The international literary scene has been showering Canadian authors and publishers with love as of late.

Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, was named best publisher for the North America region at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair earlier this month.

The book fair, in conjunction with the Swedish government, also announced Winnipeg-born, L.A.-based author-illustrator Jon Klassen (This Is Not My Hat) as the recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for his work in children’s literature, a prize that comes with five million Swedish kronor (around $749,000).

Closer to home, two Canadian authors are among 223 recipients of 2026 Guggenheim fellowships based out of New York.

Sea turtles are an integral part of the ocean and shoreline ecosystem. Taking Turns with Turtles — A Rescue Story by Shari Becker (Groundwood, 36 pages, hardcover, $22) is an interesting, educational science picture book for children ages 3-6 about turtles that become cold-stunned when chilly fall weather hits too quickly along the east coast of the U.S.

Becker reminds us of the contributions turtles make to the ecosystem — they eat jellyfish, which protects fish populations, and their eggshells and waste fertilize beach plants, which prevents sand erosion. She also writes about the important role that dedicated volunteers play, nursing stranded turtles as they recover from their trauma and later returning them to the sea.

Brittany Lane’s pretty pastel watercolours show both detail and imagined underwater scenes.

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