We are thrilled to share that books by Carol Matas, Natasha Deen, Rachel Poliquin, Clayton Hanmer, Cyndi Marko and Elise Gravel with Drawn & Quarterly have been included in the 2023 TD Summer Reading Club!
The TD Summer Reading Club is Canada’s biggest, bilingual summer reading program for kids of all ages, interests, and abilities. This program inspires children to explore the fun of reading during the summer months, while celebrating Canadian writers and illustrators.
And we can’t forget to mention that Cyndi Marko was chosen as their “comic in residence” this summer!
About the books and authors:
WHO’S LOOKING?: HOW ANIMALS SEE THE WORLD by Carol Matas and illustrated by Cornelia Li.
How do animals see the world? It turns out, very differently.
In this nonfiction picture book, a young girl and her baby sister’s outdoor adventure (hiking through the forest, picnicking in the grass and swimming in the ocean) is overseen by the local fauna. The way those animals view the girls is very different from how the girls see each other. Goats see far and wide in a panorama, whales don’t see color the way humans do and a high-soaring eagle’s sharp vision can clearly see a tiny mouse far below. Through clever illustrations and scientific prose, we are reminded that while we may see things differently, we all share this life together on planet Earth.
Carol is represented by Amy Tompkins.
LARK HAS THE SHIVERS by Natasha Deen and illustrated by Marcus Cutler.
The summer is for sleuthing, and Lark and Connor have been served a double helping!
It’s time for the annual pet fair and the twins have been hard at work teaching their dog, Max, some new tricks. But on their way to the fairgrounds, they’re offered not one, but two intriguing cases.
Pets from the pet show have gone missing and their guardians are blaming each other for the disappearances. Meanwhile, Lark and Connor’s frenemy, Sophie, thinks her house might be haunted and refuses to go inside. The twins split up to solve the mysteries, but can they find the vanished pets and the source of the spooky noises before the show has to start?
Natasha is represented by Amy Tompkins.
THE MUSEUM OF ODD BODY LEFTOVERS: A TOUR OF YOUR USELESS PARTS, FLAWS, AND OTHER WEIRD BITS by Rachel Poliquin and illustrated by Clayton Hanmer.
Welcome to the weirdest museum you’ll ever explore—the one inside your body.
Did you know your amazing, incredible body is a walking, talking museum of evolution? In The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers, tour guides Wisdom Tooth and Disappearing Kidney lead readers through a wacky museum dedicated to vestigial structures: body parts that were essential to our ancestors but are no longer useful to us—even though they’re still hanging around.
From goosebumps and hiccups to exploding organs and monkey muscles, each room in the museum shows us that these parts have stories to tell us about our past. By the time we make it to the gift shop, we’ll understand that evolution is not only messy and imperfect, but also ongoing. Our bodies are constantly changing along with the environment we live in—and there’s so much that is still unknown, just waiting to be discovered.
Engaging, hilarious, and a visual treat, The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers is a place you’ll want to visit again and again.
Rachel is represented by Amy Tompkins, and Clayton is represented by Fiona Kenshole.
SLOTH SLEUTH by Cyndi Marko.
On an island crawling with crime, everyone’s a suspect. Luckily, its resident sloth can solve crimes in her sleep (and often does!). Meet Paz, the world’s first sloth sleuth. She may be slow . . . but she’s always one step ahead of the bad guys. This hilarious graphic novel mystery is perfect for fans of The Bad Guys and Investigators.
Pssst . . . hey, you! Welcome to Winklefuss. Don’t get too comfortable—this tropical paradise is crawling with criminals. Luckily, Paz, the world’s smartest sloth detective, lives here, too! She can solve the toughest crimes in her sleep (and often does).
A mysterious illness is striking the customers of Cookie’s Diner. Could it be something they ate? (Spoiler alert: It is.)
As she investigates, Paz fills her fanny pack with clues. But who’s the culprit? Is it Mayor McSqueak, who was caught breaking into the diner? Is it Lacie Flamingo, fired after messing up orders? Is it Louie the Shark, who works for the toughest crime boss this side of the Bermuda Triangle (a fish in a bag)? Well, kid, you’ll just have to read the book to find out!
Cyndi is represented by Elizabeth Bennett.
THE BUG CLUB by Elise Gravel and published by Drawn & Quarterly.
In The Bug Club, Elise Gravel shares all of her favourite and most interesting facts about these marvelous creatures, some of which are so unique and strange, you could almost imagine them living in outer space!
Most people know that spiders have eight eyes, but what about the caterpillar? These little critters have them beat with a whopping twelve! Did you know mosquitoes are attracted to smelly feet? That the honey bee has hair on her eyeballs? That butterfly feet double as noses? And grasshoppers have ears on their bellies? These are just some of the many things about bugs that make them endlessly enchanting. Elise’s inquisitiveness and charm pop off the page as she takes us on a walk through her mind—and the awe-inspiring natural wonders that exist right outside our doorsteps.
If you’re curious what the inside of a slug looks like, The Bug Club has got you covered. Not only does Elise answer these burning questions, but she draws it all beautifully and brightly in her signature cartoony style.
The followup to her award-winning The Mushroom Fan Club, where Elise shares her delightful and family friendly mushroom-hunting adventures, The Bug Club offers more activities and fun for the whole family. This time, the treasure is hiding just below a rock or that pile of fresh fall leaves.
Drawn & Quarterly is represented by Evan Brown and Samantha Haywood.
To read more, follow the link: https://www.tdsummerreadingclub.ca/