$4.95 FALL 2013 VOL. 36 NO. 4 RECOMMENDED BOOKS + OPINIONS + PROFILES + NEWS + REVIEWS Authors in the Classroom: Resources for Teachers Sigmund Brouwer, Rock and Roll Storyteller Bookmark! Human Rights Remembering Claire Mackay 04 Reviews of over 40 new books 7125274 86123 “S, —Kirkus Reviews .” ll Jane did was read aloud from an old book. She couldn’t AAreally be standing face to face with her namesake, Tudor England’s Lady Jane Grey—could she? In her debut novel, Sue MacLeod “Without a misstep, Namesake successfully accomplishes a feat proceeds from a tantalizing many more experienced writers prologue to the satisfying struggle with: weaving an historical conclusion. Perfectly con- narrative smoothly into a contem- structed, this book is a gem.” porary storyline… It sounds like a — CANADIAN CHILDREN’S lot of ground to cover in one slim BOOK NEWS volume, and it is, but with sensitiv- ity and some well-placed humour, MacLeod pulls it off.” — QUILL & QUIRE “In every way, this novel is STARRED REVIEW a triumph.… Highly Recommended.” — CM MAGAZINE “The historical details of the Tudor monarchy and everyday life in the “The history is true, the twists unique and 1500s are impressive.” the touches of humour and romance are —RESOURCE LINKS heart-warming.” —CANLIT FOR LITTLECANADIANS Young Adult Fiction Ages 12+ Find the Namesake book trailer and discussion guide at 978-1-927485-29-3 Paperback www.pajamapress.ca/books.html#Namesake List Price: $14.95 232 Pages [email protected] facebook.com/pajamapress @pajamapress1 pinterest.com/pajamapress CONTENTS THIS ISSUE booknews Fall 2013 Volume 36 No. 4 7 Seen at ... Editor Gillian O’Reilly Copy Editor and Proofreader Shannon Howe Barnes At The Word on the Street in Saskatoon on September 22, 2013, Design Perna Siegrist Design author and illustrator Ashley Spires greets some young fans. Advertising Michael Wile This informative magazine published quarterly by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre is available by yearly subscription. Single subscription — $24.95 plus sales tax (includes 2 issues of Best Books for Kids & Teens) Contact the CCBC for bulk subscriptions and for US or overseas subscription rates. Fall 2013 (October 2013) Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement 40010217 Published by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre ISSN 1705 — 7809 For change of address, subscriptions, or return of undeliverable copies, contact: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre 40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 217 Toronto, ON M4R 1B9 Tel 416.975.0010 Fax 416.975.8970 Email [email protected] Website www.bookcentre.ca North Shore News Review copies, catalogues and press releases should be sent to the Editor at: [email protected] or to Gillian O’Reilly c/o the above address. For advertising information, contact: Michael Wile at [email protected] or 416.531.1483 Photo courtesy: Paul McGrath, Bob McNicoll 4 Opinion: Why the proposed 14 Canadian Classics for the changes to the Governor General’s Classroom Literary Award for Children’s Literature How one class explored the books and life of are good for illustrators author / illustrator Dayal Kaur Khalsa. Gillian O’Reilly explores how we judge picture books. 16 Remembering Claire Mackay (1930-2013) 6 News Roundup Peter Carver pays tribute to the Margaret TD Canadian Children’s Book Week 2014: Laurence of the children’s literature world. Read to Remember; Who is touring?; Joan Askwith, 1926-2013. 24 Bookmark! Books on Human Rights Looking for more human rights tools and COVER: Illustration from Once Upon a Seen at ... Northern Night, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault 7 resources? Here are 17 books that fit the bill. and written by Jean E. Pendziwol, published by A photographic look at book events. Groundwood Books / House of Anansi. 26 The Classroom Bookshelf Illustrations © 2013. Used with permission. 8 Keep Your Eye On ... Evan Munday Exploring the past with four fascinating For more information, visit www.houseofanansi.com. non-fiction books. MEDIUM: pencil, gouache, watercolour and ink 10 Sigmund Brouwer: ABOUT THE Illustrator: Isabelle Arsenault is Rock and Roll Storyteller 28 Book Bits: Performing Arts an award-winning illustrator. She illustrated Migrant The prolific author wants his readers to The new Limelights series put performing by Maxine Trottier, a New York Times Best Illustrated know that “Stories are cool.” arts in the spotlight. Book and a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear, winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award. For more 12 Authors and Illustrators in the 30 We Recommend information, visit: www.isabellearsenault.com Classroom: New Ways to Connect Reviews of the latest in fine Canadian books Virtual Visits, Live Appearances, Videos, for children and teens. Trailers and more – resources for getting authors and illustrators into the classroom. 44 Index of Reviews FALL 2013 CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK NEWS 1 When all the world’s a stage. A new ongoing series of performing arts novels for ages 11–14 • 9.95 PB • $9.95 PB 9781459804135 $ 9781459804586 • $9.95 PB 9781459803824 Looking for performance action, drama and passion? Each book in the Orca Limelights series focuses on one performing art such as music, theater, dance, circus, magic, slam poetry or stand-up comedy. Watch for three new books each season, featuring ballet, theater directing and music for Fall 2013. www.orcalimelights.com FROM THE EDITOR GILLIAN O’REILLY Board of Directors Todd Kyle, President Daryl Novak, Vice-President Leigh Chalmers, Treasurer Pat Daley Lisa Doucet Sharon Jennings Naomi Levine Shar Levine Charles McCarragher Lynne Missen Felicia Quon Roland Stringer Staff Charlotte Teeple Executive Director Shannon Howe Barnes Program Coordinator Meghan Howe Library Coordinator Dawn Todd General Manager Claire Mackay passed away on August 11, 2013, after a long illness. Everyone who knew Claire probably has a story about her. My own concerns the time my then-8-year-old son Patrons came home from school and mentioned that an author had visited that day. “Who was it?” I asked. A look of concentration briefly passed over his face as he tried to remember — Kit Pearson Ian and Deb Wallace to be replaced almost immediately by a growing smile and incipient giggle. Trying to imagine who would provoke such an instant and physical response, I asked, Sponsors “Was it Claire Mackay?” “That’s it!” he exclaimed. Amazon.ca Friesens Claire evoked that response in kids — and often adults — but her many other fine HarperCollins Canada attributes are noted in Peter Carver’s thoughtful tribute on page 16. (Peter mentions Rawlinson Moving & Storage TD Bank Group his favourites of Claire’s books. Mine is her funny and moving chapter on her wartime childhood in Toronto in the award-winning Too Young to Fight, edited by Funders Priscilla Galloway.) Canada Council for the Arts Canadian Heritage (Canada Book Fund) Classroom visits are a vital way to connect kids with books, reading and Canadian Charles Baillie creators. In this issue, we look at different ways of getting authors and illustrators into Fleck Family Foundation the classroom and connected with young readers. As well, teacher and CCBN contributor Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism Nancy Rawlinson shows us her class’s experience with discovering the work and life of PEI Department of Education Dayal Kaur Khalsa. and Early Childhood Development Sigmund Brouwer is one author with a very active touring schedule in schools and other PEI Department of Tourism and Culture venues. Read more about him in the profile on page 10. Ontario Arts Council Ontario Arts Foundation The fall months bring a wonderful package of pleasures — the excitement of major awards, Toronto Public Library the inspiration of school visits and the delight of so many new books. You’ll find great Yukon Department of Education new recommendations in our review pages. Our Thanks Happy reading. The work of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre is made possible through the generous support of our members, volunteers, sponsors, funders and the continuing assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts, Writing and Publishing Section, and the Public Readings Program. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canada Book Fund program. Your feedback is important! EMAIL COMMENTS TO [email protected] Like us! facebook.com/kidsbookcentre Follow us! @kidsbookcentre WWW.BOOKCENTRE.CA FALL 2013 CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK NEWS 3 OPINION GILLIAN O’Reilly Why the proposed changes to the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature are good for illustrators Viewing the illustrations as a completely separate function of a picture book has a long pedigree. The American Library Association’s Randolph Caldecott Medal, established in 1937, goes only to the illustrator of the winning book. The Cana- dian Library Association’s Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award, established in 1971, does the same. The original Governor General’s Literary Awards for Chil- dren’s Literature (given from 1949 to 1958) and the later Can- ada Council Children’s Literature Awards (instituted in 1975) were given to the author — going to fiction and non-fiction titles for older readers (Lost in the Barrens, The Nor’Westers, etc.). At that time, there were few picture books published in Canada and only a handful of illustrated books for older read- ers. With the blossoming of children’s literature, and especial- ly children’s picture books, beginning in the late 1960s and slowly developing through the 1970s, there was increased recognition of the role of illustration. The Canada Coun- cil instituted a prize for illustration as one of its children’s book awards in 1977. For the next two years, there was one prize for English text, one for French text and one for illus- tration regardless of language.