All Aboard! by
In the second of Tundra's Great Idea series, biographies for children who are just starting to read, Monica Kulling presents the life of an extraordinary man. There were few opportunities for the son of slaves, but Elijah McCoy's dreams led him to study mechanical engineering in Scotland. He learned everything there was to know about engines - how to design them and how to build them. But when he returned to the United States to look for work at the Michigan Central Railroad, the only job Elijah could get was shoveling coal into a train's firebox. Undaunted, he went on to invent a means of oiling the engine while the train was running, changing the face of travel around the world. With playful text and lively illustrations, All Aboard! Elijah McCoy's Steam Engine may be the first biography a child discovers, and it will whet the appetite for many more.
Banjo of Destiny by
Jeremiah Birnbaum is stinking rich. He lives in a house with nine bathrooms, a games room, an exercise room, an indoor pool, a hot tub, a movie theater, a bowling alley and a tennis court. His parents, a former hotdog vendor and window cleaner who made it big in dental floss, make sure Jeremiah goes to the very best private school, and that he takes lessons in all the things he will need to know how to do as an accomplished and impressive young man. Etiquette lessons, ballroom dancing, watercolor painting. And, of course, classical piano. Jeremiah complies, because he wants to please his parents. But one day, by chance, he hears the captivating strains of a different kind of music -- the strums, plucks and rhythms of a banjo. It's music that stirs something in Jeremiah's dutiful little soul, and he is suddenly obsessed. And when his parents forbid him to play one, he decides to learn anyway -- even if he has to make the instrument himself.
Canadian Railroad Trilogy by
This lavishly illustrated book brings Gordon Lightfoot's heart-stirring song to readers young and old. Commissioned by the CBC in 1967 to mark Canada's centennial year it eloquently describes the construction of the transcontinental railway -- "an iron road runnin' from the sea to the sea" -- a great feat of nation building that changed Canada forever. Award-winning illustrator Ian Wallace brings the song to visual life with his sweeping landscapes and evocative portrayals of the people who lived the building of the railroad. The book includes Gordon Lightfoot's music and lyrics, a brief history of the railroad and notes on the illustrations.
The Gargoyle Overhead by
Short-listed for the 2012 Silver Birch Express Award What if your best friend was a naughty 400-year-old gargoyle? And what if he just happened to be in terrible danger? It's not always easy, but thirteen-year-old Katherine Newberry is friends with a gargoyle. His name is Gargoth of Tallus, and he lives in her backyard. Gargoth has lost the only creature on the planet who can help him. Her name is Ambergine, and she's been his greatest friend for hundreds of years. What Katherine and Gargoth dont know is that Ambergine is searching for him too. But she is not alone. Gargoths greatest enemy is prowling the city, and it's a race against time to find him first! In this sequel to The Gargoyle in My Yard (2009), The Gargoyle Overhead provides the historical backstory to Gargoths life, and further explores themes of friendship, courage and loneliness.
The Last Loon by
Spending Christmas holidays in the wilderness with his ex-con aunt Mag is not Evan's idea of a good time. What's worse is that everyone he meets-even his new friend Cedar-is making a big deal about a loon that is hanging around on the lake. Why should Evan care about a dumb bird? When he discovers that the loon will die without help, he realizes he does care, but rescuing the wild bird turns out to be whole lot harder, and more dangerous, than he expected.
Our Earth by
From the author of One Peacecomes a new book of beautiful portraits and exciting profiles of ten young environmental activists from around the world. Janet Wilson's art captures the spirit of adventure, determination and hope that each of these children possess. They include Canadian Severn Cullis-Suzuki, who pioneered "pester power" - the idea that children must keep reminding their parents of what is at stake, and who at age twelve made one of the most rousing speeches at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. And fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba from Malawi, who realized that the strong winds in his country could be put to good use and so borrowed a book from his library, taught himself how to build a working windmill, and brought electricity to his village. And thirteen-year-old Sam Levin from the USA who helped found the organization Project Sprout, planting an organic vegetable garden that would eventually help feed an entire community. Full of environmental facts and advice, this book will inspire budding young eco-activists everywhere to start making a difference for their planet.
Saving Armpit by
Rocky Mountain Book Award finalist, 2013 2012 Silver Birch Express Award nominee When vandals deface the Harmony Point sign, the town does indeed seem to become the "arm pit" of the region. The baseball team hasn't won a game in two seasons and the town itself is falling into disrepair. But when the new postmaster becomes the ball coach, Clay and the rest of the Terriers finally seem to stand a chance of winning a game. Until they overhear a bureaucrat from the city say that the post office will close unless the "numbers" work out. The team begins "Operation Tennis Elbow" - a letter writing campaign designed to generate enough mail to keep the post office - and its postmaster - in town (and coaching their baseball team). And along the way, they learn the power of the pen in effecting positive changes in their community.
The Time Time Stopped by
Ten-year-old Tristan Burberry has endured many hours of unpleasantness lately. Time spent pinned under the disapproving gaze of his new teacher, time spent trudging through the mall after his older sister, and time spent sitting with the school bully on the bus. Tristan hates time. So he makes it stop. Or so he thinks...
When the world comes to a confused standstill, Tristan thinks it's his fault. In actual fact, time has stopped because the Time Keeper, who has been making time for centuries, has quit, fed up with people's lack of appreciation. Then, unfortunately, the Time Keeper gets kidnapped by the nefarious Time Bandits. Tristan, along with his sister Bella, sets out on a long and complicated journey to find him, hoping to get time back.
In the tradition of Roald Dahl, The Time Time Stopped is a funny and far-fetched adventure. With wonderful illustrations by Ashley Spires throughout, readers will love this whimsical look at one of the central preoccupations of our lives: time.
Uumajut - Learn about Arctic Wildlife! by
In Uumajut, volume 2, readers will get acquainted with more arctic wildlife. Picking up where Uumajut: Learn About Arctic Wildlife! left off, Uumajut, Volume 2 will introduce the youngest readers to the diets and habitats of more arctic species including the Siksik, Ermine, Wolf, Muskox, Eider Duck, Ringed Seal, Harp Seal, and Walrus. They will also learn about traditional Inuit uses for these animals, from traditional food preparation to clothing and household uses. Uumajut, Volume 2 is brought to vivid life by award-winning illustrator Romi Caron's whimsical illustrations.
When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew by
In these three imaginative stories, Jan Andrews introduces us to Quebec's traditional folktale hero, Ti-Jean. He's an endearing character who is both wise and foolish, and though he does find himself in hard situations (often of his own making), in the end, he somehow manages to do what needs to be done. In "Ti-Jean and the Princess of Tomboso" he eventually outwits a greedy princess; in "Ti-Jean the Marble Player" he gets the best of a pint-sized scoundrel; and in "How Ti-Jean Became a Fiddler" he turns the tables on a too-clever-for-her-own-good seigneur's daughter, and finds true love in the process. Jan Andrews' simple, no-nonsense text and Dusan Petricic's sly and witty illustrations bring contemporary energy to the traditional folktale genre. There's nothing old fashioned about these New World tales, which are funny, witty and wise at the same time.
When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew by
In these three imaginative stories, Jan Andrews introduces us to Quebec's traditional folktale hero, Ti-Jean. He's an endearing character who is both wise and foolish, and though he does find himself in hard situations (often of his own making), in the end, he somehow manages to do what needs to be done. In "Ti-Jean and the Princess of Tomboso" he eventually outwits a greedy princess; in "Ti-Jean the Marble Player" he gets the best of a pint-sized scoundrel; and in "How Ti-Jean Became a Fiddler" he turns the tables on a too-clever-for-her-own-good seigneur's daughter, and finds true love in the process. Jan Andrews' simple, no-nonsense text and Dusan Petricic's sly and witty illustrations bring contemporary energy to the traditional folktale genre. There's nothing old fashioned about these New World tales, which are funny, witty and wise at the same time.