Early reviews of "A Bird's Eye"

"Fabulous...pure and utter magic." National Post.*** "A captivating coming-of-age story. Perhaps his finest book yet." Canadian Jewish News.*** "A slim volume of great beauty, memorable and filled with truth." Gary Shteyngart.*** "Captivating." Quill & Quire.***"Lyrical. 'A Bird's Eye' is written exactly to the scale it should be." Montreal Gazette.*** Amazon "Best Books of September."

'A Bird's Eye' book launch this Tuesday, August 27, at the Free Times Cafe

Well, the headline says it all, or almost all. Everyone is invited to the launch of my new novel. The launch starts at 7 p.m., there is music and refreshments, and the address is 320 College Street. So come on by. I'd love to see you.

A new novel, a new publisher

I'm a long-time admirer of House of Anansi and to say that I'm pleased they have become my new adult publisher is an understatement. On August 31, Anansi will publish my new novel, 'A Bird's Eye.' (The cover is designed by Brian Morgan.)

This small book took me about eight years to write, as I would work on it for several months and then put it down for a stretch before taking it up again. As I wrote in a recent issue of 'Quill & Quire' in an article about being an adult and a kids' author, the novel is "set in Toronto in the 1930s and concerns a 14-year-old boy who moves through a world of European immigrants, market vendors, African-Americans, rich entrepreneurs, vaudeville, gambling, sex, conjuring, mechanical toys, hermits, libraries, and broken dreams."

The Season of School Visits

I've been having a great time visiting schools this spring--in Toronto, Brampton, Burlington, Oakville, Stouffville and even Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Lately I've been talking about where stories begin and some schools have used the visit to get the kids writing. Here are a couple of photos from a recent visit to Sunnybrook in Toronto. The first shows off the 'Banjo of Destiny.' The second is a great example of a teacher and students using my visit as the starting point for their own creativity. Fantastic!

Oy, it's a new picture book!

After I finished writing "Oy, Feh, So" I just knew that Gary Clement had to be the illustrator. I've known Gary for nearly twenty-five years and I figured that it was about time he did something worthwhile. Other than the previous book we did, that is. Gary agreed--after all, what else did he have to do other than his daily cartoon for 'The National Post,' the art for his next show at Loop Gallery, his freelance work, etc. etc. And he did such a wonderful job that the pictures alone make me laugh. * The story is a homage to my aunts and uncles, and great aunts and uncles, and their visits to our house when I was a kid. * Here are some early reviews: "Very funny."-- Publisher's Weekly. "You don't have to be Jewish to find this one funny." -- Booklist. "Fagan has hit on a universal theme and pulls off a charming read. A great book for reading aloud."--CM Magazine. "Priceless"--Canlit for Little Canadians.

'Mr. Zinger's Hat' wins the Jean Throop Award

'Mr. Zinger's Hat' received the Jean Throop Award at a ceremony in Toronto last night. Cary Fagan and illustrator Dusan Petricic shared the $2,000 award, given out by the Municipal Chapter of Toronto IODE. Previous winners include Barbara Reid,Ken Oppal, and Dennis Lee. Meant to encourage the publication of books for children between the ages of six and twelve, the award is given annually to authors and/or illustrators who are judged to contribute to children's reading. Dwight Throop, husband of the late Jean Throop, presented the award.

Life...from the bottom of a hole

Danny is the practical one in his family, the kid who--or so everyone says--lacks the creative talent of his parents and brothers. One day he comes home to discover that his parents have sold the house, given away the dog, and are planning to fulfill their dreams by living in different places (his father to become an opera singer in New York City, his mother to bake cheesecakes in Banff). His response? To run. Angry Danny runs out of the house, down the block, and keeps going until he crosses a construction site and falls into a very deep hole. Waiting to be rescued, Danny discovers his survival skills and makes a very unlikely friend...." Danny, Who Fell in a Hole," the new novel, will be published in April. Here are some early reviews: "[A] funny and sweet tale about learning to embrace change and appreciating what one has." --Publishers' Weekly. "A quirky existential adventure for thoughtful readers." --Kirkus Reviews. **** [four stars] "A thoroughly engrossing short tale, this book is typical Fagan: fantastical yet familiar, timeless, and with just the right touch of sentiment and seriousness. A great read-aloud tale." --CM Magazine.