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Nature has a way of being cruel and being kind, here are a few fun facts where you can decide, if it is a trick or treat!

-Bats are the only mammals that can fly

-A flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down.

-If a kangaroo’s tail is lifted off the ground it is unable to hop. They use their tail for balance.

-A baby shark is ready to go fast when it is born, so that the mother shark doesn’t eat it.

-An owl can’t move its eyes, but it can turn its head 270 degrees.

-The cassowary is a beautiful bird and is predominately a vegetarian, but it can tear holes in flesh like Swiss cheese.

-The orca has no natural predator in the sea and they hunt in groups just like wolves do on land.

-Rhinos amble through the African Savanna and thickets of dense plants filled with ticks that attach to the rhinos and make them itch! The tick bird rides along while eating the tasty treat!

-The vampire squid is a creepy ocean creature that squirts glowing goo from its arms.

Find these facts and many more in Arbordale’s For Creative Minds sections! Take a look while you are eating your trick or treat loot!

Huge congratulations to Lou Allin, whose Rapid Reads title Contingency Plan has won this year’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novella!

The Arthur Ellis Awards honor excellence in Canadian Crime Writing. Lou Allin was previous shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel in 2003 for Blackflies Are Murder.

About Contingency Plan:

When Sandra Sinclair, recently widowed and the mother of twelve-year-old Jane, meets wealthy lawyer Joe Gillette, he wins her over with his kind and conscientious attitude. Falling in love faster than she ever thought possible, Sandra agrees to marry. But soon after they move into their new home, things begin to change, and Joe’s controlling behavior causes her to question her decision. When her new husband becomes seriously abusive, Sandra decides that she and Jane must leave.

When Joe makes it clear that he will not just let her walk away, Sandra discovers that it’s quite likely that he arranged his first wife’s death, and that she is now part of his “contingency plan.” She soon realizes that even the law is no defense against this meticulous and egotistical man. Fleeing to an old family cabin on a remote lake, mother and daughter prepare to live off the grid. And when Joe tracks them down, Sandra must come up with a contingency plan of her own. Buy the Book!

About the Rapid Reads series from Orca:

Rapid Reads are short novels and non-fiction books for adult readers. In our increasingly fast-paced world Orca believes there is a need for well-written, well-told books that can be read in one sitting. Rapid Reads are intended for a diverse audience, including ESL students, reluctant readers, adults who struggle with literacy and anyone who wants an high-interest quick read. Each novel in the Rapid Reads series is written between a 2.0 and 4.5 reading level. The plots are contemporary and entertaining, with adult language and themes. More about Rapid Reads.

Looking for the best books for your kids and teens? Of course you are! Fortunately, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre  (a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1976) publishes just such a list. And we’re thrilled to share that sixteen Orca titles made the list for Spring 2013.

“All of the titles in Best Books for Kids & Teens have been handpicked by expert committees of educators, booksellers, and school and public librarians from across Canada. The reviewed materials include picture books, junior/intermediate fiction, graphic novels, and powerful teen fiction, in addition to a wide array of non-fiction, magazines and audio/video resources.” —Canadian Children’s Book Centre website

The following Orca titles were selected for the list this season. Congratulations to all the authors on their achievement!

Close to the Heel, Norah McClintock
Dead Run, Sean Rodman
Edge of Flight, Kate Jaimet
High Wire, Melanie Jackson
I, Witness, Norah McClintock and Mike Deas
Jump Cut, Ted Staunton
Kiss, Tickle, Cuddle, Hug, Susan Musgrave
Oracle, Alex Van Tol
Pieces of Me, Darlene Ryan
Prince for a Princess, Eric Walters
Pyro, Monique Polak
Redwing, Holly Bennett
Seeing Orange, Sara Cassidy
Shallow Grave, Alex Van Tol
Three Little Words, Sarah N. Harvey
Uncle Wally’s Old Brown Shoe, Wallace Edwards

CCBC members receive a copy of Best Books for Kids & Teens as part of their membership package, as do subscribers to Canadian Children’s Book News.

Best Books for Kids & Teens can be purchased at select bookstores or online at: www.bookcentre.ca.

Richard Van Camp is the author of twelve books, including two board books with Orca: Welcome Song for Baby (2007) and Little You (2013).

He recently sat down (online) with Curtis LeBlanc to answer nineteen questions about books, writing and his life as an author. Some highlights: who are Richard’s top three authors? Which bands does he listen to while writing? And what will he be working on next?

Read the full 19 Questions interview here.

Congratulations to Caitlyn Vernon, whose Nowhere Else on Earth: Standing Tall for the Great Bear Rainforest has been named a finalist for the 2012 Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize. The winners will be announced at an awards gala at the Union Club of Victoria on October 10 at 7:30. Tickets are $15 and are available now at Bolen Books, Munro’s Books, Ivy’s Bookshop and the Victoria Book Prize Society (250-589-8430).

About Nowhere Else on Earth
You don’t have to live in the Great Bear Rainforest to benefit from its existence, but after you read Nowhere Else on Earth you might want to visit this magnificent part of the planet. Environmental activist Caitlyn Vernon guides young readers through a forest of information, sharing her personal stories, her knowledge and her concern for this beautiful place.

Full of breathtaking photographs and suggestions for ways to preserve this unique ecosystem, Nowhere Else on Earth is a timely and inspiring reminder that we need to stand up for our wild places before they are gone.

Visit the book’s dedicated website at www.greatbearrainforest.ca to view photos from the book, download the study guide and access additional resources.

Or Purchase Nowhere Else on Earth from Orca Book Publishers.

The launch of Seven (the Series) is just around the corner, and just a few days after the launch, three of the seven authors (Norah McClintock, Shane Peacock and Richard Scrimger) will team up at the Vancouver Writers Fest to discuss their parts in the project. If you plan to be in the Vancouver area on October 16, 2012, this would be a fantastic event to attend. Tickets are available to individuals and school groups, and you can download a study guide right from the online ticket office.

Purchase tickets to Seven: the Series at the Vancouver Writers Fest
Learn more about Seven (watch the trailer and download excerpts too!) at www.seventheseries.com 

Event Details
Date: Tuesday, October 16, 2012—1:00-2:30pm
Location: Granville Island Stage
Cost: $17 / $8.50 for student groups BUY NOW

Event Description:
A unique and ambitious series is launching just days before this year’s Vancouver Writers Fest—seven Young Adult novels published simultaneously, stemming from the fictional instructions of a dying man to his seven teenaged grandsons. Each grandson is thrust into challenging and sometimes dangerous events to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes—ranging from tattooed gangs close to home, to near-impossible tasks set in Iceland, France, Spain or Tanzania. Three of the seven exceptional Canadian authors chosen to write these stories will talk about their part in this unusual project. Readers can look forward to Scrimger’s sense of humour, McClintock’s sense of mystery and Peacock’s dark plotting.

Teachers and librarians are always looking for new ways to connect with children and teens categorized as “reluctant readers.” On September 25, 2012, you can participate in a free hour-long webinar that addresses that need.

Joining Orca’s publisher, Andrew Wooldridge, will be a reading specialist and literacy coach, along with a representative from Saddleback Educational Publishing. The webinar will cover strategies and resources effective in reaching struggling readers ages 10 and up, as well as present books that combine high-interest topics with accessible writing. You’ll also hear about new releases and best-selling series from Saddleback Educational Publishing and Orca Book Publishers.

Register now.

Have a question about “reluctant readers”? Please email [email protected] before September 24 and we will attempt to answer your query in the webinar. Questions addressed during the webinar will receive a sampling of current titles valued at $100. So keep them coming!

Webinar details:

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 1:00 pm (Central Daylight Time)

Are you excited about the upcoming launch of Seven (the Series)? Seven adventures from seven fantastic YA authors: Eric Walters, John Wilson, Ted Staunton, Richard Scrimger, Norah McClintock, Sigmund Brouwer and Shane Peacock. And all seven titles will be released on the same day!

To help you decide which of the seven adventures to read first, Orca Book Publishers is releasing an excerpt from one book each month leading up to the series launch on October 10, 2012. The excerpt for August is from Sigmund Brouwer’s Devil’s Pass.

About Devil’s Pass
Seventeen-year-old Webb’s abusive stepfather has made it impossible for him to live at home, so Webb survives on the streets of Toronto by busking with his guitar and working as a dishwasher. When Webb’s grandfather dies, his will stipulates that his grandsons fulfill specific requests. Webb’s task takes him to the Canol Trail in Canada’s Far North, where he finds out that there are much scarier things than the cold and the occasional grizzly bear. With a Native guide, two German tourists and his guitar for company, Webb is forced to confront terrible events in his grandfather’s past and somehow deal with the pain and confusion of his own life.

Visit www.seventheseries.com to download an excerpt of Devil’s Pass or any of the five previously published excerpts.

Watch this video on YouTube Embedded with WP YouTube Lyte.

Fame and fortune could be yours by entering the first ever Orca Book Publishers Video contest.

The Fame: The winning video will be featured in an upcoming Orca online ad

 The Fortune: The winner will receive $100 worth of books from Orca

Here’s how to enter:

Submit a video (30 seconds or less) that either….

a) tells us how you’ve used Orca books to engage struggling or reluctant readers

OR

b) features a struggling or reluctant reader telling us why they like Orca books.

You can submit your video to [email protected].
If you have any questions or encounter any technical difficulties, please email us at [email protected]
 or call us at 1.800.210.5277.

Big congratulations to the Orca authors and illustrators who have been nominated for the 2012/2013 Chocolate Lily Picture Book Award! Every year, children in grades K to 8 from across British Columbia are invited to read books from the nominated list of BC picture books and novels, and vote for their favorite.

Andrea Spalding and Pascal Milelli were nominated for Seal Song.

Finn loves to swim with the seals in a secret cove. He arrives at the cove one day and rescues a young seal tangled in netting. Finn wishes the seal could live on land. That night the seals sing. “No good comes from seal songs,” says Finn’s father. When Sheila, a mysterious girl no one has ever seen before, appears on the cannery docks, the fisher folk are uneasy. They believe the newcomer is a magical selkie, a shape changer.

Joan Betty Stuchner and Joe Weissmann were nominated for Can Hens Give Milk.

Tova lives with her family on a small farm in the famous town of Chelm, a mythical village populated, according to Jewish folklore, by fools. Tova’s farm has hens and even a rooster, but no cow. Her mother, Rivka, wishes they could afford to buy a cow, so they could have fresh milk and butter every day. One night Tova’s father has a dream about how to get milk without actually owning a cow. He asks Tova to help him find a way to get milk from their hens, and the results are hilarious. Finally, to the family’s joy and the hens’ relief, the problem is solved by none other than the wise Rabbi of Chelm himself, and a little extra help from Tova.

Congrats again to our fantastic authors and illustrators. Click on the book covers to learn more about these titles. To see a full list of nominated books and past winners, visit www.ChocolateLilyAwards.com

We hope you’ll join fantastic local authors and illustrators Eva Campbell, Mary Elizabeth Nelson, Kari Jones, Robin Stevenson, Tom Ryan, John Wilson and Mark Zuehlke as they launch their new books tonight at Union Pacific Coffee Shop in Victoria.

Come meet the authors, have some refreshments and get your books signed. All ages welcome!

Event details:
Monday, May 7, 2012 at 7:00PM
Union Pacific Coffee Shop, 537 Herald Street, Victoria, BC

For more information, contact Leslie Bootle at (250) 380-1229 or [email protected].

Congratulations to the Orca pod!

We have been awarded a LiveSmart BC Certificate for the actions we have taken to improve our energy efficiency in the office. Over the past year, we’ve started composting our kitchen waste and all paper towels, implemented a sustainable purchase plan for office supplies, developed a more comprehensive recycling program, switched to reusable mugs and committed to turning of lights and heat when they are not in use.

And what’s next? Well, we’re planning to instal low-flow aerators on our taps, insulate our hot water pipes, hot water heaters and storage tanks and make some behavioral changes too, such as turning off our computer monitors when we’re not using them, manually turning down our heating when it’s not necessary and altering our blinds (open or closed) depending on the time of day and the season.

Small changes, we know. But that’s all it takes to make a big difference in our office energy efficiency.

Got suggestions for how we can continue to improve? Let us know in the comments.

We’re thrilled to announce that Catherine Austen has won the Canadian Library Association(CLA) Young Adult Book Award for 2012 for All Good Children. 

The Young Adult Book Award recognizes an author of an “outstanding Canadian English-language work of fiction (novel or collection of short stories) that appeals to young adults between the ages of 13 and 18.” Previous winners include Kenneth Oppel, Lesley Livingston, Allan Stratton, Martha Brooks, William Bell, Shyam Selvadurai, Miriam Toews, and Polly Horvath.

Here’s what the CLA had to say:

“In the near future of All Good Children, corporate towns proliferate and try to control the lives of everyone who lives in them. In Middleville, a school vaccination program has been instituted that turns girls and boys into compliant and obedient good children. Catherine Austen takes us on a roller-coaster ride of humour and suspense as, through the eyes of teen artist and prankster Maxwell Conner, we experience the resistance of his family and a close friend to the “zombification” program. Austen’s novel explores the nature and value of creativity, individuality, and non-conformity with memorable characters and a gripping plot.” Read the full press release.

Congratulations also go out to this year’s honour books and authors: Karma, by Cathy Ostlere (Penguin Canada) and This Dark Endeavour, by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins). A complete list of the 2011 finalists, as well as information on past winners, is available on the CLA web site.

Learn more about All Good Children (and order your print or ebook copy!) on the Orca Book Publishers website.

It’s an interesting question, with strong arguments on both sides. Would a gadget-free child be more creative, more imaginative, less distracted and socially more interactive? Or since technology is a reality of life, is it better for children to get used to it sooner rather than later? Read the full article from the Globe and Mail, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Sad news. Some U.S. scientists believe a killer whale that washed up off the coast of Washington last month might have been killed by a military explosion. The three-year-old female orca was a member of L-pod, a group that lives in waters off the coast of British Columbia during the summer months.

They may not be our kin or kind, but we feel pretty close to them! For the full story, read the article from CBC.

Join authors Rosa Jordan, Matthew Hooton, Sarah N. Harvey and Mark Lavorato for an evening discussion on the art and challenges of storytelling.

Full Event Details:
7:00pm, Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Cadboro Bay Books: 3840B Cadboro Bay Road, Victoria, BC

For more information contact Cadboro Bay Books at 250.477.1421 or Brindle & Glass at [email protected].

Regular Orca blog readers may have noticed that things look a bit different around here. More to the point: all the posts written before February 2012 are gone! But don’t worry—they’ll be back soon.

In February 2012, we rebuilt the Orca blog to spruce it up and make it more friendly for  those readers who visit us on mobile devices. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reposting popular content from previous years, but if there is a specific post you’re looking for, please email [email protected] and we’ll make sure it gets posted.

The BC Book Prize shortlist was announced this morning, and we are thrilled to have three nominated titles this year. Congratulations to authors Caitlyn Vernon (Nowhere Else on Earth: Standing Tall for the Great Bear Rainforest), Karen Rivers (What is Real) and Mike Deas (Dalen and Gole: Scandal in Port Angus).

Nowhere Else on Earth: Standing Tall for the Great Bear Rainforest
Nominated for: Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize
Purchase Nowhere Else on Earth from Orca Book Publishers

About Nowhere Else on Earth:
You don’t have to live in the Great Bear Rainforest to benefit from its existence, but after you read Nowhere Else on Earth you might want to visit this magnificent part of the planet. Environmental activist Caitlyn Vernon guides young readers through a forest of information, sharing her personal stories, her knowledge and her concern for this beautiful place. Full of breathtaking photographs and suggestions for ways to preserve this unique ecosystem, Nowhere Else on Earth is a timely and inspiring reminder that we need to stand up for our wild places before they are gone.

View photography from the Nowhere Else on Earth and download educator resources at www.GreatBearRainforest.ca

What Is Real
Nominated for: Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize
Purchase What Is Real from Orca Book Publishers

About What is Real:
Dex Pratt’s life has been turned upside down. His parents have divorced and his mother has remarried. When his father attempts suicide and fails, Dex returns to their small town to care for him. But he’s not prepared for how much everything has changed. Gone are the nice house, new cars, fancy bikes and other toys. Now he and his wheelchair-bound dad live in a rotting rented house at the back of a cornfield. And, worse, his father has given up defending marijuana growers in his law practice and has become one himself.

Unable to cope, Dex begins smoking himself into a state of surrealism. He begins to lose touch with what is real and what he is imagining. And then there are the aliens…and the girl-of-his-dreams…and the crop circle…

Learn more about Dex Pratt and see the book trailer at www.TheDexBlog.com

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19. All Good Children (YA)

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By: Becky Laney, on 2/10/2012
Blog: Becky's Book Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  dystopia, YA Fiction, YA Science Fiction, Orca, 2011, library book, Books reviewed in 2012, Add a tag

All Good Children. Catherine Austen. 2011. Orca. 300 pages.

The airport security guard is not amused when I drop my pants in front of her. 

All Good Children is a dystopian novel with a school setting. In this futuristic all-too-troubled society, a town is about to force a change. For the better, they say. But should we trust them?! The members of the school board, the members of the community--the powers that be--feel that some kids are too disruptive. Some 'problem' kids are keeping the majority of other students from learning. Or as learning as much as they potentially could. If, you know, obedience was enforced, and nonconformity not an option. If children would just do as they're told, and only as they're told, wouldn't the lives of teachers and parents go more smoothly? Wouldn't parents and teachers be relieved to see such a dramatic change in their children? No more fighting. No more rebelling. No more nagging. No more drama. Just peace and quiet. But. They're not talking about drugging a few children, targeting the students with obvious behavior issues. Every boy. Every girl. From kindergarten on up. One grade at a time. One school at a time. A whole town is being transformed. No child is left capable of thinking or acting for themselves.  They're mindlessly content to stay on task, mindlessly repeating the rules they've been taught. The hero of All Good Children has escaped this punishment...so far...his mom is a nurse, a nurse in the know, and she was able to prevent her son and his best friend from receiving the shots. (She only pretended.) But they are forced to act mindless all the same. Because they know what will happen if they show some life...so what would you do, where would you go, what kind of escape can be found?

All Good Children had an interesting premise. I'm not sure that I loved it. I have a feeling that I'd have found Maxwell Connors annoying as a narrator if I hadn't been forced to pity him for his situation. Because it is hard for Maxwell to witness this phenomenon.

Read All Good Children

• If you're looking for a novel with a Twilight-Zone feel to it
• If you're a fan of dystopias
• If you're looking for yet another dystopian novel published in 2011 with an educational focus (like Scored, like The Predicted, like The Wikkeling)

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

If you're reading this on a site (other than Becky's Book Reviews or Becky's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

3 Comments on All Good Children (YA), last added: 2/11/2012

Display Comments

Linda said, on 2/10/2012 10:50:00 AM

I'd give this one a shot. It's on my tbr list now. Great review.

Chris said, on 2/10/2012 6:48:00 PM

Despite your less than in love with it feelings, it still sounds like something I'd like! You have a way with books, Becky..you can make me read cereal boxes :p

Rightgifts2 said, on 2/11/2012 12:50:00 AM

When your feeling and emotions are unuttered, gifts speak on behalf of you to convey your feelings. Valentine’s day is nearing, and it is high time to spice up your relationship with treasured gifts. For details visit www.indiafloristnetwork.com

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20. “Write!” Guest post by Daphne Greer

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By: Michelle, on 12/6/2011
Blog: Orca Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  orca, Guest Author Blog, daphne greer, maxed out, Books, Announcements, Orca Books, Orca Book Publishers, Add a tag

A few weeks ago I visited a writing group for grades 5-6 at Ecole Grosvenor Park School in Halifax, NS. They call themselves “The Inklings.” Cynthia d’Entroment (author of Unlocked and the upcoming Oak Island Revenge) is the leader of this wonderful group of students along with grade six teacher Jane Everitt.  They meet weekly over the lunch hour and work on their writing. They’ve covered such topics as spying an idea, showing vs telling, dialogue, building suspense and much more.

When talking with Cynthia about what I might do with them, I asked her where the school was located.

I nearly died.

It turned out to be the very school where I attended grades 3-5, but more importantly it was the school I imagined my characters in, Maxed Out attend. During the rewrites of Maxed Out I had decided to write all those people who helped me with this story into it as a thank you. Cynthia became the teacher in the first chapter, but in real life she was then taking her masters and wasn’t teaching at this school. What are the chances? Whether it’s art imitating life or life imitating art—I don’t know. But suddenly I was no longer nervous.

I decided to talk to them about “feedback,” both giving and receiving. We talked about the importance of being open to suggestions and how no one writes perfectly on their first try. I was able to show them what my story looked like in the beginning and at various stages of its growth.

When asked, “Do you want me to read or do you want to get right to your writing?” one girl shouted, “Write!”

And write they did. We started with a little warm-up exercise to get their creative juices flowing. I said a sentence and then each student had to add to it. A few giggles were had as the story got larger and larger. Then I asked them to write for ten minutes. I provided several starter up sentences to help them in case they didn’t know what to write about. When we regrouped, each student read their work and we provided feedback. I was so proud of one little boy because when I had initially read his writing I gave him some feedback around the use of sounds. He took my advice and added some!

A grade six student moved me to tears with her descriptive writing of a personal experience. She asked me to sign her journal afterwards. I felt honored to be able to once again tell her what a great writer she was.

I’m so thankful she has the opportunity to express herself with the written word, which can be healing, empowering and a pure joy to one’s soul.

How fortunate that these students discover the joy of writing at such an early age. Having my first young adult novel, Maxed Out, with Orca Book Publishers is symbolic to me—in that I was born in Victoria, BC. It seems appropriate that the “birth” of my first story comes from my birth place. I feel very blessed.

Maxed Out is Daphne Greer’s first book with Orca. It will be published in spring 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

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21. Top Picks for Children and Teens

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By: Michelle, on 9/30/2011
Blog: Orca Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Books, Reviews, Announcements, Ebooks, orca, harvey, top picks, lesley wynne pechter, sara cassidy, sarah n, Add a tag

Looking for a great Canadian read for children or teens? Look no further. The Victoria Times Colonist recently published a Top-10 list of titles ranging from board books to teen fiction, all chosen by Tracy Kendrick, co-ordinator of children’s and teen services at the Greater Victoria Library. Three Orca titles made the list!

Alligator, Bear, Crab: A Baby’s ABC, by Lesley Wynne Pechter (Board Book)

Kendrick said, “A colorful and playful book that introduces the shapes and sounds of the alphabet amid a colorful collection of critters.”

• Purchase board book
• Purchase ebook 

 

 

Slick, by Sara Cassidy (Orca Currents)

Kendrick said, “An unforgettable young activist named Liza decides to take on her mother’s boyfriend, who happens to work for an oil company.”

 

 

• Purchase print book
• Purchase ebook

 

Death Benefits, by Sarah N. Harvey (Teen Fiction)

Kendrick said, “Royce and his mother move to Victoria to care for Royce’s irascible, elderly grandfather. The characters pop off the page in this hilarious and touching novel.”

*This fantastic title is also shortlisted for the 2011 Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize!

• Purchase print book
• Purchase ebook

Read the full Times Colonist article.

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22. Hundreds of student co-authors help launch new Eric Walters title

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By: Michelle, on 5/11/2011
Blog: Orca Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Books, Events, fiction, orca, Eric Walters, Add a tag

Best-selling author Eric Walters launched his newest middle-grade novel, Catboy, on May 5 and 6 at the Doubletree Convention Centre as part of the Toronto District School Board Read To Succeed Celebration.

Each day over 1200 students were present and all the students received a book—courtesy of TDSB. Among the students present were close to 800 students who had been part of the creation of the book.

How did hundreds of students help write Catboy? Here’s what Eric had to say:

“Every Monday morning for ten weeks, students across the Toronto District School Board received twenty-six pages of a new, untitled manuscript. They each read a section, decided what they liked, what they didn’t, what made sense and what they wanted changed. They would then email their feedback to me, and the book was edited and rewritten according to their suggestions. The title, Catboy, was one of the many suggestions that were incorporated into the final manuscript. While I am listed as the author, this book had hundreds of co-authors. Many thanks to the students of the TDSB for helping to make this book what it is today!”

This is part of Eric’s ongoing work with the TDSB where he has been the writer-in-residence the past two years. This book is the story of a group of classmates who care for, and then relocate a colony of feral cats.

Catboy will be published by Orca in September 2011.

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23. Poetry Pause

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By: Michelle, on 4/30/2010
Blog: Orca Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Books, Poetry, Authors, poem, orca, Orca Echoes, Pat Skene, Add a tag

I’ve had a great time reading and re-reading Pat Skene’s three Orca poetry collections this month. With National Poetry Month coming to a close, this will be the last Poetry Pause on the Orca blog (for this year, at least). We’re wrapping up with “Creepy-Crawl-Critters” from Pat’s 2006 collection What a Hippopota-Mess! This poem is perfect for singing or “rapping” aloud in small groups or for introducing a discussion about all the creepy crawly critters turning up outside now that spring is here. Check out the cool critter facts after the poem or download the What a Hippopota-Mess! Teachers’ Guide for more fun classroom ideas. Enjoyed Pat’s poems? You can order the collections from the Orca website and keep pausing for poetry all year long.

Creepy-Crawl-Critters

Sometimes I wiggle when wet dew worms wiggle.
I watch as they squiggle and squirm.
They squeeze as they please to the
“creepy-crawl-jiggle,”
a pretty good dance for a worm.

I often see snakes that can slither and slide,
looking slippery, slimy and slick.
They move and they groove, as they hide and
they glide,
till they sleep and lie still as a stick.

I watch spindly spiders out spinning a snare
made of webs from their sticky silk-threads.
They weave and they wait for whatever
should dare
to get trapped in their tricky silk-beds.

And centipedes sure aren’t my favorite thing!
They have millions and zillions of legs.
Sometimes they cling and crawl under my swing
to find dark dingy dens to lay eggs.

Now, all of these wigglers aren’t easy to see
as they hurry and scurry each day.
And there’s no guarantee where their hideout
will be,
though I’m sure that it’s not far away.

But if you feel lucky and want to get mucky,
go look for this goose-bumpy bunch.
Remember that creepy-crawl-critters are yucky,
so don’t let them lick at your lunch!
—Pat Skene, 2006

Cool Critter Facts

1. Worms eat dirt.
Dew worms live for about six years. They have no eyes, and they breathe through their skin. Every day they eat up to one-third of their body weight. Earthworms have no teeth. They swallow the soil as they burrow into it. Dirt is good for them. What a way to get your vitamins!

2. Snakes have BIG mouths.
Snakes have a narrow body, a small head and no teeth. Yet they swallow their prey whole! (It would be like you trying to swallow a watermelon.) Snakes can do this because their skin is elastic and their jaws are loosely joined. They dislocate and expand their jaws

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24. Walking Backward (MG)

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By: Becky Laney, on 12/3/2009
Blog: Becky's Book Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  review copy, family, brothers and/or sisters, J Fiction, grief, J Realistic Fiction, Orca, 2009, Add a tag

Austen, Catherine. 2009. Walking Backward. Orca Book Publishers. 167 pages.

My father is insane.

Josh and his younger brother Sam are struggling to cope with the death of their mother who died in a car accident. (Josh is twelve. Sam is four or five.) This "accident" was no accident. The reason his mom died is because someone put a snake in her car. When she saw the snake, she panicked, lost control, and crashed. (Whether they knew she had a phobia of snakes or not, this prank seems a bit out of control.) But will knowing the 'who' help Josh accept what has happened?

Each member of the family grieves differently. The father is emotionally checked out. He hides himself away from his two sons. Josh turns to exploring different religions and cultures--trying to learn about the process of grief. And scrapbooking. Josh wants to create a "Mom Book" to help him remember everything about her. Sam, well, he's got a different way of handling things. Ways involving an eight-inch Red Power Ranger doll. That and walking backwards.

The book is told through Josh's point of view. The book is his journal, a place where he is supposed to record all his strong emotions. I thought the family's pain--their sadness, their anger, their emptiness--was very raw and intense.

Review copy provided by publisher.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

If you're reading this on a site (other than Becky's Book Reviews or Becky's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

1 Comments on Walking Backward (MG), last added: 12/4/2009

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Hull.Margaret said, on 12/3/2009 2:23:00 PM

Good review. Thanks
Penny

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25. All-Season Edie

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By: Stacy Dillon, on 8/5/2008
Blog: Welcome to my Tweendom (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  family, Friendship, siblings, summer, death, growing pains, Orca, Canadian Book Challenge, Add a tag

Meet Edie. She's eleven years old and heading to the lake with her mom and dad, but without her sister Dexter. This summer Dexter's ballet camp conflicts with the family vacation, so she will be staying with Mean Meagan for the 2 weeks that the family is gone. Also, the lake is not exactly the Grand Canyon, but Grandpa just had a stroke, and Edie's dad doesn't want to be too far away.

The lake seems a bit boring at first, but soon Edie's imagination has her in swimming like a whale, and becoming Neptune. She also meets Robert. A fat kid who is at the lake with his mom and a man who is not his dad. Edie and Robert are soon on fishing expeditions, and watching movies. They are just starting to get to know each other when Edie's parents get a call and they leave the lake a whole week early.

Edie is distraught about her grandfather and decides that learning some magic might help him out. Not the bunny out of the hat variety, but the kind of spells that can make people sick or well.

We watch Edie navigate a year in her life as she discovers that the things she always thought were true, suddenly seem less than. Maybe Mean Meagan isn't so mean. Maybe grandpa really is sick. Maybe Edie doesn't hate dancing after all. And maybe Dex isn't so perfect.

This is a wonderful tween book. Annabel Lyon has written a character driven story that is authentic, charming and spot on. Bits of text had me laughing out loud...

"Wow," Robert says for the third time, and I see he's finally starting to believe me. "No kidding?" He squints at me, and I can tell he just thought of something else. "Do you always get caught?" he asks. "Don't you ever get away with anything?"
"No," I say. I figure getting away with something would be like catching a fish: it never really happens, not really. p. 34.

The relationship between Edie and Dexter grows nicely throughout the book, as does Edie's relationship with herself.

A fun read for those who like to get to know their characters.

(And hey, I managed my first title on my Canadian Book Challenge!)

3 Comments on All-Season Edie, last added: 8/11/2008

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John Mutford said, on 8/6/2008 2:05:00 AM

Congrats on completing your 1st book for the Challenge.

Sounds like a good book, but the name "Dexter" is probably tainted for me forever since I'm now working through the first season of the same named tv show on DVD.

Little Willow said, on 8/11/2008 7:43:00 PM

This sounds adorable!

Stacy Dillon said, on 8/11/2008 8:02:00 PM

hey little willow: thanks for stopping by. it really is a sweet read!

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