Kevin Sylvester

NOMINATED for The Silver Boirch, SunGDog

Secret ballrooms, hidden artwork and unlikely friends—welcome to the Regency, where even time moves in surprising ways!

Jake Simmons hates his new home.

The Regency is nothing more than floor after floor of peeling wallpaper and faded glory. Jake misses his old life. He misses the time when his mother was employed. He misses living in a house where the wind doesn’t make the windows whistle.

Loneliness (and a trail of kittens) leads Jake to the apartment of an elderly lady, then to the bowels of the building and then to a part-time job assisting Larry the custodian. With each passing day, the building reveals more of its mysteries to Jake. The occupants grow on him too.

Unfortunately, Jake’s feeling of belonging is short-lived: the city plans to demolish the Regency. Jake feels powerless. And then fate throws him a curveball. He’s summoned to apartment 713. An apartment he’s been told is off-limits. But when he opens the door . . . he travels to the past!

Publisher’s page HERE (with pre-order info)

Co-written with my awesome kid Basil, this is the story of Zed Watson’s search for a lost manuscript… and so much more!

FINALIST 2021 Governor General’s Award

2022 Nominee SILVER BIRCH FICTION

2022 Nominee Rocky Mountain Book Award

2022 Nominee Surrey Schools’ Book of the Year

2021 PICKED BY KIDS Silver Birch Reading List!

STARRED review in Quill and Quire

FIVE STAR review in CM Magazine

Canadian publisher page here with bookstore LINKS

US publisher page with bookstore LINKS

Read an excerpt on the CBC Books site

The companion to the award-winning The Fabulous Zed Watson!

Zed and Gabe had three nights to solve their way out of a haunted house… but will that mean missing Hallowe’en? GASP!

OUT IN 2024

The first book in a silly new super-hero-hockey series from Scholastic. Six fairly average kids get zapped with frozen radiation and become SUPER Hockey players. Now they have to defend the Earth from evil squids, robots and giant lizards using, what else, hockey!

MORE INFO FROM SCHOLASTIC

Robots take over the government and threaten to turn every school into a robot manufacturing plant. Can the Super Six use hockey to defeat the android overlords? Yes

The fourth book in the Hockey Super Six series from Scholastic. An asteroid is heading toward Earth. Can the six save the world, and win a life or death battle against space tardigrades?

The third book in the Hockey Super Six series.

The six must save the word from a marauding fuzzy enemy. The plot has more holes than swiss cheese.

MORE HERE

The fifth book in the Hockey Super Six Series.

The Six get zapped inside a hockey video game, where they have to defeat an evil AI if they hope to escape.

The kids all die

The penultimate book in the series. The kids rise from the dead to face a new enemy. Are they zombies? Maybe…

OUT in 2024!

* 2012 Silver Birch Honour Book

There’s mayhem in Mexico in this full-flavored mystery, the second book in The Neil Flambé Capers. 

Teenage wunderchef—and budding detective—Neil Flambé heads to Mexico City to take part in the Azteca Cocina, a two-week battle of the chefs. But he’s off to an unsettling start: His box of secret ingredients contains a note that says his girlfriend, Isabella, has been kidnapped. He must lose in the final, or else she’ll be killed. 

To save Isabella, Neil will need Larry’s knowledge of Mexican history and Spanish, Sean Nakamura’s portable forensic lab, and Angel Jicama’s mentorship. He’ll have to delve into Aztec history, symbolism, and even into the real ruins that are buried under the modern city. But time is ticking. Will he be able to figure out where Isabella is being held captive before it’s too late?

The first caper!

WINNER Silver Birch Award for fiction!

* 2013 Silver Birch Nominee

* 2013 CBC Best Book of the Year for Kids

In the third book in The Neil Flambé Capers, the sudden disappearance of Neil’s skills in the kitchen is the real mystery. Could a curse to blame?

World-class chef—and royal pain in the neck—Neil Flambé is used to serving his dishes to resounding applause and overwhelming approval. And Neil’s super-sensitive nose does more than enable him to cook sophisticated meals and run his own restaurant; it also allows him to help local police solve mysteries in his spare time.

Then things start going wrong. His plates are returned. A group of critics visit the restaurant and leave completely dissatisfied. Worse yet, Chez Flambé is closed by an order of the Department of Health!

Suddenly, Neil finds himself amid the cook-off of his life—and his entire reputation is at stake. Then he discovers the root of all his problems: a dark curse that has plagued Flambé chefs for centuries. Has Neil finally met a mess he can’t smell his way out of?

Neil, “the flamboyant, irrepressible chef” (Kirkus Reviews), travels across the pond for a real honey of a case in the fifth book in The Neil Flambé Capers, the culinary mystery series celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey calls “good fun.”

Neil Flambé has had enough with solving crime. After his adventures in Japan, he is back in his beloved restaurant doing what he does best—cooking. And he has a very special guest. Lord Lane from England has requested he serve a meal centered around an ancient jar of honey discovered in London. But when Lane disappears afterward, Neil receives a request from the Queen herself to come across the pond and find out what happened to him.

As soon as Neil arrives, he is swept up in a mystery involving the great works of Shakespeare and food. Neil may know quite a bit about the latter, but being chased by thugs through the streets of London and following centuries-old clues is not exactly his forte. Will Neil be able to put the pieces together in time or will he let everyone down, including the Queen?

* 2015 “Magnificent Children’s Book” School Library Journal

* 2016 CLA Honour Book

* 2017 Red Maple Honour Book

* 2017 MYRCA Honour Book

* 2017 Tome Society "It List"

* CCBC Best Book

website HERE

A boy and his friends must find a way to survive in the mining tunnels after their new space colony is attacked in this gritty action-adventure novel, which School Library Journal called “a solid survival story.”

In space. Underground. And out of time.

Christopher Nichols and his family live on a new planet, Perses, as colonists of Melming Mining’s Great Mission to save the earth. Dozens of families like Christopher’s have relocated, too, like his best friend Elena Rosales.

A communications blackout with Earth hits, and all of Perses is on its own for three months. It’s okay, though, because the colonists have prepared, stockpiling food and resources to survive. But they never prepared for an attack.

Landers, as the attackers are called, obliterate the colony to steal the metal and raw ore. Now in a race against time, Christopher, along with a small group of survivors, are forced into the maze of mining tunnels. The kids run. They hide. But can they survive?

Dive right back into the action on Perses in this thrilling sequel to the gritty, space adventure, MiNRS, which School Library Journal called “a solid survival story.”

They are coming to get you.
Hide.
Hide.

Hide.

The children of Perses have been receiving this message on repeat from Earth for weeks. Christopher, Elena, and the other survivors of the attack on their space colony know two things: Their victory over the Landers will be short-lived and a new wave of attacks is imminent.

New Landers arrive sooner than expected. Led by the ruthless Kirk Thatcher, and armed with a new lethal kind of digger, they vow to hunt down and destroy everyone.

The kids have nowhere to go but underground. Again. But resources and patience are running low, and the struggle to keep everyone safe is complicated by all the infighting.

As Christopher bears the burden of leadership, he also has to decide whom he can trust. There are no easy answers. And with deadly consequences on the line, there is no room for mistakes.

Book Three of the MINRs trilogy.

The surviving kids are heading home to reveal the truth. But how much will that cost them?

* 2016 OLA Best Book for Kids

Neil, “the flamboyant, irrepressible chef” (Kirkus Reviews), hits the road in his food truck and drives right into a new case in the sixth book in The Neil Flambé Capers, the culinary mystery series celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey calls “good fun.” 

Neil has lost his beloved restaurant. Though he misses it dearly, he and his friend Larry are headed on a new adventure. They are travelling to the Salsa Verde ranch in Arizona with their new food truck to participate in the legendary food truck gathering, the Broiling Man Festival. Once he arrives, Neil discovers that the Verde ranch is in danger of foreclosure, at the mercy of a developer who wants to turn it into housing and a factory farm. The only hope for the ranch is a treasure map left behind by the very first Verde, a chef who discovered a mine while escaping from a murderous army colonel. Neil and Larry are on a quest to find the treasure, but each time they think they’re close to finding something, they come up with nothing. Will the boys find the mine—and the treasure—in time to save Salsa Verde ranch?

* 2014 Silver Nominee

Something smells fishy—and it’s not the sushi—in the fourth book in The Neil Flambé Capers, the culinary mystery series celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey calls “good fun.” 

Superstar teen chef Neil Flambé isn’t thrilled when his cousin Larry moves to Japan to work on an online manga comic book. Now who’ll help him in the kitchen? But he finds a replacement in Gary the bike courier, and life, and the restaurant, moves on without Larry. That is, until the news comes that Larry has been in a fatal boating accident and is lost at sea. 

Neil is devastated. But then he checks Larry’s online manga. There’s a subtle change in the plot, something Neil and Larry had discussed—something only Neil would notice. Is this a cryptic message from beyond the grave—or is Larry still alive? Determined to find out, Neil heads to Japan to solve his next mystery.

* 2018 Nominee for Blue Spruce Award

ABOUT GREAT

A story of teamwork with a positive message, featuring Wayne Gretzky and Coach Wally (Wayne’s dad, Walter Gretzky)

Taylor is so excited when he makes the hockey team — and not just any team, but HIS team. The boy they are already calling The Great One. Taylor wants to be great too, but he’s still got a lot to learn. Lucky for him, Coach Wally is in his corner, guiding him through the ups and downs of being part of a hockey team, and being the best player he can be. As Coach Wally says, if you have a good time, work hard and do your best, “that is all that matters.”

* STARRED review from Kirkus Reviews HERE

* STARRED review from Quill and Quire HERE

Jr. want to grow up just like Mom. Of course, Mom used to knock down Tokyo… but she’s mellowed. Will she let Jr. join her in defending Earth from Space Robots? Asteroids?

* Nominated for the 2019 Silver Birch Fiction Award

* Nominated for the 2020 Manitoba Sundogs Award

* A Canadian Children’s Book Centre Holiday pick for 2018!

* LISTEN to Kevin on CBC Radio

Mucus Mayhem - the first book in a new and funny series from Scholastic Canada!

Four authors. Four different Almost-Epic superheroes. Ted Staunton, Lesley Livingston and Richard Scrimger are my co-horts in laughs (and slime). The amazing Britt Wilson does the artwork.

In my book, baby Jessica Flem is zapped with a rare element - Reidium. As she grows up she shows no special powers. Mostly she just plays video games and tries not to expose herself to things she's allergic to - read, EVERYTHING.

Then she turns 13, and discovers that she can make her boogers come to life. And that's a good thing, because she's going to need help fighting the evil Boss who's trying to kidnap her and the other three Almost Epic kids.

Book One is out and is already NOMINATED FOR A SILVER BIRCH AWARD!

Details HERE

Sequel to the best-selling picture book GREAT.

* 2015 Blue Spruce Honour Book

Cindy Winters loves to play hockey. When her family's basement apartment is flooded and the floor freezes, she's even happy to skate on the concrete. Her parents are too poor to enroll her in a league, but she's resourceful and does odd jobs until she has earned enough money to play. Armed with her mother's old equipment, she is thrilled to join a team. But her happiness doesn't last long. Among her teammates are the horrible Blister Sisters. They make her life miserable. And worse, Cindy's sidelined by the coach, who just happens to be Mrs. Blister. It looks like she'll be spending the season cleaning equipment, instead of playing on the ice. Cindy's luck changes when her Fairy Goaltender appears and saves the day. With its great good humor and hilarious illustrations, Kevin Sylvester's Splinters is bound to become a favorite.

* Starred review from Kirkus HERE

* NOMINATED for the 2020 Yellow Cedar Award in Ontario

A companion to the best-selling Follow Your Money.

Follow Your Stuff takes a look at how the global economy is set up. Where stuff comes from and especially the many many people who make the stuff you wear, buy, eat and consume.

* 2019 Silver Birch Non-fiction Award HONOUR BOOK

* '"Supercool" indeed' STARRED review - Kirkus

* A CCBC Best Book

For die-hard basketball fans and casual spectators alike, this collection of fascinating facts about the game will be a welcome addition to their library.

From the origins of the game to how much players are paid, and the evolution of the basketball shoe, this book covers a wide range of topics. Among others are how the color barrier was breached, the rise of women’s basketball, and innovations that have made the game accessible to disabled athletes.

Lots of humorous, colorful illustrations, charts, and graphs make this ideal for visual learners, while the short chapters encourage browsing.

* OLA Best Books for Kids & Teens

* Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Bets List

* Top Ten, Ontario Library Association

* Red Cedar Award finalist, B.C. 

* Silver Birch Award nomination, Ontario Library Association

Behind the game lies a wealth of science, folklore, mathematics, psychology—and a very colorful past. Whether they are die-hard fans or casual spectators, readers will be captivated by this collection of fascinating, little-known facts. For example did you know that the yarn in a single baseball is long enough to reach from the street to the top of the Empire State Building or that in the old days playoff tickets were sold for people to stand in the outfield: fans might move to help the home team but not budge an inch for opposing players.

With lots of humorous, colorful illustrations, charts, and graphs, Baseballogy explores such diverse topics as the materials used to make the balls (including fish eyes, once used for the core!), freak injuries (one player was stabbed by a bat!), and the chances of making it to “the show” (1 in about 14,000 baseball playing kids will get to the big leagues).

For real baseball aficionados, there’s a section on the physics of hitting the ball, a look at some long-standing records they might not have known about, and explanations of the numbers on baseball cards, play-by-plays, and even the players’ shirts. A Baseball Trivia Quiz at the end of the book lets kids test their knowledge with questions like, “What does OPS mean?” and “What are the seven ways a hitter can make it to home base?”

Entertaining, informative, and highly visual, Baseballogy is the perfect sports book for all kids—especially reluctant boy readers.

* 2006 Silver Birch Honour Book

* 2007 Alberta Children's Choice Rocky Mountain Book Award, Short-listed

Come on in! Don't be shy. Bizarre, hilarious and just plain gross moments are waiting inside Sports Hall of Weird. From yucky bathroom accidents and crows hungry for golf balls, to cursed teams, haunted stadiums and spectacular losers, this Hall's got it all. 

Find out why some hockey fans throw an octopus on the ice for good luck. How the hand of God might have decided a soccer game. How a dead guy got drafted ... all this and a lot more is immortalized in Sports Hall of Weird!

★ WINNER OF THE 2009 SILVER BIRCH AWARD FOR NON-FICTION!

* 2007 - Diamond Willow Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice, Short-listed

* 2007 - Junior Library Guild Premier Selection

Weird but true stories from the Olympics. Read about athletes who fall down at the finish line, cheat to finish first, practice skiing on their rooftops and even shoot pigeons!

* Best Books for Kids & Teens

* Starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

* Silver Birch Award nomination, Ontario Library Association

Not everyone can be an athlete, but that doesn’t stop thousands of others from participating in world-class sporting events.

When Patrick Reynolds realized that he couldn’t be a race car driver, he turned his love of cars into a successful career as a NASCAR mechanic.

A passion for grass and baseball lead Nicole Sherry to become the groundskeeper at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.

Author Kevin Sylvester tells the stories of 20 talented and dedicated behind-the-scenes stars of the sports world. In this new book, the glamour of the frontline athletes takes a backseat to the hard-working people whose jobs are critical to the success of their sport but often go unacknowledged.

Readers will discover some very special people who have devoted their lives to supporting the sports they love, including the eagle-eyed baseball scout for the Chicago White Sox, the members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the doctor who treats injured players on the Canadian Olympic soccer team.

With its real-life stories and lively photographs, Game Day will delight any young sports fan or wannabe athlete.

* Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

* Recommended Reads List, Canadian Toy Testing Council

* Red Cedar Book Award finalist

* 2015 Information Book Award finalist, Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada

* LISTEN to FYM podcasts on the trickier concepts HERE

What happens to your money after you hand it to the cashier?

You pay for that cool pair of shoes or a new CD. But what happens to that money once it leaves your hands? Who actually pockets it or puts it into the bank? This lively, kid-friendly book answers these questions and more:

• Why are designer jeans so much more expensive than no-name ones?
• Why does a burger cost $4.50 when the ingredients only cost $1.38?
• How do credit cards work?

Discover the trail your money takes as it goes to pay for everything including the raw materials used to make a product, the workers who produce it, and the advertisers who promote it.

Humorous illustrations demystify the process by providing a visual breakdown of all the elements involved in monetary transactions. Accessible and fun, Follow Your Money is a vital introduction to the way money flows.

Follow Your Stuff (a companion book) will be out in 2019!

* Best Bets List, Ontario Library Association

* Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre

There are hundreds of people who make a live show worth seeing: the entertainers on stage, of course, but also the many people behind the scenes whose work ensures that the show will be a success.

Set designer Machiko Weston meticulously creates miniature 3D sets that capture the smallest detail of what the actual stage will look like. Long-haul trucker Ben Pinel makes sure that instruments, lights, and speakers get to the venue safely and on time. And if onstage fireworks, laser shows, and special effects are appealing, the job of pyrotechnics expert comes with its fair share of excitement—and danger.

Readers will learn about other behind-the-scenes people such as costume designer, promoter, vocal coach, and more: all people whose job it is to make sure that every show is the best one ever.

Imagine that you are holding a device that will allow you to see the monsters that live invisibly all around us. All you have to do is follow the simple instructions and…total chaos! 

Technology isn’t always easy, and this monster viewer disguised as an e-book is no exception. If you hold the viewer too high, all you see are the tops of the monsters’ heads. Too low, and all you see are their feet. And things don’t get any better when the monsters themselves try to help out. 

Full of puns and visual jokes, Super-Duper Monster Viewer pokes gentle fun at our obsession with technology and the next cool thing. And while the two monsters we meet in this e-book might be terrible at tech support, they make pretty fun companions just the same. 

Written, illustrated and with audio by the irrepressibly funny and highly acclaimed children’s author Kevin Sylvester, Super-Duper Monster Viewer is sure to bring laughter — and maybe a little mayhem — into your day.

Publisher's page HERE.

* 2012 - Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award, Winner

* 2012 - Silver Birch Nonfiction Award, Ontario Library Association, Winner

* 2011 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre

True or false: “Eating too much sugar will make you hyper.” How about, “If you go outside with wet hair, you'll catch a cold.” Or, “A mother bird will reject her babies if they have been touched by humans.” Each of these “facts” that we've all heard before are actually false, and the real story behind each one is clearly told here in this intriguing and unique book. Poking mild fun at grown-ups throughout, author Catherine Rondina covers a range of warnings, advice and truisms children will be familiar with, and bases all of her judgments on hard science and research. 

In order for kids to be able to test themselves without peeking, each “fact” is described on the right-facing page, and a page turn reveals the true or false verdict, along with a full explanation. Humorous black-and-white line drawings by Kevin Sylvester liven up the text. The children who love these kinds of juicy compendiums of information may choose to read this one straight through. Teachers will want to keep it handy on a nearby shelf to refer to in many types of science lessons. It also works for exploring the importance of critical thinking and research in order to understand the difference between what seems true and what is true. The “Parentisms: An Overview” at the back of the book offers a list of favorite parental expressions, which could be used for language arts writing assignments or other creative expressions.