Like so many other festivals and event series, the Telling Tales Festival has gone virtual this year. The program has been parceled into 13 online episodes, available on-demand once they've premiered. Each episode features a variety of the kind of quality, Canadian programming one expects from Telling Tales, including author talks, writing workshops, musical performances … Continue reading Telling Tales Storytelling Picnic Video is Now Online!
The days are getting shorter and the wind is getting cooler, meaning it's time for a bumper crop of fall book releases! Here are just a few of my faves, as seen on my CTV Your Morning segment on September 17, 2020. Big thank you to host Anne-Marie Mediwake and her shout-out to my YA … Continue reading As Seen on CTV: Fresh Fall Reads for Kids
With more people at home this summer and turning to local outdoor spaces, now is a great time to get into bugs! Whether you live in a city or the country, bugs are easy to find and are ceaselessly fascinating! Here is a selection of kids' books about bugs, including nonfiction, graphic novels, true stories, … Continue reading As Seen on CTV: Kids’ Books about Bugs
Art for the ants. Art for the birds, cats and raccoons. Art to make them laugh, make them think, make them feel at home. Animal-friendly street art is popping up all over the city, but who is creating these masterpieces? There is no explanation, only a name: Anonymouse. Think Banksy. . .but a mouse! I … Continue reading ANONYMOUSE: Coming in 2021
June is Indigenous History Month in Canada. We have a long way to go in recognizing the rights of Indigenous people and acknowledging the truth about our violent and ugly past. My CTV Your Morning segment is a privilege and I strive to include a wide-range of books and creators on each list. This month's … Continue reading As Seen on CTV: Indigenous History Month Kids’ Book List
Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day, a day dedicated to busting taboos and myths around periods. Fifty percent of the population gets a period, and yet people are still uncomfortable talking about it. There are lots of great non-fiction books for kids that cover puberty, but what about fiction? Most girls get their periods between 10-15 … Continue reading Why Do So Few Characters Get Their Periods in Middle Grade Fiction?
On Sunday, June 14th, I'll be giving an insider's tour of the publishing industry for writers, with an emphasis on marketing, social media and connecting with readers. I'll be sharing things I wish I knew when I started out as a writer, drawing on my experience as a bookseller, publicist, marketing director and of course, as … Continue reading Upcoming Writing Workshop
I am thrilled to be working with brilliant friends and creators Naseem Hrab, Sylvia Chan and Ruth Ohi on #WritingRelay, a new kids' writing initiative. In this time of COVID-19, lots of people (kids and their parents and teachers included) may be feeling restless, unfocused, or intimidated by bigger tasks. Writing can be a challenge … Continue reading Introducing #WritingRelay!
It's a weird time to have a new book out, but thank goodness for people like author and librarian Joel A. Sutherland, who are finding fun and innovative works to promote these pandemic releases. I was thrilled to be a guest on his new video series, Someone's Good Books. Watch below and be sure to follow … Continue reading Someone’s Good Books Interview
I've always been committed to the environment. From a young age, I was interested in conservation, initiating recycling programs, and protecting at-risk species. Movies like Fern Gully and Free Willy had a big impact on me, as did Canadian TV show The Smoggies and The Body Shop's endangered species campaign. Fun fact, my very first … Continue reading As Seen on CTV: Earth Day Books for Kids
