January is Mental Health Awareness month in Canada. The conversation, especially around Bell Let's Talk Day on January 29th, is getting louder, more nuanced, and larger in scope, yet it can be hard to address these issues with children. I'm so grateful to the team at CTV Your Morning who continue to support children's books … Continue reading As Seen on CTV: Kids’ Books That Address Mental Health & Wellness
The only thing better than reading books is talking about books! That's why I'm a big fan of lit circles, book clubs, and reading groups. I'm putting together a Winnowing themed book club kit including: One copy of The Winnowing The Winnowing stickers The Winnowing bookmarks Official The Winnowing Discussion Guide Discussion Fuel (aka candy) … Continue reading Giveaway: The Winnowing Book Club Kit
I get it. The Winnowing seems like a hard left turn for me. My previous novels are coming-of-age stories about ordinary kids dealing with family and relationship-based drama. What is this slightly dystopian, conspiracy-driven thriller?! Where did it come from? In a series of Winspiration Guest posts I will attempt to answer this question. Thank … Continue reading The Winnowing Blog Tour
I was flattered when Fierce Ink Press approached me to write a piece for their Fierce Shorts program. Featuring powerful work by Jo Treggiari, Susin Nielsen and Alice Kuipers, the Fierce Shorts program is a response to the It Gets Better movement in which YA authors write a short, digital piece about an experience they … Continue reading New Digital Short: AMY ABBOT IS HAVING A PARTY
It's my favourite time of year! Pumpkins, black cats everywhere, clever costumes, and amazing ghost stories. What's not to love about Halloween? Here is a round-up of some spooky, atmospheric and down-right terrifying books perfect for those of us who wait all year for October: The Swallow by Charis Cotter If you've read Summer Days, … Continue reading Feeling Halloweenish: 4 Spooky Books
This disturbing piece of news about the Harper government erasing Canadian feminist and women's rights activist Therese Casgrain's name from an award (not to mention that her image was also removed from the $50 bill in 2012) made me feel many things. Angry, obviously. But also disappointed, uneasy, and incredulous. It's easy to take the … Continue reading YA to the Rescue: On Therese Casgrain & A Mad, Wicked Folly
The May long weekend has come and gone, my patio furniture is out, it seems that summer is finally, FINALLY just around the corner! Here are some great YA reads for those summer days, starry nights (*cough* shameless plug)*: We Were Liars I have been a big fan of E. Lockhart for many, many years. … Continue reading What To Read This Summer- YA Edition
Holy stars did I love this book! Fifteen year old (yes, 15!) Maya Van Wagenen is smart, funny, achingly honest and a total star. In grade 8 she decided to follow the advice of a 1950s style guide, BETTY CORNELL'S TEEN-AGE POPULARITY GUIDE (which is also being republished by Dutton at the same time, GREAT kitschy … Continue reading YA Gets a 1950s Make-Over: Popular Review
I love discovering new writers. There is something exciting about falling in love with a book by a an author you know little about and then telling everyone you know about said writer. My new current obsession is Nina LaCour. I had heard wonderful things about this contemporary YA writer but only recently did I … Continue reading Why Aren’t You Reading Nina LaCour?
WHAT I PUBLISHED Not one, but TWO new novels! Bringing my series about Benji and Clarissa to a close in DAYS THAT END IN Y was bittersweet. I love this review in CM Magazine because above all else I aim to be authentic, and if the mother of a teenage daughter who happens to be … Continue reading Read, Write, Blog: 2013 in Review
