APPLY TO HOST MIKE DEAS (IN PERSON)
BIOGRAPHY
Mike’s love for illustrative storytelling comes from an early love of reading and drawing while growing up on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. He is the illustrator of over 70 children's books including the Sueño Bay Adventure series and the Scholastic Canada Biographies. Capilano College’s Commercial Animation Program in Vancouver helped Mike fine-tune his drawing skills and imagination. Work as a concept artist, texture artist and art lead in the video game industry took Mike to England and California. Mike lives with his family on sunny Salt Spring Island.
Home Location: Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
Creator Type: Illustrator
Genres: Picture books, beginning readers, eary chapter books, middle grade fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, hi-lo books for reluctant readers
Website: deasillustration.com
Tour Region: British Columbia (Metro Vancouver Regional District)
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 7
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
Behind the Scenes of Creating Graphic Novels
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 7
Preferred group size: 40 - 75 students
Maximum group size: 200 students
Mike’s presentation takes the audience through the production of their work (from notes and doodles to publication), he provides drawing advice, tips on story development and hands-on artistic demonstrations. Through humor, Mike offers an inspirational glimpse into the creation of a graphic novel and the ongoing journey of education, trial and error, and experience in the world of stories. He does an interactive multimedia presentation which details a step by step description of the process creating the Sueño Bay Adventures series including; story, character design, thumbnail sketches, pencils, inks, color and finally publication. Several live drawing demonstrations with audience participation highlight the power of visual storytelling and an open imagination. The interactive visit encourages literature through the Graphic Novel medium to even the most reluctant readers. The one-hour (flexible) presentation includes time for questions and answers.
Required equipment: LCD projector that can be connected to illustrator’s windows laptop, screen, flip chart or whiteboard
Required materials: Nothing!
Step-by-Step Comic Creating
Target Audience: Grades 2 - 7
Preferred group size: 40 - 75 students
Maximum group size: 200 students
Mike will share his experiences as an illustrator working with art directors and editors on graphic novels with the students in order to together create a simple comic strip from scratch. With input he will help guide the participants though the creation of a simple story, characters, and comic layout. This visit touches on practical graphic novel tips from drawing, basic visual language, pacing, panel layouts and bubble placement. The students will also be shown the process to take a rough draft through to a published book. The one hour (flexible) presentation includes time for questions and answers.
Required equipment: LCD projector that can be connected to illustrator’s windows laptop, screen, flip chartor whiteboard
Required materials: Nothing!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ILLUSTRATED:
Harbor Dog. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2026
Still Friends. Author: Troy Wilson. Orca Book Publishers, 2026
The Seaweed Blanket. Author: Nancy Deas. Red Deer Press, 2025
Runaway Blanket. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2025
This Plant Is Not Boring. Author: Marie Hoy-Kenny. Orca Book Publishers, 2025
Goodnight, Pickleball. Author: Chuck Sambuchino. Running Press Kids, 2025
Two Tales of Twenty-Six. Author: Stephanie Simpson McLellan. Red Deer Pres, 2024
The Boy Who Woke the Sun. Author: Aaron Woodley. Red Deer Press, 2023
Lots of Bikes. Author: Molly Picardi. Heinemann, 2023
Tricks and Tracks. Author: Molly Picardi. Heinemann, 2023
I’ll Be a Chicken Too. Author: Lana Vanderlee. Orca Book Publishers, 2023
I Can’t Do What? Strange Laws and Rules from Around the World. Author: Heather Camlot.
Red Deer Press, 2022
Paisley & Peck series
Paisley & Peck: Pizza Barn. Author: J. Torres. Owlkids, 2026
Paisley & Peck: Jurassic Farm. Author: J. Torres. Owlkids, 2025
Bee & Flea series
Bee & Flea and the Fall Fiasco. Author: Anna Humphrey. Owlkids, 2024
Bee & Flea and the Puddle Problem. Author: Anna Humphrey. Owlkids, 2023
Bee & Flea and the Compost Caper. Author: Anna Humphrey. Owlkids, 2022
Sueño Bay Adventures series
Howler Reef: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2025
Crystal Cave: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2024
Candle Point: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2023
Hermit Hill: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2022
Otter Lagoon: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2021
Shadow Island: Sueño Bay Adventures. Author: Nancy Deas. Orca Book Publishers, 2019
Scholastic Canada Biography
Meet Rosemarie Kaptana. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2026
Meet Jim Egan. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2025
Meet Frederick Banting. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2025
Meet Clara Hughes. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2024
Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2023
Meet J. Armand Bombardier. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2022
Meet Mary Ann Shadd. Author: Elizabeth MacLeod. Scholastic Canada, 2022
*Please visit website for complete list...