Who’s Touring
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is excited to host Canadian Children’s Book Week 2024.
The event, established in 1977, will take place from April 28–May 4, 2024. Thirty-two creators will participate in the event and share their love of reading with young people in schools, libraries, and homes across Canada.
Book Week will take place in a hybrid format with ten creators touring virtually, in person or a combination of both.
Tournée Lire à tout vent 2024, hosted by Communication-Jeunesse, our francophone sister organization, will take place simultaneously. Click here to see who's touring.
See below for a list of the 2024 English-language creators that will be touring.
Alberta
Judy I. Lin, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Book of Tea duology (A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet), was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada with her family at a young age. She grew up with her nose in a book and loved to escape to imaginary worlds. She now works as an occupational therapist and still spends her nights dreaming up imaginary worlds of her own. She lives on the Canadian prairies with her husband and daughters.
Ruth Ohi is the illustrator of over 60 books, including 23 of which she has also written. Her latest illustrated book is We Belong Here (written by Frieda Wishinsky; Scholastic Canada). Her author/illustrated books include Blanket (Groundwood Books, 2022) and Choose Kindness (Scholastic Canada, 2021). Her books have been published in Korea, China, Belgium, Turkey, Holland, Australia and translated into Spanish and Hebrew. Ruth’s books have been shortlisted for awards such as the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and Blue Spruce Award. They have been selected for Quill & Quire Books of the Year, CBC Best Canadian Books for Kids & Young Adults, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books and the Ontario Library Association’s ‘Best Bets.’
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
Mark David Smith is the author of four books for children: Caraviggio: Signed in Blood, an historical adventure novel (ages 12-14); The Deepest Dig, a picture book (ages 5-8); and the first two books of The Weird Sisters Detective Agency series, early chapter book mysteries (ages 6-9; Book 3 arrives in Spring 2024). Mark loves writing adventure stories, stories of wonder and discovery, silly stories--really anything that takes his mind away from emptying the dishwasher or sweeping the floor. Mark likes to say that real life can be boring, but imagination can make anything exciting. When Mark isn't writing, or thinking about writing, or removing one of his two cats from his warm laptop so that he can start writing, he teaches English to high school students in the traditional territory of the Kwikwetlem people, commonly known as Coquitlam, British Columbia. He lives happily with his wife and children, and unenthusiastically with the two aforementioned cats.
British Columbia
BC Interior
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
Emily Seo holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of British Columbia. She worked as an Associate Editor for two science journals and ran a multidisciplinary laboratory before experimenting with creative writing. The Science of Boys is her debut novel followed by two other children's books: Our World: Japan and The Perfect Sushi.
BC's Lower Mainland
Erika Rodriguez Medina is a book publicist and illustrator, currently living and working in Vancouver, BC. Besides nature, moving her furniture around constantly, crafts and ghost stories, Erika is interested in mythology and folklore from around the world. She also likes to use dynamic shapes and grainy textures in her work. Some clients that Erika has collaborated with include Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Kids Can Press, Owlkids, Kellogg's, Translink, City of Vancouver, Disney Hyperion, Scholastic, Literati, and more. Her absolute favourite things to illustrate are expressive characters, grumpy children, and plants.
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
BC's Vancouver Island
Maureen Fergus has written dozens of books for kids of all ages. Her books have been translated into many languages, optioned for television and adapted for stage. Her novels include Exploits of a Reluctant (But Extremely Goodlooking) Hero and Ortega, which won the McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award. Mad About Meatloaf, the first book in her graphic novel series starring Weenie the wiener dog, won the Joan Betty Stuchner Funniest Children’s Book Award. Maureen’s picture books include the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series and The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten, an Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award winner. Maureen lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her family.
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
Northern BC
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
Rochelle Strauss is an award-winning children’s author, whose books focus on building environmental and ocean literacy. Her best-selling titles include The Global Ocean, One Well: The Story of Water on Earth and Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. A storyteller by nature, Rochelle’s goal as an author is to change the world—one book at a time! Through her narratives, she combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach children about the wonders of the natural world and the impact humans are having on it. She also shares stories of hope that are meant to inspire and empower readers to take action. A seasoned presenter, Rochelle has worked with school groups across Canada and the US. Her books have been published internationally, translated into several languages, and have been incorporated into curriculum in the US. The Global Ocean was recently recognized by IOC-UNESCO as an endorsed Ocean Decade activity.
Manitoba
Joanna Cacao is a Canadian Filipino author-illustrator who lives in snowy Winnipeg with her grumpy Pomeranian, Danny. Her first published collaboration, The Tryout, became an instant #1 Indie Bestseller and has gained starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness and School Library Journal. Joanna’s author-illustrator debut, The Secret of the Ravens, was published in 2023 by Clarion Books.
Nadia L. Hohn, B.A. (Hon.), B.Ed., M.Ed., M.F.A. is a multilingual, award-winning author of several books for young people, including A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice (Owlkids Books, 2019), Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter (HarperKids, 2018), and the Malaika series. Her first picture book, Malaika’s Costume (Groundwood Books, 2016) was the 2021 TD Grade One Book Giveaway and featured as a float in the 117th Original Santa Claus Parade. Nadia released two books in 2023: Malaika, Carnival Queen, her fourth book in the Malaika series, and her edited anthology, The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes). Nadia is an “artivist” who wants to make sure that all young people see themselves in books. When she’s not lost in a story or concocting a tasty vegetarian dish, she is likely spending time in music and the arts or daydreaming about her next adventure. Nadia teaches elementary school and writing for children courses at post-secondary institutions in Toronto where she also lives.
Rochelle Strauss is an award-winning children’s author, whose books focus on building environmental and ocean literacy. Her best-selling titles include The Global Ocean, One Well: The Story of Water on Earth and Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. A storyteller by nature, Rochelle’s goal as an author is to change the world—one book at a time! Through her narratives, she combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach children about the wonders of the natural world and the impact humans are having on it. She also shares stories of hope that are meant to inspire and empower readers to take action. A seasoned presenter, Rochelle has worked with school groups across Canada and the US. Her books have been published internationally, translated into several languages, and have been incorporated into curriculum in the US. The Global Ocean was recently recognized by IOC-UNESCO as an endorsed Ocean Decade activity.
New Brunswick
Chad Lucas is the author of middle-grade novels Thanks A Lot, Universe (winner of the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature and named a 2021 Best Book by School Library Journal, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and the New York Public Library), Let The Monster Out (a 2023 Red Maple Award Nominee) and You Owe Me One, Universe. He lives with his family in Nova Scotia.
Jack Wong (黃雋喬) was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. In 2010, he left behind a life as a bridge engineer to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD University in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Nova Scotia; he has called the east coast of Canada home ever since. Working as a children’s author/illustrator, Jack seeks to share his winding journey with young readers so that they may embrace the unique amalgams of experiences that make up their own lives. His debut picture book, When You Can Swim, received a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award and a Governor General’s Literary Award. His second picture book, The Words We Share, is a nominee for the Ontario Library Association’s Blue Spruce Award.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Ruth Ohi is the illustrator of over 60 books, including 23 of which she has also written. Her latest illustrated book is We Belong Here (written by Frieda Wishinsky; Scholastic Canada). Her author/illustrated books include Blanket (Groundwood Books, 2022) and Choose Kindness (Scholastic Canada, 2021). Her books have been published in Korea, China, Belgium, Turkey, Holland, Australia and translated into Spanish and Hebrew. Ruth’s books have been shortlisted for awards such as the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and Blue Spruce Award. They have been selected for Quill & Quire Books of the Year, CBC Best Canadian Books for Kids & Young Adults, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books and the Ontario Library Association’s ‘Best Bets.’
Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. Sarah has been nominated for the Aurora Award for Best Young Adult novel for Legacy of Light, the final book of her first trilogy, The Effigies Series. The Lady of Rapture, the final book of her second trilogy, The Bones of Ruin, releases in April 2024. As an academic, Sarah teaches creative writing at Lakehead University. Her research concerns representations of race and gender in popular media culture, youth culture and postcolonialism. She has edited special issues in academic journals such Safundi, Popular Music and Society, and Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice. She’s also written freelance pieces for The Conversation, Quill & Quire and Zora Magazine. She is represented by literary agent Natalie Lakosil.
Kevin Sylvester has written and illustrated more than 30 books for kids. His latest novel is Apartment 713. The Fabulous Zed Watson! co-written with his kid Basil, was nominated for numerous awards, including the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and the Governor General’s Literary Award. It’s the story of a non-binary kid who goes on a cross-continental adventure in search of the greatest monster book of all time! The sequel will be out in early 2024. His series, The Hockey Super-Six will be wrapping up in 2024 with books 7 and 8. His other novels range from science fiction (The MINRs Trilogy) to mystery novels (The Neil Flambé Capers), and other super-heroes (Mucus Mayhem). His picture books include Gargantua (Jr.): Defender of Earth, Super-Duper Monster, GREAT and Splinters. He also writes and illustrates non-fiction books. There are sports books (Gold Medal for Weird, Basketballogy, Baseballogy) and books on financial literacy (Follow Your Stuff and Follow Your Money).
Nova Scotia
Chad Lucas is the author of middle-grade novels Thanks A Lot, Universe (winner of the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature and named a 2021 Best Book by School Library Journal, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and the New York Public Library), Let The Monster Out (a 2023 Red Maple Award Nominee) and You Owe Me One, Universe. He lives with his family in Nova Scotia.
Vicki Grant has been called “a superb storyteller” (The Canadian Children’s Book Centre) and “one of the funniest writers working today” (The Vancouver Sun). She began her career as an advertising copywriter, moved on to writing scripts for Theodore Tugboat, Big Comfy Couch and her own Gemini-winning series Scoop & Doozie before graduating to YA fiction. Her novels have won The Red Maple, The Arthur Ellis Award and CBC’s Young Canada Reads as well as been shortlisted for The Edgar, CLA Children’s Book of the Year and numerous Forest of Reading awards. Her novel, 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, has been translated into 17 languages and optioned for film. Publishers’ Weekly called A Green Velvet Secret, her latest MG book, a ‘winning novel,” with “quirky, full-fleshed characters and a tender third-person narration.” Vicki lives in Halifax, NS.
Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail is the co-author of Freddie the Flyer, with the first Indigenous pilot in the Arctic (and dear friend) Fred Carmichael (Tundra Books, 2023). She also published Alis the Aviator (Tundra Books, 2019), featuring Dr. Alis Kennedy, a pioneering Metis pilot. Danielle was Writer in Residence at Berton House in Dawson City, Yukon and Historian Laureate of Edmonton. Danielle now lives by the sea in Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki with her young family.
Wanda Taylor is an award winning journalist, filmmaker, professor, and author of both fiction and non-fiction books. She writes across children's, middle grade, YA, and adult markets. Her middle grade nonfiction book, Birchtown and the Black Loyalists is listed as one of the top Black History Month Books for kids, and her recently released middle grade novel, The Grover School Pledge, was selected as the Top Book for Children's Literature by Kobo Books.
Ontario
Recognized by his peers as a master of his craft, Anthony Audain is a skilled storyteller and a dynamic teacher and performer. He has acted in Television Commercials, TV Series, and Films. He has a Degree in English and Theatre Production from Mount Allison University, an Honours Diploma from Ryerson University’s School of Performing Arts, and an Honours Diploma in Entrepreneurial Business Applications from The Academy of Learning. He is a writer of plays, storytelling narratives, digital scripts, and scripts for short documentary films. He has conducted workshops on Diversity, Confidence Building, Personal Story Presentation, and Fine-Tuning Interview & Communication Skills. He has worked as an Arts Facilitator with the Winnipeg School Division, and as a singer and performer was awarded a bursary from the prestigious ‘Manitoba Sings’ - Provincial Honour Choir Association.
Anthony has performed in Summer Stock Theatre with actors from both the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, and independently at the Annual Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival and the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. Anthony was nominated, along with fellow members of the Golden Horseshoe Players, a Toronto-based Theatre Company, for a Dora Mavor Moore Award in the Theatre for Young Audiences Category, Best New Play, for the play, Peacemaker. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Jazz Haz Productions (recently awarded a Highly Recommended Business Badge on Alignable), an Independent Theatre Production Company specializing in Storytelling, Musical Cabarets, and Concerts.
Mr. Audain is a proud member of ACTRA, Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and the Storytellers of Canada—Conteurs du Canada.
Shannon Bramer writes poems, plays and short fiction. She is the author of Climbing Shadows: Poems for Children, illustrated by Cindy Derby, and several poetry collections for adults, winning the Hamilton and Region Arts Council Book Award for her first book, suitcases and other poems. Shannon’s plays include Chloe’s Tiny Heart Is Closed (for children) and The Hungriest Woman in the World. In 2020 Book*hug press published Trapsongs, a collection of Shannon’s plays. Robot, Unicorn, Queen, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher, is her most recent collection of poetry with Groundwood Books (October 2023). She lives with her family (and two beautiful old cats) in Toronto, Ontario.
Lana Button is the author of a dozen popular picture books. Her books have been translated into 5 languages and have been highlighted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Globe and Mail. They have also been recognized by Bank Street Books, IBBY Canada, and CCBC’s Best Books for Kids & Teens. Lana’s books have been shortlisted for several awards and she is the recipient of the Crystal Kite Award. Lana is an early childhood educator and a former actress who loves presenting to children in schools and festivals across Canada.
At some point, every kid starts asking “Why?” L. E. Carmichael never stopped. As a PhD candidate, she uncovered new reasons why arctic foxes are the coolest; as a forensic scientist, she found out why bears sometimes get away with murder. As a writer, she follows her sense of wonder to the “whys” of subjects as diverse as nature, the environment, medicine, and technology. The award-winning author of more than 20 STEM books for children and young adults, Lindsey writes to spark her readers’ curiosity and ignite their imaginations. Packed with “oh wow!” and “I never knew that!”, her books reveal the process of discovery and the stories behind the science. A popular speaker, Lindsey’s school visits encourage inquiry and kindle a love of life-long learning. Lindsey loves beaches, platypuses, and all things fantasy. She’s fascinated by the moment when facts reveal truth.
Ken Daley is an acclaimed Black Canadian artist/illustrator who was born in Cambridge, Ontario. His art and illustrations are inspired by his African-Caribbean heritage. Ken has exhibited his work in Canada, the US and the Caribbean, and has illustrated numerous picture books that centres the lives and experiences of Black and brown children.
Deborah Kerbel is the author of over 25 books for young people. Her work has garnered critical recognition from review journals and award nominations including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, and the CLA’s YA Book Award, amoAng others. Her graphic novel, Fred and Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin, is an ALA ‘Best Graphic Novel for Children’, a Bankstreet Books ‘Best of the Year’, a Forest of Reading Yellow Cedar Award winner and a Red Cedar Award winner. Born in London, England, Deborah lives in Thornhill, Ontario with her family.
Rina Singh is an award-winning Canadian Children’s Author and Spoken Word coach. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Concordia University, Montreal, and a teaching degree from McGill University. As a writer, she is drawn to real life stories about social justice, the environment, and wildlife conservation. Her books have been translated in several languages and have received many starred reviews. Grandmother School, (Orca Books) which won the Christie Harris Children’s Literary prize affirms the life-changing power of education. 111 Trees, (Kids Can Press) won the Social Justice literature award and was featured in The New York Times. A lover of poetry, photography, beautiful books, and trees, she lives in a blue house in Toronto.
Rochelle Strauss is an award-winning children’s author, whose books focus on building environmental and ocean literacy. Her best-selling titles include The Global Ocean, One Well: The Story of Water on Earth and Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth. A storyteller by nature, Rochelle’s goal as an author is to change the world—one book at a time! Through her narratives, she combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach children about the wonders of the natural world and the impact humans are having on it. She also shares stories of hope that are meant to inspire and empower readers to take action. A seasoned presenter, Rochelle has worked with school groups across Canada and the US. Her books have been published internationally, translated into several languages, and have been incorporated into curriculum in the US. The Global Ocean was recently recognized by IOC-UNESCO as an endorsed Ocean Decade activity.
Wanda Taylor is an award winning journalist, filmmaker, professor, and author of both fiction and non-fiction books. She writes across children's, middle grade, YA, and adult markets. Her middle grade nonfiction book, Birchtown and the Black Loyalists is listed as one of the top Black History Month Books for kids, and her recently released middle grade novel, The Grover School Pledge, was selected as the Top Book for Children's Literature by Kobo Books.
Heather Whaley is best known as a Musical Storyteller and singer-songwriter for children, teens, and adults. She brings traditional tales and her own stories to life by interspersing the narrative with rhyme, chant, and song, and playing guitar and percussion instruments.
Presentations are designed to entertain, address themes and issues that appeal to various ages, meet grade-level curriculum in school, transcend all ages (including adults) and cultures, and preserve the dignity and heritage they embody.
Whether visiting a school, library, daycare, festival, formal stage, or house concert Heather includes participation and interaction, especially singing. She thrives on reeling her audiences in to feel joy, togetherness, and belonging.
For over 30 years she has been performing both nationally and internationally, and currently enjoys and prefers LIVE bookings east of the city closer to her home in Durham Region, Ontario.
Heather also performs ONLINE from her home studio.
Prince Edward Island
Shannon Bramer writes poems, plays and short fiction. She is the author of Climbing Shadows: Poems for Children, illustrated by Cindy Derby, and several poetry collections for adults, winning the Hamilton and Region Arts Council Book Award for her first book, suitcases and other poems. Shannon’s plays include Chloe’s Tiny Heart Is Closed (for children) and The Hungriest Woman in the World. In 2020 Book*hug press published Trapsongs, a collection of Shannon’s plays. Robot, Unicorn, Queen, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher, is her most recent collection of poetry with Groundwood Books (October 2023). She lives with her family (and two beautiful old cats) in Toronto, Ontario.
Ruth Ohi is the illustrator of over 60 books, including 23 of which she has also written. Her latest illustrated book is We Belong Here (written by Frieda Wishinsky; Scholastic Canada). Her author/illustrated books include Blanket (Groundwood Books, 2022) and Choose Kindness (Scholastic Canada, 2021). Her books have been published in Korea, China, Belgium, Turkey, Holland, Australia and translated into Spanish and Hebrew. Ruth’s books have been shortlisted for awards such as the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and Blue Spruce Award. They have been selected for Quill & Quire Books of the Year, CBC Best Canadian Books for Kids & Young Adults, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books and the Ontario Library Association’s ‘Best Bets.’
Rina Singh is an award-winning Canadian Children’s Author and Spoken Word coach. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Concordia University, Montreal, and a teaching degree from McGill University. As a writer, she is drawn to real life stories about social justice, the environment, and wildlife conservation. Her books have been translated in several languages and have received many starred reviews. Grandmother School, (Orca Books) which won the Christie Harris Children’s Literary prize affirms the life-changing power of education. 111 Trees, (Kids Can Press) won the Social Justice literature award and was featured in The New York Times. A lover of poetry, photography, beautiful books, and trees, she lives in a blue house in Toronto.
Quebec
Katherine Battersby is the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of 14 children’s books published around the world, including the popular Cranky Chicken series, Perfect Pigeons and Trouble. Her books have received glowing reviews in the New York Times, starred Kirkus reviews and been named CBC Children's Choice books. She is regularly booked to speak in schools, libraries and at festivals and she is a passionate advocate for literacy and the arts. In another life Katherine worked for many years as a paediatric occupational therapist, specializing as a children’s counsellor. She grew up by the beach in Queensland (Australia) and she lives in Ottawa.
Lana Button is the author of a dozen popular picture books. Her books have been translated into 5 languages and have been highlighted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Globe and Mail. They have also been recognized by Bank Street Books, IBBY Canada, and CCBC’s Best Books for Kids & Teens. Lana’s books have been shortlisted for several awards and she is the recipient of the Crystal Kite Award. Lana is an early childhood educator and a former actress who loves presenting to children in schools and festivals across Canada.
Heather Camlot is an award-winning children’s author, journalist, editor, and translator. Her fiction and nonfiction books combine her passions for social change, sports, arts, and history. Her debut novel, Clutch, was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017 and a finalist for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. Her non-fiction book The Prisoner and the Writer won the 2023 Canadian Jewish Literary Award for children and youth, and was named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection as well as a Globe and Mail Top 10 Kids Book for 2022. Her latest non-fiction book is Becoming Bionic and Other Ways Science Is Making Us Super. Originally from Montreal, she lives in Toronto with her husband, two teenagers, and rescue dog.
Amanda West Lewis combines careers as a writer, theatre artist, and calligrapher. She is the author of ten books for youth and young readers, including Focus Click Wind, a novel about youth activism in 1968, and These Are Not the Words, a semi-autobiographical novel about the jazz era and growing up in New York City. Her books have been nominated for the Silver Birch Award, the Red Cedar Award and the Violet Downey IODE Award. Amanda has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has acted, directed, produced, and written for theatre, as well as founded the Ottawa Children’s Theatre, a school dedicated to theatre education for young people. Her calligraphic artwork has been exhibited in numerous shows and she has written books on calligraphy and the development of writing. She teaches writing, drama, and calligraphy to young people and adults, often combining these disciplines together. Her new book, A Planet is a Poem (Kids Can Press), will be released May 7, 2024.
Sylvia McNicoll has written over 40 books for young people that are read all over the world. She’s visited classrooms and libraries to inspire readers as far away as South Korea and Colombia and recently was awarded a Platinum Jubilee Civic Hero Award for her part in gathering and editing stories for Writing the Rollercoaster: Stories of our Pandemic Experience. Attending and volunteering for HYP Slam events showed her how much poetry can empower youth and as result, she wrote Blue to the Sky in which Ella conquers her allergy-inspired anxiety with poetry.
Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. Sarah has been nominated for the Aurora Award for Best Young Adult novel for Legacy of Light, the final book of her first trilogy, The Effigies Series. The Lady of Rapture, the final book of her second trilogy, The Bones of Ruin, releases in April 2024. As an academic, Sarah teaches creative writing at Lakehead University. Her research concerns representations of race and gender in popular media culture, youth culture and postcolonialism. She has edited special issues in academic journals such Safundi, Popular Music and Society, and Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice. She’s also written freelance pieces for The Conversation, Quill & Quire and Zora Magazine. She is represented by literary agent Natalie Lakosil.
Mitali Banerjee Ruths grew up in Houston, Texas. And today, she lives in Montreal, Canada with her husband, three kids, and their dog, Tux. When Mitali was younger, she dreamed of becoming an astronaut. When she grew up, she worked as a babysitter, an ice cream seller, and even a medical doctor. Now, she's an author! Mitali is also an awkward dancer, an all-season knitter, and a devoted fan of locally-owned bakeries and ice cream shops. Mitali has written several children's books, with more coming out soon! She's the author of the award-winning picture book Archie Celebrates Diwali and of Scholastic Branches early reader series, The Party Diaries.
Saskatchewan
Deborah Kerbel is the author of over 25 books for young people. Her work has garnered critical recognition from review journals and award nominations including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, and the CLA’s YA Book Award, amoAng others. Her graphic novel, Fred and Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin, is an ALA ‘Best Graphic Novel for Children’, a Bankstreet Books ‘Best of the Year’, a Forest of Reading Yellow Cedar Award winner and a Red Cedar Award winner. Born in London, England, Deborah lives in Thornhill, Ontario with her family.
Miriam Körner is an award-winning writer and illustrator, whose work expresses her love and concern for the natural world. She lives with her husband and their seven sled dogs in a small cabin in northern Saskatchewan’s quickly vanishing old-growth forest. Her children's book Fox and Bear, recently a finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, is a modern fable that asks existential questions for readers of all ages.
Yukon
Lorna Schultz Nicholson is an award-winning author who has traditionally published 51 books, including children’s picture books, middle-grade fiction, YA fiction, and sports non-fiction books. Her books have been nominated for many awards across Canada and in the United States. She was a Forest of Reading nominee for five years in a row, and is often on the Best Books for Kids & Teens list in Canada. Before becoming a full-time writer, Lorna was a television reporter and co-host, radio talk show host, fitness coordinator, mystery theatre actor, and a rowing coach. Every job she has had to date has helped with her writing. Lorna divides her time between Edmonton, Alberta, and Penticton, British Columbia. She lives with her husband and quirky dog she brought home from Mexico.
Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman from the Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli and belongs to the Lhts’umusyoo (Beaver) Clan. She is the mother of three amazing children who are her inspiration in life. She is a best-selling author and an award-winning educator. In 2017, she was awarded the Alumni of the Year award for Professional Excellence by the Alumni Association of UNBC, her alma mater. She also received an Indspire Award for Educational Leadership at the 2018 Guiding the Journey Educator Awards. Leona is a sought-after speaker and has authored two children’s books, A Dance Through the Seasons and Be a Good Ancestor. Be a Good Ancestor was nominated for a 2023 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award.
Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. Sarah has been nominated for the Aurora Award for Best Young Adult novel for Legacy of Light, the final book of her first trilogy, The Effigies Series. The Lady of Rapture, the final book of her second trilogy, The Bones of Ruin, releases in April 2024. As an academic, Sarah teaches creative writing at Lakehead University. Her research concerns representations of race and gender in popular media culture, youth culture and postcolonialism. She has edited special issues in academic journals such Safundi, Popular Music and Society, and Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice. She’s also written freelance pieces for The Conversation, Quill & Quire and Zora Magazine. She is represented by literary agent Natalie Lakosil.