Perfect Snow

I’ve had the chance to hear Barbara Reid talk about her books and her plasticine art on a few occasions, and every time, I walk away thinking what a charming, smart, funny, talented person she is. It always makes me love a book more when the author or artist impresses me as an individual. Her latest picture book, Perfect Snow, is another remarkable creation with plasticine artwork so outstanding that you’ll be gobsmacked, yet again. It is crazy what she can do with the stuff.

The book was inspired by a snow fort that Reid’s daughter made when she was young, a fort that became legendary in their family and community. Two boys, Scott and Jim, each wake up thrilled to see that snow has fallen overnight. Both are excited to get to school and make the most of the white stuff at recess. Nearly all of the story takes place during recesses, following the boys’ games on their own and with their friends.

For the first time ever, Reid includes ink and watercolour panels along with the plasticine landscapes, and the mixed media works beautifully. I wouldn’t have thought it would be possible to improve upon her genius plasticine illustrations, but I really liked the way that the black and white sketches served to set off the rich detail and colour in the plasticine images. Also, the comic style layout of the ink drawings allowed Reid to get in even more narrative, giving readers an opportunity to get to know the characters better as we have more of a chance to see them in between major scenes in the story.

Looking at one of Reid’s full-page or double-page plasticine spreads, you really have to wonder: a) how does she do it? b) how long does it take? There is one illustration that shows a tornado of kids, swirling up in a mess of flying scarves and hats and mitten strings and big sweeping whirls of snow. The facial expressions of the children and the textures in the flying snow and the tremendous movement on the page gets full marks – more than full marks because it’s stunning that she does it with plasticine.

Here’s Reid introducing the book:

The tale itself is straightforward and pretty simple, but so true to a kid’s perspective, to what matters to them in their day-to-day school life. It’s an honest, entirely relatable winter story, brought to life in a uniquely vivid style, making the experience seem fresh as… (dare I say it?)… brand new snow.

Perfect Snow is published by North Winds Press, an imprint of Scholastic Canada.

Perfect Snow is perfect for a wintery gift. Just perfect. So quit it with the rain, and let’s get some white stuff started.

The Mealworm Diaries

I mightn’t have come across this title if it hadn’t ended up in a big box of books I’m reading right now for an awards committee I’ve joined. I’m happy that it found its way to me, because it’s a satisfying, well-written, not-very-long middle grade title that I’ll be happy to slide into my classroom library. The Mealworm Diaries is Anna Kerz’s debut novel and it is the story of Jeremy, a kid who  moves from rural Nova Scotia to Toronto, after a tragedy in his family. Here’s some of the jacket copy:

Mealworms are small creatures that live in dark secret places. Jeremy is a bit like that when he and his mother leave their home in rural Nova Scotia and go to live in Toronto. Not only does Jeremy have a secret that keeps him from enjoying his new life, he also has a science partner who is more annoying than sand in a bathing suit.

This is a school / friendship / family story, about a kid struggling to get his life back after a terrible loss. Not exactly new territory, but I will say that Kerz has worked the material respectably, creating a plot that really keeps moving, and establishing a thoroughly convincing school setting, with a strong dynamic between the student characters. Jeremy comes through as a fairly rounded character, but it’s Aaron, his highly unusual science partner and wannabe best friend, who leaps from the page. He is 99% annoying and 100% endearing. Just about everyone has known a kid a bit like Aaron. You know the type who says whatever he’s thinking and never stops moving for a second. Any teacher will recognize Aaron. The way that Kerz has conveyed this character indicates that she’s a new writer worth watching. In my view, the ending is way too tidy, too easy and “all’s well that ends well” to be fully satisfying. Still, as a whole, the novel certainly works and feels carefully constructed. For fans of Joey Pigza and Andrew Clements’ novels, The Mealworm Diaries will leave fans of realistic fiction feeling good and ready for whatever Kerz is working on next.

The Mealworm Diaries is published by Orca.

Medina Hill + a visit from Trilby Kent

Today’s it’s my treat to welcome Trilby Kent, debut author of the middle grade historical novel, Medina Hill. Trilby is touring around the kidlitosphere this week, beginning with Toronto-based blogs (her native city), and ending in UK-based blogs (her current home base). Other tour stops today include:

Cindy’s Love of Books
Librarian By Day
Melanie’s Musings
Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf

Here’s the teaser for Medina Hill, provided by Tundra:

In the grimy London of 1935, eleven-year-old Dominic Walker has lost his voice. His mother is sick and his father’s unemployed. Rescue comes in the form of his Uncle Roo, who arrives to take him and his young sister, Marlo, to Cornwall. There, in a boarding house populated by eccentric residents, Marlo, who keeps a death grip on her copy of The New Art of Cooking, and Dominic, armed with Incredible Adventures for Boys: Colonel Lawrence and the Revolt in the Desert, find a way of life unlike any they have known. Dominic’s passion for Lawrence of Arabia is tested when he finds himself embroiled in a village uprising against a band of travelers who face expulsion. In defending the vulnerable, Dominic learns what it truly means to have a voice.

After reading Medina Hill, I’ll certainly be on the look out for whatever Trilby writes next. The main reason? Originality. An author who creates a story that’s just a little bit unusual (in concept or characters), as this one is, automatically warrants keeping an eye on, in my opinion. I enjoyed the way Trilby brought diverse elements together in this book. I thought it was an interesting approach for Dominic to be inspired by the past so that he might take hold of his present life and come into his own towards the end of the book. Naturally, I loved all of the passages focusing on his sister Marlo’s passion for cooking (a girl after my own heart, that Marlo). Read this bit:

My sister wasn’t complaining, mind. But The New Art of Cooking had opened another world for her. I guess it was an escape. There was a section called “Feasts from the Arabian Nights,” and another one called “Medieval Meats, Meads, and Mushrooms.” Marlo took to carrying it around with her the way a baby clings to her blanket. “You don’t even know how to boil water,” I’d sneered at her, irritated by the fact that she seemed so content, safe in a world of Sunday roasts and jelly trifles. “What’s the point of reading a book for housewives?” Marlo had gazed up at me with those dumb, gray eyes and replied, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Medina Hill explores some of my favourite themes: the blessing in discovering the things that matter to you most, learning to accept yourself and so finding the courage to change and grow, and the power one discovers when facing the world with a curious spirit and an open mind. Those are some big ideas for a slim book.

I thought this was a quirky read, with characters I wanted to know more about. I suppose that’s the only aspect of the book that wasn’t fully satisfying. There were so many unusual characters, indeed the plot necessitated a cast of oddballs, but I wanted more scenes through which readers could connect to them and come to understand them more deeply. It seemed like many of the secondary characters came and went rather quickly, with only a couple of scenes each. Perhaps it’s just that the book could have stood to be quite a bit longer. I think the overall impact would have been stronger with more of the story and characters fleshed out a bit more fully. In some respects, I don’t think Medina Hill is written for a broad readership, because not all kids will appreciate or perhaps even understand Dominic’s passion for such a specific period of history, though many may identify with his fears and self-doubt. This said, I was certainly attracted to the range of subjects presented here, from the history of Lawrence of Arabia to Romany life to cooking and baking and even clairvoyance. The eclectic subject matter intrigued me and could easily have supported a lengthier narrative.

Now I am happy to present Trilby Kent herself – and her two main characters as well, Dominic and Marlo, for a chat about what inspires them most about their particular passions. Welcome Trilby & Co!

Class of 2k9 Author Interview: Megan Crewe

I‘m very happy to be hosting fellow Torontonian Megan Crewe today for an interview. Megan is the author of the YA paranormal novel Give Up the Ghost (check out my review). She’s also a Class of 2k9 member. Weclome Megan!

What inspires you?

Um, everything? Honestly, inspiration can come from anything—a conversation I overhear on the bus, a book I’m reading or a movie I just saw, an article in a newspaper or online, something I see out the window. But I find I’m most inspired by other stories, in all their forms.

Tell us about the moment you learned Give Up the Ghost would be published.

It wasn’t really one single moment—even the moment we got the first offer was drawn out because an editor told my agent he was going to offer a couple weeks before the offer actually came. And even once you have an offer you can’t assume anything until it’s negotiated and official! But that time period was filled with a lot of celebrating and many excited conversations with my husband and family and close friends, and waiting eagerly to be able to share the news more widely.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your first novel?

The most challenging part of writing Give Up the Ghost was the voice. It was the first novel I’d written in first person. I knew that telling it in Cass’s voice was the right thing to do, but it was difficult finding a balance between staying true to her personality and the way she perceived herself, and still revealing the vulnerabilities that made her sympathetic (even if she liked to pretend they didn’t exist).

Describe your writing process. Are you an outliner, or do you discover your characters and your story as you go?

I’m definitely an outliner. I never write a book without a scene-by-scene outline on index cards. It’s my way of “testing out” the book to make sure it’s ready to be written—because if I get stuck or bored just writing the outline, then the story idea’s not ready yet. But while I’m writing I’m still discovering all sorts of things about the characters and events that I didn’t think of while I was outlining, and I often make changes to the outline as I go to reflect important things I’ve figured out.

What books have you read that made you want to write for young people?

It wasn’t specific books I read so much as the experience of being a teenager. Books were so important to me at that age (not that they aren’t now, but the intensity isn’t quite the same), as a way to visit other worlds, to understand different perspectives, to consider new ideas, to figure out who I was. I love writing for readers who get so much out of books.

What is your favourite scene in Give Up the Ghost?

I can’t say too much about it because it’d be spoilery, but I’d have to say my favorite is the scene near the end when Cass finds Tim by the lake. It’s such an important moment for both of them.

Why do you think it’s so hard for Cass to “give up her ghosts”?

I think for Cass the ghosts (both literal and figurative) are her protection. As long as she believes her ghostly friends are all she needs, she doesn’t have to feel bad that her classmates shun her. As long as she focuses on what happened in the past, she doesn’t have to think about her problems in the present. The trouble is, of course, that she’s shutting herself off from a lot of good things, too.

Zorgamazoo

“Here is a story that’s stranger than strange
Before we begin you may want to arrange:
a blanket,
a cushion,
a comfortable seat,
and maybe some cocoa and something to eat.
I’ll warn you, of course, before we commence,
my story is eerie and full of suspense,
brimming with danger and narrow escapes,
and creatures of many remarkable shapes.
Dragons and ogres and gorgons and more,
and creatures you’ve not even heard of before.
And faraway places? There’s plenty of those!
(And menacing villains to tingle your toes.)

So ready your mettle and steady your heart.
It’s time for my story’s mysterious start…”

So begins Robert Paul Weston’s 100% delightful and over-the-top clever novel-in-verse, Zorgamazoo. I don’t see how you couldn’t fall head over heels for this book. It is pure fun. It’s like Roald Dahl with a sprinkle of Philip Reeve and of course, more than a nod to the big rhyme man himself, Dr. Seuss. It’s about Katrina Katrell, a bold little girl who escapes her nasty nanny, Mrs. Krabone (Krabby for short), and signs herself up for a wild adventure in which she helps a strange creature named Morty Yorgle to save the missing Zorgles of Zorgamazoo.

And did I mention, it’s all in verse! Fantastic, I say! I’ll bet you’re thinking, “Mr. Robert Paul Weston probably writes verse that is mostly good, but who could keep up that rhythm for 283 pages?” Answer? Mr. Robert Paul Weston. There’s nothing forced or awkward about these rhymes, quite the opposite. You’ll start reading and you will have to start reading out loud. Have to. It’s that irresistible. This is probably why Zorgamazoo was named an E.B. White Read Aloud Honor book for Older Readers this year. I don’t see how it couldn’t have been. It’s kinda magical. It will remind you of your distant youth. It made me think of one of my absolute favourite books as a child, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes.

I plan to read Zorgamazoo aloud to approximately 31 nine year olds starting in about a week. I think it will make back-to-school just a little bit nicer for all concerned. All other Grade 4 teachers should consider doing the same.

Now check out these delicious Zorgamazoo goodies:

Zorgamazoo website, packed with great stuff.
Chapters 1 and 2, read aloud just for you
Just One More Book’s Conversation with Robert Paul Weston

Zorgamazoo is a Razorbill book, published by Penguin Young Readers Group.

Scaredy Squirrel at night (Earth Hour reading?)

The original Scaredy title is one of my favourite picture books ever, so funny and original and clever as anything. When I worked at The Flying Dragon I would judge customers according to their response to Scaredy. Those who laughed were cool (and obviously smart too). Those who didn’t? Well, they were just dull, sad excuses for human beings.

Mélanie Watt is crazy talented, and her furry little buddy has become a darling in Can-kid’s lit. Scaredy Squirrel at night is book 4 in the series (after the first and then Scaredy makes a friend and Scaredy at the beach). As much as the follow-up titles continue to be lots of fun (and let me tell ya, the kids can’t get enough), I have to say that the first is absolutely the best. I think that there was something about encountering the jokes for the first time that made them especially delightful. The books that came after are still funny, but they are more like variations on a fantastic theme, and so don’t charm to quite the same level, in my opinion. I hope that Watt won’t take Scaredy in a direction that becomes purely formulaic, because he’s such a neurotic and lovable critter and I wouldn’t want to get tired of him.

Scaredy Squirrel at night brings us another adventure, this time as Scaredy does everything possible to avoid sleep because he’s pretty sure that nasty creatures would show up in his dreams. So instead he keeps busy counting stars, playing the cymbals and scrapbooking. (Love that detail!) As you might expect, something does not go according to plan and much confusion and Scaredy-hysteria ensues. Watt’s illustrations continue to be simple and bold and stylish. The best touch? On the cover, Scaredy’s toothy grin glows in the dark. That, as my students would say, is awesome.

So I’m thinking this is the perfect book to curl up with this evening during Earth Hour, given the theme and the glow-in-the-dark detailing. That’s what I’ll be doing, and some scrapbooking too.

Scaredy Squirrel at night is published by Kids Can Press.

Cookies for Art… the Dramatic Conclusion

So remember my recent heartwarming/envy-inspiring tale about how I snagged my utterly wonderful Jeremy Tankard banner? Go ahead…refresh your memory. Well, today I delivered on my side of the bargain: a box of cookies for Jeremy and his family.

Behold:

(Box of cookies, looking delightfully springish in yellow and green. Note adorable hound in background, “Do we have to give all of those cookies to Jeremy Tankard?”)

And then:

(Jeremy Tankard, next to box of cookies and his newly released picture book, Boo Hoo Bird, a follow-up to his wildly popular and whimsical debut picture book, Grumpy Bird).

I was also treated to a tour of Jeremy’s groovy studio and I stole glimpse into his sketchbooks. Lucky moi. I even got a sneak peek of what he’s working on next. But that’s a big secret and I’m not telling anyone.

Thanks Jeremy! Keep on working your picture-magic! Cookies are the best creativity-food.

Nonfiction Monday: Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds

Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds is a book made for browsing. This is the first collaboration for husband and wife illustration team Jeffy Crosby and Shelley Ann Jackson. Inspired by their two pooches (a Shih Tzu and a Dachshund), Jeff and Shelley offer readers a gorgeous illustrated history of dog breeds from hunting and herding dogs to companion breeds. While you might be tempted simply to ooh and ah over the artwork on these pages, I’m impressed by how informative a text this book is. There is certainly enough information here to keep even the most curious dog-loving kid occupied for a long time. Every breed is presented with a detailed illustration, showing the dog at work or play, as well as a map indicating the dog’s original homeland and a concise history of the breed, along with its particular traits and quirks. You’ll learn which type of dog is able to spot birds and planes flying through the sky, which dog is likely to drool you into submission, and which breed has earned the nickname, “World’s Fastest Couch Potato.” I appreciate how the facts aren’t run-of-the-mill. I imagine lots of careful research went into creating a book this comprehensive and entertaining.

This book would make a smashing Christmas / Thanksgiving / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa gift for animal-loving kids as young as 7 or 8. I know I would have curled up on a pillow next to the Christmas tree and read the day away if I’d found this in my stocking. Perfect companion read? That’s a no-brainer: James Herriot’s Treasury for Children.

A portion of the proceeds from this book is to be donated to animal welfare organizations. I like it. I like it. I like it. Check out Just One More Book’s podcast on this one.

Little Lions, Bull Baiters and Hunting Hounds is published by Tundra.

Night Runner

(This post is also published at Guys Lit Wire.)

These days, it would seem that if you’re not writing a book about a vampire, you’re not a writer. They’re everywhere. Heartthrob vampires. Socialite vampires. Gritty urban vampires. It’s enough to make a reader want to start wearing a garlic garland into the bookstore. Most of said vampire stories are written for a particular teen girl readership. So fellas, if you were feeling left out, I have something to recommend in the pointy-teeth category. Canadian author Max Turner’s debut novel, Night Runner proves that vampire stories aren’t just for the ladies anymore.

Zack Thomson has been living in a mental institution for years, since his father’s death and since the emergence of his strange and severe allergies. He spends most of his time alone, since his skin cannot take even the smallest amount of daylight. He keeps unusual hours, staying awake most of the night, running on a treadmill and playing video games. His life is pretty scheduled, very orderly, and extremely sheltered, until one day a stranger with shocking abilities crashes his motorcycle into the Nicholls Ward with an ominous warning, “Don’t let the cops get you. He’s coming. Run!” From that moment, everything Zack thought he knew about himself shatters. He learns he is (get ready for it)… a vampire, and that his archaeologist father was a vampire hunter. Sheltered for some time in the mental ward, Zack had been protected from people who wished to abuse his powers or even harm him. Now he is on the run, hunted by some pretty nasty characters. He will come to rely on friends, and people he hardly knows, to navigate his new reality.

Interview: Matt Hammill

Today I am happy to present my interview with one of Kids Can Press’s new author/illustrators, Matt Hammill. Matt is one of three authors featured this week during Kids Can’s New Voices Blog Tour. Before we get to the interview, here’s the schedule for the rest of the tour. Check it out:

Tuesday, September 30th
Willow Dawson will be over at Good Comics for Kids talking about her illustrations for No Girls Allowed.

Wednesday, October 1st
Susan Hughes, author of No Girls Allowed, will be visiting with Kelly at Big A little a.

And now for the main event:

Adventures (Expected and Unexpected) in Writing & Illustration.

What tends to inspire you (situations / works of art / places / foods / people)?

More often than not I don’t know where an idea comes from; I just try to jot it down before I forget. But if someone asked me in an interview, hmm, I could say nature documentaries, old movie special effects, Lego, independent video games, and walking through forests at night. I get inspired by finding random brilliant artists online as well, although there’s something strange about clicking through someone’s entire body of work in sixty seconds.

Is your writing space a place of loveliness? Describe where you work.

When I was working on Sir Reginald’s Logbook my workspace was not particularly lovely—it was a small bedroom in a basement appartment I was renting for college. I’d write on my computer, and do the art on a very messy art table. It was usually dark by the time I’d get a chance to work on it, but I have this great white light lamp that lets me see what colours I’m painting with. I hate painting under yellow incandescent light—I can’t tell what I’m doing.
My workspace is a bit nicer now that I’ve moved into a place in Toronto. I don’t sleep right beside my art table any more so I don’t need to breath in so many paint fumes!

I imagine that publishing your first book has been quite the adventure, especially when you happen to have been “discovered” at your illustration program’s graduation show. Would you tell us about this experience? What was one aspect of the publishing process that proved to be an unexpected adventure?

At Sheridan College I studied illustration, and for one of my projects I decided to make a zine (that is, a small print run of photocopied, stapled books). I wrote and drew the first version of Sir Reginald’s Logbook, and printed about fifty copies to take to our program’s graduation show in Toronto. A couple of people from Kids Can Press (my editor Tara Walker, and Karen Powers, the designer of Sir Reginald’s Logbook) stopped by the show and saw my book, and they liked it enough to take a copy and pitch it to the publisher as something that could be made into a longer, full-colour, commercial children’s book. After many, many months of intermittent meetings and exploring how I could expand the book, I got a contract and we started work on the final version.

It was a bit funny, because I’d already sent in some other prototype books to Kids Can Press which were rejected, and I’d been planning to send Sir Reginald’s Logbook to them as well. Meeting them at the show did make it easier, however! One unexpected part of the publishing process was having to present the book at conferences—as an artist/writer, public speaking isn’t the most comfortable thing for me. But so far, I haven’t died.

What’s the best piece of writing / illustrating advice you’ve ever been given?

One of my art teachers, Clemente Botelho, made sure we all kept sketchbooks. And keeping up my sketchbook’s helped a lot, both as encouragement to draw and jot down ideas, and as a record of the work I’ve done.