A vast crew of pirates descended on Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day with Kari-Lynn Winters, author of Bad Pirate. Special thanks to our mateys at Ella Minnow and at The Beaches Bake Shop and Café, who donated some tasty provisions for the day.
This winter, Teddy, the famous stuffed bear who travelled to the front lines of World War I and back again, received a new home in the Canadian War Museum’s newly renovated “Homefront” exhibit. Teddy’s World War I exploits are recorded in the picture book A Bear in War.
On Sunday, March 15th, a new book about Teddy’s World War II experience, Bear on the Homefront, will be launched at the Canadian War Museum. Children and their families can join co-author Stephanie Innes and illustrator Brian Deines for a book reading, art display, craft activity, and book signing. The event gets underway at 10:00 a.m.
In Bear on the Homefront, Teddy helps English guest children travel to host families on the Canadian home front during the Second World War. When two homesick children need a friend, Teddy bravely leaves his beloved Aileen to comfort them. But the war seems endless. Will Teddy and the children ever return to their homes again?
You can find more information about the Bear on the Homefront launch on the Canadian War Museum website.
This week Margriet Ruurs and Katherine Gibson travelled to Victoria, British Columbia, to present A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison at the Saanich Centennial Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library. The event was organized jointly by the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable and Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies, under the able leadership of Pat Oldroyd, seen introducing the authors below. The night included a PowerPoint presentation about Ted Harrison; a raffle for a mounted poster and a copy of A Brush Full of Colour; book signings; cookies; and lots of fun.
Thank you to everyone who braved the cold weather to come out, with special thanks to Moira Gardener for sharing the pictures below.
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.
On November 15th, about fifty parents and children gathered at the North York Central Library to hear author Margriet Ruurs talk about the life and art of iconic Canadian painter Ted Harrison. After an engaging presentation, Margriet signed the library’s copies of the picture book biography she recently co-authored, A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison, and settled in to join the families in making art inspired by Harrison’s colourful style.
Click here to see our digital gallery of the beautiful Harrison-style drawings and colouring pages created at this event.
This event was made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. 
We are looking forward to welcoming guests and authors and illustrators from across the country to our Annual Fall Book Launch and Art Show on November 7th, 2013. The evening will include refreshments, book sales and signings, and framed art sales from our talented illustrators. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to erinwoods@pajamapress.ca by October 31st. We hope to see you there!
Nearly 200 guests turned out for the second annual Pajama Press book launch, art show and sale. We had some good conversation, great food, and nine talented Pajama Press authors and illustrators in attendance. Thank you to everyone who came out—we hope to see you again next year!
Click on a thumbnail to see the full picture.
