 2009 titles, please welcome the rest of our fabulous books for kids!

Aztec and Crusades, the first two books in our new Kids @ the Crossroads series, ask the question "What if kids wrote blogs during pivotal moment in history?" The result is an innovative blend of history and high-tech storytelling. Follow 12-year-old Yoatl's adventures as he trains to be an Aztec warrior in 1519, or trace the path of the Children's Crusade across Europe with young Hans, who is determined to find his older brother. Both books are written by Laura Scandiffio; the illustrators are Tina Holdcroft (Aztec) and John Mantha (Crusades).

Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors: Ever wonder what your favourite authors were like as kids? Charis Cotter tells the stories of how six extraordinary children -- Madeleine L'Engle, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, Philip Pullman, E.B. White, and Christopher Paul Curtis -- transformed their early struggles into spellbinding books for kids.

Camp Fossil Eyes: Digging for the Origins of Words: What if your summer camp involved not swimming and hiking, but hunting for ancient, fossilized words? Mark Abley captures the fun of language sleuthing as he unearths the origins of well known words such as television (Greek), pickle (Dutch), and mosquito (Spanish)!

Hear My Roar: A Story of Family Violence: Gillian Watts teams up with artist Ben Hodson for this graphic narrative adaptation of Dr. Ty Hochban's book about family violence. Through the story of Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and little Orsa, Hear My Roar provides a gentle, non-threatening approach to talking about family violence. A new afterword by Rita Smith, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, says “This book can help children understand that they have a right to live free from violence in their own homes.”

The Great Motion Mission: A Surprising Story of Cosmic Energy and Matter: What does physics have to do with hockey and amusement park rides? Let Cora Lee help you find out! Steve Rolston's energetic artwork ensures a dynamic, high-voltage ride.

Kaboom! Explosions of All Kinds: Natural or man-made, explosions go BOOM for reasons that defy the imagination. Gillian Richardson explores all kinds of explosions, from those made by insects to get food to those used to carve Mount Rushmore.

Together: author Hazel Hutchins teams up with illustrator Alice Priestley to bring you this sweet story exploring the concept of what-goes-with-what. Whether it's buttons that keep your shirt together or shoelaces that keep your feet from dancing out of your shoes, all the items come from the child's immediate world.Wiggle Giggle Tickle Train: This rollicking tale from Nora Hilb and Sharon Jennings introduces us to children using the world around them as inspiration for play. A pony inspires a child to ride high on her father's shoulders; a sailboat sets the stage for setting off to sea in a cardboard box; and an airplane invites kids to soar like a bird.

We're also releasing new editions of two books: you can now get award-winning The Apprentice's Masterpiece (Melanie Little) in paperback, and bestselling The Paper Bag Princess (Robert Munsch, art by Michael Martchenko) as a board book!

Fall 2009 Titles Arriving!

One of the best things about working at a publishing house is watching manuscripts evolve into finished books. When the advance copies from the printers start to roll in, everyone gets pretty excited! I've got to say: our Fall 2009 books are looking good.

Allow me to introduce you to some of the new books on the block, available in September:

Shadow of the Leopard: Set in Mozambique, this is the sequel to Henning Mankell's award-winning Secrets in the Fire, and it's just as haunting and unforgettable. (Fans of crime fiction may know Mankell as the author of the bestselling Inspector Kurt Wallander series.)

Spiked Scorpions and Walking Whales: From Claire Eamer (@ceamer on Twitter!), author of Super Crocs and Monster Wings, comes a fascinating look at land animals that used to live in the sea. For example, did you know that our seas used to be inhabited by scorpions the size of crocodiles? Eek!

Chicken, Pig, Cow On the Move: The first book in this series, Chicken, Pig, Cow, just came out this spring, and author/illustrator Ruth Ohi is working on more for next season! Which is great, because I can't get enough of gutsy Chicken, easy-going Pig, and timid Cow. And who can forget drooly, snorty Dog? These picture books are destined to be classics.

The Chinese Thought of It: Most people know that the Chinese invented gunpowder. But did you know that playing cards and toilet paper are also Chinese inventions? In this latest addition to the We Thought of It series, Ting-xing Ye explores the fascinating origins of many everyday items. Other books in the series are A Native American Thought of It and The Inuit Thought of It.

Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road: This exciting tale by Priscilla Galloway and Dawn Hunter takes readers back in time on an action-packed trip along the legendary pathway that brought people, culture, and trade from Asia to the West. Follow Chinese Buddhist Xuanzang, Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, and Italian merchant Marco Polo as their travels take them to places they had never imagined.

That's all for this week: but stay tuned, as I'll be blogging about more of our Fall 2009 list next week!