Search
-
August 23, 2023
Don Gillmor on Families, Secrets, & the Lockpicking Mom in His Brilliant New Novel
In Don Gillmor's new novel, Breaking and Entering (Biblioasis), Beatrice Billings is stuck in the middle-est of middles. At 49, she's dealing with a stagnant marriage, an ailing mother, and a son who ...
-
August 22, 2023
Marie-Louise Gay on Getting Personal about Tough Childhood Moments in Her Magical New Picture Book
For a kid, moving to a new house and finding friends in a new school can be extremely tough. In iconic KidLit creator Marie-Louise Gay's new picture book, Hopscotch (Groundwood Books), Ophelia uses ...
-
August 17, 2023
Maggie Knaus Shares 2 Strange & Happy Moments from the Long Journey to Creating Her Stunning Debut Picture Book
Eleanor was born under a spectacular harvest moon. As it hung low in the sky, her grandfather made a promise: that wherever they both were, and however far apart that may be, they would look up at the ...
-
August 10, 2023
Co-Creators Kirsten Pendreigh & Crystal Smith Help Young Readers Find "Comfort and Connection in Natural Spaces"
Finding ways to connect to the people we've loved and lost can be a complex process. In author Kirsten Pendreigh and artist Crystal Smith's gentle and beautiful new picture book, Maybe a Whale (Groundwood ...
-
August 01, 2023
For the Love of Dog – Hadley Dyer Creates a Smart, Moving Picture Book to Help Kids Grieve Animal Friends
Veteran children's book editor and writer Hadley Dyer has teamed up with beloved kids book creator Paul Covello (known for his Toronto ABC and Canada ABC, amongst other titles) to create a book ...
-
July 20, 2023
Read an Excerpt from When It All Syncs Up, Maya Ameyaw's Tale of a Dazzling Black Teen Ballerina
In Maya Ameyaw's new young adult novel, When It All Syncs Up (Annick Press), Aisha seems to have everything going for her. She has a coveted spot in an elite ballet academy, a relentless work ethic, ...
-
July 13, 2023
Jean Rae Baxter on Bringing Canadian History to Life in a Captivating Coming of Age Tale
It's hard to imagine anyone asking a 14 year old to strike out on their own now, but in 1837, when Dory Dickson leaves his Niagara home, he's asked to shoulder all of his family's most desperate hopes. ...
-
July 07, 2023
"Reality is Messier...It’s Vital that Books Reflect That" Kate Blair on Crafting Honest Young Adult Literature
It's often been said that every good story opens in the same way: when something changes. And one of the most enduring and universal story structures is that of "a stranger arrived".Kate Blair puts her ...
-
July 06, 2023
Colleen Nelson on Setting Her New Kids' Novel in One of New York's Most Unique Historical Properties
Umbrella House in New York City is a unique urban phenomenon. Abandoned in the late 70s, it was sealed up with cinderblocks and cement until several years later when a group of squatters moved in. Over ...
-
June 23, 2023
Marta Balcewicz on Jim Jarmusch, Rural Peace and Terror, & Her Electrifying Debut Novel
Debut novelist Marta Balcewicz's electrifying Big Shadow (Book*hug Press) is a tale with an indie movie feel, following an isolated teenager desperate to find her way out of a claustrophobic existence. Set ...