Hi everyone!

I’m Sam and I’m currently the editorial intern here at Tundra. I’m very excited to announce our brand new Tundra Reading Club!

Each month, we’ll post a book and a sign-up form for bloggers. Then we’ll randomly choose the lucky five who will receive a copy (in some cases, an advance copy) in exchange for a review on their blog!

Of course, everyone is free to participate via tweets (@tundrabooks) or in the comment section on the monthly post.

To make it easy to work into your busy schedules, we’ve chosen picture books so it shouldn’t take you too long to read the book of the month (or like me, you might pore over it for hours and be distracted by the illustrations).

Without further ado, welcome to the first month of our reading club! January’s book is Spic-and-Span! Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen by Monica Kulling, illustrated by David Parkins. It’s the beginning of the year and we all have those pesky resolutions to keep, such as organize the kitchen, design efficient appliances, walk the dog and raise eleven children under the age of 19 . . . no? Just Lillian then!

Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning. Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psychologist, an author, a professor and an inventor.

Visit your local library or bookstore to get reading! If you’re interested, fill in the form below and we’ll randomly select five bloggers to read and review a copy of Spic-and-Span! and join our discussion.

Check back in on Monday, January 26, 2015 for our book club’s first meeting to discuss the book!

Have a wonderful holiday and New Year’s Eve! From your friends at Tundra: Tara, Liz, Sue, Samantha S, Sylvia, Peter, Pamela, and Samantha D!

We are thrilled to see Audrey (cow) by Dan Bar-el and Tatjana Mai-Wyss on the the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 2014! Congratulations to Dan and Tatjana, Audrey is a runaway hit!

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
“A cow with a dream of freedom escapes a date with the slaughterhouse only to discover that living in the wilderness is an entirely different kind of challenge.” – New York Public Library

We’re feeling warm and fuzzy with all the love for our books this year! Here’s two more recommended titles from the National Post:

Nancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
“Hours can be spent poring over the illustrations for Cybèle Young’s Nancy Knows, a gorgeous little story in which a forgetful elephant racks her memory, trying to remember what it is she was supposed to do. Nancy’s memories are expressed through dozens of miniature, elaborate paper sculptures, each one handcrafted by Young herself. New details spring up on the page with each repeat reading, making it a book parents won’t quickly tire of during story time.” – Anna Fitzpatrick, National Post

The Hockey Sweater, 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
Hardcover | 48 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-762-7
“2014 was also a notable year for anniversaries and re-releases. Roch Carrier’s Canadian classic The Hockey Sweater turned 30, which Tundra celebrated with a hardcover special edition.” – Anna Fitzpatrick, National Post

Slate has come up with “great ideas for people with great taste.” For little ones, they recommend Julia, Child.

Julia, Child
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Tundra Books | 32 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-449-7
“. . . you might want to get your own copy of Julia, Child . . . a children’s book about some kids who really like eating butter. It is everything.” – Slate

The Children’s Book Panel’s Winter 2014 selections:

MICHELE LANDSBERG’S PICK:

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
“Audrey is a cow with poetry in her blood, who yearns for the greener pastures beyond Bittersweet Farms. But when Roy the horse tells this bovine dreamer that she is headed for Abbot’s War, the slaughterhouse, Audrey knows that she must leave her home and friends sooner than she ever imagined. With the help of a whole crew of animals and humans alike, Audrey attempts to escape the farm she lives on — and certain death. Full of heart and humour, Audrey (cow) is ultimately a very human story about life and death, friendship, and holding on to one’s dreams – based more or less on a true story.” – CBC

KEN SETTERINGTON’S BONUS PICKS:

Anne of Green Gables
Written by L. M. Montgomery
Hardcover | 400 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-730-6
“The story of the orphaned red-headed Anne Shirley who is mistakenly adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert to work on their farm is one of Canada’s most famous pieces of literature. Anne of Green Gables was first published in 1908 and has since sold more than 50 million copies, has been translated into over 20 languages and has spawned stage musicals, television shows and movies, theatre adaptations, amusement parks and more.” – CBC

Emily of New Moon
Written by L. M. Montgomery
Hardcover | 448 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-746-7
“In this first volume of the celebrated Emily trilogy, Lucy Maud Montgomery draws a more realistic portrait of a young orphan girl’s life on early twentieth-century Prince Edward Island.” – CBC

For that cute niece or nephew, Notable is recommending An Armadillo in Paris by Julie Kraulis this holiday season!

An Armadillo in Paris
Written by Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-526-5
“Toronto-based Kraulis wrote and illustrated this delightful book about a Brazilian armadillo named Arlo who is inspired by his grandfather Augustin’s travel journals to go on an adventure of his own. Arlo visits Paris, guided by Augustin’s journal, encountering all sorts of adventures along the way. You and your niece or nephew will revel in Kraulis’ beautiful illustrations as you rollick through Paris with Arlo.” – Shannon Culver, Notable.ca

TOP 10 MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS OF 2014

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
“When Audrey the cow learns that she’s headed for the slaughterhouse (oh my!), her barnyard friends help her plan a great escape.” – Today’s Parent

TOP 15 PICTURE BOOKS OF 2014

Edie’s Ensembles
Written by Ashley Spires
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-490-9
“Edie, a teeny fashion designer and self-proclaimed style guru dresses herself in the most extravagant ensembles. Her best friend Andrew is a patient assistant, but after Edie comes to school in an outrageous outfit (that won’t fit through the door!) and makes fun of Andrew’s get-up, his patience fizzles out. Will Edie apologize for taking things too far and make things right with her best friend?” – Today’s Parent

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-568-5
“Dinosaurs may make for reliable alarm clocks, or be used as can openers and even blamed for eating homework, but that’s only if you happen to find one.” – Today’s Parent

Julia, Child
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Hardcover | 32 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-449-7
“A pair of young girls stir together some secret ingredients, teaching the grown-ups in their lives just how important it is to stop worrying (and to use butter every chance they get!).” – Today’s Parent

We are so happy to see Spic-and-Span! in the Boston Globe‘s best picture books of 2014! Cheers to another great idea!

Spic-and-Span!
Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-380-3
“In Spic-and-Span, Monica Kulling tells Gilbreth’s life story with warmth and clarity, and David Parkins’ illustrations underscore the wit and humanity of this picture book biography.” – The Boston Globe

This holiday, give the gift of Anne and Emily to a true friend and kindred spirit! We have repackaged eight Anne and three Emily titles in hardcover and paperback. Both sets are designed by Kelly Hill and are sure to become a favourite!

The paperback editions feature cover art by Elly Mackay. She created these dreamy images by drawing, painting, trimming, and installing the scenes in her theatre. Then with the magic of light and Elly’s skilled photography, voilà! Gorgeous new covers! Elly is even selling prints of some of the covers: Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne of Avonlea, and Emily of New Moon.

Then there are these wonderfully designed hardcover editions . . . where do we even start? The covers are made to look like they’re cloth bound and there are ribbons to bookmark your place. Each book features their own cartouche, which is used throughout the interiors. Oh the endpapers! You can see a glimpse of them on the large ANNE and EMILY designs on the cover, but they’re just stunning when you open up the book. Sigh! That’s not even all, there’s a bonus short story by L. M. Montgomery at the back of the book too.

Of course, you can purchase the titles individually, but we have the following sets available:

Anne 8 Copy Paperback Boxed Set
Written by L. M. Montgomery
Format: Trade Paperback
Trim: 5-3/16 x 7-5/8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-679-8
This stunning boxed set includes Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne’s House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. The exterior and interior of the box features stunning artwork by Elly Mackay! Lined up, the spines on the books create a beautiful landscape.

Anne 3 Copy Hardcover Boxed Set
Written by L. M. Montgomery
Format: Hardcover
Trim: 5-5/16 x 7-7/8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-875-4
This lovely boxed set includes Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.

GIVEAWAY
So, does anyone want to win a L. M. Montgomery collection for the holidays? To enter, just leave a comment below telling us if you love the Paperback or Hardcover editions.

• Begins Wednesday, December 10, 2014 and ends Sunday, December 14, 2014 at 11:59 PM Eastern time.
• Two winners will be randomly selected. One winner will receive the set of Anne + Emily in paperback. The second winner will receive the set of Anne + Emily in hardcover. Each set contains eleven books.
• Bonus entry for those who want to win the paperback set, tweet: I’d love to win the @TundraBooks @theaterclouds Anne and Emily books by L. M. Montgomery this holiday! http://wp.me/priCH-1EK
• Please read our full set of rules here. Good luck!

The staff at Mabel’s Fables Bookstore picked their best books of the year, Nancy Knows and Hope Springs is on their list! Congratulations to Cybèle Young, Eric Walters, and Eugenie Fernandes!

Nancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
“This book is just beautiful, from the artwork right down to the message. Nancy’s plight to remember is something that resonates with me and feel it is perfect for any child who has someone suffering from memory loss in their family. It’s a quick, lovely read and, I admit, I got a bit teary at the end.” – Karla

Hope Springs
Written by Eric Walters
Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-530-2
“The first time I read this book, I was in tears in the store – in front of customers. I should have read this at my desk, instead! Hope Springs is an incredibly touching story about kindness, understanding, charity and point of view. It’s about a whole lot more than just water. This type of picture book is what I like to refer to as a ‘dialogue opener’ one that starts important discussions with kids.” – Erin

Every week, the staff at Powell’s Books gather together a small pile of newly released titles that we agree should be on everyone’s radar. They deem these titles their New Favorites (check out their recent picks here). Now that the year is winding down, they thought they would take a look back at some of the standouts, in case you missed them the first time around.

Adventures with Barefoot Critters is on their list of Favorite New Favorites of 2014!!!

Adventures with Barefoot Critters
Written by Teagan White
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-624-8
“What do the forest creatures do all year? Teagan White weaves an alphabetical tale with rhyming verse and wistful, whimsical old-fashioned illustrations. It’s a sweet way for kids to learn not only the alphabet but the months of the year and the turn of the seasons.” – Naomi

We are so excited to see Julia, Child in the New York Times 2014 Holiday Gift Guide! We recommend you include the silicone spatula, macaron purse, and crepe shop kit from the list as well.

Julia, Child
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Hardcover | 32 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-449-7
“This ebullient children’s book recasts Julia Child’s friendship with Simcoe Beck, a.k.a. Simca, as the tale of two girls (Julia on roller skates) who think that grown-ups do not ‘know how to have a marvellous time’ and make it their mission to cure them with cheese soufflé and peach compote.” – Ligaya Mishan

Listed by age range:

Bob’s Hungry Ghost
Written by Geneviève Côté
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-713-9
Bob wants a dog for his birthday, but instead he gets a ghost … and its name is Fluffy. Unfortunately, Fluffy doesn’t fetch, sit or go for walks. But he does eat everything, and soon all of Bob’s things and even Bob himself end up in Fluffy’s belly. Will Bob find a way to tame his unruly and very hungry ghost? Will Fluffy realize that eating Bob wasn’t a very nice thing to do?

The Fly
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-636-1
The first in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Fly is a look at the common housefly. It covers such topics as the hair on the fly’s body (requires a lot of shaving), its ability to walk on the ceiling (it’s pretty cool, but it’s hard to play soccer up there), and its really disgusting food tastes (garbage juice soup followed by dirty diaper with rotten tomato sauce, for example). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Fly contains real information that will tie in with curriculum.

The Worm
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-633-0
The second in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Worm is a look at the earthworm. It covers such topics as the worm’s habitats (sometimes they live inside other animals), its anatomy (its muscle tube is slimy and gross), and its illustrious history (worms have been on earth for 120 million years).

The Slug
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-655-2
The Slug is a look at the land slug. It covers such topics as the slug’s two pairs of tentacles, one pair for seeing, one pair for smelling (it can see you’re a kid and smell like broccoli), its breathing hole (on the side of its head!), and its pretty gross mucous covering (in order to find a partner, the slug can follow another slug’s mucous trail. True love!).

The Rat
Written by Elise Gravel
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-658-3
The Rat is a look at the black rat. It covers such topics as the rat’s long, agile tail (it’s good for balancing and picking noses), long teeth (they can chew through anything, including books) and disgusting taste in food (delicious electrical wires in tomato sauce, anyone?).

The Swallow: A Ghost Story
Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-591-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-593-7
In 1960s Toronto, two girls retreat to their attics to escape the loneliness and isolation of their lives. Polly lives in a house bursting at the seams with people, while Rose is often left alone by her busy parents. Polly is a down-to-earth dreamer with a wild imagination and an obsession with ghosts; Rose is a quiet, ethereal waif with a sharp tongue. Despite their differences, both girls spend their days feeling invisible and seek solace in books and the cozy confines of their respective attics. But soon they discover they aren’t alone–they’re actually neighbors, sharing a wall. They develop an unlikely friendship, and Polly is ecstatic to learn that Rose can actually see and talk to ghosts. Maybe she will finally see one too! But is there more to Rose than it seems? Why does no one ever talk to her? And why does she look so … ghostly? When the girls find a tombstone with Rose’s name on it in the cemetery and encounter an angry spirit in her house who seems intent on hurting Polly, they have to unravel the mystery of Rose and her strange family … before it’s too late.

Zombie Elementary
The Real Story
Written by Howard Whitehouse
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-608-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-610-1
Larry Mullet is your typical fourth grader. He’s not the biggest kid or the smartest kid or the best looking kid. He rides his bike, plays baseball, takes the school bus, avoids cafeteria food, and–oh yeah, he’s a zombie hunting expert. Larry was just doing his usual thing when Alex Bates from Ms Hoag’s class tried to eat him. Sadly, that was only the beginning. Something odd was going on at Brooks Elementary… and it was up to Larry and his friends to take charge (for some reason). Hilariously told interview-style as a record of the REAL story, and peppered with zombie tips and facts, zombie cheerleaders and plenty of gore, this book will be a surefire hit for anyone interested in a ghoulishly good life-or-death comedy.

The Voice inside My Head
Written by S.J. Laidlaw
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-565-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-566-1
Seventeen-year-old Luke’s older sister, Pat, has always been his moral compass, like a voice inside his head, every time he has a decision to make. So when Pat disappears on a tiny island off the coast of Honduras and the authorities claim she’s drowned – despite the fact that they can’t produce a body – Luke heads to Honduras to find her because he knows something the authorities don’t. From the moment of her disappearance, Pat’s voice has become real, guiding him to Utila, where she had accepted a summer internship to study whale sharks. Once there, he meets several characters who describe his sister as a very different girl from the one knows. Does someone have a motive for wanting her dead? Determined to get to the bottom of Pat’s disappearance, Luke risks everything, including his own life, to find the answer.

Listed by age range:

Baseball Animals
Written by Christopher Jordan
Hardcover | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-474-9
In Baseball Animals, children will learn about the various animals specific to professional baseball and discover why each team selected the particular animal when naming their club.

Baseball Opposites
Written by Christopher Jordan
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-518-0
In Baseball Opposites, children will be introduced to an array of familiar opposites clearly defined through bright and colorful photographs from the world of Major League Baseball.

M Is for Maple Leafs
An Official Toronto Maple Leafs Alphabet Book
Written by Michael Ulmer
Illustrated by Melanie Rose
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-798-6
For nearly a century, the Toronto Maple Leafs have stood as one of the most popular hockey franchises in the NHL. With M Is for Maple Leafs, children across North America will discover the alphabet while being introduced to interesting Leaf history. From people (such as Mats Sundin and Johnny Bower) to hockey terminology (line change and face-off) and places and things (dressing room, Air Canada Centre, puck), the world of hockey is depicted in this fun and lively picture book. Featuring rhyming text from author Mike Ulmer and striking illustrations from Melanie Rose, this book captures the spirit of “Canada’s game.”

Puckster Plays the Hockey Mascots
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Illustrated by Kelly Findley
Trade Paperback | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-760-3
In Puckster Plays the Hockey Mascots, Puckster and his pals realize the dream of being on the ice with their hockey heroes – the Toronto Maple Leafs mascot Carlton the bear and the Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi. These legendary NHL mascots inspired Puckster to play hockey and cheer for Hockey Canada and now here he was playing in a real game with these hockey greats. But when his drive to win and desire to impress others gets in the way, Puckster realizes that he has let his team down and forgotten the true spirit of teamwork.

Puckster’s Christmas Hockey Tournament
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Illustrated by Kelly Findley
Trade Paperback | 24 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-758-0
In Puckster’s Christmas Hockey Tournament, it is Christmas Eve and Puckster is nervously watching the heavy snowfall gather on the ground and in the trees. It is his first Christmas away from home and though he is excited to be with Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Tournament, he is afraid that the winter storm will prevent his family and friends from travelling to the remote arena and arrive in time for Christmas morning.

The Bambino and Me
Written by Zachary Hyman
Read by Jason Alexander
Illustrated by Zachary Pullen
Hardcover | 48 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-627-9
It’s 1927, and ten-year-old George Henry Alexander is full of the joys of summer: long days, warm nights and baseball, especially the greatest player in the game: Babe Ruth – the Bambino. When George’s parents surprise him with tickets to a game between his beloved Yankees and their rivals, the Boston Red Sox, he couldn’t be more excited. But when the big day arrives, things don’t quite go according to plan …

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by Geneviève Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-575-3
Nine-year-old Gabe (Gabriella) Murray lives and breathes hockey. She’s the youngest player on her new team, she has a nifty move that her teammates call “the Gabe,” and she shares a lucky number with her hero, Hayley Wickenheiser: number 22. But when her coach hands out the team jerseys, Gabe is stuck with number 9. Crushed, Gabe wants to give up hockey altogether. How can she play without her lucky number?

Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine
Written by Brian Mcfarlane
Illustrated by Geri Storey
Hardcover | 34 Pages | Ages 6-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-583-8
In Peter Puck and the Runaway Zamboni Machine, Peter’s good friend, Tony the Zamboni, longs for adventure. When Tony disappears, Peter and referee George Phair head out to find him. Tony loves being out in the big wide world, especially when he enters a race at the speedway. Peter arrives just in time to hop on and drive, but a run-in with two nasty drivers threatens to put them on the sidelines. Can Peter and Tony stay in the race? And will the runaway Zamboni return to the arena and prepare the ice for the big game?

The Mystery of the Russian Ransom
Written by Roy MacGregor
Trade Paperback | 176 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-420-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-425-1
The Screech Owls have never had such a wonderful surprise. A famous Russian billionaire has offered to pay and fly the whole team to his country. He wants the Owls to visit his homeland so the Russians can learn from the Screech Owls’ style of play. The team will play in a tournament while they are there, but even before their first practice on Russian ice, Sarah is taken off the snowy streets. Her kidnappers want ten million rubles in exchange for her safe release! The billionaire wants to pay for Sarah’s safe return, but Travis and his teammates decide to take matters into their own hands.

The Boston Breakout
Written by Roy MacGregor
Trade Paperback | 176 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-421-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-426-8
The Screech Owls are in Boston for the Paul Revere Peewee Invitational. Nish decides to drop out of school. If it worked for Ben Franklin, it will work for him. Sarah becomes increasingly concerned about Samantha’s attraction to a group of protesters demanding that the New England Aquarium “Free the Penguins.” When the girls learn that the protesters have far more in mind than speeches and waving placards, the Owls have to act fast to save the lives of thousands of sea creatures.

The Hockey Sweater, 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
Hardcover | 48 Pages | All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-762-7
The Hockey Sweater is a Canadian children’s classic, and we are very excited to be doing an anniversary edition. It will include lots of extras, including original material from the author and illustrator, stills from the animated film, letters and quotes from celebrities and more.

Listed by age range:

Nancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
Nancy knows she’s forgotten something. Something important. When she tries to remember, she thinks of all kinds of other things instead. She remembers things she knows and things she doesn’t quite know. She remembers things one way, then another. Sometimes she remembers with her ears or her stomach or even her heart. But Nancy knows she’s still forgetting something. It’s only when Nancy stops thinking altogether that she finally remembers the very important thing she’s forgotten. Nancy Knows is the charming story of an elephant who remember lots of things, except the very thing she is trying to remember.

Going Up!
Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-516-6
In 1818, seven-year-old Elisha was fascinated by farm machinery. As a young man, he tried a variety of ways to make a living, but nothing fired his imagination more than the job he found in a bed-frame factory. Soon he invented a machine that made frames four times faster than ever before. In 1852, while overseeing the construction of a new factory, he had to find a way to move heavy machinery to the second floor. He didn’t trust the hoisting platform, so he invented a safety brake. It was so successful that rather than lift machine parts, Elisha decided to build “people-hoisting machines.” In 1857, Elisha Otis installed his first successful passenger elevator in a five-storey department store in New York City. Before Elisha’s invention, buildings were never higher than six stories. At last it was possible to build skyscrapers!

Spic-and-Span!
Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-380-3
Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning. Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psycologist, an author, a professor, and an inventor.

Nine Words Max
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by David Huyck
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-562-3
Maximilian is a prince who loves to talk: No topic is too small, no story too boring. Max’s brothers are the opposite–the less said the better. When the king and queen go on a trip and leave the brothers alone, the three princes put a spell on Max that limits him to speaking only nine words at a time. The brothers are delighted: peace and quiet at last! But when a fearsome dignitary arrives, they realize the true value of their brother’s insatiable need for information.

Who Needs a Desert?
A Desert Ecosystem
Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-386-5
Although deserts are harsh, dry places, they teem with fascinating plants and wildlife. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Desert? A Desert Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that have adapted to its severe conditions – from grasses, cacti, shrubs, and trees to Gila monsters, roadrunners, scorpions, and kangaroo rats.

Who Needs a Prairie?
A Grassland Ecosystem
Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-388-9
Prairies are wild and rugged grasslands, whose inhabitants depend on each other and their surroundings. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Prairie? A Grassland Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that thrive in its unique conditions – from buttercups, pincushion cacti, prairie crocuses, and sagebrush to burrowing owls, dung beetles, yellow-bellied racers, and voles.

Who Needs a Reef?
A Coral Ecosystem
Written by Karen Patkau
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-390-2
Colorful coral reefs, astonishing in their beauty, bustle and teem with life. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on a magical journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. In Who Needs a Reef ? A Coral Reef Ecosystem, we discover, in breathtaking art and lyrical text, the plants and animals that flourish in its tropical conditions – from coralline algae, phytoplankton, and sea grasses to hermit crabs, moon jellies, whale sharks, and porcupinefish.

Every Breath
Written by Ellie Marney
Hardcover | 352 Pages | Ages 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-772-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-774-0
Rachel Watts has just moved to Melbourne from the country, but the city is the last place she wants to be. James Mycroft is her neighbor, an intriguing and troubled seventeen-year-old genius with a passion for forensics. When Mycroft asks Watts to help investigate a murder, she knows it’s probably a very bad idea. But Mycroft’s hard to resist when he’s up close and personal—and before she knows it, Watts has joined him on the hunt for a cold-blooded killer. But what happens when this brilliant bad boy becomes murder suspect number one?

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If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Hardcover | 40 Pages
For Ages: 3-7 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-568-5
If you happen to have a dinosaur, lying around your living room, and you don’t know what to do with it … why don’t you use it as a can opener? It will make a terrific nutcracker too! There are oodles of uses for a dinosaur — from a fine umbrella to an excellent kite and a dandy pillow, not to mention a reliable burglar alarm and the perfect excuse to forget your homework. This delightfully absurd exploration of the domestic uses of dinosaurs — and the things dinos just aren’t good for at all — is guaranteed to tickle funny bones and spark imaginations.

Ella May and the Wishing Stone
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Trade Paperback | 32 Pages
For Ages: 4-6
ISBN: 978-1-77049-410-7
When Ella May finds a smooth stone with a line going all-all-all the way around it, she is convinced it has magical powers. Surely such a stone will grant wishes, she thinks. But when her friends want to join in the fun, Ella May says that the stone is too special. Slowly she comes to realize that keeping the stone all to herself is a sure way to lose friends. By using her imagination, Ella May finds a way to make everyone’s wishes come true-including her own.

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages
For Ages: 7-10 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
Audrey is a cow with poetry in her blood, who yearns for the greener pastures beyond Bittersweet Farms. If you have no problem with stories about brave cows escaping their dark destiny and dodging hunters and vicious predators, then this book is for you. Over two dozen animals and humans tell the tale of Audrey’s great escape. Full of heart and humor, Audrey (cow) is ultimately a very human story about life and death, friendship, and holding on to one’s dreams – based more or less on a true story.

Millhouse
Written by Natale Ghent
Hardcover | 192 Pages
For Ages: 7-10 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-639-2
Millhouse is a faint-hearted, hairless guinea pig. A great lover of all things theatrical, most especially the work of William Shakespeare, Milly longs for the limelight and someone to love. However, after the death of his beloved owner, the great actor Sir Roderick Lord Kingswagger, Millhouse is abandoned to a neglected and dusty pet shop filled with other rodents — some rude, some odd, some cute and some downright frightening. Finding himself a reviled outcast and a target of the nasty Pepper Brown ferret, Millhouse sets about trying to find a way back to the theater and a happy home, and in doing so experiences more drama than he could ever have imagined.

The Green Man
Written by Michael Bedard
Trade Paperback | 320 Pages
For Ages: 10 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-511-1
When Ophelia’s father heads off to Italy for the summer to finish work on his book on the poet Ezra Pound, O – as she prefers to be called – is sent by train to stay with her Aunt Emily, who runs a secondhand bookshop back east called The Green Man. Part mystery, part fantasy, this compelling and beautifully written novel slips between the real world, and that of the creative imagination. Cloaked in the simple story of a young woman taking over a bookstore from her aged aunt, The Green Man is an eerie story about finding voice and courage, and about suspending disbelief!

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An Armadillo in Paris
By Julie Kraulis
Hardcover | 32 Pages
For Ages: 5-9
ISBN: 978-1-77049-526-5
Arlo is an armadillo who is always up for adventure. His grandfather, Augustin, loved adventure too. When Arlo was born, Augustin wrote travel journals about his favorite places for Arlo to use when he was hold enough to go exploring on his own. When Arlo reads about Paris and the one the French call La Dame de Fer, or Iron Lady, he decides it’s time to strike out on his first adventure. He travels to France and, guided by Augustin’s journal, discovers the joys of Paris: eating a flakey croissant at a café, visiting the Louvre, walking along the Seine and, of course, meeting the Iron Lady… But who is she?

Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Hardcover | 336 Pages
For Ages: 9-12 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-479-4
When chubby, geeky Wylder Wallace spills lunch on cool and aloof Addy Crowe at Toronto’s Comicon, she dashes to the bathroom, leaving behind the latest issue of her uncle’s steampunk comic hit: Flynn Goster in Gold Rush Train. Wylder, a fan of the Flynn comics, opens this new one eagerly, astounded to see the girl who was just yelling at him inside the comic. Fascinated, he follows Addy into the bathroom, and the adventure begins …

The World Outside
Written by Eva Wiseman
Hardcover | 240 Pages
For Ages: 12 and up
ISBN: 978-0-88776-981-8
Seventeen-year-old Chanie Altman lives the protected life of a Lubavitcher Hasidic girl in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, in 1991. Religion is the most important aspect of her life, and, like other Lubavitcher girls, she is expected to attend a seminary and to marry as soon as she graduates from high school. But Chanie has a beautiful voice and dreams of becoming an opera singer – a profession forbidden to a Hasidic girl. When she meets David, a non-Hasidic Jewish boy, he opens the portals to the world outside her fundamentalist community. The Crown Heights riots break out, and the Lubavitchers are put under siege by their African-American neighbors. A tragedy occurs. Will Chanie stay in the fundamentalist community she has always known in a life that has been prescribed for her, or will she leave it behind to follow her dreams?

First Descent
Written by Pam Withers
Trade Paperback | 272 Pages
For Ages: 12 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-412-1
Montana-born Rex dreams of following in his grandfather’s footsteps and making a first descent down one of the world’s last unconquered wild rivers. When he finally gets enough sponsors, Rex heads to South America to tackle the well-named El Furioso. And while he anticipates the river’s challenges, he finds himself in a situation where the real danger is human.

Shadows
The Rephaim, Book 1
Written by Paula Weston
Trade Paperback | 400 Pages
For Ages: 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-769-6
It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Take a quick tour and follow the Rephaim as they shift from Pandanus Beach to Greece and to Italy.

Haze
The Rephaim, Book 2
Written by Paula Weston
Hardcover | 448 Pages
For Ages: 14 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-550-0
Gaby Winters’ life used to be pretty normal. She lived with her best friend. She worked in a library. She was slowly getting over the death of her twin brother, Jude. And then Rafa came looking for her. Take a quick tour and follow the Rephaim as they shift from Pandanus Beach to Los Angeles to Dubai to Iowa and to Melbourne.

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 Adventures with Barefoot Critters
By Teagan White
Hardcover | 32 Pages
For Ages: 4-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-624-8
Join this adorable cast of animal characters (you’ll squeal at their cute outfits) as they explore the alphabet through the seasons, having fun at all stops along the way. From gathering honey in spring to building cozy campfires in fall, the friends make the most of each season, both enjoying the great outdoors and staying snug inside.

Edie’s Ensembles
By Ashley Spires
Hardcover | 32 pages
For Age: 4-8 years
ISBN: 978-1-77049-490-9
Edie is known for her great outfits and stylish flair. She and her best friend Andrew spend a lot of time playing dress-up. The school hall is their runway. No outfit is too bizarre, no costume too flamboyant for Edie!

Julia, Child
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Hardcover | 32 Pages
For All Ages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-449-7
Julia and Simca are two young friends who agree that you can never use too much butter – and that it is best to be a child forever. Sharing a love of cooking and having no wish to turn into big, busy people who worry too much and dawdle too little, they decide to create a feast for growing and staying young. A playful, scrumptious celebration of the joy of eating, the importance of never completely growing up and mastering the art of having a good time, Julia, Child is a fictional tale loosely inspired by the life and spirit of the very real Julia Child — a story that should be taken with a grain of salt and a generous pat of butter.

For Ages 3-5 | Laugh Out Loud
If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Hardcover | 40 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-568-5
“There aren’t many books that have the courage to be this silly…. Simply wonderful.” – The Globe and Mail

For Ages 3-5 | Cuddle Up & Read
The Hockey Sweater, 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
Hardcover | 48 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-762-7
“It’s a classic… you can’t really be a Canadian and not read it. It’s become part of our cultural lexicon.” – Canadian Children’s Book News

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by Geneviève Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-575-3
“MacGregor’s writing packs an emotional punch without relying on sentimentality (“Gabe’s heart felt as if a skate had just run across it”). Expressive pencil drawings, brightened with color washes, perfectly capture the characters’ feelings. From the moment Grandma begins to share her past and her passion hockey, the story’s context becomes broader, more complex, and more meaningful. A memorable, intergenerational picture book perfect for sharing.” – Starred Review, Booklist

For Ages 9-12 | Contemporary Adventures
Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Hardcover | 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-479-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-480-0
“A harmonious blend of narrative and intertwined graphic sequences finds two preteens at a comics convention closer to the action than they ever imagined…. The book’s creators clearly had a grand time, filling it with fantastic steampunk creations…. This wholly imagined fantasy is well-fleshed out and keeps the pages flying with its extremely clever story within a story. As it embraces so many different genres and formats—comics, steampunk, adventure—expect this to resonate with a wide readership. A thrilling and imaginative reminder that adventure and magic can be found anywhere, especially where one least expects it….” – Starred Review, Kirkus

For Ages 3-5 | Laugh Out Loud
If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Hardcover | 40 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-568-5
“There aren’t many books that have the courage to be this silly…. Simply wonderful.” – The Globe and Mail

For Ages 3-5 | Cuddle Up & Read
The Hockey Sweater, 30th Anniversary Edition
Written by Roch Carrier
Illustrated by Sheldon Cohen
Translated by Sheila Fischman
Hardcover | 48 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-762-7
“It’s a classic… you can’t really be a Canadian and not read it. It’s become part of our cultural lexicon.” – Canadian Children’s Book News

The Highest Number in the World
Written by Roy MacGregor
Illustrated by Geneviève Després
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-575-3
“MacGregor’s writing packs an emotional punch without relying on sentimentality (“Gabe’s heart felt as if a skate had just run across it”). Expressive pencil drawings, brightened with color washes, perfectly capture the characters’ feelings. From the moment Grandma begins to share her past and her passion hockey, the story’s context becomes broader, more complex, and more meaningful. A memorable, intergenerational picture book perfect for sharing.” – Starred Review, Booklist

For Ages 9-12 | Contemporary Adventures
Viminy Crowe’s Comic Book
Written by Marthe Jocelyn and Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Hardcover | 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-479-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-480-0
“A harmonious blend of narrative and intertwined graphic sequences finds two preteens at a comics convention closer to the action than they ever imagined…. The book’s creators clearly had a grand time, filling it with fantastic steampunk creations…. This wholly imagined fantasy is well-fleshed out and keeps the pages flying with its extremely clever story within a story. As it embraces so many different genres and formats—comics, steampunk, adventure—expect this to resonate with a wide readership. A thrilling and imaginative reminder that adventure and magic can be found anywhere, especially where one least expects it….” – Starred Review, Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews compiles a great list of the best children’s and teen books annually. Congratulations to all of the amazing authors and illustrators for their achievement and for being included in the categories as well! We’re happy to share that two of our titles made the list this year!

Congratulations to Cybèle Young, Nancy Knows was selected as one of the Best Picture Books of 2014 to Start a Conversation:

Nancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
“…the vehicle for a truly beautiful and unique visual tour de force. Young creates delicately worked, detailed illustrations of the things Nancy does remember and sorts them into a wide variety of categories shown within graphite-pencil outlines of Nancy’s elephantine body in front, back, overhead and sideways perspectives. She appears standing or rearing, sleeping or sitting. Things are remembered neatly or jumbled up; sights, sounds and smells are recalled, as well as places and objects, all in interesting juxtapositions. Each item is a tiny, intricate sculpture made with Japanese papers. Colorful shapes in abstract design and amazingly detailed, seemingly three-dimensional objects demand intense, close examination, and fingers will tingle with the wish to lift them off the page. It’s a work to be shared in wonderment and delight. Pure fascination.” – Starred Review, Kirkus

Congratulations to Dan Bar-el and Tatjana Mai-Wyss, Audrey (cow) was selected as one of the Best Middle-Grade Science Fiction, Fantasy & Adventure of 2014 AND Best Middle-Grade Books of 2014 for Readers Who Like Quirky:

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-604-0
“Move aside Wilbur and Babe. There’s a new farmyard hero in town, and she has no desire to end up hamburger. Audrey isn’t like the other cows … the feisty Charolais concocts an elaborate escape for herself using the expertise and help of her barnyard friends…. In a multiple-perspective, documentary-like format, each animal tells its part of the story with terrific humor and personality … the many voices make the book an ideal read-aloud for a classroom and ideal fodder for readers’ theater…. Part Great Escape, part Hatchet, part Charlotte’s Web, all wonderful.” – Starred Review, Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews compiles a great list of the best children’s and teen books annually. Congratulations to all of the amazing authors and illustrators for their achievement and for being included in the categories as well! We’re happy to share that two of our titles made the list this year!

Congratulations to Cybèle Young, Nancy Knows was selected as one of the Best Picture Books of 2014 to Start a Conversation:

Nancy Knows
Written by Cybèle Young
Hardcover | 40 Pages | Ages 3-7
ISBN: 978-1-77049-482-4
“…the vehicle for a truly beautiful and unique visual tour de force. Young creates delicately worked, detailed illustrations of the things Nancy does remember and sorts them into a wide variety of categories shown within graphite-pencil outlines of Nancy’s elephantine body in front, back, overhead and sideways perspectives. She appears standing or rearing, sleeping or sitting. Things are remembered neatly or jumbled up; sights, sounds and smells are recalled, as well as places and objects, all in interesting juxtapositions. Each item is a tiny, intricate sculpture made with Japanese papers. Colorful shapes in abstract design and amazingly detailed, seemingly three-dimensional objects demand intense, close examination, and fingers will tingle with the wish to lift them off the page. It’s a work to be shared in wonderment and delight. Pure fascination.” – Starred Review, Kirkus

Congratulations to Dan Bar-el and Tatjana Mai-Wyss, Audrey (cow) was selected as one of the Best Middle-Grade Science Fiction, Fantasy & Adventure of 2014 AND Best Middle-Grade Books of 2014 for Readers Who Like Quirky:

Audrey (cow)
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Hardcover | 240 Pages | Ages 7-10
ISBN: 978-1-77049-602-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-604-0
“Move aside Wilbur and Babe. There’s a new farmyard hero in town, and she has no desire to end up hamburger. Audrey isn’t like the other cows … the feisty Charolais concocts an elaborate escape for herself using the expertise and help of her barnyard friends…. In a multiple-perspective, documentary-like format, each animal tells its part of the story with terrific humor and personality … the many voices make the book an ideal read-aloud for a classroom and ideal fodder for readers’ theater…. Part Great Escape, part Hatchet, part Charlotte’s Web, all wonderful.” – Starred Review, Kirkus

We are so happy to see one of our titles selected for the Globe 100 under Favourite Middle Grade/Young Adult this year. Congratulations to Kate De Goldi and Gregory O’Brien!

The ACB with Honora Lee
Written by Kate De Goldi
Illustrated by Gregory O’Brien
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 10 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-722-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-723-8
“Kate de Goldi writes surprising and warmly hilarious books where sensitive children make imaginative sense of the world around them. Perry’s grandmother, Honora Lee, lives at Santa Lucia, a rest home, but never remembers Perry’s visits, let alone who she is or if she is a girl or a boy. What she does remember, though, are bits of poetry, sharp and cheeky quips, and how to steal mints from other residents’ rooms. Perry notices Honora’s interest in the alphabet, and the great fun and interest of the book is in the creation of ‘The ACB’ book as it follows the serpentine, sometimes broken logic of Honora and her roomies at Santa Lucia. For example, ‘S is for Sideways Geoffrey,’ who always seems to end up horizontal in his chair and has to watch the television the wrong way. Deceptively simply told for all its sophistication, and so smart, too.” – The Globe and Mail

We are so happy to see one of our titles selected for the Globe 100 under Favourite Middle Grade/Young Adult this year. Congratulations to Kate De Goldi and Gregory O’Brien!

The ACB with Honora Lee
Written by Kate De Goldi
Illustrated by Gregory O’Brien
Hardcover | 128 Pages | Ages 10 and up
ISBN: 978-1-77049-722-1
eBook: 978-1-77049-723-8
“Kate de Goldi writes surprising and warmly hilarious books where sensitive children make imaginative sense of the world around them. Perry’s grandmother, Honora Lee, lives at Santa Lucia, a rest home, but never remembers Perry’s visits, let alone who she is or if she is a girl or a boy. What she does remember, though, are bits of poetry, sharp and cheeky quips, and how to steal mints from other residents’ rooms. Perry notices Honora’s interest in the alphabet, and the great fun and interest of the book is in the creation of ‘The ACB’ book as it follows the serpentine, sometimes broken logic of Honora and her roomies at Santa Lucia. For example, ‘S is for Sideways Geoffrey,’ who always seems to end up horizontal in his chair and has to watch the television the wrong way. Deceptively simply told for all its sophistication, and so smart, too.” – The Globe and Mail