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The Barnabus Project

Author Terry Fan, Eric Fan, Devin Fan
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
Tundra | Tundra Books
10.38"W x 10.25"H x 0.55"D   | 24 oz | 22 per carton
On sale Sep 01, 2020 | 72 Pages | 9780735263260
Age 5-9 years | Grades K-4
Reading Level: Fountas & Pinnell L
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In a world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half mouse, half elephant, kept out of sight until his dreams of freedom lead him and his misfit friends on a perilous adventure. A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.

Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered "perfect" creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn't want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it's time for him and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom -- and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.

This suspenseful, poignant and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.
  • WINNER | 2022
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • WINNER | 2022
    Red Clover Award
  • WINNER | 2022
    Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award
  • WINNER | 2021
    TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
  • WINNER | 2020
    Governor General's Literary Awards - Children's Literature - Illustration
  • SELECTION | 2022
    Golden Duck Award
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Kate Greenaway Medal
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Charter Oak Children's Book Award - Fiction
  • FINALIST | 2021
    Shining Willow Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Florida Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable - Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award
  • NOMINEE | 2020
    Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award
WINNER of the 2020 Governor General's Literary Award for Young People — Illustrated Text!
WINNER of the 2021 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Prize!

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
One of Amazon.com’s Best of the Year Picks
One of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids 
One of Booklist's Editors' Choice Books for Youth 2020
A CBC Books Bestseller
A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Pick
A 2021 Bank Street Book of the Year

PRAISE FOR The Barnabus Project:

"A heartfelt, timely allegory celebrating diversity, bravery, and solidarity." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"[A]n ambitious drama of rebellion, escape, and inclusivity rewarded." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"The text and illustrations mesh wonderfully to convey the drama of the escape and the critical roles teamwork and friendship play in the animals’ success." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"A fun tale with a big heart, for all ages and all collections." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"In the Fan brothers’ hands, the result feels like a happy amalgam of Jules Verne, Maurice Sendak, the Moomins, and Monsters, Inc." —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire

"A funny and tender picture book. . . . [V]isual surprises and pleasures abound in this cathartic delight for children." —Wall Street Journal

"The story’s exploration of his longing to be free paired with the book’s always timely message of acceptance gives The Barnabus Project mass appeal and a timeless quality.” —BookPage

"An adventure to rival all picture-book adventures." —Shelf Awareness

"When he and his imperfect friends decide to make a break for freedom, you’ll root for them every step of the way." —Evanston Public Library

"The storyline is like blades ever-turning and a twist on a timeless tale which remains fresh." —International Examiner

"Young children will delight in the colourful illustrations while older readers will admire Barnabus for his courage and virtue. The Barnabus Project is a book with wide appeal. It is sure to be a hit." —CM: Review of Canadian Materials
Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits and prints. Together with his brother Eric, he wrote and illustrated the critically-acclaimed picture book, The Night Gardener. View titles by Terry Fan
ERIC FAN is one of the internationally renowned Fan Brothers whose picture books include The Barnabus Project, The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky. Eric and Terry also illustrated the Chris Hadfield-penned picture book The Darkest Dark, Dashka Slater's The Antlered Ship and Beth Ferry's The Scarecrow. Recipients of the prestigious Sendak Fellowship, they have received a Governor General’s Literary Award and the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award from the Society of Illustrators, and were also shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal among other honors. View titles by Eric Fan
Devin Fan View titles by Devin Fan

About

In a world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half mouse, half elephant, kept out of sight until his dreams of freedom lead him and his misfit friends on a perilous adventure. A stunning picture book from international bestsellers The Fan Brothers, joined by their brother Devin Fan.

Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered "perfect" creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about: a world with green hills and trees, and buildings that reach all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars. But Barnabus may have to reach the outside world sooner than he thought, because the Green Rubber Suits are about to recycle all Failed Projects . . . and Barnabus doesn't want to be made into a fluffier pet with bigger eyes. He just wants to be himself. So he decides it's time for him and the others to escape. With his little trunk and a lot of cooperation and courage, Barnabus sets out to find freedom -- and a place where he and his friends can finally be accepted for who they are.

This suspenseful, poignant and magical story about following your dreams and finding where you truly belong will draw readers into a surreal, lushly detailed world in which perfection really means being true to yourself and your friends.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2022
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • WINNER | 2022
    Red Clover Award
  • WINNER | 2022
    Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award
  • WINNER | 2021
    TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
  • WINNER | 2020
    Governor General's Literary Awards - Children's Literature - Illustration
  • SELECTION | 2022
    Golden Duck Award
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Kate Greenaway Medal
  • NOMINEE | 2022
    Charter Oak Children's Book Award - Fiction
  • FINALIST | 2021
    Shining Willow Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Florida Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
  • SHORTLIST | 2021
    Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable - Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award
  • NOMINEE | 2020
    Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award

Praise

WINNER of the 2020 Governor General's Literary Award for Young People — Illustrated Text!
WINNER of the 2021 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Prize!

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
One of Amazon.com’s Best of the Year Picks
One of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids 
One of Booklist's Editors' Choice Books for Youth 2020
A CBC Books Bestseller
A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Pick
A 2021 Bank Street Book of the Year

PRAISE FOR The Barnabus Project:

"A heartfelt, timely allegory celebrating diversity, bravery, and solidarity." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"[A]n ambitious drama of rebellion, escape, and inclusivity rewarded." —STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"The text and illustrations mesh wonderfully to convey the drama of the escape and the critical roles teamwork and friendship play in the animals’ success." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"A fun tale with a big heart, for all ages and all collections." —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"In the Fan brothers’ hands, the result feels like a happy amalgam of Jules Verne, Maurice Sendak, the Moomins, and Monsters, Inc." —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire

"A funny and tender picture book. . . . [V]isual surprises and pleasures abound in this cathartic delight for children." —Wall Street Journal

"The story’s exploration of his longing to be free paired with the book’s always timely message of acceptance gives The Barnabus Project mass appeal and a timeless quality.” —BookPage

"An adventure to rival all picture-book adventures." —Shelf Awareness

"When he and his imperfect friends decide to make a break for freedom, you’ll root for them every step of the way." —Evanston Public Library

"The storyline is like blades ever-turning and a twist on a timeless tale which remains fresh." —International Examiner

"Young children will delight in the colourful illustrations while older readers will admire Barnabus for his courage and virtue. The Barnabus Project is a book with wide appeal. It is sure to be a hit." —CM: Review of Canadian Materials

Author

Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits and prints. Together with his brother Eric, he wrote and illustrated the critically-acclaimed picture book, The Night Gardener. View titles by Terry Fan
ERIC FAN is one of the internationally renowned Fan Brothers whose picture books include The Barnabus Project, The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky. Eric and Terry also illustrated the Chris Hadfield-penned picture book The Darkest Dark, Dashka Slater's The Antlered Ship and Beth Ferry's The Scarecrow. Recipients of the prestigious Sendak Fellowship, they have received a Governor General’s Literary Award and the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award from the Society of Illustrators, and were also shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal among other honors. View titles by Eric Fan
Devin Fan View titles by Devin Fan

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