Teens (ages 13-19) are invited to write an essay of 500 words or less describing how they would end the Twilight Series. Submission deadline is July 23, 2008. All submissions must include: full name, age, and phone number.

The winner will be announced at the Breaking Dawn Launch Party upstairs in the Kids Bookstore at our Saskatoon location, Saturday, August 2, 9:00-11:00 am.

Essays may be submitted via email. Call 955-1477 for more information.

Write and illustrate your own 10-15 page graphic novel, with original characters, story, and artwork. Content must be appropriate for ages 10-14.

The contest is open to anyone ages 10-14.

Submission deadline is August 9, 2008. 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place winners will be contacted August 16. All submissions must be left at the Kids Desk in an envelope marked with the author/illustrator’s name, age, address, phone number, and parent’s name.

Submissions may be retrieved after August 16, 2008.

Have fun, and good luck!

To check out some inspiring graphic novels that have already been published, click here.

Geist Magazine is running a short-short writing contest: 500 words or less, action in at least two different Canadian time zones. Find the full details here.

McNally Robinson Booksellers are excited to host Kenneth Oppel on Sunday, October 14th at 3:00 pm.

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Kai Chochinov writes:

The Silverwing books are truly unique pieces of literature. Kenneth Oppel has taken an entire cast of non-human characters, and made them human enough for all readers to understand and feel compassionate towards. Yet, at the same time he has not made them too human, so that the reader forgets that they are in fact bats. So, while reading these books I always felt the happiness, sadness and fear of its main characters, all of which are human emotions. While, at the same time I was concerned about such things as his flying ability, and whether the bugs he could see with his echo-vision would be enough to sustain him for the coming portion of his journey, all of which are bat characteristics. So, it was this fine balance of ‘human, but not too human’ that so many animal based children’s stories lack that has made the Silverwing Trilogy one of my favourite series of books.