News

 

Summer 2023

Polly's new book—Pine Island Visitorss— is a sequel to her Governor General nominated Pine Island Home:

 

Fiona, Marlin, Natasha and Charlie McCready have been adopted by their unlikely guardian, Al, and finally settled into their new home on Pine Island in British Columbia. Fiona is struggling under the weight of trying to keep everything together, not to mention worrying about expenses, while Marlin tries to adjust to her new high school and faces rejections for her cookbook, Thirty Meals a Twelve-Year-Old Could Make and Did!. Natasha is still keeping to herself, but a new interest in the violin reveals hidden talents, while Charlie is dreaming of what kind of dog she would like.

It's been an adjustment, but they are loving being with each other and having Al next door. Then they receive a letter from Mrs. Witherspoon, who took care of them after their parents died, and she is coming to visit for three months — an inordinate amount of time for a houseguest. Accommodating a fifth person in the tiny house is hard enough, but to their horror, Mrs. Weatherspoon arrives with a companion: her childhood friend, Jo. Jo has opinions about everything — what they should eat, how they should behave — and she doesn't hesitate to express them. And sweet Mrs. Witherspoon seems to have fallen under her spell. When she and Jo announce that they are going to extend their stay even longer, Fiona and Marlin are beside themselves. Fiona hates rocking the boat, but she is going to have to find the courage to stand up to these grown-up bullies so she and her sisters can have the life they wish to lead.

 

Reviews for Pine Island Visitors

  • ". . . what emerges is a compelling case for self-reliance, creativity, and kindness. Terrifically entertaining. Starred,Kirkus Reviews

    Pine Island Visitors is a Kirkus Review Best Book of the Year

  • "Horvath's prose is smooth and engaging (she excels at both comedy and pathos) and always respects children's inner lives. Contemporary yet classic, a fine addition to the family stories shelf." Booklist
  • "Through steady, sober prose and the protagonists’ complex relationships, Horvath creates successfully strained situations, giving way to gratifying resolutions that offer a comforting reassurance that bad times don’t last forever."—Publishers Weekly
  • "True to form, Horvath packs this sequel . . . with relatable incident, vivid dialogue, humor, and moments of profound reflection on the human condition."—The Horn Book
  • These … allow Horvath to show off her ability to weave authentic wisdom and beautiful writing into a middle grade book. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Pine Island Home Wins Two Awards In Italy

Premio Orbil
A prize assigned by the independent bookshops of the Alir network. Pine Island Home won as best book of 2022 in the 11/14 years old category.

Premio Arpino
This is a prize dedicated to best writers in children's literature, Pine Island Home won as best book in the 10/13 years old category. The jury said the following: "for the compelling and moving story, which speaks of family and sacrifices, and for the resilience of the characters who teach us how important it is to collaborate."

Spring 2022

Neev Literature Festival (NLF) is an annual event hosted in Bangalore, India with an aim to create readers for life and celebrate books that spark the joy of reading. Polly was a featured speaker at the festival on April 22.

Fall 2021

  • Pine Island Home was selected as one of Bank Streets Best Books of the Year.
  • Spring 2021

  • Pine Island Home is a 2020 Governor General Literary Awards Nominee!
  • Pine Island Home is shortlisted for the IODE Violet Downey Book Award 2021
  • Pine Island Home is shortlisted for the 2022 Chocolate Lily Award
  •  Fall 2020

     Summer 2020