A chat with 'Kirkus Reviews'

Here's an interview just published by the American magazine 'Kirkus Reviews' about 'Banjo of Destiny.' Yes, now you can finally learn such fascinating tidbits as how I failed as a child to learn to play the ukulele.


http://www.kirkusreviews.com/blog/childrens/banjos-and-bluegrass-banjo-destiny-cary-fagan/

Toronto Star is banjo friendly

I was pleased to get a call this morning from my mother-in-law Helene about Deirdre Baker's nice review of "Banjo of Destiny." Here's some of what she had to say:

"There's a real light-hearted sparkle to Torontonian Cary Fagan's "Banjo of Destiny"...This has the spirit and cheer of comic melodrama, its fun coming as much from Fagan's breezy asides as from the plot. Who could resist Luella, who toboggans down the school hill singing the school anthem in Pig Latin? ... These kinds of details, as well as Fagan's evocative descriptions of banjo music ("weirdly old and jumpily alive") give this story its loft."

That plucky banjo--in person

"Banjo of Destiny" is just out and the first reviews are definitely making me want to take out the ol' five string and play a reel or two.

"CM magazine"
4 stars (out of 4). "'Banjo of Destiny' will inspire any budding musician, and its story of a boy coming to terms with his inner dork will appeal to all...This sweet, quirky little book hits all the right notes. Highly recommended."

"Kirkus Reviews"
"A low-key charmer."

"Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children"
"This bittersweet novel has just the right touch of wit and creativity to watch and keep the attention of young discerning readers. ...will encourage readers to think about what brings true happiness."

The reviews make me hope that kids might really be inspired to discover the pleasure of working hard at something they really want to be good at. There's a lesson I'm still learning.

It seems a good time to offer a photograph of the real banjo that Jeremiah built-- with the author's help, of course. Yes, it really plays. Total cost of materials: about $11.

But enough about me (and Jeremiah). Congratulations to Luc Melanson, whose illustrations for "Big Book of Brothers" have just been nominated for the Amelia Frances Howard Gibbon Award.

And now I'm going to go and play.

Two Photographs

I was sorting through some work photos and came upon these two. The first photo is from an author visit in Montreal. No, I'm not yodelling. I'm teaching the kids a pirate song from the book "Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas." The first verse goes like this:
"We don't like washing behind our ears, or doing our multiplication.
When our noses drip we wipe on our sleeves, and we spit for relaxation."
Pretty catchy, no? (By the way, that instrument I'm playing is a 1937 Martin mandolin.)

The second photo is from the launch of "Valentine's Fall" at the Gladstone Hotel. That's my buddy Gary Clement trying to make me look as if I know what I'm talking about. Gary was the artist on our picture book "Ten Old Men and a Mouse" and we're going to be doing another one together.

Teaching time

Well, it's teaching time again. On Monday, January 24 my evening class in writing picture books begins at the University of Toronto. I always get a great group of enthusiastic people who love picture books and want to find their own stories. If you're interested, you can see the course here:

http://2learn.utoronto.ca/uoft/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=1150416

Or call 416 978-2400.

Hope to see you in class!

A boy and his banjo

Here is a look at the cover of my next book for kids, a novel called "Banjo of Destiny."

Jeremiah falls in love with the sound of old-time banjo music and wants to learn to play. But when his wealthy (or, as Jeremiah's best friend Luella says, "stinking rich") parents won't let him buy one, he decides to build a banjo himself. Or (to quote Luella again), to listen to his "inner nerd."

It's funny, it's dramatic, it's touching, it's romantic. Okay, maybe not romantic.

Closer to publication date I'll try and get around to publishing a picture of the banjo that Jeremiah (with some help from the author) builds.

The book will be published in March but is already up on Amazon and the other online book sites.

Happy New Year, everybody.

My brothers, mes freres

Looking for something in French to read to that bright toddler of yours? Have I got a book for you. A French-language edition of "Book of Big Brothers" will be published this fall by Scholastic. It's available for pre-order on Amazon and other sites.

Does this mean I have to give my brothers free copies again?