News from Orca Book Publishers

July 2012

Summer is speeding by and we are looking ahead to fall - the launch of Seven (the series), new board books, some great novels, a new season of Text2Reader and more.

Seven (the audio)

As the publication date for Seven (the series) approaches (seven books, seven authors, seven adventures - you know the drill) we are seeing more and more interest.
Just posted over at TeachingBooks.net are some great extra resources, including originating author Eric Walters talking about the series and reading from his book, Between Heaven and Earth.

You can also see the book trailer here. And download excerpts from each of the books.

Look for a classroom resource guide in the coming weeks full of discussion questions, pre- and post-reading ideas and instructions for running reader's theater with the books. These seven novels from different authors with varied writing styles make for a great classroom reading experience.

And don't forget to check out Seven (the series) bundle; all seven books at a reduced price in a display tray.

Sunburst Award...

All Good Children, the bestselling novel by Catherine Austen has received another nomination--this time for the Sunburst Award. The Sunburst Award for Excellence in Literature of the Fantastic is an annual award celebrating the best in Canadian fantastic literature published during the previous calendar year.

All Good Children has also been nominated for YALSA's 2013 Best Fiction list, the YALSA Teen Top Ten list and won the CLA YA Book of the Year Award.

Can Hens Win Awards?

Can Hens Give Milk?, the very funny picturebook from Joan Betty Stuchner and Joe Weissman, has been nominated for the Washington Children's Choice Award. The winning book is selected annually by Washington State's K-3 students.
Jewish Book World said of the book: "A brand-new, old-fashioned folktale...And what a delightful tale it is!...An excellent story."
Can Hens Give Milk? was also a PJ Library selection and was distributed to children across North America.

Bear Witness...

I, Witness, the new teen graphic novel from Norah McClintock and Mike Deas, has been chosen as a Fall Junior Library Guild selection.

The gritty graphic novel, told in black and white with blood-splatters a la Dexter, is sure to grab teen readers.

When you witness something horrific, do you look out for yourself? Or try and find justice?

I, Witness. ISBN: 9781554697892, $16.95

Uncle Wally's First Review...

The new picturebook from Wallace Edwards (Alphabeasts, etc.), which is due out this Fall, has seen its first review. Quill & Quire said of Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe:

"Astounding illustrations...Edwards' artwork, vividly rendered in watercolor, pencil, and gouache, has a vintage feel...With a lilting sing-song text and art that is delightful and fun...this book will appeal to keen-eyed youngsters and nostalgic older readers alike."

Is that a Deer in the Dumpster?

If you're like us, you are used to seeing racoons in your kitchen or squirrels in the recycling bin. Where do all these urban animals come from? In Nicholas Read's recent book, City Critters - Living Wild in the Urban Jungle, the author takes a look around North American cities with an eye to protecting and preserving all those citified varmints, and explains where they have come from and why.

VOYA says: "City Critters offers ways we can help urban wildlife thrive...Beautiful color photographs break up the text, as do sidebars...this interesting and unique book brings to light the challenging lives of urban animals."

Reaching Reluctant Readers

Check out our resource website - ReachingReluctantReaders.com. Designed for those working with struggling and striving readers, this site features:

Visit the website here.

Common Core and Text2Reader...

Text2Reader is a Language Arts program for grades 6 to 8. Using selections from bestselling books, Text2Reader is developed by teachers and is correlated to the Common Core English Language Arts curriculum.

Fall Catalog...

The Fall 2012 catalog is now available. Lots of new stuff - board books, a new picturebook from Wallace Edwards, Seven (the series), lots of teen fiction, Soundings, Currents and more. Oh my.
See the new catalog here.

Seven (the Wordle)

Have you used Wordle before? As a tool for the classroom this is pretty cool. Build word clouds from any piece of text. Works for Seven too!

THANKS FOR READING!

Remember customer service? We do too. If you have a question about a title, want us to customize a collection for your school or library, are interested in what we can can do for your store, or just want to chat and exchange gossip, give us a call. Our toll-free customer service line is manned (personed?) from 8:30 to 4:30 PST.

Really - call us. We're waiting.

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