As many of you are, I am horrified at the devastation Hurricane Harvey brought upon the people of Houston, Texas. But natural disasters seem to bring out the best in people. One of these people is Kathryn Butler Mills, a teacher who created The Hurricane Harvey Book Club on Facebook after seeing photos of kids in bathrooms, under staircases and in pantries while tornado warnings were going off. The book club has gone viral with children, teachers, librarians and authors from around the world Continue reading
Tag Archives: Children’s books
Good Pirates and Bad Pirates: Meet author, Kari-Lynn Winters
I was parked outside the Arrivals section at Trudeau Airport this morning looking up and down the waiting area for someone. I have been picking up strangers at the airport once a year for the past few years. This isn’t as bad as it sounds. The occasion is TD Canadian Children’s Book Week when I volunteer to pick up visiting authors and drive them to their hotel or to a school or bookstore for a reading. This time, I was Continue reading
NaNoWriMo: Getting Inspiration from the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards
I took the night off from NaNoWriMo last night to go to the annual TD awards for Canadian Children’s Literature published in French. Five books were up for the $30,000 top prize. The event at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was an opportunity to mingle and meet writers and publishers in the French community. It’s so inspiring to see writers and illustrators being feted and recognized for their work.
Q&A with Suana Verelst, Illustrator of Razia’s Ray of Hope
Montreal has a terrific writing community and there is no doubt that its members have helped me grow as a writer. I met Suana Verelst, an award winning illustrator, several years ago at a get-together for writers and illustrators of children’s and young adult books. (She also makes great home-made soup which I tasted at our last Christmas pot luck.) Her latest, Razia’s Ray of Hope, is an award winning book based on the true story of a girl in Afghanistan who desperately wants an education Continue reading
Dear Tomato, a book of Love Poems to Vegetables
Would you write a valentine to a potato? Wax poetic over beans? Write free verse about free range chickens?
Thirty-four writers from seven countries did just that, and you can read their work in the anthology Dear Tomato: an International Crop of Food and Agriculture Poems edited by my friend and fellow writer, Carol-Ann Hoyte. Continue reading
Happy Birthday Dr Seuss!
Dr Seuss on Writing
It has often been said
there’s so much to be read,
you never can cram
all those words in your head.
So the writer who breeds
more words than he needs
is making a chore
for the reader who reads.
That’s why my belief is
the briefer the brief is,
the greater the sigh
of the reader’s relief is.
Give A Book Lover A Little Something Extra
Is Santa bringing an e-reader to someone who loves young adult books? Add to their excitement by downloading a copy of GUITAR HERO on sale at the Kindle Store today until Dec. 23 for only 99 cents. It’s just a little something extra that will help them enjoy the holiday. Click here to read a review. DOWNLOAD IT NOW from Amazon.
Sharing the Joy of Reading
Is Santa bringing an e-reader for a young book lover? How about giving them a little something extra? From December 17th to 23rd, my young adult novel, GUITAR HERO, will be on sale for only 99 cents at the Kindle Store. Click here to read a review on Amazon.
Mark your calendar. Add to their joy by downloading a copy of GUITAR HERO.
Celebrating Children’s Literature
2013 TD Canadian Children’s Book Centre Awards for French Books
Writers and illustrators of children’s books were feted last Tuesday night at the annual TD Children’s Book Awards. It’s always a fun and elegant evening. Waiters floated around the atrium at the Museum of Fine Arts with trays of cranberry vodka cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres. It’s also a great opportunity to meet and mingle with authors, illustrators, librarians, educators, booksellers and publishers. Even though I’m not nominated, the evening makes me feel special and proud to be a writer.
Winner of the 2013 TD Book Award for French children’s books
The winner for French books was Michel Noël for his book A la recherche du bout du monde. The prize for English books was given to Polly Horvath in Toronto the week before for her book One Year in Coal Harbour. Each author was awarded a $30,000 prize.
Marie-Louis Gay, author and illustrator of the popular Stella picture book series, was given the Claude Aubry Award by IBBY Canada for distinguished service within the field of children’s literature. Gay was also honoured earlier this year by Canada Post with a stamp which I wrote about in a post. After the ceremony, it was back to the atrium to celebrate with decadent desserts and champagne.
Suana Verelst, 2012 winner for illustration
Sushi
Constantina Kalimeris, illustrator (left), Maya Byers owner of Babar Books, and Carol Ann Hoyte, poet (right)
AAA beef with shallots and Pinot Noir
In the atrium at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Serving salmon wrapped in flaky pastry with butter cream sauce
Canada Post honors Montreal Writer Marie-Louise Gay
The work of Montreal illustrator and author, Marie-Louise Gay, is being honored by Canada Post. Stamps depicting her award-winning children’s picture book series “Stella” are now on sale. I’m very happy for a fellow author and Montrealer.
Read what Gay says about the honor on her blog.
Day's Lee 