And the Shortlists are Out!

One of the highlights of the Canadian kidlit scene is the announcement of the OLA's Forest of Reading Awards shortlists. That was today. And it's sweeter than ever this year because Zoobots has made the Silver Birch Nonfiction Shortlist! Woo hoo Zoo!!!!!

It's an honour to be selected, and to be in such great company with such wonderful friends and colleagues like Frieda Wishinsky, Liz MacLeod, Tanya Lloyd Kyi, Hugh Brewster and Deborah Ellis, among others! I'm also holding up the fist bump for all the great folks - and stellar books -  nominated in all the other categories.

I am so looking forward to meeting kid-fans at the extra school visits the award will generate, and to meeting everyone at all the great Forest of Trees festivities throughout the year! I know how much fun it all is, since I've had the great good fortune to be nominated several times before. (Psst: I've even won a few times! Boredom Blasters and Secret Agent Y.O.U. won in 2006 and 2008; What's the Big Idea? won an Honour Award in 2011.)

Zoobots Has Arrived!

They're here....the Zoobots. These very creepy, very awesome animal-inspired robots are the subject of my latest nonfiction book from Kids Can Press.

The book has been selected by the Junior Library Guild, and is now available from your fave bookseller! If the incredible pics by Alex Ries don't give you nightmares...the fact that all of these critters are under development right now should!

You'll find that Zoobots is a great pick for:
> reluctant readers
> Common Core applications
>life science
>physical science
>technology
>recreational reading - it has the WOW! factor kids love
>critical thinking and problem solving