2018 Governor General’s Literary Awards

November 2, 2018November 1, 2018 | Tasha

The winners of the 2018 Governor General’s Literary Awards have been announced. The awards are one of Canada’s oldest literary prizes with each winner receiving $25,000. The awards recognize seven English-language and seven French-language books. The entire list of winners can be found here. Here are the winners in the two youth categories for English-language books, both of which are incredible reads and two of my favorites of the year:

YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE – TEXT

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

Sweep by Jonathan Auxier

YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE – ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

They Say Blue

They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki

This Week’s Tweets & Pins

November 2, 2018 | Tasha

Here are some of my top news stories for the week:

CHILDREN’S LIT

10 children’s books I really, really love reading to my kids https://buff.ly/2OXUTTx #kidlit

12 Picture Books for the Fall 2018 Holiday Season – https://t.co/d0cZmqBDBS

Africville in national spotlight as Grant’s book up for Governor General’s Literary Award | The Chronicle Herald https://buff.ly/2P1jdDO #kidlit

The best children’s books to help teach your child about diversity https://buff.ly/2zduGFG #kidlit

Enchanted Lion Turns 15 https://buff.ly/2qnyO1T #kidlit

Jeff Kinney: ‘Let children read anything; I’ll never say no to a book’ https://buff.ly/2CSPiGT #kidlit

Why So Many Women Remember ‘Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret’ https://buff.ly/2qnwiZj #kidlit

LIBRARIES

Can Diverse Books Save Us? <br/>In a divided world, librarians are on a mission http://ow.ly/Pxe330moYs7 #libraries #weneeddiversebooks

When Values Collide: Reconciling our commitments when hate speech is involved | American Libraries Magazine https://buff.ly/2AGJ0IG #libraries #socialjustice

TEEN LIT

16 Books to Read Once You’ve Binged Chilling Adventures of Sabrina https://buff.ly/2CVOy3G #YAlit

Fans Of The ‘Sabrina’ Reboot Will Love These 13 Books About Teen Witches https://buff.ly/2Q1P3wG #YAlit

If You Have A Box Of Baby-Sitter’s Club Books At Your Mom’s House, You Need This Book https://buff.ly/2P249Wt #YAlit

GoodReads Choice Awards – Children’s Nominees

November 1, 2018October 30, 2018 | Tasha

Voting for the 10th Annual GoodReads Choice Awards has opened. They have two categories that are specifically for children’s books. Just as with the YA nominees, there are some odd additions here that are surprising to see in such a strong year for books for children. Here are the nominees:

MIDDLE GRADE & CHILDREN’S

Amal Unbound Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet, #1)

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Bob City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake, #1)

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Front Desk Ghost Boys

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The Magic Misfits The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

The Night Diary The Penderwicks at Last

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall

The Serpent's Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond, #1) Sunny (Track, #3)

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Sunny by Jason Reynolds

The Burning Maze (The Trials of Apollo, #3) Willa of the Wood (Willa, #1)

The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty

You Go First

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

PICTURE BOOKS

Baby Monkey, Private Eye A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by E.G. Keller

Drawn Together Hello Lighthouse

Drawn Together by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

I Am Enough Islandborn

I Am Enough by Grace Byers

Islandborn by Junot Diaz, illustrated by Leo Espinoza

Julián Is a Mermaid Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison

Love Ocean Meets Sky

Love by Matt De La Pena, illustrated by Loren Long

Ocean Meets Sky by The Fan Brothers

Petra The Rabbit Listened

Petra by Marianna Coppo

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

They Say Blue 36341954

They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki

We Don’ t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

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The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds

Review: On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

November 1, 2018October 30, 2018 | Tasha

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden (9781250178138)

An amazing graphic novel for teens, this book offers romance, space travel, and boarding schools all in one incredible package. It is the story of Mia, a girl who doesn’t have a lot of friends at the boarding school she attends. But one girl catches her attention, Grace, a new girl who needs help figuring out how to make her way at the school. Soon the two girls are a couple, but Grace has a secret that she refuses to share with Mia until suddenly Grace is gone. Now Mia works in space repairing buildings with a small team. She gets close with the others until she finally reveals why she joined the crew.

Walden is the author of Spinning, which was an impressive graphic memoir about coming out. Here, she weaves a complex tale in a universe entirely her own. The universe she has created is populated entirely by women, something that is slowly realized by the reader rather than being specifically mentioned or explained. The result is an LGBT universe that includes a very special depiction of a transgender character as well.

The art here is simply amazing. The universe unfolds on the pages, done in a limited color palette but incorporating dreamlike moments, staggering rock formations, crumbling abandoned buildings and fish-like space craft. It is entirely Walden’s creation, unique and unlike anything else.

An impressive graphic novel both for its content and its art. This one is unique and incredibly beautiful. Appropriate for ages 13-18.

Reviewed from copy provided by First Second.

GoodReads Choice Awards – Teen Nominees

October 31, 2018October 30, 2018 | Tasha

The voting has opened for the opening round of the 10th Annual GoodReads Choice Awards. There are two categories that are specifically for young adult books. I must admit that I’m baffled by some of the book included since I think there are other amazing books not on the lists. Here are the nominees in those categories:

BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION

All the Little Lights The Astonishing Color of After

All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

The Case for Jamie (Charlotte Holmes #3) The Cheerleaders

The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Emergency Contact Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood, #2)

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Let's Talk About Love Love, Hate & Other Filters

Let’s Talk about Love by Claire Kann

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Love, Life, and the List Puddin' (Dumplin', #2)

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

Puddin’ by Julie Murphy

Sadie Save the Date

Sadie by Courtney Summers

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Starry Eyes Truly Devious (Truly Devious, #1)

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Tyler Johnson Was Here

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles

YOUNG ADULT FANTASY

The Belles (The Belles #1) Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) The Fates Divide (Carve the Mark, #2)

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth

Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7) Lifel1k3 (Lifelike, #1)

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files, #3) A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes, #3)

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

Restore Me (Shatter Me, #4) Sky in the Deep

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2) War Storm (Red Queen, #4)

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

Wildcard (Warcross, #2)

Wildcard by Marie Lu

Review: Sir Simon Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson

October 31, 2018October 18, 2018 | Tasha

Sir Simon: Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson (9781101919095)

Simon is a ghost who has haunted a bunch of different places like a forest and a boat. Now he has his first assignment to haunt a house. As a ghost, he has chores that he has to take care of, including moving things around, creaking the stairs and flushing the toilets. After he does that, he has time for his own hobbies. Everything was going well until a child moved in, a child who could immediately see Simon and wanted to talk. Simon decides to have the boy do his ghost chores for him, but things don’t work out quite as planned.

Atkinson tells this story in Simon the ghost’s voice which creates a great tone throughout. The book is filled with humor, from Simon’s previous jobs in haunting to his list of the easiest people to scare to the boy learning to haunt a house. The art adds to that appeal with funny touches like using a flowered sheet to be a ghost. It is done in a style that has a vintage feel and a modern edge.

A great ghost story when you are looking for giggles rather than gasps. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Canadian Children’s Literature Award Winner

October 30, 2018 | Tasha

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Town Is by the Sea won the top TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award that comes with a $50,000 prize. The prize is given to the best book for children under the age of 12. Here are the other winners:

FAN CHOICE

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Picture the Sky by Barbara Reid

AMY MATHERS TEEN BOOK AWARD

The Marrow Thieves

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The Assassin's Curse (The Blackthorn Key, #3)

The Assassin’s Curse by Kevins Sands

JOHN SPRAY MYSTERY AWARD

The Hanging Girl

The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook

MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD

When the Moon Comes

When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge, illustrated by Matt James

NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NONFICTION

#Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

Review: The Truly Brave Princesses by Dolores Brown

October 30, 2018October 20, 2018 | Tasha

The Truly Brave Princesses by Dolores Brown, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer (9788417123383)

This lush picture book explores the ways in which all women are princesses and all women are brave. Each woman’s details are shared, including their name, age, profession and what they love most. Then a brief explanation of their bravery is shared with the reader. Each woman is wonderfully different from the others in terms of race, culture, sexuality, being differently abled, and much more.

The entire picture book has a celebratory feeling. Each woman is given a crown in her portrait, one that matches her personality perfectly. Most charming are the small details that are shared, like the physician’s love of hot chocolate and architect’s connection to the sea. The artwork in the picture book is detailed and filled with color. Each woman gets a close-up portrait and then an image showing her with her family and loved ones actively enjoying life.

A diverse and inclusive look at the strength of all women. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.