“At the end of a long day when I was nine months pregnant, my 4-year-old, Winter, asked, ‘Is Daddy going to die?’…
Bon Voyage, Mister Rodriguez cover by Christiane Duchesne and illustrator François Thisdale
Death is one of the
most difficult subjects to talk about with a child. It’s so vast, so many
things to so many people that, like wandering Macy’s the week before Christmas,
it’s hard to know where to start and you’re tempted to avoid it altogether.
There is the obvious fear of traumatizing your child, giving her too long a
look into the abyss. There is also the self-conscious suspicion that whatever
you end up saying will ultimately reveal more about who you are than it will
about the subject itself. Thankfully, a host of new picture books tackle ‘taking
the ferry,’ staring down that overtly thwarting subject, and making it
personal, peaceful and approachable.
In Christiane Duchesne
and Francois Thisdale’s bewitching Bon Voyage, Mister Rodriguez, set in a small seaside town, a group
of kids watch the mysterious comings and goings of a man who wears a bright red
scarf and looks as if he has ‘clouds under his coat.’ His solitary meanderings
through the cobblestone streets and his eccentric love of animals — he attaches
wings to a cat’s back, strolls with a goldfish bowl on his head — go unnoticed
by the adults. But to the children he is a fascination and delight.
When he abruptly disappears…his absence prompts a strong sense of community as [the children] band together to say their goodbyes…Thisdale’s realistic yet dreamlike illustrations, windswept with mist and surreal painted skies, add to the sense of wonder….
As these four books illustrate and I have come to realize, the conversation about death is alive, shifting and fading, bobbing to the surface and just as swiftly sinking below. It is not one thing for us or for children. When I asked Winter again what she thought about death, there was no memory of my parental wipeout. She simply announced with great confidence: ‘You don’t need a phone.’ She had worked it out just fine.” —Marisha Pessl
Join author Theo Heras and illustrator Alice Carter on Saturday, December 14th at Dovercourt Recreation Centre to celebrate the publication of their picture books My Puppy Patch and Our New Kittens!
Click here to see the full list of award nominees.
The Forest of Reading® is an initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) that helps celebrate Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators and promotes a love of reading among Ontario students. Every year, over 270,000 participants read a shortlist of books in their age category and vote for their favourites. Learn more at: www.accessola.org
Pajama Press extends our congratulations to Rebecca Bender, Van Ho, and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, as well as their fellow nominees. Our sincerest thanks go to the Ontario Library Association for promoting reading and Canadian books through this outstanding program. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Book Fund for our publishing program.
For further information, or to request an interview with any of our authors or illustrators, please contact: Laura Bowman, Publicity
publicity@pajamapress.ca
Pajama Press is thrilled to announce that Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman is a finalist for the 2019 Governor General’s Literary Awards in the category of Young People’s Literature – Text.
Michelle has been crafting her novels under the expertise of our cherished Senior Editor, Ann Featherstone, at Pajama Press since 2017. Michelle’s debut novel, The Theory ofHummingbirds, received high literary acclaim and was nominated for the 2019 Silver Birch Award, the 2019 MYRCA Sundogs Award, and the 2018 SYRCA Diamond Willow Award. Girl of the Southern Sea was published in May of this year and has received unanimously positive reviews from literary journals. The Booklist review cites, “In spare and elegant prose, Kadarusman weaves a quiet tale of survival, grit, and integrity.” Pajama Press is delighted to see Michelle’s writing earn such a high distinction with this new nomination for the 2019 Governor General’s Literary Award.
Michelle will be donating a portion of her royalties from Girl of the Southern Sea in support of Plan International Canada’s Because I Am A Girl campaign, and Pajama Press will match her donation. Learn more about Plan International Canada at: https://plancanada.ca
The Governor General’s Literary Awards are the oldest and most prestigious national literary awards in Canada. Founded in 1936, the awards span over seven categories in both English and French and acknowledge the best 70 books to be published in Canada in 2019. More information and the full list of finalists can be found here: https://canadacouncil.ca/press/2019/10/ggbooks-2019-finalists.
Pajama Press extends our heartfelt congratulations to Michelle Kadarusman, her fellow nominees, and their publishers. Our sincerest thanks go to the Canada Council for the Arts for their dedication to high-quality Canadian literature for people of all ages and for their continued support of Canadian authors and illustrators. We also acknowledge the support of the Canada Book Fund, the Ontario Arts Council, and Ontario Creates for our publishing program.
For further information, or to request an interview with Michelle Kadarusman, please contact:
Pajama Press is seeking an administrative intern for a placement of 4–5 months. An honorarium will be provided.
Pajama Press is an independent Canadian publisher of award-winning literary children’s books. Our interns receive one-on-one, personalized training throughout their placement and have an extremely high rate of post-internship employment, either at Pajama Press or at other companies in the industry. We are always happy to support and encourage our interns’ development in their areas of strength beyond the initial job description.
Qualifications:
Post-secondary certification in administration OR comparable job experience
Facility with Microsoft Office programs, particularly Excel
Exceptional attention to detail
Strong written English
Ability to work effectively as a team member in an open-concept office
Experience with bookkeeping software is an asset
Interest in children’s publishing is an asset
Duties:
Manage data in spreadsheets
Learn and update industry-specific user interfaces for metadata management
Manage organization of physical and digital files
Assist with packaging and recording shipments via post and courier
Compile e-newsletters
Assist with the execution of social media posts
Other duties as made possible by the applicant’s skills and interests
Pajama Press welcomes applications from individuals of all backgrounds and with various physical abilities. Physical requirements of the job include navigating a single step at the building entrance, stooping to access filing cabinets, and handling packages containing multiple books.
Applicants should email erinalladin@pajamapress.ca with a cover letter and résumé saved as attachments. Please include your full name in the attachment’s file name.
Applications will be accepted until September 10, 2019. Applicants for whom we wish to schedule an interview will be contacted by September 16, 2019.
“Brief biographies of 52 intrepid women, spanning the globe and all centuries, are flanked by large, full-color illustrations and by maps that show the women’s adventuring sites….The artwork, reminiscent of art deco travel posters, is a gorgeous complement to the eclectic curation. The biographies are written in a conversational style, often including a short quote from the subject….An exciting labor of love—for kids of all gender identities. (Collective biography. 8-12)” ★
Meet author Michelle Kadarusman at ALA Annual in Washington D.C.!
Limited quantities of her latest novel, Girl of the Southern Sea, will be autographed and given away at ALA Annual! Find Michelle at the following times in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center:
Saturday, June 22 at 2:00pm — Publisher’s Spotlight Booth #1256
Sunday, June 23 at 11:00am — Ingram Publisher Services Booth #2213
Some reviews for Girl of the Southern Sea:
“A gripping, emotional realistic novel describing the grim realities of growing up in Indonesian poverty….VERDICT A riveting read featuring a determined and talented teenager.”—School Library Journal
“In spare and elegant prose, Kadarusman weaves a quiet tale of survival, grit, and integrity….Peppered throughout are stories that Nia crafts, based on Indonesian legends about the princess of the Southern Sea. With nuanced characters, this is a lovely gem for fans of irrepressible girls and contemporary stories set outside of the U.S.”—Booklist
“Punctuating Nia’s thoughtful, present-tense narration with her stories about Dewi, Kadarusman effectively weaves a gentle tale of love and loss and illuminates the power of storytelling. A thought-provoking peek into a culture deserving of more attention in North America.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A stark setting combines with striking characters…The novel does not offer simple solutions but instead wraps up Nia’s story in a way that demonstrates her willingness and ability to stand up for herself. Girl of the Southern Sea is an uplifting novel about hope and the power of storytelling.”—Foreword Reviews
The first review is in for Lili Macaroni, and we are very delighted to receive a ★ Starred Review ★ from Kirkus Reviews to start things off.
“Self-confidence is hard to come by when classmates make fun of the things that make Lili Macaroni herself….Boulanger’s changing perspectives and use of shadows to stand in for other kids’ teasing set the mood, Lili’s exuberant brightness changing to more somber tones with her sadness. Lili and her family are white; there is one black classmate. From Québec, a wonderfully empowering message to be yourself, with a strategy to ease heartache added for good measure.”
Pajama Press is thrilled to announce that we have two winning books on the 15th Annual 2019 Green Earth Book Awards list.
The Flooded Earth by Mardi McConnochie is the winner of the award in the Children’s Fiction category.
And Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw is the Honor Book for the Children’s Nonfiction category.
The Green Earth Book Award was founded in 2005 by the environmental non-profit group The Nature Generation. The mission of the award is “to draw attention to the authors and illustrators whose books best inspire youth to grow a deeper appreciation, respect, and responsibility for their natural environment.” Learn more at www.natgen.org/green-earth-book-awards/.
Pajama Press extends our congratulations to Mardi McConnochie and Rob Laidlaw. Our sincerest thanks go to The Nature Generation for their dedication to inspiring environmental stewardship in young people and for their support of the authors and illustrators who strive to do the same.
Before You Were Born will be hitting shelves in a few short weeks—just in time for Mother’s Day—and to celebrate, author Deborah Kerbel and illustrator Suzanne Del Rizzo have created some sweet swag and limited edition art prints to give away to you, they’re first readers, as a way of saying “thank you” for your early support.
PRE-ORDER a copy of Before You Were Born from your book retailer of choice—online or bricks and mortar—before May 3rd, 2019
Email us at publicity@pajamapress.ca with a photo or scan of your proof of purchase along with your mailing address under the subject line: Before You Were Born Pre Order Giveaway
The Top 24 Swag Pack entries will be randomly selected from the submitted receipts on May 3, 2019. We will announce the names of the Top 24 Swag Pack entries on May 8th and all the gifts will be mailed out by the end of May
*And if you enjoy Before You Were Born please leave a review on your bookseller’s website or Goodreads
PLEASE NOTE: This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the US only as Before You Were Born is currently only available in North America. Shipping and Handling of prizes is free to Canadian and US residents. One Swag Pack gift per pre-order.
Swag Packs:
Everyone who pre-orders a copy of Before You Were Born by May 3, 2019 will receive:
a themed bookplate autographed by the author and illustrator
two colouring pages based on art from the book
a limited edition Before You Were Born ‘whales’ magnet (with envelope)
20 randomly selected entries will receive:
everything listed above PLUS
a Before You Were Born greeting card (one of five designs suitable for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or New Baby)
3 randomly selected entries will receive:
everything listed above PLUS
a limited edition signed print, 8.5 x 11 inches and suitable for framing for a bedroom or nursery
1 randomly selected GRAND SWAG PACK entry will receive:
everything listed above PLUS
a one-of-a-kind Before You Were Born ‘Sun/Moon’ nightlight for your child’s bedroom or nursery
a one-of-a-kind Before You Were Born notebook
a hand-written, personalized letter from Deborah Kerbel and Suzanne Del Rizzo
