APPLY TO HOST ELLY MACKAY (IN PERSON)
BIOGRAPHY
Elly MacKay is an acclaimed paper artist and award-winning children's bookmaker. She is the author and illustrator of a number of picture books, including Frostfire, Red Sky at Night, and has illustrated, among others, The Enchanted Symphony by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and I Am a Meadow Mermaid and The Secret Fawn by Kallie George. Before pursuing a career in picture books, she taught in schools and was an educator in galleries. Elly lives in Owen Sound, Ontario with her family.
Home Location: Owen Sound, Ontario
Creator Type: Author-illustrator
Genres: Picture books
Website: www.theaterclouds.com
Tour Region: Quebec
Target Audience: Grades 1 - 8
Cost: For one 60-minute presentation: $300 plus 5% GST
NOTE: The fee of $300 (plus tax) will be paid to The Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) upon receipt of an invoice from the CCBC. After Book Week, the CCBC will pay the author their presentation fee of $250 (plus taxes, if applicable).
PRESENTATION DESCRIPTIONS
3D Landscape - Making a Miniature World
Setting the stage for your own story
Target Audience: Grades 1 - 6
Preferred group size: One to two classes
Maximum group size: 60 students
Students will learn how acclaimed paper artist, Elly MacKay creates her light-filled illustrations. The students will help to set up a scene inside her miniature theatre, much like she does for her books. They will see how using different colours of light changes the entire mood of a scene. After reading her book Frostfire and getting a preview of the companion book, Fox Fairies, students will be inspired to create their own miniature scene with paper. Students will learn about foreground, middle ground, and background, and how things appear smaller in the distance. Students will be encouraged to create their own unique setting for a future story they might develop. Elly is a trained educator and will modify the workshop to the age group.
Required equipment: LCD projector, table to set up her miniature theatre
Required materials: School needs to provide scissors (for each student), markers or pencil crayons. Students will need a hard surface for colouring (floor, clipboard or tables). Elly will provide the following: cardstock, colourful papers, tape/glue sticks
Design a Character with Me: Inspired by Frostfire
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 8
Preferred group size: One to two classes
Maximum group size: 60 students
We all have stories to tell. Elly will share with the students how she became an author and illustrator. Elly loved to create characters and make little worlds for them when she was growing up.
We will discuss our favourite characters in the books they’ve read. Elly will talk about the animals around her home growing up and how she was inspired to write Frostfire and the companion book, Fox fairies.
After a reading of Frostfire students will create their own characters. Celeste and Miriam from Frostfire are fox sisters but have very different personalities. To design their own characters, students will write down some personality traits, things their unique character likes to do, dislikes, etc. The group will look at forms for animal characters, facial expressions, silhouettes, attire and posture. We will discuss staying away from stereotypes and creating something unique. The session will be divided up into drawing time, and next steps.
Depending on time and age, the students will have a finished character design and if they are done early, an additional outfit suited to their character that they can cut out (like a paper doll).
Required equipment: LCD projector, table to set up her miniature theatre
Required materials: Handout (provided by Elly); markers, pencils and erasers
BIBLIOGRAPHY
To Be Published:
The Island of Wild Horses. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2028.
Fox Fairies. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2027.
A Forest Begins Anew by Louise Aamodt. Ill. by Elly MacKay. Astra Young Readers, 2026.
Twelve Daring Grays: A Whale Migration Adventure by Nora Nickum. Ill. by Elly MacKay.
Candlewick, 2026.
The Bunny Ballet. Written by Nora Ericson, illustrated by Elly MacKay. Abrams, 2025.
Published:
Frostfire. Written and illustrated Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2024.
The Enchanted Symphony. Writen by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Abrams Kids, 2023.
I Am a Meadow Mermaid. Written by Kallie George. Illustrated by Elly MacKay, Tundra, 2023.
Zap! Clap! Boom! Written by Laura Purdie Salas. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Bloomsbury, 2023.
Too Early. Written by Nora Ericson. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Abrams, 2022.
In The Clouds. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2022.
Hidden Treasure. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2021.
The Secret Fawn. Written by Kallie George. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2021.
The Tallest Treehouse. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2019.
Red Sky at Night. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2018.
Waltz of the Snowflakes. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2017.
Maya. Written by Mahak Jain. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Owlkids, 2016.
Beach Baby. Written by Laurie Elmquist. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Orca, 2016.
Butterfly Park. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2015.
Shadow Chasers. Written and illustrated by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2014.
Fall Leaves. Written by Loretta Holland. Illustrated by Elly MacKay. Clarion Books, 2014.