Just got back from Halifax where I spent the last few days touring the province, visiting schools as part of the 2009 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Awards. I had a great time meeting kids from many schools, talking to them about writing comics and reading.

The awards cermony was a lot of fun and hopefully I’ll have photos very soon. Congratulations to winning author, Jennifer McGrath Kent and her action adventure Chocolate River Rescue. Like Wild Ride, it’s packed with survival skills and adventure, so it’s definitely added to my ‘must read’ list and I suggest you add it to yours too.

Thanks to all the kids who read and voted in this years awards - we couldn’t have done it without you!

Soccer Sabotage has been out for about a month now and is already netting positive reviews, like this one from CM Magazine:

Mike Deas did an excellent job in illustrating the work. The pages are very colorful and attractive as they stand out. The characters look extraordinary which will be appealing to young readers.

The plot is splendid. The author planned out the plot very well with lots of twists and turns throughout the storyline.

Soccer fans and just about anyone will overall enjoy reading this book whether they want to learn tips or read some mystery. It’s definitely worth the read.

Highly Recommended.

Very happy to hear Devin’s latest adventure is off to a good start.

If you happened to pick up the March issue of Owl magazine, you already know what I am late to announce on this blog: Max Finder Mystery has returned to Owl Magazine!

Max and his detective partner, Alison Santos, left Owl about 2 years ago when their series of graphic novels hit bookstores. Since then, Owl readers has repeatedly asked for more mysterious adventures from this pre-teen detective duo.  Their calls have now been answered.

The new Max has a new illustrator too (number 3 for the series): Ramon Perez. Ramon is no stranger to kids books. He illustrated the spooky Fear this Book! and even one of my comics on media literacy appearing in Literacy in Action, published by Pearson. Ramon has given Max and the Whispering Meadows crew a whole new, but familiar, look that totally rocks and I’m sure readers will love. Welcome Ramon to the Max Finder team!

Another twist in this new stage for Max and Alison, is that I am not actually writing the mysteries. That honour goes to Craig Battle, editor of Owl and fine blogger, and a fine writer who has captured the style and tone of the characters perfectly. Although, I’m not actually writing, I am involved in creating the mystery ideas and helping them along the way from idea to print. I’m happy the Max Finder is growing to continue to bring readers the mysteries they love.

So, make sure you grab your new copy of Owl Magazine to see if you can crack the case with Max and Alison!

This just in: Ramp Rats named to the Resource Links Best of List for 2008! This is very cool news for a couple of reasons. First, it’s always nice to have your work linked with the word “best” and second, it’s another sign that educators and book people are welcoming graphic novels into the realm of “stuff that is good for young readers.” Included in the list are some really good titles from fantastic Canadian authors. I’m honoured to included.

I say it’s another sign, because the first book in the Graphic Guide Adventure series, Wild Ride, is nominated for the 2009 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award. This isn’t new news, but it is to my knowledge the first time a graphic novel has been nominated for one of the “Tree Awards” (Silver Birch in Ontario and more varieties in other provinces.) Sequential art FTW!

All this is a round-about way of saying that I’ll be heading out to Halifax for the Hackmatack Awards ceremony in May. Very excited about that. I’ll also be visiting schools in the run up to the awards, so I’m looking forward to meeting the readers and securing their votes by any means necessary (this stuff makes the US elections look like a tea party, let me tell you.)

Thanks to Resource Links and Hackmatack for including the GGA books and a big thanks to the creative powers of Michael Deas, illustrator extraordinaire who gives the whole serkies its fantastic look. Just check out the cover art for Soccer Sabotage, GGA #3 on the left. Kickin’! (in every sense of the word.)

Apologies for the lame post title and for the long silence of updates around here. My new career as a an elementary teacher is keeping me busier than ever. But that’s not stopping word getting around about the latest book in the Graphic Guide Adventure series: Ramp Rats.

Published in October, it’s receiving great reviews from places like Canadian Materials Magazine who have this to say:

Ramp Rats is a fun graphic novel with a unique storyline which incorporates many attractive features for many types of readers. The characters are believable and well-developed, while the situations are so common that most readers will be able to identify with many of them. Combined with a lot of useful information about skating, as well as helpful guidance about bullying, Ramp Rats is a worthwhile read for young readers.

The September 15 issue of ALA Booklist also thought Ramp Rats was a winner:

Aside from the action-packed story, great characters, and colorful artwork, this graphic novel
adventure includes an array of practical skateboarding tips for beginners. The story also delivers a
deft message about standing up to bullies as it depicts Benny’s growing determination and self-confidence.

Very happy that Marcus and the Ramp Rats crew are being welcomed onto the kids book scene both in Canada and the US. All the Graphic Guide Adventure books are available at your local book store or online at the Orca Book Publisher website.