Tea Time at Annick Press

Thinking Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Brigitte Waisberg) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:51:00 +0000

While most companies gear down for the summer, that is not usually the case with publishers. This is the time when we frantically make last-minute editorial or design changes to our Fall titles, send them out to the printer and start executing the marketing plans that were developed months ago.

At Annick, this is a particularly exciting summer as we look forward to some very special books. Every so often, a book comes along that makes you realize the power of the written word to transform the reader. Such is the case with The Bite of the Mango, a memoir written by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland. The true story of Mariatu's experiences growing up in Sierra Leone, her imprisonment and torture at the hand of rebel soldiers, and her survival, is a striking example of a book that leaves the reader with a sense of wonderment at the strength of the human spirit. Mariatu today looks like any young, hip woman you might pass in the street. It is hard to imagine how she managed to pull together the pieces of her broken life after her horrendous experiences. Her courage, resilience and unflagging optimism are a welcome antidote to the cynicism that often creeps into books and movies aimed at young adults. We can't wait till the finished copies of The Bite of the Mango arrive from the printer so that we can share this remarkable story with the world.

Annick Goes to BEC

noreply@blogger.com (Brigitte Waisberg) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:54:00 +0000

Melanie Little, author of The Apprentice's Masterpiece

The number of exhibitors was noticeably down from previous years, and there were fewer independent booksellers than everyone had hoped for, but even so, Book Expo Canada 2008 was a successful show for Annick. Thanks to the presence of a number of teachers and librarians, the booth was busy with people stopping to ask about our upcoming books. The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara and Susan McClelland drew a lot of attention as did The Apprentice's Masterpiece by Melanie Little. Long line-ups awaited all our authors who signed books: Loris Lesynski, Melanie Little, Elizabeth MacLeod, Ruth Ohi, Charis Cotter, and Kathy Stinson.

Loris Lesynski, author of Shoe Shakes

Most of the publishers, association representatives and some booksellers attended a meeting on Monday to discuss the future of BEC. While everyone agreed that something had to be done to increase attendance, there was no consensus as to what that should be. There seems to be a movement afoot to move the show from June to September. As a publisher of children's books, we would be concerned that teachers and librarians who now attend BEC will not come to a fall show.

Elizabeth MacLeod, author of Royal Murder

The idea of opening BEC up to the public is a good one, but not unless a way can be found of allowing them to purchase books. Why else would they want to spend money to get in? For those who want to see and hear big name authors, there is the International Festival of Authors held later in the fall, and for those wanting bargains, there's The Word On The Street. Perhaps the appeal to the public would be being able to purchase the new Fall titles before they actually hit the stores. As for The Word On The Street, those publishers interested in selling could partner with an independent bookseller of their choice. Whatever the case, it looks as if BEC as it stands now is not viable for either its owners, Reed Exhibits, or for the publishers who attend. It'll be interesting to see what happens next.

Book Expo America

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:40:00 +0000

Photo from Book Expo America Website

Traditionally, getting together with booksellers is one of the highlights of the year. It's an opportunity for publishers to crawl out from behind their desks and actually speak with people on the front lines. The exchange of information and ideas flow both ways, as booksellers learn about publishing projects while we publishers get the lowdown on how our work has been received (or not).

Book Expo America is the place where it all happens; the book fair that's got it all. This year in LA, it did have it all - except for the booksellers. I exaggerate - there were some wonderful, inspiring conversations, an exchange of ideas and worldviews, or at least views on the state of bookselling. But I think the conversations that began, "I used to be a bookseller before I was a... teacher, librarian, literary worker, film maker, etc., outnumbered those with actual booksellers. What's happened?

Independent booksellers are under siege in a market that is dominated by large chains and internet sites that can obtain, and in turn, offer discounts that render competition virtually impossible. More and more, if you wish to browse, seek out that title or titles that capture the imagination, and have someone who is knowledgeable make a recommendation, you can’t count on finding a bookstore that provides those opportunities.

While customers certainly appreciate a good discount off retail, this is costing us all. The community store that knows its customers and deeply cares about selection is an increasingly unviable economic proposition. This is in spite of the creative solutions that independents do embrace, such as specializing in a particular genre or holding events in their store.

Environmentalists remind us that diversity is the key to healthy systems. So while a good price looks attractive on the surface, we're left with less and less choice. And on the publishing side, there is more and more pressure to get on that bestseller list, or the project is not worth the investment. In fact, our bank manager once asked, "Why not just publish bestsellers?" We would love to, but there's a lot more to reading and the love of literature and telling stories than "bestseller or bust.” So hats off to those booksellers whose vision and commitment allow them to carry on. We value them deeply.

American Booksellers Association

Canadian Booksellers Association

Rick Wilks

Director

The Best Author In the Room

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Recently, I had the privilege of being nominated for a Silver Birch Award and, being the earnest children’s author that I am, I decided to cash in on my 15 minutes of fame and fly to Toronto for the big event–the announcement of the winner followed by the author signing where I was promised I would be "treated like a rock star." And who can pass up an invitation like that? Especially when you’ve never won an award!

Okay, I still haven’t actually won an award. That honor went to Linda DeMeulemeester for her book, The Secret of Grim Hill. And it was almost worth losing just to see the look on her face when she won. Her hands flew to her face and she sort of swivelled around as if her knees had gone a little weak. She looked like one of those beauty pageant winners! You could tell she was genuinely thrilled. It was great to see such a deserving writer rewarded.

But then came the signing–and you know what? They really do treat you like a rock star–except your fans are smaller. If you don’t have a table in front of you, you’re mobbed! They come at you mostly with scraps of paper, but also notebooks, official forms with the names of all the nominees, running shoes, and even, occasionally, a copy of your book.

There was a cold wind blowing off lake Ontario at the Harbourfront Centre and we were in a tent, so a lot of the young autograph hounds were shivering by the time they stepped up to my table, having waited for a good 90 minutes for the lineups to die down. To these hardy young souls, I apologize. I have a slow pen. It’s an honour to have somebody wait around in a howling wind just to have you sign your name.

The very next day, I attended Durham County school district’s own celebration of the Forest of Reading at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre. After a delicious lunch of pizza and ice cream, where I got to mingle with the kids, more autographs!

Once again, thanks to my slow hand, I spent about an hour signing. They brought me everything from shoes to notebooks to copies of books by some of the other nominees. David Poulsen was the favorite, the logic usually going something like this: "Well, he isn’t here and you have the same first name so . . . could you sign it?"

At last I looked up and saw that I was actually making a dent in the crowd. My line had dwindled to only about four or five students. It was a good thing, too, because I had to drive to the airport soon to fly back home.

And then the highlight of my Silver Birch experience: A young man who had been waiting for a long time finally reached the head of the line. He put a copy of Baboon down on the table and said, "Mr. Jones, you’re the best author here!" I tried to muster all the modesty I could while savoring my moment in the limelight and muttered something like, "Well, thank you for saying that, son. You’re very– "

But before I could get the rest of the sentence out of my mouth, some wag at the back of the line leaned over and said, "You’re the only author here."

I stood up and looked over the line blocking my view of the arena. Everyone else had left, except for two guys stacking chairs and carting the folding tables away. I’m assuming that neither of them was a children’s author, so I’m taking that first kid at his word.

What’s that saying? "All glory is fleeting."

Four seconds, though. That’s got to be some kind of record.

David Jones
author of Baboon and Mighty Robots

Why did the Möbius strip cross the road?

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:54:00 +0000

Image by David Benbennick taken on March 14, 2005.

Last Thursday, I met with 36 Grade 4 students from Ms von Blerk’s class and Ms Schachter’s class at Westmount Park Public School in Montreal (a school that looks like a castle!). Nico and Max, who are homeschooling, attended the presentation too. We talked about the weird and cool parts of math and played with Möbius strips. The kids were great – polite and full of questions.

A couple of their questions stumped me! So I looked up the answer to "How did Pierre Fermat, creator of Fermat’s Last Theorem, die?" The encyclopedia didn’t say how he died but it did say that, in 1637, he scribbled in a book that he had a proof for his theorem . He didn’t die until 28 years later, but he still hadn’t written down the proof in a place where people could find it. Talk about not getting your homework done!

My presentation was part of an ongoing science program run by the excellent Montreal Children’s Library, a non-profit institution that has been providing free library service since 1929. Thanks to MCL Science Coordinator Josie Baker for setting up the event. And a big thank you to Librarian Elizabeth Macdonnell, Robin, the teachers and all the kids for making an author feel so welcome – and to the two students who volunteered to draw on and cut Möbius strips.

Here’s a joke for you all:

Why did the Möbius strip cross the road?

To get to the other....???!!!

Gillian O'Reilly

author of Slangalicious and The Great Number Rumble

It's a movie star! It's a rock star! No, it's an author!!

noreply@blogger.com (Brigitte Waisberg) — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Just imagine 3500 kids cheering and clapping for their favorite star! No, it wasn't a rock concert, the Emmys or the Academy Awards. It was the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading awards ceremony at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre. The students from across the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) had read all the nominated books and voted for their favorite ones. Now it was time to root for the authors of their chosen titles.

Author David Jones takes the mic

The excitement reached fever pitch as each author was led onto the stage by a student holding high a sign with his or her name. To the sounds of deafening applause, the authors took their place on the stage. Following an introduction by a student, each author came up to the microphone to speak for a few minutes. Then the stage area fell silent as the envelope was opened, first to reveal the three finalists, then the winner. The surprise and delight on the winners' faces revealed how thrilled they were to have their book chosen. But at the end of the day, every author was a winner. Thousands of kids around Ontario had read their books, enjoyed them, and got super excited about reading. The long lines of kids waiting for autographs and the opportunity to meet their favorite authors at the end of the ceremony only proved that books still rule!

Author Charis Cotter, The Queen, signing autographs

Annick's nominated authors included:

David Jones, author of Baboon, Silver Birch Fiction

K.V. Johansen, author of Torrie and the Snake-Prince, Silver Birch Fiction

Charis Cotter, author of Kids Who Rule, Silver Birch non-fiction

Henry Aubin, author of Rise of the Golden Cobra, Red Maple

Hazel Hutchins, author of The List, Blue Spruce

Forest of Reading: How to Raise a Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:34:00 +0000

Education Reportor Kris Rushowy interviews Silver Birch nominees for The Star. Click the title below for the full article.

How to raise a reader
May 21, 2008

Kris Rushowy EDUCATION REPORTER

Authors honoured at the 15th annual Forest of Reading Festival of Trees offer these tips for fostering a love of reading in your kids. Hint? Read, read, read!

Author: Charis Cotter

Book: Kids Who Rule: The Remarkable Lives of Five Child Rulers Gr.3-6 (Silver Birch, non-fiction nomination)

Inspiration: “I wanted to be a writer because I love the world of books and I want to live in that world. Writing puts me there. Kids Who Rule and my latest book, Wonder Kids: The Remarkable Lives of Nine Child Prodigies, are both part of a series I'm writing about the childhoods of famous people. The books illustrate how unusual children handle the extraordinary circumstances of their lives. "Kids Who Rule came directly from my own fascination with royalty. When I was a child I had many fantasies about being a king or a queen. I think a lot of kids do. There is something very seductive about the idea of that kind of power. Kids imagine that a king or queen can do whatever they want to—eat what they like, boss grownups around and live in a castle—just like in a fairy tale. Of course the reality is very different. The child rulers in my book had very difficult lives and they had to struggle to live up to what was expected of them. They had much less control of their lives than the average modern child. Yet each story in the book has some element of the danger and wonder of a fairytale: a girl sleeps beside a box with her father's heart in it, a boy lives in a Forbidden City where time stands still, a girl is chased by a king who wants to kidnap her and a king is found through a series of strange omens.” Advice for raising a reader: “My only advice to parents who want to raise kids that love reading is to read to your child as much as you can and read books you both enjoy. Some of my best childhood memories are of my dad lying beside me reading the Narnia books, one chapter a night. And some of my best times with my own daughter were settling down in her bed with a stack of picture books and reading half a dozen at a time. Reading together is warm and cuddly and fun.”

Author: K.V. Johansen

Book: Torrie and the Snake-Prince Gr.3-6 (Silver Birch nomination)

Inspiration: “I've always enjoyed telling stories. For me, most story ideas arise out of a character. The Torrie books simply began with Torrie, telling stories of adventures he had with young humans long before. Because he is a character who is outside of humanity, he is able to be a wry, wise, and sympathetic observer to what's going on as the young heroes undertake their various quests, and bring some humour from this outsider's perspective. He gives me a great deal of freedom in telling the stories, because of the oral quality he brings to the narrative. He is telling the story, and so he is able to pause and explain the unfamiliar to his audience, set things in context. And he isn't limited to a narrow place and time in his world; he is immortal and a traveller, so his tales span centuries of his world's history.” Advice for raising a reader: "Read to your child every night. Don't dumb things down for them. Remember that you can and should read books to a child that they aren't yet able to read for themselves; that's how their minds, their imaginations, their understanding of the world, and their grasp of language all grow.”

The View from the Internet Marketing Manager's Office...

noreply@blogger.com (Stella) — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Happy Victoria Day weekend everyone!

A Unique Collaboration

noreply@blogger.com (Annick West) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Each year Annick participates in the Bologna Book Fair. It was during one such fair in 2003 that we were approached by Erica Wagner, Publisher, Books for Children and Teenagers at Allen and Unwin in Australia. Erica told me about a German book entitled Mimus that she felt had great potential. Interestingly, the same book had been pitched to me, and I had the same response--it seemed exceptional. The problem was the book was very long, and since translators charge by the word, the cost of producing an English edition was prohibitive for Annick.

Erica proposed that we think about sharing the translation cost and dividing the English language territories where our respecitve companies were strongest. A & U would take Australia, New Zealand and the UK (where they had a distributor), while Annick would take North America. Thus began a unique collaboration in publishing outstanding books originally published in a foreign language. We each found German readers and asked them to produce assessments. We then shared our respective reports before deciding to make an offer to the publisher: two distinct territories, two separate rights contracts

In addition to being shortlisted for the prestigious Marsh award--a UK award that recgonizes stellar translations, Mimus went on to receive wide acclaim in review journals, including the following: Best Books of the Year, School Library Journal, YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, and the Book of the Year Award, ForeWord Magazine.

Since the publication of Mimus, A & U and Annick have collaborated on three other novels, and are currently exploring a fifth. Not only have we shared translation costs, but some of the editing costs, and in each case, have agreed on the cover treatment, thus splitting design and permission fees as well.

Together we are able to search for the best fiction in other languages, an experience that has been beneficial to our respective companies, to our position in the international market place, and to the idea that there are unique opportunities for publishers to work together in new and exciting ways.

Superheroes, Sabayad and SUVs: My Friend Jamal podcast review

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:50:00 +0000

Click the link below to check out a podcast review of My Friend Jamal from the fine folks at Just One More Book!!

Superheroes, Sabayad and SUVs: My Friend Jamal

Would you like another cappuccino? Or, how to do business at the Bologna Book Fair.

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:05:00 +0000

We've just returned from the Bologna Children's Book Fair where Annick exhibits every year in order to meet with international publishers. What do we do there? Aside from consuming a lot of cappuccino, gelato, and other Italian culinary delights, we have a booth to display our recent books and present them to foreign publishers who may wish to acquire rights to publish our books in their market (depending on the market, that may mean publishing in translation).

Here's a photo of the corner of our booth this year:

We set up meetings in advance, every half hour for the three and a half days of the fair, and meet with about 60 different publishers and sub-agents from countries in Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Australia, Latin America... It's really exciting finding that synchronicity, talking with a publisher from across the planet who shares our publishing sensibilities and aims. There's a wonderful global community of children's publishers out there. And personally, I love working with people from different countries and cultures and languages. Books really can bridge cultures!

Preparation for the book fair begins about three months in advance with the booking of appointments, preparation of catalogues, and cover blow-ups, shelf talkers, and other booth display materials. And the follow-up - that is, sending publishers the books they requested to review - can also take months, but the results can be very rewarding and very exciting (see The Little Black Book for Girlz goes to Italy! for an example of what can result from a book fair).

Though we've only just returned, here are some of the Bologna highlights this year:

Receiving an unexpected offer from a prestigious Italian publisher for The Apprentice's Masterpiece by Melanie Little (the cover of which is featured in the large poster in the photo above). Stay tuned for an announcement of an Italian rights sale!
Hearing several publishers describe The Bite of the Mango (to be published September 2008), the astounding true story of Mariatu Kamara's voyage from victim of war to UNICEF Special Representative co-written by Susan McClelland, as the most outstanding book of the fair! We expect international rights sales of this memoir will be swift.
Receiving so many compliments on the quality and innovation of our books (kudos to our editors!)

So now it's all about follow-up. And the great thing about cappuccino? It can be enjoyed while working here in Toronto too.

The Best Job in the World, or, The Slush Pile Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Guest) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:56:00 +0000

I love to read and I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. A part of my job is to read the unsolicited manuscripts that come into Annick...and there are hundreds. There is always the possibility that the next manuscript could be the special one; the one that interests and excites you, the one you want to publish.

Having said that, each manuscript that is submitted is special because it is the result of someone’s hard work and imagination. I'd love to have the time to critique each of these submissions but unfortunately there just isn't time, so below are some thoughts that might help.

What are the ingredients of that special manuscript? First of all it's original; the author has not tried to jump on a bandwagon. Consider the series about that boy wizard. People adored it but now publishers are looking for another kind of story. No one wants to be seen as a copycat. That doesn't mean that fantasy is dead, just that it should be based on an original idea, as should any other book.

I was once asked what makes me reject a manuscript. Sometimes, the subject just doesn't fit; for example, Annick doesn't publish holiday books, so, a book on Christmas or Halloween is not one that we'd consider. (If you'd like to find out what we are interested in, check out the author guidelines on our website.) In other cases, the story may start out well but the plot may fall apart, the characters may be wooden or unbelievable, or the subject lacks originality.

I also find it hard to read a manuscript that has a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. Rather than reading the story, I find myself correcting it instead. It may be out of fashion, but, spelling and grammar are two of the writer's most important tools. Check your manuscript before you send it off (and don’t just rely on spell check, it doesn't know the difference between there and their...but you should.)

And one last piece of advice; read. The best way to learn good writing is to experience it-and what an enjoyable way to learn!

Judy Diehl

The Queen and I

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:30:00 +0000

The Queen and I are happy to announce that my website is now up and running: check it out at http://www.chariscotter.com/. The Queen is excited because there is a button you can click on to see her talking in a video. She has been coming with me on school visits to talk about Kids Who Rule and she has confided that these outings provide a welcome change from opening hospitals, christening ships, and having lunch with French presidents.

We are both looking forward to the Silver Birch celebrations in May. We are booked to go to four award ceremonies in the week of May 19: in Whitby, Innisfil, Toronto, and Uxbridge. Can’t wait!

Charis Cotter

Author of Kids Who Rule: The Remarkable Lives of Five Child Rulers

Silver Birch nominee for non-fiction, 2008

The Slush Pile

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:58:00 +0000

Now that spring is here it doesn’t seem appropriate to be talking about slush, but as publishers we mean something quite different, of course. This is a silly way to lead into the question that we might most frequently be asked: how do I get published? For the record, I think the second most asked question is, “How many manuscripts do you receive each year”? We’re often not asked the third question that I would anticipate follows the first two: how many unsolicited manuscripts are published?

The answers, to the chagrin of the asker, is that virtually none of the manuscripts submitted are published; perhaps one, maybe two every couple of years. We receive thousands per annum. The sad truth is that so many of the manuscripts demonstrate real potential - we wish we could bring them into development. They may be based on a terrific idea or demonstrate some lively, engaging writing that shows flourish and promise. But can we take it on and fit it into our publishing program? Most often not and I’ll explain why in a moment. First, I should mention that we also receive a great deal of material that is totally unsuitable for Annick. Anyone wishing to submit a manuscript should spend time thoroughly researching publishers to make sure that what they’ve written is an appropriate fit with the company’s publishing program.

Every publisher has their own philosophy and approach to literature. We discuss ours on our web site. In a nutshell, manuscripts must be written to a high literary standard, be inventive, resonate with the reader, and advocate the priorities that this house stands for: encourage kids to think critically and analytically, entertain, and convey that change and getting by are possible no matter how difficult and elusive the challenge may seem.

The vast majority of ideas or requests to authors to submit stem from editorial story meetings. We’re constantly discussing topics that are of concern to the contemporary child. We search out exciting ways to offer a fresh, new look at a subject. We’ll also discuss which writers might be a good fit. Once we’re rounded out the various components of our list, YA fiction, illustrated non-fiction, etc., there are few, if any, spaces left. So if you’re wading into the slush, you’ll have to bowl over the reader with a work that is innovative and brilliantly constructed. That reader will need to hear a strong, clear voice that has something compelling to say to youth.

Rick Wilks

Director

The Sugar in the Spice Cabinet

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Guest) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:47:00 +0000

Although I'm not an employee of the company, I've been working for Annick Press for 13 years. I’m a freelancer who works from home, thanks to the wonders of computer technology. As a copy editor and proofreader, I check the text of Annick’s books for spelling and grammar and such. I work for other publishers as well, and one of the things I most appreciate about my work is the variety: I can be editing a very dense piece of adult non-fiction in the morning, and then be checking the proofs of the latest Ruth Ohi picture book in the afternoon! If variety is the spice of life, then kids’ books are the sugar in my spice cabinet.

The technology that allows me to do my work has changed considerably since 1995, the year I first copy-edited an Annick book. In 1995, my first Annick job was dropped off at my apartment by one of the Annick editors. Nowadays, the books are sent to me as attachments to emails, and I print them out myself. In 1995, though, I didn’t have a printer. In fact, I didn’t have an email account. Heck, in 1995, I didn’t have a computer! I don’t think I was using a quill pen and toiling away by candlelight in those days, but I can’t be sure …

Despite these technological advances, I still think it’s important to maintain personal contact. For that reason, at least once a year, I make the trip to Toronto and catch the subway to the most northerly station on the Yonge line in order to visit the folks at Annick. For some reason that is an ongoing mystery, I usually seem to make that particular trip in mid-winter. As I trudge through the snow with the northerly wind whipping down Yonge Street and making my cheekbones ache, the passing cars splashing me with slush, I do have fleeting moments when I have to ask myself: is it REALLY all that important to maintain personal contact? I mean, wouldn’t a phone call have been sufficient? Maybe a greeting card?! But once I’m seated at the table in the Annick kitchen, with a cup of tea and some homemade goodies in front of me (they ALWAYS have goodies in the kitchen at Annick), such thoughts have vanished—until, that is, I have to set off again through the frigid wastes of North York on my return trip to the subway.

Just for a change of pace, I think I’ll try to visit Annick soon, before the snow starts flying again.

John Sweet

Freelance copy editor and proofreader

Inuit Literature: Unearthing Margaret’s Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Guest) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:31:00 +0000

Most people know my mother-in-law as the nice elderly lady who sells homemade bread and exquisitely embroidered and beaded mukluks, at the farmer’s market. We, her family, know her as a woman with a unique heritage, who has always been a force to be reckoned with. She moved south to the Fort St John, from Tuktoyaktuk, at a time when the Alaska Highway was little more than a dirt trail, and the trip from Fort St John to Fort Nelson took more than a day, instead of only four hours. But, what would you expect from an Inuvialuit woman who is the eldest of 17 children, frequently hunted caribou with her father (when other children her age would have been playing with building blocks), and was responsible for her own dog sled team, by the age of eight. (And you thought your mother-in-law left a lot to live up to?)

Whenever we read A Promise is a Promise by Robert Munsch and Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, Allashua’s bold defiance, conjures images of my mother-in-law, as a child. When Margaret was a very young girl, her grandmother would warn her against whistling to the Northern Lights, lest they come down to carry her away. The Northern Lights can dip quite low, and I am sure that Margaret enjoyed seemingly provoking them, just as Allashua provoked the Qallupilluit. It is not difficult to imagine Margaret, her face framed with the fur of her parka, standing rebelliously; lobbing hunks of frozen dog poop, the prescribed defense to ward off the evil blue/green tentacles, until they retreated.

Our family’s immense love for books has opened the door for countless discussions with Margaret. While Inuit literature has been a magnificent catalyst, even stories that simply take place in the Territories have produced some good yarns, from Margaret. One day, after listening to, yes, more Robert Munsch stories (we love his use of Northern settings), my mother-in-law shared a story with us, which involved her own triumph over a craaaa-zy adult world. While the other children of her community were scared to leave their families to attend residential school, Margaret, ever adventuresome, was more than eager. However, residential school was not a welcoming place for a strong willed child. When a box of assorted stockings arrived at the school, one of the nun’s seized the opportunity to tame Margaret. Each of the pupils were handed one pair of new stockings. After the box had been emptied, they marveled over the blue, grey, or black tights they had been given. As for Margaret- she found herself the very unhappy owner of a pair of bright red stockings. She was horrified. As she was much taller than the other girls, fitting in had already been a challenge. The other children took one look at her bright crimson calves, and began calling her “fatty legs”. But, Margaret’s spirit was far from broken. While boiling the laundry one day (which was her appointed job), she decided to put an end to the humiliation. She waited, until she was alone, slipped off the hated red stockings and threw them into the fire beneath the laundry vat. Soon, they were reduced to a dark wisp of smoke. The nuns made threats, and tore the school apart, but Margret’s lips were sealed. She never told a single soul. I guess her secret is out now.

If it were not for the several remarkable works of Inuit literature, by authors such as Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak and Alootook Ipellie, many of Margaret’s stories would have been lost, to our family. My Arctic 1, 2, 3 has evoked tales of hunting and berry picking (Margaret loves berry picking), while The Inuit Thought of It has left my children with a plethora of questions for their grandmother. (The children are looking forward to our next craft day when we will be making Inuit sunglasses by cutting two slits in a piece of scrap cardboard.)

It is important, to me, that my children grow up with a strong sense of pride in themselves. In order to have that, they must have an understanding of who they are, and of their unique heritage (their grandmother has actually given each of them a special name in Inuit). Books on Inuit culture have not only encouraged Margaret to share her exceptional past with our children, but have also helped my husband develop a respect for the culture in which his mother was reared, and find delight in our children’s fascination with it.

I challenge everyone to take a moment from their busy lives, to share a culturally themed book with a child, coax a story from a relative, or record an anecdote from their own unique past, or, perhaps, one that an elder may have told them. When we explore and share different cultures, gems are exposed. I know we look forward to unearthing many more of Margaret’s fascinating little diamonds.

Mommy C

Mommy C's Sanctuary for Offbeat and Quirky Children's Literature

Echo Reading or When Loris Caught Cold

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:50:00 +0000

If anyone wondered what the barking, chanting and hooting coming from Voodoo Records was all about the other week, I can tell them -- a bunch of boys, a gaggle of girls, and me in the middle were all making a sampler CD of my poems.

We did a lot of "echo reading," saying the poems out loud together, giggling at all the best places, doing the sound effects with considerable enthusiasm. It was really fun.

The only thing I'd suggest to other authors with publishers who have a similar, brilliant promotional idea as this is: NOT IN THE WINTER.

Every single one of us, myself included, were at some stage of a cold.

Mike, the technician, probably had to use every single knob on his giant console to clear up the coughing, sniffling, horking and wheezing that wove in and out of the poetry recitation. The rough cut sounded like a jolly hospital ward.

But he did it, and it turned out just fine -- and certainly authentic, no phony teevee kids here, no fake-smiley hostess: we were genuinely enjoying ourselves and each other. We even did the first page of Boy Soup.

Of course, at the next school I went to, the children were all cold-free, had the voices of angels, and showed no interest whatsoever in changing the words of my poems while chanting them out loud (YES, Jack, that is you I'm talking about! He's the creative fellow on the CD who edits my poems for his version of "echo-reading"!)

This career just gets better and better...

Loris Lesynski

A New Holiday? Yes, math can be everywhere!

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:39:00 +0000

When Cora Lee and I wrote The Great Number Rumble: A Story of Math in Surprising Places, my friend and math-teacher-extraordinaire Nancy Rawlinson gave us lots of useful advice. Last Friday, March 14, Nancy turned up at my house with a lovely, freshly-baked pie. Why? Because it was Pi Day!

Pi Day? Yes, it's the third month and the fourteenth day -- 3/14. And what is pi? 3.14 approximately.

Nancy had wanted to celebrate Pi Day with her students but it's March break in Ontario, so she she thought of her fellow pie and math enthusiast -- and my family got a delicious dessert that disappeared faster than you can say "irrational number."

For those of you who really love math, the pie was unveiled just before 2:00 o'clock -- 1:59 to be precise. Can you guess why?

Gillian O'Reilly

Getting My Web Feet Wet

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 03:24:00 +0000

Laurie getting her feet wet...

Today I launched my first website http://www.lauriecoulter.net/. I’m the author of Cowboys and Coffin-Makers: One Hundred 19th-Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied, but I’m also a book editor, and editors tend to like staying in the background. Fortunately, the folks at Annick urged me on, and writing a website turned out to be a creative, painless process.

My designer, Jason Maher of Shiny Paper, had these tips:

1. The Web doesn’t need more promotion pieces. Be sure your site has links and information that readers can use.

2. Suit the design to the site’s readership. Make it kid-friendly and easy to navigate.

3. Keep adding new material.

4. Consider setting up a blog.

A blog? Oh no..... That’s enough to send me racing back to the 19th century!

Mattland reviewed on Just One More Book

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Click here to listen to a podcast review of Mattland by Hazel Hutchins, Gail Herbert, and Dusan Petric from the fine folks at Just One More Book!!

Subtle Censorship?

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:11:00 +0000

I had planned to blog about censorship and prepared notes on how it is a subtle, sophisticated practice these days. But then a dramatic example of the antithesis of subtle and sophisticated emerged, and it has commanded our attention. The letter below, which I recently wrote, describes a very troubling scenario in which a special interest group is working to impose their values and morals on our publishing program and on your book reading decisions. They are campaigning to tarnish a title, even to the point of suggesting it violates the criminal code. But as publishers we won’t back down; we must not become self-censors as a result of their intimidation and we will hold true to our highest value which is the freedom to dialogue with youth on subjects that matter. As a publisher who dares to take on difficult subjects, we understand that there will be those who will not agree or are uncomfortable with some of our publications. So be it. But when a single point of view or bias gains influence over what we read, our society has lost its most precious right.

I am the Director of Annick Press Ltd. We have been publishing Canadian children’s literature for 32 years. We are also a living example of why any group or panel that sets itself up as a court of public opinion is a profoundly dangerous undertaking. Last year Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, unleashed a wide-ranging and hostile attack on one of our publications, The Little Black Book for Girlz: A Book on Healthy Sexuality.

Written by youth for youth, and vetted by doctors and a variety of health professionals, the book encourages teen girls to learn about issues, such as relationships, safe sex, STI’s, sexual assault, etc. in order to make choices that are most appropriate for their well-being. But McVety didn’t see it that way and with a series of media interviews, blog campaigns and frantic political lobbying, he set out to defame the book. He labeled it “deeply, deeply offensive” and was quoted in the media as saying it put forward terrible pornographic statements and claimed that the book said 80 per cent of our country is bisexual (I found that shocking too; I can’t imagine where he read that.) He attacked the fact that we receive support from the government and sought to have the book's distribution terminated. (His campaign was partially successful as one major corporation did de-list the title.) Like most censors, he got a lot of the details wrong, pulled descriptions out of context, and confused our publication with material on the creator’s web site. We had no opportunity to defend ourselves or set the record straight.

His campaign has now faded, but the book has gone on to receive one accolade after another including a listing on the New York Public Library’s prestigious Books for the Teen Age 2007 list, stellar reviews, and a good number of international rights sales, including Random House in Germany. But here’s the lesson for all of us: following McVety’s attack we have not received a single letter of complaint.

So the McVety “court of public opinion” delivered a wildly inappropriate verdict, one dramatically out of step with public opinion. Isn’t any guardian of the public taste vulnerable to judge according to its own interpretations? At Annick, we encourage critical thinking and self-awareness. But here is an example of ideologues who would impose their values with the full conviction that they know best what’s right for teen girls. Well, we know countless young women across the continent, not to mention libraries, schools, and community agencies who disagree with this approach in the strongest of terms.

Rick Wilks

Director

Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Press - Children's Book Publisher) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:41:00 +0000

The first person to guess the correct title and author of the fabulous picture book featured in our tea time mug wins a free copy of the book! Please post your guess as a comment for this post.

Possible Worlds

noreply@blogger.com (Annick West) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:39:00 +0000

Writers of fantasy and science fiction not only have to craft a compelling story, they also need to create a believable world in which the story takes place.

No one knows this better than Dennis Foon, author of The Dirt Eaters, Freewalker, and The Keeper’s Shadow. Over the years, he has led many workshops for young people and adults alike on how to build new worlds. Using the example of the City in his Longlight Legacy series, Dennis guides emerging writers through the steps towards developing imaginary worlds and characters.

As Dennis says, “Creating worlds—whether fantasy, science fiction, or the fusion of the two found in The Longlight Legacy—is a huge job. It took many years to fully explore the story and worlds where Roan traveled. In my workshops, I hope to give the participants a taste of how complex and rewarding these explorations can be.”

Over the next few months, Dennis will offer workshops at the Vancouver Public Library, WordFest in Calgary, and the Denman Island Writer’s Festival.

Crocs are Super Critters!

noreply@blogger.com (Annick Authors and Illustrators) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:52:00 +0000

Hi! I’m Claire Eamer, author of Super Crocs and Monster Wings: Modern Animals’ Ancient Past.

I’m fascinated by animals, both ancient and modern. Where I live, in the Yukon, we know all about the ancient animals. During the last ice age, large parts of the Yukon escaped the glaciers. Instead, the land was covered with grass and home to some of the animals in my book, including giant sloths, beavers as big as bears, and North American camels.

It wasn’t crocodile country, even then, but I have met crocs, up close and personal. Fortunately, there was a good, strong fence between us.

In Australia a couple of years ago, I visited a wildlife preserve with scores of saltwater crocodiles living more or less as they would in the wild. Humans were safely fenced into gravel walkways or loaded onto boats, while the crocodiles glided through the muddy river or basked on the bank in the hot sun, their mouths wide open to avoid overheating.

A saltwater crocodile eyes tourists in Australia.

Those mouths! Most of them were at least the length of an arm, but you wouldn’t want to check that measurement. And when the crocodiles snapped at each other, the sound was like a trap closing. A big trap. With teeth. Lots and lots of teeth.

On a hot day in Australia, any water looks inviting--but you may change your mind when you check the warning signs!

That’s why, when I heard of a prehistoric croc as big as a city bus, I just knew I had to include it in the book.

Want to see some more of my writing? Check out the following:

* "Dopted" -- Cover story for the 2007 Holiday Edition of Written Word Magazine

* "The Lost Land" in POLARIS: A Celebration of Polar Science (Star Ink Books, 2007)

* "Time Change" in Vestal Review 27

Dangerous Crossings! author reads at Spirit of BC

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Samuels) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:39:00 +0000

Dangerous Crossings! author Antonia Banyard is in good company at this year's Sprit of BC. Among activities such as the Chocolate Festival, Chinese New Year Celebrations, and Drum Building, Antonia will be reading from her non-fiction book for kids ages 8-12.

You can catch her presentation at:

Agassiz Public Library
Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m.

Hope Public Library
Wednesday, Feb 13 at 1:00 p.m.

Chilliwack Public Library
Thursday, Feb. 14 at 1:00 p.m.