Bag of Sticks

Check out Mr Gum's favourite, action packed video

Lemony Snickets Spreads Odd Brand of Holiday Cheer

Looking for that perfect quirky, little gift?
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snickets is a funny, irreverent little book that defies explanation. Let's just say that it is literally about a screaming potato latke and is a tale that will tickle both children and adults.

Published by McSweeney's you can find this book at your favourite local bookstore or click here:
Amazon.ca
Chapters/Indigo.ca

American Gangster

The film isn't even out yet and already receiving praise. From the New York Post:

"It (the film) left me wanting more. That's one of the biggest compliments I can pay one of the year's best movies - and surely a major Oscar contender."

For a complete review Click Here

If you want to learn more about the seedy dealings of the main character - Lucas and also delve into 30 years of New York's criminal history you must pick up the book by Mark Jacobson.

“[The] riveting account of Lucas’ rise and fall is reason enough to pick up the book, but Jacobson’s other stories, spanning 30 years of NYC history, offer gripping reading as well. Whether covering the high life or lowlifes, Jacobson boasts a novelistic eye and muscular prose in the tradition of urban chroniclers like Joseph Mitchell, A.J. Liebling, and Pete Hamill. A-“ —Josh Rottenberg, Entertainment Weekly

In stock * 978-0-8021-4336-5 * Grove Press

To purchase go to your favourite local bookstore or go to
Amazon.ca
Chapters/Indigo.ca

Jessica Alba - Another Skinny Bitch Fan

Celebrity sightings are quite common with this hot book, full of practical, no-nonsense advice on how to get, and keep, that skinny shape.

From Posh Spice to Paris Hilton and now to Jessica Alba women are finding this an indispensable tool for keep themselves trim.

Check out Celebrity Babylon.com for more gossipy reading.


Skinny Bitch * 978-0-7624-2493-1 * Running Press * In stock

AMERICAN GANGSTER- Full Trailer

Read the Book, Then see the Movie!

American Gangster - starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe - is based on the book American Gangster and Other Tales of New York by Mark Jacobson.

Published by Grove Press
978-0-8021-4336-5

In stores now!

Charlie Wilson's War Trailer

See the movie, Buy the Book!

Both coming soon to a theatre or bookstore near you.

978-0-8021-4341-9 * Grove Press

Blackwater: Shadow Army

Jeremy Scahill and Blackwater remain in the news. As Blackwater is sent packing from Iraq, Scahill's book is ever more timely.

Mandy Moore speaks Czech

Mandy Moore mentions our favourite travel publisher - Time Out. Time Out Prague helps her learn Czech!

Great Historical Fiction

It may be easy to overlook this slim novel on the bookshelves, especially with those Giller long-listed heavyweights vying for your attention, but please pick this one up. It will leave you gasping.

Desjardins masterfully pulls you along as the characters slowly reveal the grievances and hurts of their pasts. Just as you begin to wonder where it is heading she unleashes the brutal, shocking climax, ending the novel with no concern for the sentimental reader. It is perfect. That Lily McEvoy is swallowed whole by her bitterness, that her selfishness and pride erodes her soul (as literally as does her obsession with and consumption of salt) leaving her bereft and isolated is a just and fully satisfying outcome. Hats off to Desjardins.

Praise:
“In carrying us to a very dark place where totters the border between our country and that of legends … Desjardins offers to Québécois literature one of its great contemporary Gothic novels … [A] true jewel from a writer as discreet as gifted.” — Le Libraire

Do not skip this gem when you're out shopping for this fall's great Canadian literature.

A Covenant of Salt
Martine Desjardins

Talon Books * 978-0-88922-566-4 * $17.95 paperback * In stock

For more about the book go to Talon Books.com

Purchase from your favourite local bookstore or click here:
Amazon.ca
Chapters.ca

Polar Bear Scare

It's common knowledge that human activity is leaving a terrible stain on our planet. No where is this felt more accutely than in the Arctic and Canada's northern territories. The ice caps are melting and polar bears are now officially facing extinction. What can we do and where do we begin?

Jean Davis Okimoto's picture book Winston of Churchill comes at precisely the right time. IChurchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capitol of the world, is the setting for her story about global warming, starring the indomitable Winston. There is no other picture book that takes on global warming with such intelligence, clarity, and humour. Getting our children reading about these issues early is the key to cultivating a greener society.

Winston of Churchill will be published this December by Sasquatch Books.
978-1-57061-357-9 * $19.95 cloth * Ages 6 to 10
Written by Jean Davis Okimoto
Illustrated by Jeremiah Trammell

To purchase go to your favorite local bookstore or click here:
Chapters.ca
Amazon.ca

Pick it up in Paperback

Birth
The Surprising History of How We Are Born

978-0-8021-4324-2 * $17.50 * In stock

Tina Cassiday takes all the romance out of the miracle of giving life in this fascinating, gory read. The horrors that women have suffered giving birth over the centuries is documented here in detail. While it is graphic, Cassidy doesn't paint an entire picture of doom and gloom as she goes on to highlight the process by which women have gained ownership over their personal birthing experience.

Praise:

"There is a collective, willful amnesia about birth . . . that has been begging for (Cassidy's) clear-headed dissipation. We want it to be meaningful and we want it to be mercifully brief. This book is both." - The New York Times Book Review

"Fascinating, funny, and occasionally shocking - should be at the top of every pregnant woman's reading list." - Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Purchase from your favourite local bookstore or online at:
Amazon.ca
Chapters/Indigo.ca

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sebastian Copeland who has won Professional Photographer of the Year in the book category at the 2007 International Photography Awards. The IPA is the most prestigious photography contest for both professional and amateur photographers-- it is the Oscars of photography contests.

Visit photoawards.com for more information and a complete listing of winners.

Copeland won for his stunning book Antarctica: The Global Warning
The book features a Forword by Mikhail Gorbachev and an Introduction by Leonardo DiCaprio

9781933784199 | $68.95 cl | Earth Aware Editions

Coming this October

Move over Paris and Posh - Miller was caught too!

While it may be a bit of a stretch to put these three in anywhere near the same category, Miller is at least a celeb on the local scale.

The paparrazi have caught him here holding Time Out Toronto. Time Out is one of our favourite travel publishers and have been called "The best city guides in print." by The Independent.

Time Out Toronto * 978-1-84670-015-6 * $24.95 paper * In stock

Order from your favourite local bookstore or online at:
Chapters/Indigo.ca
Amazon.ca

Visit timeout.com for a complete list of guides.

Are Books the new Celeb Accessory?

Have books replaced Paris's beloved chihuahua? Is Posh now shopping for books over baubles, clothes, jewellery or whatever it is she normally shops for?

Whatever the case publishers and booksellers alike can agree that this is great pr for their books: glam girl publicity is more than welcome.

PGC Books seen here:

Paris is holding The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
ISBN 978-1-57731-480-6 * $17.50 paper * New World Library

Posh is holding Skinny Bitch by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman
ISBN 978-0-7624-2493-1 * $17.00 paper * Perseus Books Group

New in Paperback

The Return of the Player
by Michael Tolkin

978-0-8021-4302-0 * $16.50 paper * In stock

The sequel to the Hollywood classic The Player, and a satire on power, wealth, and family in the twenty-first century

This book has a slick, new package and is getting rave reviews:

“Poor Griffin Mill—once a mover in Los Angeles—is down to his last six million dollars, and that isn’t the worst of it in Tolkin’s sharply observed sequel to The Player. Tolkin’s still got a firm hold on Tinseltown’s fluttery pulse.”— People (Critic’s Choice)

“Tolkin remains impressive as a scorched-earth social satirist.”— The New York Times

“Heartfelt and cynical, a powerful dark comedy that transcends . . . Hollywood satire.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“At once funny, absurd, and hopeful, The Return of the Player is, above all, surprising.”— Kirkus Reviews

“Tolkin's understated style and over-the-top characters continue to amaze. Only in Hollywood could this bizarre tragicomedy seem even remotely plausible. Recommended for collections with readers lusting for the lives of the rich and famous.” — Library Journal

To purchase go to your favourite local bookstore or,
To order from Amazon online Click Here
To order from Chapters online Click Here

Books that Raise Awareness for Young People

It is possible to introduce young readers to serious subject matter if done with skill and talent.

Tradewind Books has published two books this summer that will engage, educate and entertain your young reader.

Honey Cake
by Joan Betty Stuchner, illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

A Jewish family is forced to flee the Nazis after the Danish occupation in 1943. The story is told through the eyes of the son, young David Nathan.

From the Quill and Quire:
"How does one stand against tyranny? What’s the true nature of bravery? Big questions for an early-reader chapter book, but Joan Betty Stuchner handles them with grace and honesty." Click here for full review.

978-1-896580-37-1 * 19.95 cloth * In stock

The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer
by Sue Ann Alderson, illustrated by Millie Balance

A young girl chronicles her encounters, through poetry and journal entries, with her grandmother and the "Crazy Boggers" trying to preserve the 2000 year-old Camosum Bog. The Bog is brought to life through charming, rich illustrations.

"The book happily introduces children to the urgent concerns of saving the earth, by starting with a child's eye view of one cherished part of it." - X.J. Kennedy, winner of the National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Children's Poetry

978-1-896580-47-0 * 18.95 cloth * In stock

To purchase go to your favourite local bookstore
To order from Amazon online Click Here
To order from Chapters online Click Here

Time Out - Your Hip City Guide

Looking for new ways to tackle old cities? Time Out has just the guides for you.

Vanity Fair will be including Time Out in its travel guide round-up for their street-smart city guides and their hip, urban appeal to those under 35.

"... these guides take you underground, under the skin of various cities. Fun and insiderish." (August Issue)

Be sure to enter the Time Out library contest. The lucky winner will receive a selected library of the city-savvy guides. The contest is running on torontolife.com
Click here to enter

New In Hardcover

Chasing Kangaroos
A Continent, a Scientist, and a Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Creature

By Tim Flannery

978-0-8021-1852-3 * $29.95 cloth * In stock

From the internationally acclaimed author of The Weather Makers comes a panoramic book about a scientist, a continent, and a beloved and intriguing animal: the kangaroo

Praise
"Chasing Kangaroos is almost unclassifiable. It is partly about Flannery’s formative years as a palaeontologist, partly a natural history of the Australian landscape, and partly a study of the evolution of kangaroos, which, I know, sounds like three reasons not to read it. In fact, from beginning to end it is absorbing, funny, and wondrously learned." — Bill Bryson, author of A Walk in the Woods

"Australian scientist/conservationist/explorer Flannery tells the remarkable story of underappreciated marsupials thriving Down Under…. Quite exhaustive, fired by boundless exuberance that leaps off the page." ––Kirkus Reviews

"Having given us a real fright about global warming in The Weather Makers, Australian author Flannery hops right to it and tells us everything we wanted to know about kangaroos." ––Library Journal

"Written with both earthy humor and scientific precision, this book is almost as unique as its subject…. Readers who start out thinking that Flannery’s mania for marsupials is a bit nerdy will soon envy his passion so much that they’ll feel like they’re the real nerd themselves. This delightful journey of discovery will appeal to fans of Bill Bryson and Mark Kurlansky."––Keir Graff, Booklist

"Tim Flannery provides a fascinating account of the kangaroo’s evolution and a natural ode to his beautiful homeland, Australia."—Chicago Tribune

To purchase go to your favourite local bookstore or click here:
Amazon online
Chapters/Indigo online

In the News

Pirates have taken over this summer!
The Magazine has announced its Book of the Month and the honour goes to The Wave Runners by Kai Meyer.

978-1-4052-1635-7 * $12.95 paper * In stock * Published by Egmont UK

Their verdict: "Fast-paced and action-packed, this one's a perfect read for those who have PIRATES on the brain."

Watch for The Shell Magicians, the second book in the trilogy coming this fall.

A Must Read for Summer

Up High In The Trees
A Novel by Kiara Brinkman

Grove Press, ISBN 978-0-8021-1847-9, $28.95 cloth, on sale this July

If this book isn't on your summer reads list, it should be.

Of Note:

Up High In The Trees is one of O magazine's 24 best reads of summer.

Up High In The Trees is a Barnes & Nobles Discover New Great Writers Pick as well as a Borders Original Voices pick for Fall 2007.

Up High In The Trees makes the Time Out Chicago and the San Francisco Chronicle summer reading lists.

I'll let the praise win you over:

"Could be the most oddly moving debut novel since Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Up High In The Trees, told by a gentle, precariously sensitive young boy with Asperger's syndrome who viscerally mourns his mothers death and tries to connect with his wounded family, in a voice as quietly urgent as a prayer."-O Magazine



“An astonishing debut by a gifted young writer. Up High in the Trees captures, pitch-perfectly, the voice of one autistic nine-year-old boy. That the story is also compelling, beautifully written, humorous, and heartbreaking makes it necessary reading. Sebby Lane is a Little Prince for our times.”—Cristina Garcia, author of Dreaming in Cuban

“Up High in the Trees is a hauntingly beautiful debut, a stunner. Kiara Brinkman has masterfully created an enchanting, poignant, and wholly original child narrator out of taut, spooky, electric sentences and elegant, musical concisions. The most remarkable thing is that you don’t, at first, notice the razor-sharp precision of Brinkman’s technique; the book is so vibrant, so alive, it’s as if she’s channeling this nine-year-old boy and his visceral, riveting, often terrifying, depiction of the otherworld that is childhood.”—Maud Casey, author of The Shape of Things to Come

“Up High in the Trees is a visceral, heart-wrenching, gorgeous book. What moves me most about Brinkman’s first novel is the voice: it’s pitch-perfect and mesmerizing. With Up High in the Trees Brinkman has created a fully realized, wholly original, and powerfully felt world.”—Alison Smith, author of Name All the Animals

“Told in brief poetic vignettes, the novel moves quickly and episodically, like a series of snapshots from the camera of Sebby's unique mind.”—Publishers Weekly

“What does come strong and clear…is the author’s impressive ability to connect with and portray the myopic grief of a bereft child. . . . A promising debut.”—Kirkus Review

“Up High in the Trees by Kiara Brinkman is a moving portrait of upheaval. Told through the narrative voice of an 8 year old boy, the novel explores the immediate impact of loss on a family in New England. Sebby s narration moves between succinct descriptions of the world around him and poetic internal monologues about the loss of his mother. After refusing to go to school, his father takes Sebby to their family cabin to regroup. However, it is this isolation that pushes his father further into his breakdown. Sebby narrates everything with such a simple voice, that it adds so much more horror to the events he witnesses. Brinkman has created a stunning novel about overcoming loss, the ties of family and neighbors and how the memories in our heads can become the only photographs we have left to treasure.”—Becca Krik, Politics & Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse, Washington, D.C.

“The characters in Up High in the Trees linger with the reader long after the book is finished, almost like friends you haven't seen for awhile and you hope are doing fine. Told in the first person by young autistic Sebby, this is a story of a family that falls apart and comes back together again in unexpected and poignant ways.”—Linda Ramsdall, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT

“Through the spare narration of 8-year old Sebby Lane, Kiara Brinkman manages to tell a rich, nuanced story that deeply delves into the adult themes of grief, family ties and friendship. It's hard not to love Sebby and his wise innocence from the very first page as he tries to cope with his mother's death.”—Arsen Kashkashian, Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO

Office Picks - Top Funny Reads For Summer

If you're looking to wash away the stress of work on your summer vacation there is no better way than with a great, belly-laugh inducing, book.

A quick office poll brought out some of our favourite funnies--whether playful, dark, satirical, or absurd--the PGC list offers something for everyone's palate.

In no particular order:

I Love You More Than You Know by Jonathan Ames
978-0-8021-7017-0 * In Stock * $17.50 pb
Grove Press/Black Cat

Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O'Toole
978-0-8021-3020-4 * In Stock * $20.95 pb
Grove Press

Animals of the Ocean, In Particular the Giant Squid by Doris Hagis-on-Whey
978-1-932416-39-8 * In Stock * $23.00 cl
McSweeney's

Mother's Milk by Edward St. Aubyn
978-1-890447-42-7 * In Stock * $17.50 pb
Grove Press

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza: And Other Mishead Lyrics by Charles Grosvenor Jr.
978-1-57061-533-7 * Coming This Fall * $15.95 pb
Sasquatch Books

Turpentine by Spring Warren
978-0-8021-7036-1 * Coming This Fall * $17.50 pb
Grove/Black Cat

The Independent Publisher Awards were just announced and PGC is happy to find its publishers among the winners!

2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards Outstanding Books of the Year

Winners Include:

Most Outstanding Design
Gold goes to Pictures Showing What Happens on Every Page of Thomas Pynchon’s Novel Gravity’s Rainbow, artwork by Zak Smith
Tin House Books 9780977312795 | $49.95 pb

"Pictures Showing What Happens on Every Page of Thomas Pynchon’s Novel Gravity’s Rainbow is a prodigious work, a feast for the eyes and the intellect, and a fitting homage to one of the greatest novels of our times.”⎯Los Angeles Times

Most Life-Changing
Gold goes to It Takes a Nation: How Strangers Became Family in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina, edited by Laura Dawn; photographs by C.B. Smith, Earth Aware Editions 9781932771862 | $30.95 pb

"Hurricane Katrina may have exposed the worst of our cronyism-laden government, but it also brought out the best in the American spirit as captured in these stories and images. Thanks to MoveOn's Hurricane Housing Project, the victims of Katrina found shelter. And thanks to the citizen activism these amazing stories will surely inspire, we can all look forward to a more engaged and hopeful country."—Arianna Huffington, editor HuffingtonPost.com

Freedom Fighter Award
Bronze goes to What Do You See? by Irene Kai
Silver Light Publications |9780974489025 | $18.50 cl

With engaging, provocative, and sometimes erotic images of the human body, What Do You See? asks this question: Do you have the courage to see the truth? This beautifully designed book showcases the inspiring black and white photos, as well as text from four spiritual traditions to encourage self-reflection and abandoning presumptions, and challenge the reader's personal biases.

Julia Golding

Julia Golding, author of Den of Thieves, will be at the Enwave Theatre (231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON) at 1:30pm, Saturday June 9th as part of BOOKED. Check out event details on the BOOKED! website here.

As a part of Book Expo Canada, Julia will be signing her books on Sunday June 10th 11am-noon at the PGC booth.

Sherman Alexie

Publishers Group Canada will be having an event for Sherman Alexie (author of Flight) with the Toronto Women's Bookstore Friday, June 8th at 7:00pm. It will be a reading, talk, Q&A and signing at the store.

Sherman will also be reading at this year's BOOKED! on Sat, June 9th, 4:30pm.

Blackwater Reviewed in NOW Magazine

Check out the recent review of Blackwater by Howard Goldenthal (of CBC's Fifth Estate) in today's issue of NOW Magazine: www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-05-17/books_reviews2.php.

What Happened This Summer

Paul Yee, author of What Happened This Summer will be in Toronto reading, speaking and doing a Q&A for the Toronto Public Library’s Asian Heritage Month at the Annette Street Branch (145 Annette Street, Toronto ON M6P 1P3) on Wednesday, May 16th at 10:00am.

Paul Yee is the recipient of the Governor General’s Award for Ghost Train and the City of Vancouver Book Award for Saltwater City. He has authored numerous books for young people, including The Jade Necklace and The Bone Collector’s Son. Paul is a leading chronicler of the Chinese immigration experience in Canada.

PGC Book Reviews - In Print

Books in Canada March 2007 – “Theatre Reviews” including Miss Julie by David French – Talonbooks

Georgia Straight 23/03/07 – Book review of The Breakdown So Far by MAC Farrant – Talonbooks “A resolute anti-materialism runs through the work – or at least a recognition that possessions don’t equal happiness.”

Vancouver Sun 31/03/07 – “Have Guns Will Travel” article featuring Blackwater by Jeremy Scahill – Nation Books + book cover

Vancouver Sun 31/03/07 – “Ted Hughes’ ‘Other Woman’” book review of Lover of Unreason by Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev + interior image from book of Wevill “[the authors] display a talent for weaving scrupulous and unflinching journalistic detail into a riveting retelling of Wevill’s life.”

Ajax-Pickering News 11/04/07 – “Luxury SUV Shoppers Want Comfort and Performance” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Clipper Weekly (Beausejour) 18/04/07 – “Proper Washing and Waxing Adds Value to Your Vehicle” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Mississauga News 18/04/07 – “Kelley Blue Book Posts US Resale Values for Every New Vehicle on KBB.com” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Nanaimo News Bulletin 19/04/07 – “Special Occasions Top Reason for Car Washing” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Toronto Star 21/04/07 – “Celebrity Chef’s New Ways with Ontario Lamb” article featuring Who’s Coming for Dinner by Jeffrey Suddaby – Stovetop Publishing + colour author photo

Globe and Mail 21/04/07 – “Books in Brief” book reviews featuring A Woman of Uncertain Character by Clancy Sigal – Carroll & Graf “…Sigal’s raucous coming-of-age memoir…”

Globe and Mail 21/04/07 – “Watch” article featuring Rick Steves’ Europe – Avalon Travel

Calgary Herald 21/04/07 – “Guide to World’s Woman-Worldly Places of Adventure” article featuring 100 Places Every Woman Should Go by Stephanie Griest – Travellers’ Tales “The only thing hotter than the travel checklist, seemingly, is chick travel…”

Winnipeg Free Press 22/04/07 – Book review of The Emotional Lives of Animals by Marc Bekoff – New World Library + colour cover image “Beckoff maintains a warm and caring tone throughout… This book is about emotions that, while borrowing the language of science, appeals in large part to the readers emotions.”

Victoria Times-Colonist 22/04/07 – “Yesteryear’s Cutting Edge Looks Tarnished Now” article featuring The Playboy Interviews: Larger Than Life by Stephen Randall and Editors of Playboy – M Press “…what remarkably candid snapshots of some of the world’s most famous people over the last half century this collection constitutes.”

Toronto Star 22/04/07 – Book review of Pink Icing and Other Stories by Pamela Mordecai – Insomniac Press “If you ever get the chance, I would highly recommend attending a reading by Toronto poet and story writer Pamela Mordecai…. The first pleasure of Mordecai’s story collection, Pink Icing, is how naturally and accurately this voice transfers to prose and the printed page…. Her subjects are diverse, her storytelling immediate – especially in her use of vibrant, dynamic language that superbly articulates an irrepressible Jamaican spirit.”

Chronicle Herald 23/04/07 – “Warming up to Climate Change” article featuring The Ten Minute Activist by The Mission Collective – Nation Books + colour cover image “…delightfully engaging book…”

Chatham Daily News 24/04/07 – “Auto Sales Down” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Metro Edmonton 24/04/07
Metro Ottawa 24/04/07
Metro Calgary 24/04/07
Metro Toronto 24/04/07 – “Top Three in Books” book review of The Ten Minute Activist by The Mission Collective – Nation Books + colour cover image “The Mission Collective, a group of five writers and activists who live in the United States, have come together to reveal more than 100 easy ways to take back our planet. This book is not just about ways to help the environment – though they do mention planting a garden and car-pooling. What they also do is reveal truths about banks, oil companies, multi-national organizations, slave labour and power generating companies and what we can do to fight back.”

Toronto Sun 24/04/07 – “In the Long Run” article featuring Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer – Carroll & Graf + author interview + photo from book + colour author photo (taken in front of House on Parliament)
http://blog.canoe.ca/run/2007/04/25/kathrine_switzer_interview

Red Deer Advocate 25/04/07 –“Next on Your Ipod: Music to Give Birth To” article featuring Birth: The Surprising History of How We are Born by Tina Cassidy – Grove Atlantic + interview with author

Toronto Sun 26/04/07 – “In the Long Run” article featuring Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer – Carroll & Graf – including extra blurbs and quotes from interview that didn’t make it into the above article
http://blog.canoe.ca/run/2007/04/26/more_from_switzer_interview

National Post 26/04/07 – “Gender Bender” article featuring Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer – Carroll & Graf + lengthy author interview

Alberni Valley Times 26/04/07 – “Did You Know” article featuring Kelley Blue Book

Alberni Valley Times 27/04/07 – “MP3s Ushered into Birthing Rooms” article featuring Birth: The Surprising History of How We are Born by Tina Cassidy – Grove Atlantic + interview with author

Halifax Daily News 28/04/07 – “Wave to Cyclists on the Tour de France” article featuring 100 Places Every Woman Should Go by Stephanie Griest – Travellers’ Tales “The only thing hotter than the travel checklist, seemingly, is chick travel.”
Windsor Star 28/04/07 – “See Famed Bike Race for Yourself Travel” article featuring 100 Places Every Woman Should Go by Stephanie Griest – Travellers’ Tales “The only thing hotter than the travel checklist, seemingly, is chick travel.”

Vancouver Sun 28/04/07 – “European Food, Arts, Sports, on Tap for Culture Vultures” article featuring 100 Places Every Woman Should Go by Stephanie Griest – Travellers’ Tales “The only thing hotter than the travel checklist, seemingly, is chick travel.”

National Post 28/04/07 – Book review of Pigeons by Andrew Blechman – Grove Atlantic + interview with author and photo of author in Boston with pigeons

Chronicle Journal 29/04/07 – “Understanding Self-worth” article featuring The Boy from the Sun by Duncan Weller – Simply Read Books + large cover image “…a simple but important story that will appeal to small children, but can also be enjoyed by adults who read it aloud.”

Winnipeg Free Press 29/04/07 – Book review of Remembering Tomorrow by Michael Albert – Seven Stories Press + colour cover image

Calgary Herald 29/04/07 – “Urgency Drives Collection” article featuring A Few Words Will Do by Lionel Kearns – Talonbooks “Lionel Kearns has a powerful mastery of English, so much that many poems call to be read a second time – immediately – just to savour that turning moment, for the words on which the poems hinges.”

Calgary Herald 29/04/07 –Teenager’s Holocaust Diary Heart-Wrenching & Poignant” article featuring The Diary of Petr Ginz by Petr Ginz and Chava Pressburger – Grove Atlantic “One word describes The Diary of Petr Ginz: heartbreaking…. Petr’s minimalist journal is that of a boy writing his way to his own doom. He seems not to have posterity in mind, but kept a log of daily life because he had an observant bent of mind and journal keeping is how that mind expressed itself…. The seed blooms anew now that his diary has been found.”
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/booksandthearts/story.html?id=d68b7adf-a3fa-433e-a8ab-03079f8b811c

Chronicle Herald 30/04/07 –“Critters Have Feelings Too” article featuring The Emotional Lives of Animals by Marc Bekoff – New World Library + colour cover image “Bekoff reminds us that humans are indeed animals so it should seem beyond question that other animals have emotions.” http://www.herald.ns.ca/Books/832334.html

Canadian Family Magazine May 2007 – “Smarty Pants: Brilliant Family-tested Books, Music, DVDs, and Games for Every Kid in the House” article on page 79 including Awake to Nap by Nikki McClure – Sasquatch (listed as “family-tested”) + colour A–B book spread “It appeals to Sienna, and it’s sturdy for little hands. Even her three-year-old brother loves it.”

Canadian Gardening Magazine June 2007 – “Clippings” book review of Timber Presss Pocket Guide to Ground Covers by Davis MacKenzie – Timber Press + colour cover image“…comprehensive guide to ground covers…such a useful reference.”

Philosophical Wizardry

Harry Potter has put a spell on millions of readers, and they all want to find out more about the deeper meaning of his adventures. In Harry Potter and Philosophy, 17 experts in the field of philosophy unlock some of Hogwarts' secret panels, uncovering surprising insights that are enlightening both for wizards and for the most discerning muggles. Individual chapters look at such topics as life revealed in the Mirror of Erised; the ethics of magic; Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, and the relation of the mind to the brain; and the character of Hermione as a case of "sublimated feminism." Also examined in this witty collection are how Aristotle would have run a school for wizards; whether the Potter stories undermine religion and morality; how to tell good people from evil ones through the characters in these novels; and what dementors and boggarts can teach readers about happiness, fear, and the soul.

Egmont Reviews

An update on the latest Egmont reviews:

Sarah’s Stars Kids Reviews May 2007 – Five star book review of Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo – Egmont "Enthralling and excellently written, this book will seize you in a chokehold and throw you into this invigorating tale of Charlie Bone."
http://www.kalwriters.com/kidswwwrite/60/bone.html

Sarah’s Stars Kids Reviews May 2007 – This month’s cover art – a kid drew the cover of Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire by Andy Stanton – Egmont
http://www.kalwriters.com/kidswwwrite/60/gum.html

Today’s Parent Magazine March 2007 – "Kids Rule!: When the Going Gets Tough, These Kids Get Tougher in Five Stories Where Children Outwit Their Elders" article in Family File Reviews featuring You’re a Bad Man, Mr Gum by Andy Stanton – Egmont "Funny, inviting text."

Deakin Newsletter of Children’s Literature April 2007 – Book review of Who Are You, Stripy Horse by Jim Helmore and Karen Wall – Egmont + colour image of cover "Here is a delightful, clever and appealing tale of a stripy horse tucked into a corner in a second hand store…. Bright, lively pictures depict the sympathetic and engaging characters… This is a good solid story well told, one that children will want to read again and again, and it is peopled by charming characters."

Hi-Rise Newspaper March 2007 –Books review of Seeker by William Nicholson – Egmont UK "It’s a dramatic tale, made all the more suspenseful because its characters are, as real people so often are, nicely unique and original, and their behaviour cannot always be predicted. This is the first of a trilogy, but has a satisfying ending of its own."

Winnipeg Free Press 17/12/06 – What’s On Winnipeg article "Debut Novel Wins Nestle Children’s Prize" article noting winner of award: The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding – Egmont

Creemore Echo 22/12/06 – "Some Ways to Keep the Kids Busy this Christmas" article featuring holiday titles: It’s Christmas: A Festive Lift-the-Flap Book, 100 Things to Do at Christmas, Step-by-Step Crafts for Winter, on Angels Wings by Quentin Blake – Egmont "With Christmas almost here it’s good to have festive things to keep excited children busy. Three books from Publishers Group Canada will do just that…. A nice children’s book from PGC is On Angel Wings…"

The Magazine (for kids) January 2007 –"Booky" section featuring Rift by Beverley Birch –Egmont "This tense mystery is made even more intense because of the setting in Africa and the different perspectives of the action offered by the police reports and letters."

Sergeant Stubby

On seeing a photo of Sergeant Stubby, I immediately thought of Walter the Farting Dog. While Walter may have problems passing too much gas, Stubby - a WWI war dog - had problems being poisoned by gas. He was also shot at, granaded and bombed numerous times in his 18 months of trench warfare.

The bizarre and fantastic story of Sergeant Stubby is worthy of telling. Sergeant Stubby was a war dog in the 102nd Infantry, 26th Division during World War I. According to Wikipedia:

"He entered combat on February 5, 1918 at Chemin des Dames, north of Soissons, and was under constant fire, day and night for over a month. In April 1918, during a raid to take Schieprey, Stubby was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades. He was sent to the rear for convalescence, and as he had done on the front was able to improve morale. When he recovered from his wounds, Stubby returned to the trenches. After being gassed himself, Stubby learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man's land, and — since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. He was even solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne. Following the retaking Château-Thierry by the US, the thankful women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals. There is also a legend that while in Paris with Corporal Conroy, Stubby saved a young girl from being hit by a car. At the end of the war, Conroy smuggled Stubby home."

A photo of a taxidermied Stubby can be seen on the Smithsonian's website The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. More photos and a description of his service can be found at Governor's Foot Guard.

Pigeons

Some interesting facts about pigeons from Andrew Blechman's latest book Pigeons has led me to looking for some of my own.

- according to the Canadian Government, the biggest problem with pigeons is "...the tremendous amount of feces they produce."

- according to the British Government, we should not feed pigeons because "Food such as bread, cakes and buns give them diarrhoea...". Oh, dear, more of what the Canadian Government fears!

- you can sign up to be a PigeonWatcher and help the international study of feral pigeon colors.

- Cher Ami was a famous homing pigeon who was awarded the Croix de Guerre for his service during WWI. His enshrined remains are on display at the Smithsonian Institution along side Sergeant Stubby. More on Sergeant Stubby in another post.

Fall 2007 Catalogues

Our Fall 2007 Children's and Adult catalogues are in! To download a copy, go to http://pgcbooks.ca/catalogues.html.

Kathrine Switzer on The Gill Deacon Show

Kathrine Switzer is on The Gill Deacon Show twice today - airing at 11:00am and 2:00pm.

Kathrine Switzer interview

Kathrine Switzer was recently interviewed by Lee Hewitt from the Toronto Sun. Check out some quick highlights on his blog.

Mr Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire

Check out Mr. Gum's website for a lots of fun backround on Mr Gum and Andy Stanton.

The BBC has a great article from Andy on How To Not Be a Writer.

Media to watch for this week

CBC's The Current interview with Kathrine Switzer will be airing Wed April 25.

The National Post interview with Kathrine Switzer MAY run Wed April 25 - tbc

CBC's The Gill Deacon Show interview with Kathrine Switzer will be airing Friday at 11:00am and 2:00pm

CFRB's The John Moore Show interview with Kathrine Switzer will be airing Wed April 25 at 5:30pm

Book reading, speaking, signing for Kathrine Switzer at World's Biggest Bookstore Wed April 25 at 7:00pm

Breakfast TV interview (Vancouver) with Michelle Goodman will be airing Thurs April 26 7:15-8:30am (Vancouver time)

940AM Montreal Today CBC's BC Almanac interview with Michelle Goodman will be airing Thurs April 26 1:30pm (Vancouver time)

Book reading, speaking, signing at Sophia Books for Michelle Goodman Thurs April 26 7:00pm (Vancouver time)

CFUN Radio's Nik & Val Show interview with Michelle Goodman Fri April 27 10:00am (Vancouver time)

Book reading, speaking, signing, network event at VPL 7:30pm

Welcome

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