Pajama Press

On Friday, May 29, Uxbridge, Ontario, will be showing the world how much it loves to read. That day marks the beginning of the town’s first-ever town-wide book fair, a multi-day event that will support local schools and showcase Canadian authors.

Friday’s kick-off will see Brock Street closed for an hour-long flash-mob read-in event attended by elementary students, teachers, family, and friends. From June 1–4, a different Canadian author will be featured each day, including Rebecca Bender (Giraffe Meets Bird) on June 2nd.

A portion of purchases at Blue Heron Books, the event organizer, may be applied to the school of the buyer’s choice throughout the first four days of June.

The organizers encourage literature lovers to share their reading photos online at #ReadIN.

The Inspire! Toronto International Book Fair took place from November 13th to 16th, with a Thursday night reception and three full days of programming. We had the pleasure of highlighting seven Pajama Press authors: Deborah Ellis, Sylvia McNicoll, Marsha Skrypuch, Stephanie McLellan, Rob Laidlaw, Karen Bass, and Margriet Ruurs. Our booth in the Ontario Book Publishers Organization’s Discovery Pavilion was a short way from the main stage and we enjoyed a steady stream of authors, illustrators, teachers, librarians, readers, and industry colleagues. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to pull off the book fair’s debut year.

The opening reception on Thursday night

Publisher Gail Winskill with CCBC executive director Charlotte Teeple

The Pajama Press booth in the Discovery Pavilion

Deborah Ellis at the Read to Remember panel

Sylvia McNicoll with her novel Revenge on the Fly

Hugh Brewster, Gillian O’Reilly, Ken Setterington, and Deborah Ellis: the Read to Remember panel

We enjoyed visits from countless authors over the course of the weekend

An illustration from A Good Trade by Karen Patkau hung in the CANSCAIP illustrator art exhibit

Authors Margriet Ruurs, Marsha Skrypuch, Stephanie McLellan, and Karen Bass

Authors Margriet Ruurs and Stephanie McLellan with publicist Erin Woods

Marsha Skrypuch talks about the importance of reading programs and her childhood fear of the Cat in the Hat

We had so many visitors that we began calling ourselves The Party Booth.

Sylvia McNicoll was one of seven authors to sign at the Pajama Press booth over the weekend.

Margriet Ruurs prepares to sign A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison

A Peach Girl illustration by Rebecca Bender displayed in the CANSCAIP exhibit

Rob Laidlaw regaled these students with stories about dogs he’s met around the world.

Margriet Ruurs with Stephanie McLellan and Hoogie in the Middle

Pajama Press administrator Patricia Jones with author Karen Bass

Sylvia McNicoll signs Revenge on the Fly

Authors Karen Bass and Marsha Skrypuch got a little silly with social media.

The Toronto International Book Fair takes place this week from Thursday, November 13th to Sunday, November 16th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North Building). It will be an exciting show with presentations, workshops, book signings, and a marketplace (think Christmas shopping!). Tickets are available at www.torontobookfair.ca. Pajama Press will be exhibiting at the Discovery Pavilion. We hope to see you there!

See our participating authors and illustrators at the following times:

Friday, November 14^th

10:00                    Marsha Skrypuch | OLA location | “Children & Youth” event

11:00–11:30         Rob Laidlaw | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

4:30–5:00            Marsha Skrypuch | TD Children’s Stage | OLA “Love to Read! How Reading Programs Lead to Success” | Followed by book signing

4:00                      Deborah Ellis | Discovery Pavilion | Book Signing

5:00–6:00           Deborah Ellis | TD Children’s Stage | “Read to Remember” panel discussion | Followed by book signing

Saturday, November 15^th

10:30–11:00       Margriet Ruurs | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

11:00–11:30        Stephanie McLellan | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

11:30–12:00       Marsha Skrypuch | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

1:30–2:00           Karen Bass | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

3:00–3:30          Marsha Skrypuch | TD Children’s Stage| OLA “Love to Read! How Reading Programs Lead to Success”

Sunday, November 16^th

1:30–2:00           Sylvia McNicoll | Discovery Pavilion | Book signing

2:00–3:00          Karen Bass | TD Children’s Stage | 2014 CCBC Book Award Winners Showcase

3:00–4:00          Sylvia McNicoll | Amy’s Marathon of Books