APPLY TO HOST JILLIAN DOBSON (VIRTUALLY)
BIOGRAPHY
Jillian delights in discovering stories in the everyday. She’s gathered tales through various unofficial and official roles, including museum guide, classroom assistant in Thailand and Brazil and now children’s author! Jillian has lived in Alberta and Quebec and now lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario, with her family and a cuddly cat. Jillian loves to present about her picture book to readers of all ages.
Home Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Creator Type: Author
Genres: Non-fiction, picture books
Website: jilliandobson.ca
Tour Region: Virtually across Canada
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 6
Cost: For one 60-minute presentation: $300 plus tax (5% GST in BC, AB, SK, MB, QC; 13% in ON; 14% in NS; 15% in NL, NB, and PEI)
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
Become a Citizen Historian and Craft a Headline Journal
Learn how Molly Lamb Bobak became Canada’s first official woman war artist by exploring her headline journal and then start your own to become a citizen historian
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 6
Preferred group size: 14 - 28 students
Maximum group size: 40 students
Jillian will introduce students to Molly Lamb Bobak’s experiences in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps during the Second World War through her picture book, Girl Takes Drastic Step! Then students will explore digital pages of Molly Lamb Bobak’s war diary and a variety of her art to explore what life was like for her and other women at the time. A hands-on activity will encourage students to start their own headline journals, using a provided template page with writing prompts, so they too can become citizen historians. The journals willallow students to capture their daily activities using words and artwork like Molly Lamb Bobak did, for future generations to discover and learn what life is like now.
Required equipment: Zoom, Google Meet or MS Teams for virtual platform
Required materials: Handout (Jillian will send a pdf) and pencils
Explore History and Geography Through a Headline Journal
Learn how Molly Lamb Bobak became Canada’s first official woman war artist and explore history and geography while mapping her assignments and postings during her time in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps.
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 6
Preferred group size: 14 - 28 students
Maximum group size: 40 students
Jillian will introduce students to Molly Lamb Bobak’s experiences following her dream to become a war artist while enlisted in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps during the Second World War through her picture book, Girl Takes Drastic Step! Then students will explore digital pages of Molly Lamb Bobak’s war diary and a variety of her art to explore what life was like for her and other women at the time. A hands-on activity will follow incorporating a timeline and mapping activity that will allow students to explore Canadian geography as they colour and map the locations of the postings Molly Lamb Bobak was assigned to while coordinating her journal pages to a chronological timeline. Students will have the opportunity to create timelines of events in their own lives and map their experiences and locations through provided templates and activity sheets.
Required equipment: Zoom, Google Meet or MS Teams for virtual platform
Required materials: Handout (Jillian will send a pdf) and coloured pencils
Art, Dreams and History Journal
Learn how Molly Lamb Bobak’s dream to become Canada’s first official woman war artist came to reality while exploring her headline journal and the work of other artists throughout history.
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 4
Preferred group size: 14 - 28 students
Maximum group size: 40 students
Jillian will introduce students to Molly Lamb Bobak’s experiences following her dream to become a war artist while enlisted in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps during the Second World War through her picture book, Girl Takes Drastic Step! Then students will explore the work of other artists that were Molly Lamb Bobak’s contemporaries and inspiration to see how their art became primary sources of historical information. A hands-on activity to create a “dream and art” journal page, inspired by Molly’s will provide students a chance to sketch, doodle and draw their dreams of their future and will provide the starting point of their own headline journals using provided worksheets.
Required equipment: Zoom, Google Meet or MS Teams for virtual platform
Required materials: Handout (Jillian will send a pdf) and coloured pencils
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Girl Takes Drastic Step!: How Molly Lamb Bobak Became Canada's First Official Woman War Artist. Illustrated by Genevieve Simms. Nimbus Publishing, 2024.