APPLY TO HOST LYDIA LUKIDIS (IN PERSON)
BIOGRAPHY
Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 60+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include Up, Up High: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere (Capstone, 2025), Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), and Deep, Deep, Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner for the Canada and North America division, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, a Cybils Award nominee, and winner of the Dogwood Readers Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from Aevitas Creative Management. For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
Home Location: Dollard des Ormeaux, Quebec
Creator Type: Author
Genres: Picture books, non-fiction, graphic novels
Website: lydialukidis.com
Tour Region: Quebec
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 5
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
Sparking Curiosity with STEM
Target Audience: grades 2-5 (can be tailored for grade 1 as well)
Preferred/maximum group size: max of 50 students if live, 200+ if virtual
STEM isn’t just about science and technology—it’s about wonder and curiosity. In this high-energy, interactive workshop, author Lydia Lukidis brings her latest award-winning STEM picture books to life while showing students that science is full of surprises, creativity, and fun! From bizarre deep-sea creatures to mysterious light phenomena in the Earth’s atmosphere, Lydia shares fascinating real-world facts alongside the stories behind her nonfiction books. Students will explore how questions lead to discoveries, how writers research like scientists, and how imagination powers both storytelling and innovation. Through engaging visuals, hands-on activities, and a peek into the writing process, this session helps spark curiosity and build a bridge between literacy and STEM learning.
Required equipment: a screen to project a Google Slides presentation, microphone if live with a big audience
Perfecting Poetry
Target Audience: Grades 3-5 (can be tailored for grade 2 as well)
Preferred/maximum group size: max of 50 students if live, 200+ if virtual
Poetry isn’tjust about pretty words—it’s about rhythm, emotion, and even… science! In this engaging and interactive workshop, author Lydia Lukidis—whose award-winning STEM picture books are written in poetic form—shows students how poetry and science can work hand in hand to inspire curiosity and wonder. With a mix of interactive discussions and read-alouds, students will explore the building blocks of poetry: rhyme, rhythm, sound devices, and vivid imagery. Younger students will play with rhyme and flow, while older students will dive deeper into figurative language like metaphors, alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia. Students will be given further instructions for other poetry projects that can be carried out by the educator.
Required equipment: a screen to project a Google Slides presentation, microphone if live with a big audience
Crack the Comic Code
Target Audience: Grades 2-5
Preferred/maximum group size: max of 50 students if live, 200+ if virtual
What do you get when you mix a grumpy groundhog, a pancake heist, and a unicorn-pig sidekick? A hilarious graphic novel—and a whole lot of fun! In this interactive session, author Lydia Lukidis brings her graphic novel Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog to life and shows young readers how comics are made, from silly ideas to finished pages. Students will discover how pictures and words team up to tell a story as well as the basics of creating panels and speech bubbles. Perfect for schools and libraries looking to spark creativity, promote visual literacy, and get even reluctant readers excited about books. Students will be given instructions for a project creating their own comic strip that can be carried out by the educator.
Required equipment: a screen to project a Google Slides presentation, microphone if live with a big audience
BIBLIOGRAPHY
SELECTED TRADE TITLES
EARLY GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Terrifying Turnip Takeover (Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog, Volume 2). Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2026.
The Pancake Panic! (Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog, Volume 1). Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2025.
NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
Up, Up High: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere. Capstone, 2025.
Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights. Albert Whitman, 2024.
Deep, Deep, Down: The Secret, Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench. Capstone, 2023.
PICTURE BOOKS
No Bears Allowed. Blue Whale Press, 2019.
SELECTED EDUCATIONAL TITLES
NON-FICTION
Food We Eat: Italian, Mexican, Chinese, French, and Japanese (HI-LO books). High Noon Books, 2026.
Wild Horses, Meet my Pet - Horse, and Meet my Pet - Mouse. Weigl Educational Publishers Limited, 2025.
Bats! Mysterious and Misunderstood Mammals. Capstone, 2025.
Hiding from the Nazis in Plain Sight: A Graphic Novel Biography of Zhanna and Frina Arshanskaya. Capstone, 2024.
Diana vs. Athena: Battle of the Goddesses, Zeus vs. Ra: Cosmic Clash of the Gods, Odin vs. Ares: The Legendary Faceoff, Freya vs. Venus: Battle of the Beauties, Hades vs. Anubis: The Deadly Duel, Hel vs. Persephone: Fight for the Underworld (Gr 3-4 books). Published by Capstone, 2022 and 2023.
Birds of Prey - Eagles, Birds of Prey - Falcons, and Birds of Prey- Hawks (HI-LO books). Black Rabbit Books, 2023.
Haunted Houses and Haunted Hotels. (HI-LO books) Black Rabbit Books, 2021.
FICTION
Your Atlas Adventure: Conquering Mount Olympus. KiwiCo, 2023. (novel based on Greek mythology)