Canada’s National Exhibit kicked off on August 17, and this year we hope you’ll visit the Ex…not for the music, not for the fair rides, not for the bacon-wrapped-deep-fried-Mars-bars, but for the BOOKS! The picture books, to be specific.

The Ontario Library Association (OLA) will soon be marking the 1o-year anniversary of the Blue Spruce reading program. The anniversary event will be held at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto from Aug. 17, 2012 to Sept. 3, 2012.

The Blue Spruce program brings Canadian children’s picture books to Ontario children in kindergarten through grade two. Over 70 Blue Spruce books will be featured, at the Ex, including two recent Orca picturebooks: Jeffrey and Sloth (Kari-Lynn Winters and Ben Hodson) and Buttercup’s Lovely Day (Carolyn Beck and Andrea Beck).

The Blue Spruce exhibit will feature craft activities for children based on the themes of the nominated titles, illustrator signings and more. Author Kari-Lynn Winters will be on hand August 18 and August 31 from 2-5pm in the Arts, Crafts and Hobbies building of the exhibition, so we hope you’ll head down and pay her a visit. And maybe you can grab a Mars bar while you’re at it…

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.

Spring is the time of year that snow melting from the mountains and extra rain flows into the Fraser River and causes the water level to rise. And that’s exactly what happened in 1948, when Flood Warning, the new chapter book by Jacqueline Pearce, takes place. The main character, Tom, wants to help build the dykes with his dad and the other men, but instead, he has to go to school and then help his mom on the family farm. He’s sure his favourite radio hero, the Lone Ranger, wouldn’t stick around home. But when the family’s dairy cows are in danger, Tom gets called on to be a real-life hero.

Find out more about the story and the events that inspired it on Jacqueline Pearce’s blog and leave a comment to be entered in a draw for the book and a Lone Ranger DVD (draw June 15, 2012).

You can also enter the book draw by “liking” Jacqueline’s Facebook page.

And be sure to check back on the Orca blog at the end of the month, when Jacqueline will be joining us for a guest blog post.

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.

Catherine Austen’s All Good Children is on a roll. Since its release in the fall of 2011, the dystopian teen fiction title has won or been nominated for a growing list of awards, including Resource Links‘ “The Year’s Best,” the CLA Young Adult Book Award (winner), the CCBC Best Books list, YALSA’s Teen’s Top Ten (nominee) and most recently, the YALSA Best Fiction for YA (nominee—winner to be announced later this year).

 About All Good Children

It’s the middle of the twenty-first century and the elite children of New Middletown are lined up to receive a treatment that turns them into obedient, well-mannered citizens. Maxwell Connors, a fifteen-year-old prankster, misfit and graffiti artist, observes the changes with growing concern, especially when his younger sister, Ally, is targeted. Max and his best friend, Dallas, escape the treatment, but must pretend to be “zombies” while they watch their pad and hopes decay. When Max’s family decides to take Dallas with them into the unknown world beyond New Middletown’s borders, Max’s creativity becomes an unexpected bonus rather than a liability.

Get your copy of All Good Children.

Visit Catherine Austen’s website to check out all her books for children, middle-school readers and teens.

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

Touring the Subarctic is amazing, though not for the faint-hearted! It’s nerve wracking, sitting in folding canvas seats in tiny planes tossed about in bad weather. But the people of NWT are warm and friendly, the children delightful and the communities fascinating.

I was escorted along the great Mackenzie River, (the Sahtu area), by Janine Hoff and Adam Hill from Hay River Library system. Both know the north and were prepared for all variables—and variables we had. The B&B booked in Fort Good Hope had run out of fuel, so we couldn’t stay there. Strong winds and a blizzard grounded us in Tulita, so we never made it to Deline. Traveling to tiny settlements without restaurants or stores meant we hauled in our own food, so Adam and Janine cooked for me. They also propped me up on ice and sold books. Janine also cheerfully reorganized flights and accommodations—not easy in communities where often there is only one place to stay!

My presentations were well received by both children and adults. The Elders who attended were sometimes illiterate but told stories themselves and encouraged their grandchildren to read. They were fascinated by my stories.

The books and presentations were front and centre, and I was delighted to hear I had “fantastic turnouts.” The communities are tiny, and when 30 people attend, that’s 10 percent of the population. If only we could get that attention in Vancouver or Toronto!

My head is full of memories—sparkling snowdrifts and 18 hours sunshine. Whiteouts. The woman who came back to a second presentation and gave me beaded earrings she’d made as a thank you. The boy who attended three presentations in Tulita, and kept buying “another book please.” The intrepid pilots of the tiny planes, who also handled our luggage and coolers of food in icy conditions. Two little girls dancing in a mud puddle in Fort Good Hope. The beautiful “Painted Church” on the bluff overlooking the Mackenzie. The smell of traditionally tanned moose hide. The short-eared owl that flew towards us on the riverbank, and skeins of snow geese travelling up the great Mackenzie.

Above all I will never forget the beautifully painted “Welcome Andrea Spalding” banners in the school entrance halls heralding the bright-eyed children sitting before me. Yes, the people of the North captured my heart, and the landscape stirred my soul. I felt honoured to visit this part of Canada so few are privileged to see.

Thanks to the Book Centre for sending me on such a splendid adventure. My special thanks go to Janine and Adam for sharing their beloved Subarctic with me–and especially for producing sushi and buffalo lasagna within an hour’s reach of the Arctic Circle. That took some foresight!

Nicholas Read’s new Spring 2012 title, City Critters: Wildlife in the Urban Jungle, was mentioned in this week’s “Culture Vultures” recommendations list in the Chicago Reader! In the column, Seth Magle, director of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute said, 

“I recently read an advance copy of City Critters and was very impressed with how well it balanced in-depth information about urban wildlife with a conversational tone and relevant examples from most major U.S. cities, including Chicago. The book manages to be unique without being overly sensational and is replete with factoids—I learned some new tidbits, and I have a PhD in this field! It has a little something for everyone, from younger kids newly interested in nature to teens and adults who may want to delve deeper into the causes of and solutions to conflicts between humans and wildlife.

The issues surrounding urban wildlife go far beyond complaints about raccoons in the garbage or seagulls plaguing picnickers, and City Critters conveys that without getting too academic. Many animals’ survival is contingent upon their ability to thrive in proximity to people, and we need resources like this to pass that message on.”

You can check out the full article on the Chicago Reader website. Learn more about City Critters and order your own copy on the Orca Book Publishers website.

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].

What a great venue for a book launch!

John Lekich will launch his new new novel, The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls, at Vancouver’s Books to Cooks on Friday, May 11, at 6:00pm.

The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls follows fifteen-year-old Henry Holloway. Henry isn’t immoral, he’s just hungry. His mother died when he was nine, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Andy and his friends, all amiable small-time crooks. When Uncle Andy is sent to prison, Henry takes up residence in an abandoned tree house in order to escape the notice of Social Services. His mission? To survive on his own while preserving his cherished independence. Fortunately, Henry possesses all the skills it takes to be a successful house burglar.

Henry is an unusually resourceful and considerate burglar—often tidying up the places he robs—until he’s caught. The terms of his probation? He must live with the Wingates, a strange family in a small town called Snowflake Falls.

Henry is just getting used to his temporary family when the newly liberated Uncle Andy and his criminal friends draw him into a plan to rob the citizens of Snowflake Falls. Will Henry be loyal to his uncle or will he break with the past and do the right thing? You’ll have to come to the book launch (and get your hands on a copy!) to find out.

In a recent review, the Toronto Star said, “Dry humour, a slightly insane imagination and a highly personable hero make Lekich’s new novel wholly refreshing….Delightful.”

We hope you’ll come out to the launch to meet John and celebrate his new novel. Signed copies of The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls will be available for purchase. This event is free; please call 604-688-6755 to RSVP.

You can also visit the book’s dedicated website for learn more about John and to read an excerpt of The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls.

Book Launch Details: 
WHO: John Lekich and The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls
WHERE: Books to Cooks, 1740 West 2nd Avenue (half a block east of Burrard)
Vancouver, British Columbia (604-688-6755)
WHEN: Friday, May 11, at 6:00pm

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.

When drafting up a plan for your leisure time this weekend be sure to include some green activities because this Sunday is Earth Day 2012! Earth Day, an annual event celebrated worldwide every April 22, is an opportunity for people of all ages to take positive actions towards the preservation of our delicate natural environment.

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 in the United States. Many consider the first Earth Day celebration as the start of the environmental movement. That day, more than 20 million Americans participated in informational sessions aimed at raising awareness around the growing issue of environmental pollution. Today, Earth Day is a global event celebrated in a multitude of ways around the world, unified by the common goal of educating and engaging individuals in positive environmental action.

Here at Orca we have made a longstanding commitment to publishing books with an environmental theme—from the Orca classic Siwiti—A Whale’s Story and In the Company of Whales by whale researcher and wild salmon activist Alexandra Morton to more recent titles like The Salmon Bears—Giants of the Great Bear Rainforest and The Sea Wolves—Living Wild in the Great Bear Rainforest both by Ian McAllister and Nicholas Read.

Other environmentally-themed titles include Nowhere Else on Earth—Standing Tall for the Great Bear Rainforest by Caitlyn Vernon and Generation Us—The Challenge of Global Warming by Andrew Weaver. Click any of the above links to be taken to the books’ dedicated websites, where you’ll find excerpts, resources, downloads and more.

At Orca we know that environmental education can be very powerful, which is why we have published many titles that take this often-complex subject matter and make it easily accessible. As well as providing environmentally educational content, Orca is committed to conducting responsible publishing practices by printing virtually all our books in Canada on Forest Stewardship Certified (FSC) paper while making every effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle. (And hey! Almost all Orca titles are available in ebook format so you can go “green” with you reading materials. Learn more about Orca ebooks.)

Now, you might be wondering, what can I do this Earth Day? Here in Canada, Earth Day is celebrated in a variety of different ways around the country. In Victoria, BC, approximately 5000 west coasters gather to take part in Victoria’s Earth Walk. In the East, over 2000 Oakvillians gather to participate in Ontario’s Waterways Clean-up. If your curious about the events happening in your community you can visit the

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.

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 this spring.

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].

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].

A Friday treat!

Author Tom Ryan’s first book, Way to Go, will be released this spring, and he has put together a fantastic vlog (video blog) documenting some of the surprises he encountered along the road from manuscript to finished book. (And yes, he dresses up as his book!)

About Way to Go: Danny thinks he must be the only seventeen-year-old guy in Cape Breton—in Nova Scotia, maybe—who doesn’t have his life figured out. His buddy Kierce has a rule for every occasion, and his best friend Jay has bad grades, no plans and no worries. Danny’s dad nags him about his post-high-school plans, his friends bug him about girls and a run-in with the cops means he has to get a summer job. Worst of all, he’s keeping a secret that could ruin everything.

After the video, visit Tom’s website at TomWroteThat.com or read an excerpt of Way to Go.

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.

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].

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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47. Vicki Delany on Adult Literacy and Rapid Reads

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By: Michelle, on 3/1/2012
Blog: Orca Book Publishers Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Vicki Delany (Canadian crime and mystery writer, and latest author in the Rapid Reads series) has contributed a stellar post about adult literacy and the Rapid Reads series to the Poisoned Pen Press blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Literacy (or lack thereof) is a serious problem in your country and mine. For many reasons there are adults out in the world who can’t read properly. Whether because they had undiagnosed learning disabilities at school, because English isn’t their first language, because they didn’t have teachers and parents who encouraged reading, they reached adulthood lacking what might be the most essential skill in the world today.

The ability to read.

Because they can’t read they face enormous difficulties. Government or legal documents are a minefield, most jobs are out of reach. Understanding a newspaper can be impossible.

Fortunately, anyone can learn to read. At any age or in any environment…”

Read the full post on the Poisoned Pen Press blog.

Learn more about A Winter Kill, by Vicki Delany. Coming April 2012 from Orca’s Rapid Reads series.

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48. Bullying Stops Here!

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By: Michelle, on 2/29/2012
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Lots of pink shirts around the Orca office today…even our furry friends are getting in the spirit. Check out staff pics from Pink Shirt Day on our Facebook page.

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49. Hello world!

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By: admin, on 2/27/2012
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50. Hello world!

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