nan gregory - fitzhenry & whiteside...next book i’m working on a nascar story line, likely set...

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Nan Gregory has been a professionalstoryteller since 1984. She tells storiesin schools, libraries, museums, theatres,

art galleries, nursing homes and hospitals acrossCanada and the United States, as well as in Japanand New Zealand. Nan also writes stories; her

How Smudge Came, was published in1995. “As an oral storyteller, you must love youraudience, you must have a passion for your story,and you must have a delight in performing. As awriter, you must love the mythical reader you writefor. You must also have a passion for creation, agood imagination, a thirst for long periods of dailysolitude, the ability to weather loneliness, drive andpersistence, an understanding of structure, dramaand shape, and a love of language.

“The start of a book is just like needing to sneeze

and shapely? Characters who live? Words thatsing? Now that’s an accomplishment. A glorious

feeling!” Occasionally, Nan faces writer’s block. “IfI’m really stuck on one project, I usually let it sit fora while and work on something else. Over the yearsI’ve built up a collection of half-, quarter-, eighth-,

ditch’), and if I’m not making headway with my mainobsession, I’ll putter through my bits and pieces andsee if I can get one of them going.”

Nan would like readers of How Smudge Came “to feelthat they can be a hero like Cindy—persistent, andwith a strong sense of justice—and to understandthat people can love and help one another, no matterwhat their circumstances.”

Vancouver, BCNan Gregory

Nan and her dog, Lady

9780889952218, hc9780889953642, pbWorldPicture Book, Generational Story,Dealing With DeathCLA Book of the Year for ChildrenAward, CCBC Our Choice starredselection, Resource Links Bestin Canadian Resources, IBBYCanada Outstanding CanadianPicture Book, Alberta Children’sBook of the Year shortlist, AlbertaBook Illustration of the Yearshortlist

9780889952584, hc9780889953628, pbWorldPicture Book, Family StoryIBBY Canada Outstanding CanadianPicture Book, ALA Booklist BestBook–Editor’s Choice, ChocolateLily Award shortlist, Christie HarrisIllustrated Children’s Book Awardshortlist

9780889951617, pb

Picture Book, Disabilities, Relationships,FriendshipMr Christie’s Book Award Gold Seal, ABAChildren’s Pick of the Lists, Sheila A. EgoffChildren’s Literature Prize, Editor’s Choice–Booklist/BookLinks, Washington Children’s ChoicePicture Book Award, 3rd Place

Nan dances the Hokey Pokey with the students during a school visit

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DHospital in Duncan, British Columbia, onAugust 12, 1967. He grew up in the Cowichan

Valley on Vancouver Island with his parents, Valriand Gordon, one brother and two sisters.

As a child, Dean was more interested in dramathan in drawing, until he discovered comic books.From then on, he knew he wanted to be an artist. However, he struggled with Art in school andeven failed it in Grade 10. He worked in computer

the drawing board again. He was encouraged bypeers and established illustrators to keep drawing. Eventually, that encouragement paid off, when hissubmitted sample material inspired a phone callfrom a publishing house. “I remember my mom wokeme up and told me the good news, and after somecoffee and a couple of aspirin, I phoned a friend andwe went out and celebrated,” he recalls. “And to hold

live for, that incredible feeling of accomplishment. I

children’s book, and has been illustrating children’sbooks ever since. “By far the best part about beingan illustrator is being able to do something you love,which should be the main motivation for anythingone does...but I guess the worst part is a streamof all-nighters whilst in the throes of a rare illness(which has actually happened to me).”

Since comics were what inspired Dean to pursue acareer in illustration and art, he has been following theindustry closely. He believes that now is an excitingtime for comics and animation. “It seems that peopleare more open to all sorts of unique styles and waysof telling stories that weren’t there when I was ateenager,” he says. “Just as when I was a kid, there isgreat stuff and crappy stuff. I was heavily inspired byAsterix and Japanese cartoons like Starblazer’s, soit’s cool to see the North American market openingup for things other than the standard superheroes.”

Dean says he wants to be remembered as someonewho has produced work that inspires others to wantto pursue their dreams, even if they fail Art class.

Vancouver Island, BC

9781550416824, hc9781550417043, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Overcoming Fears,Self-Esteem, Bully IssuesResource Links The Year’s Best,OLA Blue Spruce Award shortlist,Chocolate Lily Award shortlist, TinyTorgi PrintBraille Award shortlist,CCBC Our Choice selection

9781550418712, hcWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Humour, Tenacity

Dean’s cats, Tinker and Jax

Illustration from

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Sundre, ABMarilyn Halvorson

Although she isn’t much of a dancer, singeror athlete, Marilyn Halvorson has notabletalents. “I am a pretty fair horsewoman,

handle cattle well, and am a fairly knowledgeableamateur naturalist.” She is also known to be messy,unconventional, shy, funny and reliable. And shehas a love for ranching country that shows up inher writing. Marilyn maintains a sound and simplephilosophy: “I write about what I love.”

Marilyn created the characters of Steve and Beau(Blood Brothers, Brothers and Strangers) basedon inspiration from her students and experienceswith horses. Marilyn also allows inspiration to takeits course. “Usually if I have writer’s block, I don’twrite. Ideas come unbidden while feeding the cowsor cutting the grass, while sitting in front of thecomputer scares them away.”

Marilyn’s favourite books include Margaret Mitchell’sGone with the Wind, which she rereads every fewyears. Marilyn hopes to “live a life that leaves a lightfootprint on the land, to do a little good, and to makethe world a kinder place for all animals, great andsmall.”

Here Marilyn describes her perfect day:

My perfect day would be in summer. I wouldbe awakened by the local yellow-belliedsapsucker pounding out a message on my old

and possibly enjoy a moment of pure blisswatching Qwilleren, my Himalayan-Siamese,lie in the sunshine, every long platinum hairtipped with light. Then I would make somecoffee and, with the two dogs as escorts, dothe early-morning yard inspection to see what

little ride on one of badly behaved horses andadmire my herd of cows as they graze on richgreen grass. After that I might actually do alittle work, perhaps weeding the garden. AsI work in the yard, I might be distracted by thespectacular song of a rose-breasted grosbeak

A friend would phone and we would arrangeto have supper in my favourite restaurant.

of spruce branches. Then I would read for

a while, write in my journal, and watch a bigyellow moon rise before I drifted off to sleep. Oh, yes, an added treat would be a publisher’sphone call begging to offer me a contract towrite a book on anything I wanted!

Marilyn with Angel, the model for the horse in

9780773753693, pb9780773674523, mmWorld ex. ROAges 12+, Adventure,Family Issues

9781550050851, pbWorldAges 12+, Family Issues,IllnessOLA Red Maple Awardshortlist

9781550051056, pbWorld ex. US, FR, SEAges 12+, Cowboy Story

9780773755390, pbWorldAges 12+

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978077367240, mmWorld ex. DK, FRAges 12+, Cowboy Story,Coming of Age

9780773674035, mmWorldAges 12+, Adventure,Coming of Age

9780773674257, mmWorld ex. FRAges 12+, Family Issues,Western Life

9780773674295, mmWorld ex. GB, DE, NO,

Ages 12+, Family Issues,Western Life

9780773673960, mmWorld ex. GB, SE, USAges 12+, Adventure,Coming of Age

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Ythat a good deal of it contains characterswho are amoral, devious and self-serving. Thereremains a need to introduce young readers tocharacters who choose to do the right thing, ratherthan the easy thing.”

As a school principal, Anthony regularly guides

learning builds skills and understandings that areof real interest, personal importance and lasting

protagonist of his RedLine Racing Series, Anthonysays: “Eddie usually describes, understands andreacts to events as an adult, but he still retainsmuch of the innocence and wonder of youth. Eddiehas my sense of humour and a strong competitiveedge, coupled with great determination to earn hissuccess.”

Anthony has raced cars at the regional and nationalamateur levels across western Canada for 10years, and says he often feels safer in a race carthan commuting on the freeway in a regular car. “Itis comforting to know that none of your competitorson the track is eating breakfast, shaving or closinga deal on the cell phone as they slide sideways at120 kph,” he says.

Anthony grew up in Calgary and London, England,and describes both cities as “vibrant.” “Calgary’senergy and optimism are always there,” Anthonysays. “It’s a place for change, work and newthings. By contrast, I’m impressed with London’satmosphere of worldly experience and livedhistory.” Anthony now resides in Millarville, at thefoot of the Rockies, where he plans to write the nextinstallment of the RedLine Racing Series. “For thenext book I’m working on a NASCAR story line,likely set at the Daytona 500. I plan to explore howrapid and enormous success affects Eddie and theother central characters, particularly in how theydeal with the tension between public celebrity andpersonal integrity.”

9781550415704, pbWorldGrade 5+, Car Racing,Short Chapters,Adventure, Good forReluctant Readers





www.tonyhampshire.com Millarville, ABAnthony Hampshire

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www.anitahorrocks.ca Lethbridge, ABAnita Horrocks

Anita at a rest stop on the way back from Crypt Lake in Waterton Lakes National Park

Anita Horrocks was born and raised in thesmall prairie town of The Pas, Manitoba. She grew up a very avid reader, listing

C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and RobertMcCloskey’s Homer Price as among her favouritechildhood books. She found there was very little

would later rectify.

After earning diplomas in ecological sciences andprint journalism, Anita worked as a freelance writerwhile studying to complete her B.A. in English. When

Breath of a Ghost, was published,Anita was thrilled. “I lost my breath. I jumped in thecar, drove over to a nearby park where I knew my

and showed him the letter. I just couldn’t wait toshare the news with the person who had believedin me from the beginning. I think I literally jumpedfor joy.”

thing I learned about publishing a book is that itrequires a lot of patience,” she says. “I still can’t

text that I will wish I’d written differently.” Writing

has ever had, but also the most rewarding. “To writestories for children,” she says, “is one of the most

fans, respond to questions, sign autographs and

the fact that I’d written something that connected insuch a powerful way with so many young people.”

Anita is an enthusiastic golfer, gardener, quilter andarchaeologist. She recently began working part-time at the local library, an experience that hasintroduced her to several useful reference tools. “Iexpect the new tools I’m learning to use are goingto be a big help in the research I need to do for mywriting,” she says.

One of her goals is to balance her part-time job atthe library with writing and physical health. “Stayingphysically healthy and mentally healthy is becominga more important goal as I grow older,” Anita says,especially now with grandchildren to keep heractive. “I love chasing them in the backyard androlling around on the grass, giggling.” Anita and herhusband live in Alberta.

9780773674530, mm

Ages 12+, Family Issues,Dealing With Death, MysteryAlberta Book Award forChildren’s Literature shortlist,New York Public Library Booksfor the Teen Age, ManitobaChildren’s Choice Awardshortlist

9780773760929, pb

Ages 12+, Family Issues, MysteryAlberta Book Award for Children’sLiterature, Golden Eagle Children’sChoice Award Runner-up,Hackmatack Children’s ChoiceAward shortlist, ManitobaChildren’s Choice Award shortlist,CCBC Our Choice starredselection

9780773760011, pbWorldAges 12+, Mystery, Coming of AgeAlberta Book Award for Children’sLiterature, OLA Red Maple Award,New York Public Library Books forthe Teen Age, CCBC Our Choicestarred selection

Anita (right) and a friend at the top of Nub Peak in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, BC

Anita and her neice

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November 3, 1925-March 7, 2003 Edmonton, ABMonica Hughes

Monica Hughes was the award-winningauthor of dozens of books, short stories andarticles for children and young adults. In her

long and successful career she was the recipientof two Governor General Awards and the VickyMetcalf Award. Her books have been translated into15 languages.

Monica was born in Liverpool, England, in 1925.As a child, she dreamed of one day becoming awriter, and would tell stories to her younger sister atbedtime. She wrote several adult books and stories,it was not until she discovered books written foryoung people that she realized she wanted to writefor a younger audience.

Monica immigrated to Canada in 1952 and settledin Edmonton, Alberta, where she continued writing.

Gold Fever Trail, was published in1974.

Monica wrote several novels in various genres, but is

readers in Canada. She wrote about issues that wereimportant to young adults—issues they could relateto. She was also very active with organizations thatpromoted social justice and freedom of expression,such as Development and Peace, PEN Canada andAmnesty International.

Monica always devoted at least half of each day towriting, and would not leave her workspace withoutputting something to paper. She once said therewere so many ideas buzzing around in her head thatsometimes she felt as if her mind was an airport withideas waiting to land.

On August 31, 2002, Monica received the Order ofCanada, the country’s highest civilian honour.

Monica died in Edmonton on March 7, 2003. Shewas 77.

9780773672802, mmWorldMiddle Grade Fiction, Ages8-12, Fantasy/Science Fiction,Adventure

9780773672772, mmWorldMiddle Grade Fiction, Ages8-12, Historical Fiction

9780773672796, mmWorldMiddle Grade Fiction, Ages8-12, Historical Fiction,Adventure, Klondike GoldRush

9780773753129, pb9780773674462, mmEng. CAAges 12+, Coming ofAge, Friendship, Native,Suspense

9780773673779, pbEng. CAAges 10+, Coming of Age,Family Relationships

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9781550051049, pb9780773674080, mmEng. CAMiddle Grade Fiction,Ages 8-12, Fantasy,Adventure

9781550050554, pbCA onlyMiddle Grade Fiction,Ages 8-12, Fantasy,Adventure, Sequel to The Promise

9781550419344, pb (new cover)9780772515643, pb9780773674455, mmEng. CAAges 12+, Growing up during theGreat Depression & WWI

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www.sharonjennings.ca Toronto, ONSharon Jennings

Sharon Jennings started writing when she was

and plays for backyard productions. Shecites Pierre Berton’s The Secret World of Og, whichshe read when she was in Grade 1, as one of her

As a child, Sharon dreamed about becoming anactress. “I wanted to be a famous actress and livein Hollywood,” she says. “I still hanker for that life,but now I’d love to do Shakespeare on small stages.” As a writer, Sharon takes a dramatic approach toher books. “I become the characters,” she says. “Ilive inside the story.”

After receiving a Master’s in English, Sharon wentback to school and earned two diplomas in SpeechArts from the Royal Conservatory of Music. “I hadalways been involved in theatre groups as a childand young adult, and I did think about pursuing acareer in acting,” she admits.

Sharon started in the world of publishing as an editorof high school textbooks. When she found out thatthe publishing house was looking for unpublishedstories for a new series, she went home and startedwriting.

Sharonhaswrittenseveralchildren’sbooks, includingPriscilla and Rosy, and Priscilla’s Paw de Deux. Shedescribes the inspiration for the characters in thisseries: “Priscilla became a rat because I wanted herto be able to behave badly. The story wouldn’t havebeen received very well if I had a real child stickingout her tongue, slamming doors, kicking furnitureand offering her friends up to a cat as bait. ThenI gave these poor rats very sophisticated Victoriannames: If they had to live in a gutter, they deserved abit of elegance in their lives. Priscilla’s Paw de Deux

pair of pointe shoes. I suddenly had a vision of a ratas a prima ballerina. I couldn’t wait to get home andstart writing.”

In addition to writing children’s books, Sharonteaches writing at Ryerson University in Toronto.

9781550417029, bbWorldBoard Book, Preschool

9781550416442, pbWorldGrade 3+, Chapter Book,Mystery

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9781550417180, hc9781550417203, pbWorldPicture Book, FriendshipMr. Christie’s Book Award GoldSeal, ABA Children’s Pick of theLists, Sheila A. Egoff Children’sLiterature Prize, Booklist/ BookLinks Editor’s Choice, WashingtonChildren’s Choice Picture BookAward shortlist

9781550416763, hc9781550419337, pbWorldPicture Book, FriendshipMr. Christie’s Book Award SilverSeal, Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for Illustration HonourBook

9781550417876, hc9781550417890, pbWorld ex. KR, Heb. in ILPicture Book, Overcoming FearCCBC Our Choice selection

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9781550414059, hc9781550417852, pbWorldPicture Book, GenerationalStory, Family RelationshipsOLA Blue Spruce Award

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Rossland, BCRosa Jordan

Rto literary awards. In addition to beingnominated for the Silver Birch Award, Red

Maple Award and Chocolate Lily Award, she wasalso up for the Daytime Emmys three times.

QHow did you become interested in writing as aprofession?

AI began writing because I am easily bored, andbecause I like stories; thus it was natural to avoid

boredom by making up stories. Also, it cost almostnothing, needing only a pencil and paper. I did notconsider writing as a profession until I became anadult. I did it just for fun. I still do it just for fun.

QHas your perception of being a writer changedsince you became a published author?

ANo. Writing is what I do. Publishing is whatother people do. Publishing is like somebody

else putting icing on a cake I baked. I like the sweettaste of getting a book published, but I enjoy morethe part I get to do. I used to think I wasn’t a “realwriter” if I hadn’t been published. Then I realized thata “real writer” is somebody who writes, just like areal skier is somebody who skis.

QHow did it feel to see your work adapted to

AThrilling and annoying. Thrilling because amovie is larger than life, and it’s like seeing

your characters come to life. Annoying becausesome of the characters do not look like they didin your imagination. Also, when a writer’s work isturned into a movie, the moviemakers can changeanything they please and often do, whether youlike it or not. They can put words in the characters’mouths that you know they would never say. Theycan even change the title. Book publishers are morerespectful, and don’t change anything without theauthor’s permission.

Qwriting?

AIt has helped me understand, on a very deeplevel, how much more alike people are than

different. But it has also taught me that you have towork at getting past the differences, because that’s

QWhat do you hope readers will come awaywith after reading Lost Goat Lane and The

Goatnappers?

AFirst, that everybody has problems, includingkids, and often the adults in the kids’ lives don’t

know about their problems or don’t know how tohelp, so the kids are pretty much on their own tryingto solve them. Which is okay because kids, if theyare smart about it, can solve their own problems.Second, it’s a lot easier for everybody, kids andadults, to work together and help each other. Third,people who are very different, maybe much youngeror much older, or from a poor family or a differentculture, can also become good friends we can trustif we take time to get to know them and treat themwith respect, and do not put them down just becausethey are different.

9781550419320, pbCA onlyAges 9-14, Discrimination& Prejudice, Social IssuesOLA Silver Birch Award

Award shortlist, ChocolateLily Award shortlist,Kansas State ReadingCircle RecommendedReading List

9781554550173, pbCA onlyAges 9-14, FamilyRelationships, Adventure,Social Issues

Rosa cycling in Cuba

Rosa skiing in BC

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Calgary, ABBrian Keating

One of Brian Keating’s favourite places to visit

richness of its wildlife over 20 years ago,Brian returns every second year or so. “Walkingthrough the riparian forest near the Zambezi is likewalking through a perfectly manicured English park.The trees are browsed as high as an elephant canreach, and lovely, soft, yellow grass grows among thetrees. Troops of baboons and at least four speciesof antelope surround you. And if you stand on top ofa termite mound and do a 360-degree survey withbinoculars, you can probably count a dozen differentspecies of large vertebrates, including elephantsand lions.”

Brian’s interest in nature and wildlife started in hischildhood. He collected birds’ nests, abandonedhives, animal skeletons, and other natural items tocreate his own natural history museum. Brian wasfascinated by how different animals live togetherin ecosystems. Now, Brian is the director ofConservation Outreach at the Calgary Zoo, whereevery day he can exercise his curiosity about thenatural world. Leading trips called “Zoofaris” to wildspaces all over the world, and speaking to school-aged and adult groups alike about wild animals andnature, Brian has reached thousands of people withhis infectious enthusiasm for nature.

On his many trips to Africa, Brian spends as muchtime as possible observing elephants, which heconsiders one of the most interesting animals to

watch. “They walk with such grace. They carrytheir bulk with such magic. They’re like grey ghosts

They’re always interacting with each other, alwayspushing each other around.”

With his books, Brian hopes to share his enthusiasmwith the next generation. “I want kids to becomeexcited about nature. I believe that it is throughthat excitement that they will become strongconservationists with appropriate ethical attitudes. Ibelieve that if kids can develop an interest in nature,they will also love it and respect it. Better decisionsabout nature will result from the better adults thatthese kids will become.”

Brian’s commitment to conservation projects keeps

honorary chief of an African village, developing awildlife sanctuary, building the conservation fund atthe Calgary Zoo, or leading wilderness trips. “I justhave a very deep passion for wild areas and wildlife.My life’s focus has been to explore wild areas and to

they continue to exist.”

9781894856508, hc9781894856225, pbFree teachers’ guide available at

WorldGrade 4+, Non-Fiction, Science,Ecology, Animals, Habitat,AdventureOLA Silver Birch Award shortlist,Red Cedar Award shortlist


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WorldGrade 4+, Non-Fiction, Science,Ecology, Animals, Habitat,AdventureCSWA Science in Society Awardshortlist


WorldGrade 4+, Non-Fiction, Science,Ecology, Animals, Habitat,Adventure



Readers Digest Magazine



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Joy Kogawa is known for her profoundand moving writing, particularly about theexperiences of Japanese-Canadians during

and after World War II. Her novels, poetry and essayshave won numerous awards and honours.

Joy was born in Vancouver in 1935. As a second-generation Japanese-Canadian, Joy suffered manyracial hardships, especially during World War IIwhen Japan was considered an enemy of the West.“The effect of racism goes on down through thegenerations,” she says, “and is a very terrible thing.”Joy and her family were evacuated to Slocan, B.C.and later relocated to Coaldale, Alberta. Duringthat time, Joy lost herself in the world of literature.She cites Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men as one of ahandful of books that stayed with her while she andher family were moved around. “I think Little Mentaught me to love strangers and helped me to havean open heart,” she says.

Joy studied at the University of Alberta, the Universityof Toronto, the Anglican Women’s Training Collegeand the University of Saskatchewan. She taughtelementary school in Coaldale for a year. To Joy,friendship is one the most important things in life.She even advises people to make friends with theirenemies. Joy also values trust in her friends, andconsiders trust to be one of the important aspects inpersonal relationships.

Joy was very actively involved in seeking redress fromthe Canadian government on behalf of all Japanese-Canadians who, under the War Measures Act of1942, lost their property and possessions. She alsoseeks restitution for the internment of thousands ofJapanese-Canadians during World War II. She likesto remain optimistic in the struggle, but, she says,“racism is still very much with us. It feeds on fear.”

Joy was made a Member of the Order of Canada in1986.

Toronto, ONJoy Kogawa

Joy has received many honours:

Member of the Order of Canada, 1986Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, University of Lethbridge, 1991

Fellow of Ryerson Polytechnical University, 1991Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa, University of Guelph, 1992Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, Simon Fraser University, 1993

Urban Alliance Race Relations Award, 1994Grace MacInnis Visiting Scholar Award, 1995

Doctor of Divinity, Honoris Causa, Knox College, University of Toronto, 1999Lifetime Achievement Award, Association of Asian American Studies, 2001Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa, University of British Columbia, 2001

The NAJC National Award, National Association of Japanese Canadians, 2001Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, Queen’s University, 2003

Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, University of Windsor, 2003Joy Kogawa Day, Vancouver, November 6, 2004

Naomi’s Road, the opera, commissioned by Vancouver Opera, 2005Order of British Columbia, 2006

9781550051155, pbCA onlyGrade 4+, Historical Fiction, Japanese Internment duringWWII

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www.maryannkovalski.net Toronto, ONMaryann Kovalski

Maryann was born and raised in the Bronx,where she was entranced by the jaggedshape of the New York skyline. “For me it

was like the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz,” shesays.

Maryann graduated from the School of Visual Arts.Soon after graduating, she left New York. “New Yorkwas in a dreadful state at the time,” she explains. “The economy was awful, there were few jobs,certainly not enough to keep an illustrator alive. Afriend said she was driving to Montreal in March,would I like to come?”

The moment she saw Montreal, Maryann knew shewanted to live there. “The beauty of Montreal tookmy breath away as we drove through it. I said, ‘Ihave to live here. I don’t know how, but I have to.’That fall I went there.”

Maryann’s move to Montreal at the age of 21 wasbold. “In my family, no girl left home before marriage,and to leave the country? Scandalous! My fatherdidn’t speak to me for many months. And I knewonly one person there, and had $200 in my pocket.”

But Maryann adjusted, and continued to work atbeing an artist. “There are so many artists whosework thrills me: off the top, modernists like JasperJohns, Max Ernst, impressionists, collage artistslike Joseph Cornell.” Her understanding of beingan illustrator has changed through her professionalcareer. “I guess when I was young I thought being anartist meant making whatever pictures you wanted,in any way you wanted. I didn’t realize that there area lot of people an illustrator must please: publisher,art director, editor and sometimes marketing.” Butcreating children’s books is still her dream job.

9781550413830, pbWorldReader, Level 2,Rhyming Story

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9781550418972, hc9781550418996, pbWorldAges 4+, Picture Book, RhymingText

9781550415070, hc9781550417838, pbWorld ex. KRAges 5+, Picture Book, Self-EsteemMr. Christie’s Book Awardshortlist, TD Grade One BookGiveaway Winner

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9781550415599, hcWorldAges 5+, Picture Book, Concept

Illustrations from

Illustration from Rain, Rain

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Toronto, ONVladyana Krykorka

Vladyanaof over 20 picture books for childrenincluding, Orphans in the Sky, Silver Moon,

The Polar Bear’s Gift, The Twelve Months, and AGrain of Sand.

Vladyana was raised in Prague, where she studiedart privately for many years. She attended a highschool that specialized in art, then moved to Canada,where she graduated from the Ontario College of Art.Vladyana worked as an art director for a businesspublication for several years, and also illustratedtextbooks. The transition to picture books was easyand obvious. “I love books and I love art,” she says.“It seems to be a perfect combination.”

Vladyana maintains that a good illustrator must notonly be able to draw and paint, but also create theatmosphere of the story. The illustrative style ofThe Twelve Months, for example, complements thenarrative of the old Slavic Cinderella story, which is

not well known in North America. Silver Moon wasanother compelling work, one which Vladyana callsher “life project.” “Rusalka is my favourite opera anda beautiful fairy tale. I asked my son Ian to adapt thelibretto into a children’s story, and I started to paint.I must say that it was my greatest achievement tosee it published. (And I had the great pleasure ofworking with my son, the writer.)”

Vladyana’s love for Inuit culture has sparked severaljourneys to the Arctic, where she paints, photographsand gets to know the people and their land. Shealso paints the animal life, most notably Nanook—apolar bear—which she used as the model in The Polar Bear’s Gift.

In her spare time, Vladyana likes to travel, read,garden, paint, draw, create hand-painted clothingand spend time at the beach near her cottage inGeorgian Bay.

9781550418019, hcWorldPicture Book, Poetry,PK Page

9781550416848, hcWorldPicture Book, 3 Stories,Dvorak, HistoryCCBC Our Choiceselection

9780889952911, hcWorldPicture Book, NativeLegendCanadian Toy TestingCouncil’s Great Books forChildren, Alberta Children’sBook Award shortlist,Alberta Book Illustration ofthe Year shortlist

9780889952201, pbWorld ex. DK, KRPicture Book, Native Legend

9781550051544, pbWorld ex. DKPicture Book, FancifulStorytelling WorldAward Honor Title

Vladyana and Michael Kusugak in Rankin Inlet

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Ask Kim LaFave about his greatestprofessional achievement and you canhear the modesty in his response. “I don’t

really consider anything my greatest professionalachievement, maybe somebody else would havean opinion,” he says. “But I am always impressedwhen someone remembers a book I did 20 yearsago.”

Since illustration has long been part of his

in the world of children’s literature. “It’s just anatural progression,” LaFave says. “Drawing issomething I’ve always done, from entertainingmyself as a child, to art school, to my interest in

gets tough sometimes, I’ve never really imagineddoing anything else.”

Kim combines both computer and more traditionaltechniques to create his unique style. He altershis hand-drawn illustrations using programs suchas Photoshop. The results are digital images thatare both clean and tranquil.

Kim appreciates the freedom that comes withbeing a freelance illustrator, and is grateful thathe gets to work for publishers almost exclusively,instead of sharing his time with the advertisingbusiness. “Working for commercial clients issimilar to working in children’s books in manyways,” he explains. “They’re both collaborativeefforts, whether I’m working with an art directoror whomever. But working on my children’sbook projects allows me more time for thinking

time for his two other passions: gardening andsailing.

Although he started his career in Toronto,spending 15 years there, Kim says it alwaysfelt temporary. His heart was always at his westcoast hometown. “I loved Toronto, my time therewas fabulous. But my blood pressure is down inRoberts Creek.”

LaFave’s characters are often invigorated withhis own personality and childhood experiences.“I think of how I reacted to things when I was akid. Nellie from A Bumblebee Sweater was justa wonderful loose cannon; it’s usually me I’mdrawing, some aspect of me.”

www.klafave.com Roberts Creek, BCKim LaFave

9781550418149, bbWorldBoard Book, Concept,Lyrical Text

9781550414110, hc9781550414134, pbWorldReader, Grade 1+,Humour

9781550413977, hc9781550413892, pbWorldReader, Grade 1+,Humour

9781550415247, pbWorldReader, Chapter Book,Grade 2+, Humour,Animals

9781550416626, hc9781550416510, pbWorld ex. KREmergent Reader,Concept, NumeracyGovernor General’sAward for Children’sIllustration nominee




9781550416985, hcWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Concept, Lyrical Text

9781550417326, hcWorldPicture Book, Concept, Lyrical Text

9781550416626, hcWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Concept, LyricalTextMr. Christie’s Book Award SilverSeal

9781550419399, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Self-Esteem,Sibling KindnessMr. Christie’s Book AwardSilver Seal, Tiny TorgiPrintBraille Award shortlist,Shining Willow Award shortlist

9781550418071, hc9781550419108, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, OvercomingFear, Validation, Self-EsteemOLA Blue Spruce Awardshortlist, Chocolate Lily Awardshortlist, OLA Best Bets

9781554550289, hcWorldPicture Book, Humour, Family

Illustration from

Illustration from

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www.canscaip.org/bios/lawsonj.html Victoria, BCJulie Lawson

Julie Lawson is not afraid to tell a good lie.She confesses to a childhood habit ofmaking up fantastic stories to create the

illusion of having a more adventurous life. Julie sees

experiences of youth, as “creative lying, so you canrelive certain moments and change the outcomes.”

Julie is an avid traveller. “Container ship travel is ablissfully slow way to get from one place to another.Picture this: free run of the ship, hearty meals,outside cabin (actually a 3-room suite), no otherpassengers, pool and exercise room, friendly crews,port calls from 6 to 24 hours and, best of all, timeto read and write with no distractions.” Trains andrailroad history play a role in Julie’s travels as well.

Railway, and Julie took many childhood trips viarail to visit family members. As husband Patrick is amodel railroad enthusiast and enjoys photographingtrains, Julie has spent holidays following the mainlinethrough various regions of British Columbia.

When Julie is not travelling or teaching, she is at herdesk in Victoria. She writes in a space that is “brightand airy, and close to the kitchen and coffee pot!”Her window offers an enviable view of Victoria’slegislative buildings, evergreen trees, Mt. Baker, andthe Inner Harbour. In the summer, Julie carries herwork a few blocks to the beach. Her strategy is to

manuscript and pen in hand.”

block, feeling you’ve exhausted all hopes of everhaving another idea. Or when you’re writing andyour ‘inner critic’ keeps butting in and telling youit’s lousy. The very worst thing is being interruptedwhen you’re totally immersed in your character’slife.” The best part of writing, Julie says, is “thesatisfaction of writing a good sentence, the joy ofseeing characters come to life on the page, the thrill

reading letters from kids who have enjoyed it.”

Julie with husband, Patrick, in the Galapagos Islands

9781550051414, pbWorldPicture Book,Imaginative Text

9780773728820, hc9780773757172, pbWorldPicture Book,Chinese Legend,DragonsRuth SchwartzAward shortlist, CLABook of the YearAward shortlist,NAPPA Award forFolklore

9780773760912, pbWorldGrade 4+, 3rd ofTrilogy, Time Travel,Historical FictionOLA Silver Birch

Red Cedar Awardshortlist

9780773758919, pbWorldGrade 4+, 1st ofTrilogy, Time Travel,Historical FictionCNIB Torgi Awardshortlist, OLA Silver

9780773759428, pbWorldGrade 4+, 2ndof Trilogy, TimeTravel, HistoricalFictionIODE VioletDowney BookAward shortlist

9780773728974, hcWorldPicture Book,Chinese Mythology

Julie with the sea lions in the Galapagos Islands

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High River, ABMartine Leavitt

Martine Leavitt has attained literary successwith Heck Superherofor the Governor General’s Award in 2004,

and Keturah & Lord Deaththe National Book Award in 2006.

QAs a child, your family moved from city to cityquite a bit. How did you adjust to the constant

changes?

AI didn’t. I became quite maladjusted. But Iwas able to channel my experience and my

knowledge into something creative because it mademe a more compassionate person, which in turnmade me write more compassionate characters.

QAI am all of my characters, the good ones and

the bad ones. I don’t think any writer can writea believable character unless the writer is thatcharacter in some way or form.

QYou write everywhere, in buses and lunchrooms. Do you wish you had time to write in relaxing

environments?

AIt’s my dearest wish. I would love to write in morerelaxing environments, but writing on a bus or in

a lunchroom is not as distracting as one would think.

I have seven children, and when they were youngerthey were all running around at home. After workingaround that, I got used to all distractions. But I thinkI’m going to have a little bit of free time this summerto write, which I am very excited about. I’m glad I’llhave time to think about what my next book is goingto be and how I am going to approach it.

QWhat drives you to write?

AI’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. I writefor lots of reasons: money, recognition, and the

hope that I might change the world someday. Butmost of all, I would say it is the fun of writing. When Iwas younger I wrote a play and it was great fun. Thebest reason of all to write is playfulness.

The other thing that drives me to write is my memories

you fell in love with as a kid? You pressed that bookup against your chest and wished it would never end.No one falls in love with a book like a child does.That is what drives me to write.

QWhat do you want your children to learn fromyou?

AThat life is about being happy and that you

circumstances come up that you can’t control.

9780889952621, pbWorldAges 12+, Coming of Age,SurvivalMr. Christie’s Book Award,ForeWord Magazine Book

Benjamin Franklin Award forJuvenile-Young Adult Fiction,R. Ross Annett Awardfor Children’s Literaturenomination, OLA White PineAward shortlist, CLA YoungAdult Book of the YearAward shortlist, OLA GoldenOak Adult Literacy Awardshortlist, CCBC Our ChoiceCitation

9780889953703, pbEng. CAAges 12+, Fantasy, Medieval Setting, Historical

9780889952331, pbWorldAges 12+, FantasyBenjamin Franklin Award forJuvenile-Young Adult Fictionnomination, ALA/YALSABest Books for Young AdultsSelection, CCBC Our Choiceselection

9780889953000, hc9780889953338, pbEng. CAAges 12+, Coming of Age,Relationships, ArtGovernor General’s Award

Top Five Selection, CBCRadio One Sounds LikeCanada RecommendedTitle, Alberta Children’s Bookof the Year Award, MaintobaYoung Readers’ ChoiceAward nomination

9780889950801, pbWorldAges 9-14, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Book 1 in theMarmawell Series



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Wayne Lynch is one of Canada’s best-known and most widely published wildlifephotographers. Aubrey Lang has written for

several magazines, has four books to her credit, andhas co-authored four nature documentary scripts fortelevision. Together, they operate the Lang and Lynchstock photography business and work as a team in

QHow did you develop an interest in nature andanimal behaviour?

AWayne has been interested in nature sincechildhood. As a boy of 10, he would sit in the

woods for hours hoping to see animals. Aubreyenjoyed walking in the woods and spending timealone in the forest at her family’s cottage north of

Aubrey to see a pair of eastern screech owlsthat were roosting in the city. The date was a bigsuccess.

QHow did you move from your regular day jobsinto your current lifestyle of extensive travel,

writing and photography?

AWayne started photographing when he was insecond year medical school in Ottawa. Aubrey

bought a camera and they had many enjoyableweekend outings photographing. While Wayne wasstill practising emergency medicine, he started towrite articles about wildlife for regional and nationalnature magazines. In 1979, when we were both 31 years of age, we decided to take a couple of yearsoff from medicine to work as freelance nature writersand wildlife photographers. We never went back tomedicine.

QWith 14 books in the series, how do you keepNature Babies exciting for both you and the

reader?

AIt’s always exciting to discover the intimatedetails of another creature’s life. After all,

humans are one of the youngest creatures on Earthwith an evolutionary history of a mere million yearsor so. What about a barn owl that has been on theplanet for 20 million years, or a leatherback seaturtle that has been here for 100 million years? Itseems obvious that anyone with a stitch of curiosity

QWhat do you want young readers to learn fromyour books?

Acomplexity, tragedies, challenges and

themselves, but also tender in caring for theiryoung.

QWhat do you want to be remembered for?

AWriting accurate science that is accessible andentertaining to read. With our photos, we strive

to give the reader intimate glimpses into a world fewof them have seen.

9781550416701, hc9781894004718, pbWorld ex. FR, KRInformation Storybook, Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology

9781550415773, hc9781550415797, pbWorldInformation Storybook, Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology


9781550417159, hc9781550417173, pbWorld ex. KRInformation Storybook, Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology

9781550416855, hc9781550417265, pbWorld ex. FR, KRInformation Storybook,Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology

9781550415605, hc9781550415629, pbWorld ex. FRInformation Storybook, Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology

9781550417975, hc9781550417999, pbWorld ex. FRInformation Storybook, Science,Animal Story, Habitat, Ecology







www.waynelynch.ca Calgary, AB

Wayne Lynch & Aubrey Lang

Aubrey swimming with a sea lion in the Galapagos Islands

9781894856119, hc9781894004596, pbWorldAges 8-12, Non-Fiction,Science, Humour, Habitat,Animals


Wayne cools off a leatherback sea turtle in Trinidad.

Aubrey hangs out with a pair of Emperor penguins.

Wayne with a nesting leatherback sea turtle in Trinidad

nan gregory - fitzhenry & whiteside...next book i’m working on a nascar story line, likely set...

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