Forest of Reading Awards

June 12, 2020June 11, 2020 | Tasha

The 2020 Forest of Reading Award finalists have been announced. Each year, students across Canada vote for their favorite title to select the winner. The winners will be announced on June 16th in an online children’s book festival hosted by the CBC. Here are the awards and their respective finalists:

BLUE SPRUCE AWARD (picture books for K-2)

Emma's Gems

Emma’s Gems by Anne Renaud & Leanne Franson

Giraffe and Bird Together Again

Giraffe & Bird Together Again by Rebecca Bender

The Magic Boat

Magic Boat by Katherine Farris & Kit Pearson, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard

Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden

Me, Toma & the Concrete Garden by Andrew Larson, illustrated by Anne Villeneuva

Mustafa

Mustafa by Marie-Louise Gay

A Plan for Pops

A Plan for Pops by Heather Smith, illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

The Reptile Club

Reptile Club by Maureen Fergus, illustrated by Elina Ellis

Sleep, Sheep!

Sleep, Sheep! by Kerry Lyn Sparrow, illustrated by Guillaume Perreault

Sloth at the Zoom

Sloth at the Zoom by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Orbie

That's Not Hockey!

That’s Not Hockey by Andree Poulin, illustrated by Felix Girard

SILVER BIRCH EXPRESS AWARD (Grages 3-4)

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk

Dragons in a Bag (Dragons in a Bag #1)

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot

Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photo That Changed the World

Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photograph that Changed the World by James Gladstone, illustrated by Christy Lundy

Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes

Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes by Wab Kinew, illustrated by Joe Morse

Light A Candle/Tumaini Pasipo Na Tumaini

Light a Candle: Tumaini Pasipo Na Tumaini by Godfrey Knongolo and Eric Walters, illustrated by Eva Campbell

Mary, Who Wrote Frankenstein

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey & Julia Sarda

Scholastic Canada Biography: Meet Tom Longboat

Meet Tom Longboat by Elizabeth MacLeod, illustrated by Mike Deas

Megabat (Megabat #1)

Megabat by Anna Humphrey, illustrated by Kass Reich

The Mushroom Fan Club

The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel

Wicked Nix

Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, illustrated by Jaime Zollars

SILVER BIRCH FICTION AWARD (Grades 3-6)

Anyone's Game

Cross Ups: Anyone’s Game by Sylv Chiang, illustrated by Connie Choi

Inkling

Inkling by Kenneth Oppel, illustrated by Sydney Smith

My Life as a Diamond

My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane (Black Hollow Lane, #1)

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel

Oculum

Oculum by Philippa Dowding

Orange for the Sunsets

Orange for the Sunsets by Tina Athaide

A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying

A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

Wings of Olympus (Wings of Olympus #1)

Wings of Olympus by Kallie George, illustrated by Fiona Hsieh

Winnie's Great War

Winnie’s Great War by Linsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

YELLOW CEDAR AWARD (Nonfiction for Grades 4-8)

Be Prepared!

Be Prepared! The Frankie MacDonald Guide to Life, the Weather, and Everything
by Frankie MacDonald & Sarah Sawler

Beavers

Beavers by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Nicholas John Frith

Extreme Abilities: Amazing Human Feats and the Simple Science Behind Them

Extreme Abilities: Amazing Human Feats and the Simple Science behind Them by Galadriel Watson, illustrated by Cornelia Li

Follow Your Stuff: Who Makes It, Where Does It Come From, How Does It Get to You?

Follow Your Stuff: What Makes It, Where Does It Come From, How Does It Get To You? by Kevin Sylvester & Michael Hlinka

Amazing Hockey Stories: Hayley Wickenheiser

Hayley Wickenheiser: Amazing Hockey Stories by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illustrated by D.A. Bishop

Highrise: The Towers in the World and the World in the Towers

Highrise: The Towers in the World & The World in the Towers by Katerina Cizek

Hubots: Real-World Robots Inspired by Humans

Hubots: Real-World Robots Inspired by Humans by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Alex Ries

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History
by Allison Matthews-David & Serah-Marie McMaho, illustrated by Gillian Wilson

My River: Cleaning Up the Lahave River

My River: Cleaning Up the LaHave River by Anne Laurel Carter with Stella Bowles

Too Young to Escape

Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family
by Van Ho & Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

RED MAPLE AWARD (Fiction for Grades 7-8)

Call of the Wraith (The Blackthorn Key, #4)

Call of the Wraith by Kevin Sands

Crush (Berrybrook Middle School, #3)

Crush by Svetlana Chmakova

A Grain of Rice

A Grain of Rice by Nhung Tran-Davies

In the Key of Nira Ghani

In the Key of Nira Ghani by Natasha Deen

The Light Between Worlds

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

No Fixed Address

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

Operatic

Operatic by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiller

Stowaway

Stowaway by Pam Withers

Surviving the City (Surviving the City, #1)

Surviving the City by Tasha Spillet, Illustrated by Natasha Donovan

The Unteachables

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

WHITE PINE AWARD (Fiction for High Schoolers)

All Our Broken Pieces

All Our Broken Pieces by L.D. Crichton

Baggage

Baggage by Wendy Phillips

The Beauty of the Moment

Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena

Comics Will Break Your Heart

Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin Hicks

Crown of Feathers (Crown of Feathers, #1)

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

Sadie

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Synchro Boy

Synchro Boy by Shannon McFerran

We Contain Multitudes

We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – June 12

June 12, 2020June 11, 2020 | Tasha

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

7 books to help talk to your kids about racism, as recommended by black authors – Glamour

20 Canadian books for kids and teens to read for National Indigenous History Month – CBC

20+ children’s books that discuss race and racism – My Modern Met

25 must-read books for 4th graders – Book Riot

43 must-read books about racism for adults and kids – Chicago SunTimes

A children’s and YA anti-racist reading list – Publishers Weekly

How ‘Reading Instruction’ oppresses black and brown children – Forbes

JK Rowling gets backlash over anti-trans tweets – Variety

Revolution kid style now!: writing books (about kids) that break the rules – Horn Book

We Need Diverse Books steps up to help kidlit community – Publishers Weekly

LIBRARIES

Changes loom as public libraries begin to reopen – Publishers Weekly

How libraries are stepping up as a front line of resilience – Governing

NYC public libraries aim for July reopening, will offer grab-and-go service to start – 6sqft

Portland Library plans gradual reopening – The Portland Beacon

YA LIT

9 LGBTQ+ YA books for a joyful summer read – Nerdist

20 LGBTQ+ books for teens coming out in 2020 – Teen Vogue

21 exceptional and unputdownable YA books to read during pride – BuzzFeed

62 books by black authors we’re reading in 2020 – Teen Vogue

Chills and thrills: your summer of YA horror books – Book Riot

The utopian turn in YA lit – Los Angeles Review of Books

YA books about race and identity to diversify your teen’s bookshelf – Time Out

The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan

June 11, 2020June 11, 2020 | Tasha

The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan, illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle (9781624149238)

The little blue cottage on the bay waited patiently every year for the little girl to return. She came with the warmer weather, taking up her place in the window seat and looking out at the water. The cottage was her favorite place, filled with dolphins, seagulls, swimming and boats. When fall came, the little girl and her family left once again, leaving the cottage to face winter. Still, summer came each year and the girl arrived, growing ever bigger. Eventually though, she and the family stopped coming, leaving the blue cottage to fade to gray, empty and waiting for years. Then one day, the girl, now a mother, returned to her beloved cottage to repair it, repaint it a merry blue, and live in it once more.

Jordan’s text invites readers to really experience the seasonality of cottage life. She uses near rhymes and natural rhythms to share both the joy and loneliness of the cottage that mirrors the emotions of the humans in the story as well. The long seasons of neglect have a quiet dignity to them, while the triumphant return is a marvelous ending.

The illustrations are detailed and visually interesting. They show the cottage on its own little beach, the beauty of the busyness of the family and the light they bring with them. The growing weeds and fading paint are particularly well done. The family is multicultural, adding to the book’s appeal.

Just right for vacation reading, this one will have you dreaming of a cottage on the water. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Page Street Kids.

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Johnathan Stutzman

June 11, 2020June 12, 2020 | Tasha

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Johnathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox (9781250222855)

Llama continues on his path of scientific exploration and world destruction in this second picture book in the series following Llama Destroys the World. The book opens with the promise that by dinner Llama will have unleashed a great alpacalypse upon the world. Breakfast comes first but Llama makes an awful mess making a balanced meal. He hates to clean up, so he turns to inventing a new solution, a dangerous one, a Replicator 3000. At lunch, Llama invites Alpaca over. Alpaca loves to clean and soon is inside the replicator. With a zoop, she is replicated, but then Llama continues to push the button, creating an army of cleaning alpacas set to clean the world. As they leave Llama’s house and head out, dinnertime arrives. Disaster near, but a clever plan involving great pizza may be enough to save us all, until dessert.

I adored the first book in this series which had plenty of humor and lots of science. This second book has a lot to love too. It has less science but continues with the wild humor of the first, offering plenty of clever noises, rather clueless characters, and dangerous but exhilarating science experiments.

Fox’s art adds to much to the book with her googly-eyed Llama and Alpaca, the merrily cleaning army, and the alarmed citizens. Swirls of toilet paper, wet mop paths, and spritzes of cleaner make this just right for our pandemic sensibilities too.

One joyous mess of a picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Henry, Holt and Company.

New Zealand Book Awards Shortlists

June 10, 2020June 8, 2020 | Tasha

The shortlists for the 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for children and young adults have been announced. The awards are given in a wide variety of categories. Here are the shortlisted titles:

PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Abigail and the birth of the sun

Abigail and the Birth of the Sun, Matthew Cunningham, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins

How Maui Slowed the Sun: Tales From Aotearoa

How Māui Slowed the Sun, written and illustrated by Donovan Bixley

Goody Four-Shoes (Mini Whinny, #2)

Mini Whinny: Goody Four Shoes, Stacy Gregg, illustrated by Ruth Paul

Santa's Worst Christmas

Santa’s Worst Christmas, Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

The Gobbledegook Book

The Gobbledegook Book, Joy Cowley, illustrated by Giselle Clarkson

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION

#Tumeke!

#Tumeke!, Michael Petherick

Lizard's Tale

Lizard’s Tale, Weng Wai Chan

Moonlight The Unicorn's High Tea Hiccup (Miniwings, #6)

Miniwings Book 6 Moonlight the Unicorn’s High Tea Hiccup, Sally Sutton, illustrated by Kirsten Richards

Prince of Ponies

Prince of Ponies, Stacy Gregg

Time Machine and other stories

Time Machine and other stories, Melinda Szymanik

YOUNG ADULT FICTION AWARD

Afakasi Woman

Afakasi Woman, Lani Wendt Young

Aspiring

Aspiring, Damien Wilkins

The History Speech

The History Speech, Mark Sweet

Ursa

Ursa, Tina Shaw

Wynter's Thief

Wynter’s Thief, Sherryl Jordan

ELSIE LOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION

Kuwi & Friends Maori Picture Dictionary

Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Pānia Papa

Mophead

Mophead, Selina Tusitala Marsh

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, Ross Calman and Mark Derby, illustrated by Toby Morris, translated by Piripi Walker

The Adventures of Tupaia

The Adventures of Tupaia, Courtney Sina Meredith, illustrated by Mat Tait

Three Kiwi Tales: More fabulous fix-it stories from Wildbase Hospital

Three Kiwi Tales, Janet Hunt

RUSSELL CLARK AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION

Dozer the Fire Cat

Dozer the Fire Cat, illustrated by Jenny Cooper, written by Robyn Prokop

Santa's Worst Christmas

Santa’s Worst Christmas, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, written by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker

Song of the River

Song of the River, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews, written by Joy Cowley

The Adventures of Tupaia

The Adventures of Tupaia, illustrated by Mat Tait, written by Courtney Sina Meredith

Wildlife of Aotearoa

Wildlife of Aotearoa, illustrated and written by Gavin Bishop

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD (books written completely in te reo Māori)

Arapū Toi

Arapū Toi, Moira Wairama, illustrated by Austin Whincup

Ko Flit, Te Tīrairaka me Ngā Hēki Muna (Flit the Fantail and the Mystery Eggs Maori Edition)

Ko Flit, te Tīrairaka, me ngā Hēki Muna, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Ngaere Roberts

Nga Hoa Hoihoi o Kuwi (Kuwi's Rowdy Crowd Te Reo Maori Edition)

Ngā Hoa Hoihoi o Kuwi, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Pānia Papa

Te Kirihimete i Whakakorea (Santa's Worst Christmas Te Reo Maori Edition)

Te Kirihimete i Whakakorea, Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, translated by Kawata Teepa

Tio Tiamu te Tipia (The Smelly Giant Te Reo Maori Edition)

Tio Tiamu, Kurahau, illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers

BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

#Tumeke!

Michael Petherick for #Tumeke!

Lizard's Tale

Weng Wai Chan for Lizard’s Tale

Santa's Worst Christmas

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (illustrator) for Santa’s Worst Christmas, written by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker

The Day the Plants Fought Back

Belinda O’Keefe for The Day the Plants Fought Back, illustrated by Richard Hoit

The Smelly Giant (Tio Tiamu te Tipua English Edition)

Laya Mutton-Rogers (illustrator) for The Smelly Giant, written by Kurahau

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook

June 10, 2020June 9, 2020 | Tasha

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada, illustrated by Hyung-Ju Ko (9781945820427)

This timely read captures the work of protestors and underground activists in South Korea in the early 1980s. Hyun Sook was the first in her family to go to college. Her family and she had high hopes for her future. But on the first day of school, she has to cross through a demonstration to even enter campus. Soon she finds herself in the midst of a group of activists, even though she just wanted to join a folk dance group and a book club. As Hyun Sook starts to learn more about the Fifth Republic and the political situation she is in, her views start to change and she begins to help the revolutionaries. The work is seriously dangerous, as members of their group are taken by the police regularly and tortured. Hyun Sook must decide if she will stay and fight or quietly head back to simply going to college.

This graphic novel is so powerful. It looks at a totalitarian regime and the efforts to overthrow it, particularly the ideas and books that the regime forbids. It’s a deep dive behind the lines of the activists in the 1980’s a fictionalized graphical version of a true story that the author lived through. The courage and tenacity shown on the pages is remarkable, calling for all of us to lead our own revolutions or at least read revolutionary books.

The art is done in black and white, stark at times, violent at others. It doesn’t flinch from showing what truly happened when police took people into custody. The echoes between this and our own society are strong, making one ask questions about totalitarianism in our own western world.

A call to action, filled with anger, activism and books. Appropriate for ages 13-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Iron Circus Comics.

Play with Your Plate! by Judith Rossell

June 9, 2020June 1, 2020 | Tasha

Play with Your Plate! by Judith Rossell (9781419739071)

This clever board book opens to reveal four separate sections, all done in sturdy board pages. Little ones are encouraged to play with the sections, as each one has an engaging question on it. Can you make a plate of only circles or triangles? Can you make one of only one color? Can you find a plate with all your favorite foods? Start turning the pages and you will discover a multi-topped pizza, Japanese sushi and miso soup, tacos, sandwiches, mac and cheese, and various fruits and veggies.

This book asks children to play with it. Families will be able to come up with their own challenges for one another since the book has 4,000 combinations. Turn all the way to the end and all of the sections end with empty plates and a few crumbs.

Clever and fun, you won’t be able to stop playing with this one. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy provided by Abrams Appleseed.

Readings YA Book Prize 2020 Shortlist

June 9, 2020June 3, 2020 | Tasha

Books+Publishing has the announcement of the shortlist for the 2020 Readings YA Book Prize. The Australian prize is open to authors with a debut or second YA novel. The judges looked for books that were “great YA fiction, had diversity in style and subject matter, and were stories that young people would enjoy.” Here are the shortlisted titles:

Devil’s Ballast by Meg Caddy (published in July 2020 in the United States)

Everywhere Everything Everyone by Katy Warner

Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller

Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim (published in November 2020 in the United States)

Take the Shot by Susan White

2020 Américas Awards

June 8, 2020June 1, 2020 | Tasha

The Américas Awards are awarded by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs to “encourage and commend authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States” as well as to provide recommended titles for classroom use. Here are the 2020 awards that were announced in May:

WINNERS