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Press, book news and updates on prints and book tours.
Frostfire is a finalist for the Shining Willow Awards! So lovely to be nominated alongside such great books. Willow Awards
The Kids Book Centre: “The nominees for the 2026 Willow Awards were recently announced. Also known as the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award (SYRCA), the awards promote reading and celebrate Canadian literature. Each year, Saskatchewan children and youth vote for Willow Award recipients from finalists nominated in three award categories.”
It is our book birthday! So proud of this book.
(See reviews below!)
12 Daring Grays hits the shelves today. Thank you, Nora for writing this beautiful story about the brave Gray Whales that venture into the Salish Sea. It is so important right now to share the stories of the animals large and small that share our world.
Author - Nora Nickum
Illustrated by me
Published by Candlewick
Editor - Heather McGee
Nickum’s poetry conveys the story beautifully. . ..With vibrant, mixed-media illustrations, MacKay depicts the lengthy journey and changing settings through a shifting range of shades, mostly pastels. . . . For nonfiction that elicits an emotional investment from readers, this is an excellent purchase for all libraries.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Young readers and their adults will be equally drawn into this look at the lives of these gentle, clever giants and the underlying theme that sometimes it can be worth it to forge your own path.
—Booklist (starred review)
Nickum’s quiet, flowing prose sets the scene with vivid, sensory detail. . . . The speckled whales seem ready to splash off the page in each dioramic scene. A stunning and unforgettable journey.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A Junior Library Guild Selection!
“Tara Walker at Tundra Books has acquired Fox Fairies by Elly MacKay, a picture book about sisters Celeste and Miriam and their search for magic, and The Island of Wild Horses, a picture book about the horses who call Sable Island home. Publication is planned for summer 2027 and 2028 respectively; Emily van Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management sold world rights.”
I am late to share this here as I have already been working on these. I am so excited to be working with Tara Walker at Tundra Books on another 2 picture books, Fox Fairies and The Island of Wild Horses.
Fox Fairies is set in a backyard rambling garden and I have had the most wonderful time sketching away in a couple of gardens, imagining these fox sisters playing. This summer I went a with an artist friend, Kristine Moran to Moreland Place. It is on the edge of town near Inglis Falls. We both work so differently. It was wonderful to spend time with another artist and see how she worked and what inspired her. The other garden that is a reoccurring spot for my stories is Keppel Croft Gardens in Big Bay. It is where I spent so much of my time growing up.
A Forest Begins Anew is already available for preorder!
It comes out next spring (2026).
It was written by Louise Aamodt. It is poetic non-fiction.
Book Description
Told through lyrical rhyme and stunning 3D cut-paper illustrations, this is the captivating story of a forest’s renewal as it goes from ashes to new growth in the aftermath of a sweeping forest fire.
Set against the backdrop of a devastating forest fire, A Forest Begins Anew unfolds the life cycle of a particularly resilient ecosystem. As smoke jumpers leap from planes and pinecones eventually unseal from the heat of the fire, the story poetically weaves the effects of a forest fire into a vibrant tapestry that reveals a delicate balance between destruction and renewal.
Back matter containing fascinating facts and further reading portrays forest fires not just as destructive forces but as catalysts for growth and rebirth. With its lyrical rhyming text and breathtaking illustrations, A Forest Begins Anew honors nature’s ability to survive against the odds.
I am just delighted to be touring again with the Canadian Children’s Book Week! Congrats to the authors and illustrators selected. What a great group. And thank you to The Canadian Children’s Book Centre!
I toured in Prince Edward Island previously and it was an amazing week, visiting 17 schools and libraries. They haven’t yet announced where we will be going this year. Soon! I can’t wait to meet all of the young readers/writers/illustrators! I love to get the students involved - coming up with stories and creating their own art. It is such a special week for everyone.
Details:
The upcoming national tour will take place from Sunday, April 26 to Saturday, May 2, 2026.
We will announce tour locations in late October 2026, and the application process will open then. Schools, libraries, bookstores and community organizations will be invited to submit their applications to host Book Week visits.
More details about Book Week can be found at bookcentre.ca
#CCBCBookWeek #BookWeek2026#CanadianAuthors #CanadianIllustrators#CanadianStories
The Bunny Ballet comes out this Fall! You can preorder it here on Indiebound, or anywhere books are sold. It was written by Nora Ericson, who wrote Too Early as well. Published by Abrams Books! I’m so delighted with this starred review from Kirkus. I can’t wait to get this into little dancer’s hands.
I am excited to be a presenter at Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Homecoming Event this year. I will be speaking on: Wednesday, June 18 at 1:15pm EST
Program partners and supporters from around the world will join together virtually from June 17-19, 2025, for a special celebration of DPIL's shared history and achievements.
Join us at the opening of Only Human at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound.
OPENING: Saturday, June 28th from 2-4.
I explore what it means to create art in an era of generative AI art. I won’t be sharing any images from the exhibition and I ask everyone that comes not to share images as well. We will see what can be experienced without being ‘trained on’. You will have to come in person. Come for the art, the community and human connection. Stay human! The show runs from June 28th to October 4th. Thanks friends!
I just got some lovely news. Zap! Clap! Boom!, written by Laura Purdie Salas, published by Bloomsbury Kids, is shortlisted for the North Carolina Children’s Book Award! The book will be one of 12 shared with students throughout the state.
Frostfire is a December Staff Pick at Indigo! It is also a Best Book for 3-5. It is on sale right now. You can pick up a copy on sale! https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/frostfire/9780735266988.html
Thank you independent booksellers for choosing Frostfire as an Indie Kids’ Next Pick!
Frostfire.
By Elly MacKay. Illus. by the author
Oct. 2024. 44p. Tundra, $18.99 (9780735266988). PreS–Gr. 2
Two foxes clad in cozy coats head out into a dazzling winter’s day. Their cavorting is interrupted by a grumbling sound from somewhere in the distance. Miriam, the older sibling, confidently explains that the sound could have emanated from just one source: a snow dragon. Younger Celeste is intrigued by the possibility, though she questions the plausibility of its existence. Miriam insists snow dragons are real and answers all of Celeste’s questions easily. Why aren’t there any tracks? Dragons fly, of course! Why can’t they see them? They disguise themselves as snowbanks, leaving behind only traces of frostfire—the swirling icy patterns on glass. The intrepid pair tumble down snow-covered hills and skate on the frozen pond, all the while pondering snow-dragon specifics. Could it all be true? The sisters will have the unexpected answer before their snowy stroll is through. This gem of a story is an ideal cold-weather companion, offering wintry wonders and a humorous twist that sweetly shifts the dynamic between the sisters. The gently suspenseful story is satisfying on its own, but the exquisite paper scenes are a wonder as well. There are sparkling snowflakes, a glowing sky, and a cozy cottage beckoning the foxes home after an eventful day. Frosted endpapers are a perfect final touch. An enchanting outing that will have readers longing to wander a winter wonderland. — Emily Graham
This September I Am A Meadow Mermaid, published by Tundra, written by my pal Kallie George and illustrated by me went out to kids across Canada as part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. It is such an honour to have another book in her library. I love the small paperback size - so perfect for kids’ hand. So cute. Thanks Dolly!
“A farm girl with a big imagination turns her landlocked home into an ocean playground in this dreamy picture book by Kallie George with illustrations by Elly Mackay” - Imagination Library
