News from Orca Book Publishers

News From Orca Book Publishers
July 2009

News and notes...
(Click on the covers for more info).

YALSA Best Books and Quick Picks...

Two recent teen novels from Orca have been nominated for the Best Books list from the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association.

What World is Left by Monique Polak and Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka have both been nominated to this list of "significant young adult books."

A couple of titles have also been nominated for YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

Five Minutes More by Darlene Ryan and Maverick Mania by Sigmund Brouwer have been nominated for this list that is for young adults who do not like to read. The purpose of "this list is to identify titles for recreational reading, not for curricular or remedial use."

More info here.

Best Children's Books of the Year...

The Children's Book Committee of the Bank Street College of Education has announced the 100th anniversary edition of the Best Children's Books of the Year. This special expanded edition of the annual booklist will be published in September, 2009.

The following Orca titles made the list: First Time (Orca Soundings) by Meg Tilly; Maybe Later (Orca Echoes) by Ingrid Lee, ill. by Gabrielle Grimard; One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists, written and ill. by Janet Wilson; and Pain & Wastings (Orca Soundings) by Carrie Mac.

(One Peace has already been listed by Smithsonian Magazine as a Notable Book of the Year and is shortlisted for the Hackmatack Children's Choice Award.)

More info here.

TriState 2009 Books of Note...

A number of Orca titles have made the list of noteworthy titles from the TriState Review Group. (Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey).
Titles selected were: Spiral by K.L. Denman; Res Judicata by Vicki Grant; The Lit Report by Sarah N Harvey; Gravity by Leanne Lieberman; What World is Left by Monique Polak; First Time by Meg Tilly and Learning to Fly by Paul Yee.

More info here.

VOYA Nonfiction Honor List...

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) has announced their Annual Nonfiction Honor List.
When Elephants Fight - The Lives of Children in Conflict in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda, by Eric Walters and Adrian Bradbury has won a place on this prestigious list.
The full list will be published in the August issue of VOYA.

In a review VOYA said, "The narratives are filled with conflict, suspense, and action...Earth-toned pages, color photography, and informative sidebars make the book attractive."

And the Horn Book said, "The writing is accessible, and the kids' stories are compelling. The many photographs of children and landscapes help contextualize their stories."

More info here.

Fresh and tasty...
The new Fall catalog is now available and packed full of literary goodness.
Click here for a look at our new online version or drop us a note to make sure you get a catalog in the mail. New books also show up on our website under "coming soon." You can also click here to see a full list of upcoming titles.

Highlights:

Death on the River by John Wilson - a teenager struggles to survive the horror of a Civil War prison camp;
The Doomsday Mask by Simon Rose. Another page-turner from the author of The Emerald Curse;
Violet by Tania Stehlik. A wonderful picturebook about being different;
Media Meltdown by Liam O'Donnell and Mike Deas. Book 4 in the Graphic Guide Adventure series of graphic novels;
Pierre Le Poof by Andrea Beck. The first book in a new picturebook series by the creator of Elliot the Moose;
and much more.

E-mail us to have a catalog sent today.

Junior Library Guild...

Two new Fall titles have been selected by the Junior Library Guild for inclusion in their popular program.
In the Woods, an Orca Soundings novel by Robin Stevenson and Death on the River, a compelling novel about the Civil War by John Wilson, will both be on this Fall's list.

More info on JLG here.

New From Lobster Press...
Orca is the US distributor for Lobster Press (among other publishers).
This Fall, there are 16 new Board Book titles from Lobster, including pop-ups, open the flaps and more. Lots of exciting, enticing books for young readers.

Complete list of Board Books here.

Thanks for reading!
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