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New Leaves! |
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| Congratulations to all SCBWI Canada
East members whose work was released this year! This
adds many new leaves to our tree. If you are a member
of SCBWI living in eastern Canada and would like us
to add your book(s) to this listing, please enter your
request here.
Be sure to visit our Leaves
Index to view books published by our talented members
in previous years.
For information about the winners of SCBWI-Canada awards,
please visit our Hall of Fame. |
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Walking
Backward
by Catherine Austen
Orca
Book Publishers, 2009.
ISBN 9781554691470 pbk.
176 pages
When Josh's mother dies in a phobia-induced car crash,
she leaves two questions for her grieving family: How
did a snake get into her car? How do you mourn with
no faith to guide you?
Twelve-year-old Josh is left alone to find the answers.
His father is busy building a time machine. His four-year-old
brother has befriended a plastic Power Ranger. His psychiatrist
offers nothing more than a blank journal.
Isolated by grief in a home where every day is pajama
day, Josh makes death his research project. He tests
the mourning practices of religions he doesn't believe
in. He tries to mend his little brother's shattered
heart. He observes, records, and waits—for his
life to feel normal, for his mother's death to make
sense, for his father to come out of the basement.
Posted: October 2009 |
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Big and
Small, Room for All
by Jo Ellen Bogart
illustrated by Gillian Newland
Tundra Books, 2009.
ISBN 978-0-88776-891-0 (hardcover)
32 pages
"Big sky, big sky, what is bigger than the sky?"
In this clever concept book, award-winning author Jo
Ellen Bogart explores the size of animate and inanimate
objects and their place in the universe. She introduces
children to the concept of “we”—the
idea that humans are a big part of the world, but a
small part of existence.
With simple words printed on the darkness, the book
begins in the vastness of the universe, with galaxies
swirling through space. Moving closer to our world,
we see the solar system, our sun at the center. Closer
still, we see the huge ball of fire that is the sun.
Next, the third planet out—our blue Earth—looms
huge on the page. Young readers then view smaller and
smaller objects, from mountain to tree to man to child
to kitten to mouse to flea to the amazing complexity
of microscopic beings.
Accompanied by Gillian Newland’s lavish watercolor
paintings, Big and Small, Room for All places
the immensity and wonder of space in perspective to
help young readers comprehend that while they are part
of creation, they are only a small part of all that
exists.
The book has received starred reviews in Quill
& Quire and Kirkus. Illustrator Newland’s
work in this, her first picture book, has been highly
praised.
Posted: June 2009 |
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"I Shall
Wait and Wait"
written by Alootook Ipellie
illustrated by Anne Marie
Bourgeois
Rubicon Publishing / Scholastic Press Canada Scholastic
Press Canada, 2009
ISBN 978-1-55448-733-2
48 pages
This poem by Inuit writer Alootook
Ipellie describes the harsh climate and isolation
a seal hunter must endure as he patiently carries out
the traditional search for food. This first-person account
takes the reader through a day in the life of an Inuit
man who ventures out looking for the seal that he hopes
to bring home to feed his waiting family.
Posted: February 2009 |
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In the
Garden
written and illustrated by Peggy
Collins
Cider
Mill Press, 2008
ISBN 978-1-60433-026-7 (paperback)
ISBN 1-60433-026-7 (hardcover)
32 pages
A seed is planted, a garden grows, and an enchanting
picture book blossoms from this lovely and timely idea.
In the Garden captures a child’s delight
in cultivating his own small plot of land. As the seasons
pass, a boy watches the ever-changing sights in his
backyard as vegetables sprout and flowers bloom. (He
even plants a few of his favorite toys!) Kids will want
to join in the fun as our hero stomps through puddles,
meets slimy slugs and beautiful butterflies, and enjoys
tasty, just-picked treats. Before long, everything in
the garden has grown bigger—even the little gardener!
Author and illustrator Peggy Collins charms readers
with cheery, colorful artwork and endearing text that
perfectly captures a young child’s unique view
of nature.
Posted: March 2009 |
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There's
A Spider in the Bath!
written by Neil Griffiths
illustrated by Peggy Collins
Red
Robin Books, 2008
ISBN 978-1-905434-15-2
32 pages
There's a spider in the bath!
When bathtime beckons, Stanley always has an excuse
to try and get out of it. But tonight he doesn't need
to spin a yarn.
This is a super suspense story that weaves its way
to a spidacular conclusion.
Posted: July 2008 |
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Tallula's
Atishoo!
written by Neil Griffiths
illustrated by Peggy Collins
Red
Robin Books, 2007
ISBN 9781905434121
24 pages
Tallula was doing what she liked to do most of all:
wallowing in mud! She loved the stuff, the stickier
the better. But she soon discovers that you can have
too much of a good thing, when she overstays her welcome
in the muddy depths.
A marvellously mucky adventure!
Posted: December 2007 |
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Cities
and Statecraft in the Renaissance
by Lizann Flatt
Crabtree
Publishing, 2009.
ISBN 13: 978-0778746157
ISBN 10: 0778746151
32 pages
Cities and Statecraft in the Renaissance
looks at the rise of trade, commerce, guilds, and the
merchant and ruling classes in northern Europe. This
influenced the growth of towns, cities, states, and
regions, who competed with one another for power, artistic
talent, and creativity. At the same time, people rich
and poor were struggling to establish new forms of society
and government.
Posted: October 2009 |
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Life in
a Farming Community
by Lizann Flatt
Crabtree
Publishing, 2009.
ISBN 13: 978-0778750840
ISBN 10: 0778750841
32 pages
People first domesticated wild animals and plants
more than 10,000 years ago. The first peoples of North
America quickly learned to farm using hand- and animal-power.
As technology developed, farming machines were invented.
These helped develop farming in many regions of North
America previously too difficult to cultivate. From
1840 to 1880, the state of Wisconsin became the breadbasket
of America, and crop- and livestock-farming developed
quickly.
The village of Monticello, which is famous for its
dairy farming and cheese, still revolves around this
industry. This community of about 1,200 people is
the focus of this book about life in a farming community.
Posted: October 2009 |
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Life in
a Forestry Community
by Lizann Flatt
Crabtree
Publishing, 2009.
ISBN 13: 978-0778750864
ISBN 10: 0778750868
32 pages
Trees were one of the first natural
resources used by man. In North America, most native
and early European settlements were set up near forests
where wood was harvested for firewood, for building
homes and boats, and for fortifying villages. Western
Canada had, and continues to have, huge coniferous forests.
McKenzie in British Columbia, Canada, (population: 5,450)
is a community based on timber mills, timber supply,
and tourism.
Posted: October 2009 |
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Libertad
by Alma Fullerton
Fitzhenry and Whiteside
ISBN 978-1-55455-106-4
244 pages
With their father gone to America to make money for
his family, Libertad, his little brother Julio, and
their mother scrape a living out of a dump in Guatemala
City. Although it is too late for him, Libertad is determined
that his little brother should go to school. Taught
to play the marimba by his father, Libertad uses his
talent as a street musician to raise enough money for
his brother's school supplies. But his dreams for their
future are destroyed when their mother is killed in
a freak accident. Libertad must face the inevitable
truth; they cannot survive on the streets of Guatemala
City alone. There is only one thing to do. They must
set out on the long and lonely journey to the Rio Grande
River, where they plan to cross the water and enter
the United States to find their father.
A moving story about determination and hope, Libertad
is a stunning free verse novel by the author of In
the Garage and Walking on Glass.
Posted: Sept. 2008 |
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The
Trouble With Dilly
by Rachna Gilmore
HarperCollins
Canada, 2009.
ISBN 9781554684571
176 pages
Dilly can’t believe her eyes. That new kid, Gedion
(“Sulky-face”) is shoplifting from her family’s
store, and her mom is just letting it happen. No wonder
her parents can’t afford to buy her those new
hockey skates she’s always wanted. But as soon
as Dilly tells on Gedion, she realizes that some things
are better left unsaid, especially since Gedion’s
father has just lost his job. Anxious to make up for
her thoughtlessness, Dilly comes up with the most fabulous,
beautiful, wonderful idea in the whole wide world. She’ll
throw a Christmas party for Gedion’s family.
With her best friends on board, Dilly’s plan
grows and grows. Soon, the whole community is involved—from
pipsqueak Simon, to Dilly’s grandmother, a.k.a.
The Great White Hen—with hilarious and unexpected
results. But will the party be possible without Dilly
having to dip into the money she’s been saving
for her skates? Or will everyone say that the trouble
with Dilly is she’s always starting something
she can’t finish?
Posted: October 2009 |
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Healer's
Touch
by Anne Gray
Sumach Press,
2008.
ISBN 9781894549776 pbk.
288 pages
Sixteen-year-old Dovella discovers formidable
new abilities, as she takes on a power-hungry sorcerer
in her latest mission to protect her people. The plains
tribe sorcerer Fvlad is gathering forces to conquer
the lands and enslave the minds of the Villagers. There
is no time to lose for the young healer Dovella. She
must travel to a nearby Forester village of skilled
shagines to learn how to harness her extraordinary gifts
to resist the invading sorcerer. Only if she can master
these skills quickly will she be able to save
her village from disaster. But an ancient prophecy alerts
the sorcerer Fvlad to the existence of a many-gifted
one. This is the key his plans for conquest. Believing
that Dovella is needed to fulfill the prophecy, he captures
and imprisons her while he tries to bend her will to
his own ends. But do even Fvlad’s own followers
know the true extent of his ambitions? When Dovella
learns that the sorcerer has traitors working for him
in the Village, she is desperate to get word back home
to the Security Master. But under the fierce eye of
her fanatical guard Maleem, she sees no possibility
of escape.
Posted: October 2008 |
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Hey Freddy,
It's Canada's Birthday
by Susan Chalker Browne
illustrated by HildaRose
(Kathy Kaulbach)
Tuckamore
Books, 2009.
ISBN 978-1-897174-39-5 Paperback
32 pages
It's Canada Day, and Freddy is dressed up as a Mountie.
Up on Signal Hill in St. John's, he's all set for the
Sunrise Ceremony. But Freddy's baby sister is cranky
from getting up so early, and Freddy and his friend
George set off on a wild race to make her stop crying.
But then something amazing happens, something Freddy
never expected. Join Freddy the small Mountie as he
enjoys an incredible Canada Day adventure.
Posted: September 2009 |
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Johnny
and the Gipsy Moth
by Deannie Sullivan-Fraser
illustrated by HildaRose
(Kathy Kaulbach)
Orca
Book Publishers, 2009.
ISBN 978-1-897174-40-1 Paperback
32 pages
Johnny and his family have just moved from the big
city to Grand Falls. When Johnny finally goes outside
to ask the new boys to play, his worst fears are realized.
They make fun of him and his "fancy" clothes!
Thankfully, the postman interrupts, giving Johnny a
parcel to bring in to his father. His father shows him
a picture of a biplane, Newfoundland’s very own
Gipsy Moth. He then hands Johnny a white silk scarf.
The rest, Johnny’s father promises, will be a
big surprise. And oh, what a surprise it is!
Posted: September 2009 |
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Hear My
Roar
by Gillian Watts
illustrated by Ben Hodson
Annick Press,
2009.
ISBN 9781554512027 Hardcover
ISBN 9781554512010 Paperback
56 pages
Papa loves little Orsa—but sometimes it’s
hard to tell.
It seems to Orsa Bear that Papa is angry all the time—especially
after he’s had a lot of jack-berry wine. If Papa’s
not yelling at Mama about the weeds in their garden,
he’s roaring at Orsa for being clumsy at his chores.
Orsa is scared, and doesn’t understand why his
father acts this way. After a long winter’s sleep,
things get worse, but with the help of Dr. Owl, Mama
and Orsa bravely take steps to break the cycle of violence.
Told in an easy-to-read, graphic narrative format,
Hear My Roar provides a gentle, non-threatening approach
to talking with children about family violence. The
book includes a foreword and afterword to help parents,
teachers, and caregivers use the story to help young
readers.
Posted: October 2009 |
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Jeffrey
and Sloth
by Kari-Lynn Winters
illustrated by Ben Hodson
Orca
Book Publishers, 2007.
ISBN 9781551433233 Hardcover
ISBN 9781551439747 Paperback
32 pages
Discover the awesome powers of the written word.
Jeffrey can't think of a thing to write, so he doodles
instead, only to have his doodle begin to order him
about. Jeffrey struggles with the situation until he
discovers that the most strong-willed doodle is powerless
against a well-told tale.
Posted: February 2009 |
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Slam Dunk
by Kate Jaimet
Orca Book Publishers, 2009.
ISBN 9781554691326 pbk.
Sixteen-year-old Salvador "Slam" Amaro thinks
being the assistant coach of the Brookfield High School
girls' basketball team will be an easy gig. Show up,
run a few drills, and pad his resumé so he can
win a spot on the Ontario Provincial Under-17 team.
But Slam's job suddenly gets a lot harder when the girls'
coach and her daughter, the star point-guard, vanish
after being threatened. Getting to the bottom of their
disappearance puts Slam in confrontation with a mysterious
stalker. But that’s not his only problem. With
the girls facing playoff elimination, Slam has to come
up with new coaching strategies while he battles some
tough competitors for a place on the Ontario squad.
The Junior Library Guild chose Slam Dunk as
a spring pick in 2009, saying, “Kate Jaimet deftly
mixes sports and mystery in this appealing and quick
read.”
Posted: October 2009 |
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Time Meddlers
Undercover
by Deborah Jackson
LBF
Books, 2009
ISBN 9781897562437
135 pages
One of Canada’s top scientists has found the
secret to time travel. But something has gone horribly
wrong . . . again.
Dr. Barnes’s son, Matt, learns that his time-travelling
father is trapped in war-ravaged Holland. With his best
friend, Sarah Sachs, he travels to occupied Holland—in
that time-period a hornet’s nest of danger and
intrigue—to rescue his father. Everything runs
amuck when they have difficulty convincing others they’re
telling the truth. They encounter courageous pilots,
determined spies, gallant members of the Dutch resistance,
and ordinary heroes. Amazing circumstances even bring
Matt and Sarah face to face with legendary Anne Frank.
Can Matt and Sarah rescue the Allied spies and others
destined for terrible fates? Dare they interfere with
history . . . again?
Ultimately, Matt faces a choice that could mean a sacrifice
greater than he ever dreamed. Will Matt be able to live
with his decision, or will it rip his heart in two?
Posted: February 2010 |
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The Banana
Story of Agony
written and illustrated by Lesley
Johnson
Conundrum Press,
2009.
ISBN 978-1-894994-42-2 Pbk.
70 pages
Collected here are four of Lesley Johnson's illustrated
stories. The book straddles the line between children's
book, graphic novel, and art book.
Like myths and allegories, Lesley’s stories touch
upon the essence of human experience, while being specific
and quirky and simple.
Posted: March 2010 |
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Boog the
Bug
written by Cynthia Genaille
illustrated by Diane Lucas
Pemmican Publications,
2008.
ISBN 978-1-894717-46-5
20 pages
Little Boog is heartbroken when his parents separate,
and he worries that it's his fault. Through his parents'
love, however, he understands that while they have to
live apart they each love him more than ever.
This enchanting story, with its wonderfully imaginative
illustrations by Diane Lucas, was created to help young
children deal with divorce.
Posted: April 2009 |
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Break
on Through
by Jill Murray
Doubleday
Canada, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-385-66490-5
304 pages
Welcome to the worst day of Nadine "Lady Six Sky"
Durant's life. Just as she's getting used to the idea
of a new baby sister squeezing her out of her family,
her parents drop the real bomb—they're moving
out of Parkdale, the downtown neighborhood they've always
called home, to cheesy Rivercrest, a million miles away
in the middle of nowhere.
Is this a conspiracy to keep Nadine from breakdancing?
Are her parents trying to force her to break up with
her boyfriend Sean, a.k.a. Ruckus, a.k.a. the leader
of their crew, Tha Rackit Klub, a.k.a. the sickest crew
in all of Toronto? And just when they finally had a
shot at the Hogtown Showdown, the biggest b-boy battle
in town!
How's she going to get any respect in Rivercrest, when
everywhere she turns another hater is waiting to smack
her down, her parents only want her to focus on her
grades, and her old friends back home won't even give
her the time of day?
But b-girling is hers. And with the Showdown just months
away, nobody is going to keep her from dancing, no matter
how hard anyone tries.
Posted: March 2008 |
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The Law
of Three: A Sarah Martin Mystery
written by Caroline Rennie
Pattison
Dundurn,
2008.
ISBN: 978-1-55002-733-4
228 pages.
When Sarah is teamed up with Byron Hopper for a geography
project, she discovers that she's had an easier time
being accepted in her new town than some long-time
residents. Byron's family has long been the subject
of nasty rumours. The most sinister one surrounds
Byron's sister Garnet, who many believe committed
murder. Sarah resolves to get closer to Byron to find
out more about his mysterious family . . . and to
get to the bottom of the alleged murder. In doing
so, she learns that the family has another secret:
They're Wiccan. As Sarah learns more about the family,
she also cuts through popular misconceptions about
Wicca and its beliefs, how Wiccans worship, and what
values they hold dear.
Caroline has published two Sarah Martin Mysteries:
The Whole, Entire, Complete Truth and The
Law of Three. She is currently working on a third.
Posted January 2008
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Egghead
by Caroline Pignat
Red Deer Press, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-88995-399-4
173 pages
Will Reid is a gawky kid who is obsessed by his ant
farm project and is lousy at gym. In other words, he’s
the perfect target for Shane, the Grade 9 bully.
Katie has been Will’s friend since elementary
school, but defending him in high school comes at an
unforeseen cost. She dreads the rumors that link them
in a boyfriend-girlfriend way she’s never considered.
Devan has been part of Shane’s bullyboy team until
now, when he has come to realize that it’s not
so smart to mindlessly back up each nasty attack of
Shane’s. Together, the three teens struggle to
find their way out of a classic dilemma: how not to
be a bystander to bullying, how to stand up for your
friends, and how to deal with consuming rage.
Each character takes a turn at telling the story,
Will in free-verse poetry, Katie in clear-eyed prose
as she wrestles with her own demons, and Devan through
the sensitive narrative of his slowly awakening compassion
for Will and his growing attraction to Katie.
For more information and excerpts from the book please
visit www.carolinepignat.com
Posted: January 2008 |
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Greener
Grass
by Caroline Pignat
Red Deer Press, 2008.
ISBN 978-0-88995-402-1
276 pages
Ireland, 1847. Kit Byrne's family struggles as the
Great Famine enters its second year. Landlords raise
rents and tumble cottages, leaving thousands homeless
and overcome with hunger and disease.
When her family is slated for eviction, Kit will do
anything she can to save her family. But how far will
she go? Is stealing allowed if it's done to feed her
family? Is murder?
Written by an Irish immigrant 160 years after the Famine,
Greener Grass is a heroic story of courage,
family, and survival. It stokes the memory of a time
that many have forgotten and captures the spirit of
a people who deserve to be remembered.
"Ride with the powerful lilt of style and you'll
feel the terrible heartbeat of old famine Ireland herself!
Pignat is a winner!"
— Brian Doyle, author of Boy O'Boy and Pure Spring.
Posted: October 2008 |
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Breathing
Soccer
by Debbie Spring
Thistledown
Press, 2008.
ISBN 978-1-897235-42-3
140 pages
Lisa has asthma. Her family doctor has warned her that
the aggressive demands that soccer places on her breathing
could be lethal. Her soccer coach decides not to play
her. Just when it seems that the world has conspired
against her, Lisa discovers a new source of strength
in the example of Olympic medallist Silken Laumann,
who was told that her career was over after a terrible
accident, yet who went on to win the bronze medal for
Canada. Breathing Soccer is a realistic account of the
plight of asthmatics who hunger for the challenge and
thrill of sports but must weigh their desire against
serious health concerns.
Posted: April 2008 |
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Lily and
the Paper Man
by Rebecca Upjohn
illustrated by Renné Benoit
Second
Story Press, 2007.
ISBN 978-1-897187-19-7
24 pages
Walking with her mother on the way home
from school one day, Lily encounters a man in a raggedy
coat selling papers on the street. Lily is afraid of
the Paper Man but when the weather turns cold, she begins
to see him differently. As she lies in bed one night,
she wonders how the Paper Man stays warm and what she
can do to help. She wakes in the morning knowing what
to do.
Posted December 2007 |
Be sure to visit our Author
/ Illustrator Index or Title
Index to view books published by our talented members
in previous years.
If you are a member of SCBWI living in eastern
Canada and would like us to add your book(s) to this listing,
please enter your request here.
|
