Among the chosen 100 are Nix Minus One by Jill MacLean and Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass. We are indeed proud to have these books recognized as the great Canadian treasures we believe them to be.
Will this list inspire you to read more Canada? Are there any standouts you feel are missing? Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #CBCbooks100.
Ken says: “It’s a story from 1912, where there is an epidemic of flies. In 1912 they decided flies were the reason for all the illness in the city. And, so in Hamilton (Ont.) they had a contest: what child can kill the most flies? This is a fictional account of a young boy that has come from Ireland with his father. They’ve got nothing. His mother has recently died, his sister has recently died, and he knows germs were caused by these flies, so he goes on an all-out war. It’s an exciting book and one that I found riveting.”
On December 23rd, 2013, CBC Radio in Nova Scotia aired a short radio drama voiced by Halifax author Meghan Marentette along with the CBC’s Carmen Klassen and Diane Paquette. The script was adapted from The Stowaways, Marentette’s popular new children’s novel about a family of adventurous mice.
Click below to listen to Chapter 11 of The Stowaways.
Did you know that Monday, August 12th was Middle Child Day? If you missed the occasion you can still celebrate by listening to some great middle child-themed radio.
Stephanie McLellan, author of Hoogie in the Middle, appeared on CBC’s Metro Morning to talk about her book and about being a middle child. She was also interviewed on CBC’s Ontario Morning.
At Q107, Dominik Diamond, Ryan Parker, and Johnny Garbutt had a hilarious time reading Hoogie in the Middle and talking about it on the air.
And since every day is a good day to appreciate each other, why not show some love to a middle child in your life today? I’m sure they, like Hoogie, will feel “like the jelly in the middle of a donut…sweet.”
Children’s Book Panel member Ken Setterington appeared on CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter today with co-panel member Michele Landsberg. The two shared their selections for this summer’s reading list. Setterington’s YA choice? Nix Minus One.
“It’s a fast read, just a good family story, but a story about a young man finding out who he really is. A strong book.”
Click here to listen to the full segment. Skip to 11:27 for the full Nix Minus One review.
If you’re a parent and you’ve been to a bookstore lately, you might have noticed a growing trend in issue oriented books for children. These are books that address topics such as global warming, poverty, and food sustainability. Mary Ito looked at what’s behind this trend with Dory Cerny, Books for Young People Editor at Quill and Quire.
A Good Trade by Alma Fullerton, illustrated by Karen Patkau (Pajama Press, ages 5+). – In this book, a young Ugandan boy embarks, barefoot, on a lengthy journey to get water from the pump located outside of his village. When he receives an unexpected gift from an aid worker who has come to the village square, he devises a meaningful way to say thank you. The message here is clear, but delivered with a soft touch, reminding young readers that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.
—Mary Ito with Dory Cerny for Here and Now Toronto
