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Cora Taylor is the author of 14 books, whichhave been published in several languagesaround the world. She was raised on hergrandmother’s farm in Saskatchewan, where shegrew up reading and dreaming of being a writer.

QHow did you get into writing? What did you dobefore you became a writer?AI always wanted to be a writer, at least from anearly age when I gave up the ambition of beinga movie star. I was an only child on a farm whichI divided up into countries and I pretended I was alot of different people depending on which country Iwas in.

QWhat are the best and worst parts about growingup on a Canadian farm?AThe best part is the freedom a child has—lotsof room for imagination. I could wander in thecats or hitch up my dog to my sleigh in winter orswing from the rafters in the machine shed. It wasgreat! Can’t think of anything bad except having toleave to go to high school.

QWhat was your inspiration for On Wings of a Dragon and On Wings of Evil?AI’d always wanted to write “pure” fantasy, andwhen doing a stint as writer-in-residence atJane Franklin College in Hobart, Tasmania, I decidedthat living in a place where the sun shone from thenorth was the ideal place to start. I loved dragons

www.corataylor.com Edmonton, ABCora Taylor

QWhat would you say to kids who hate reading?

AReading takes more concentration than TVor video games. Try doing without TV andcomputers. Farm kids in my day didn’t have aproblem—books were the outlet. In the wintertimeI was always being told to “get my nose out of thatbook and out and get some roses in my cheeks!”I used to smuggle books out under my parka andhuddle outside reading until I nearly froze. Parentsdidn’t encourage reading in those days, if you werelucky they put up with it. Maybe we need to banreading so kids have to sneak around to do it!

9781550417821, pbWorldAges 10+, Fantasy, MysteryOLA Red Maple Award shortlist, GoldenEagle Book Award Runner-up, CCBC OurChoice selection, Learning Resources Bestof the Best Reading List Choice, RockyMountain Book Award shortlist, ManitobaYoung Readers’ Choice Award shortlist

9781550419290, hcWorldAges 10+, Fantasy, Mystery

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Mfor young people. She was born in GrossePointe Farms, Michigan, on May 3, 1950. Asa child, such books as Through the Looking Glass,and Treasure Island were favourites. “Treasure Islandshe says. “It’s probably why I spent so much time

rabbit hole’ adventure.”

When she was 10 years old, Maxine and her familymoved to Windsor, Ontario. In 1974 she became aCanadian citizen and started working as a teacher. She spent 31 years as an educator in elementaryclassrooms, guiding children toward literacy. Asa teacher, she began writing children’s picturebooks. “They are an essential part of an elementaryclassroom,” she says. “I wanted to become partof that process. I was always a hands-on sort ofteacher, and so bringing the bits and pieces of eachbook to school for sharing was a natural extensionof my second career.” The students in her class gotto see each creative step in her work as she evolvedher stories. They saw the rough copies, and were

Maxine’s books cover a wide range of characters,settings, and situations. She admits the writingprocess is not always easy. “Struggling for inspiration

is an extremely painful and often fruitless activity,”she says. “It is far better to leave your mind open to

be the perfectly mindless sort of activity that relaxesthe imagination and lets in the ideas.”

www.maxinetrottier.com Port Stanley, ONMaxine Trottier

9780773761384, pbWorldAges 12+, HistoricalFiction, AmericanRevolution

9780773760554, pbWorldAges 12+, HistoricalFiction, 1760s Comingto America

9780773762282, pbWorldAges 12+, HistoricalFiction, War of 1812

9780773731011, hcWorldPicture Book,Immigration, HistoricalFiction

9780773728653, hc9781550051384, pbWorld ex. USPicture Book,Generational StoryCLA Book of the YearAward for Children,FWTAO Writers’ Award

9780773732780, hcWorldPicture Book, HistoricalFiction

9781550051032, pbWorldPicture Book, HistoricalFiction, Louis RielShining Willow Awardshortlist

9780773729698, hcWorldPicture Book, HistoricalFiction, Anna Pavlova

9781550418088, pbWorld ex. DK, KRPicture Book, Historical,Art

9781550051520, pbCA onlyPicture Book, HistorialFiction, JapaneseInternment During WWIIWhite Raven Award,Storytelling WorldHonor Title, NotableBook, Social StudiesChildren’s BooksCouncil

9780773761414, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Native,LegendHackmatack Book Awardshortlist

9781550051476, hcWorldPicture Book, Historical,Circle Story

9780773761001, pbWorldPicture Book, Generational Story, PrairieSettingNotable Book, Social Studies Children’sBook Council Children’s Choice selection

9780773732209, hc9781550051605, pbWorld ex. DKPicture Book, Historical Fiction,Tibetan Story

Maxine in Abu Dhabi with Rachna Gilmore and Anami Naths

Maxine’s husband, Bill, holding their dogs. Ceilidh is in his right hand, Moon in his left.

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www.dianetullson.com Vancouver, BCDiane Tullson

Diane Tullson is the author of four novels,including Blue Highway and Edge.QHow does your background in English literature,journalism, creative writing, and editing affectthe way you approach your writing?

AMy background in English literature gives mean eye for metaphor, while my backgroundin journalism makes me seek spare prose. Thecombination creates a layered story that is notheavy to read. As for my background in editing, not

my brain go to work on the manuscript and ask thehard questions: does the story line work, are thecharacters plausible, is this story really written or doI just think it is?

QWhat drives you to write?

AI want to write something good, something thatendures, something that makes a difference. This is what drives me to write.

QIf you were not a writer, what would you do fora living?AIf I weren’t a writer, I’d be a college instructor. Or I’d sell something. Sales and writing havesome common attributes: creativity, problem solvingand a relentless quest to overcome rejection.

QHow do you write dialogue in a way that’sinteresting to your teen readers?ADialogue moves the story forward, and inof dialogue. The characters talk about what ishappening in the story, and if I’ve done my job, thatstory is interesting, something the reader can relateto.

QDo you have any observations or advice forparents of teenagers?AThe teenage mind is like a new blade, and ateenager really does know it all. They do. Theyare new to the adult world, yes, and their parents

9781550051421, pbWorldGrade 7+, Coming of Age, MakingChoices

9781550051247, pbWorld ex. DEGrade 7+, Coming of Age,Alcoholism, HealthOLA White Pine Award shortlist,Stellar Book Award shortlist

9781550419504, pbWorldAges 14+, Health Issues, EatingDisorders, Friendship

doesn’t want to hear it. What most teens want tohear is their own story, their own life, told in a waythat makes sense to them, not their parents.

QWhat do you hope readers come away withfrom your books?AI hope readers come away from my books withthe feeling that their time was well spent andthat they’d like to read another of my books.

QWhat do you want to be remembered for?

Afeathers and for loving well.

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www.kirstiwakelin.com Vancouver, BCKirsti Anne Wakelin

9781550417074, hc9781550417098, pbWorldPicture Book, Lyrical TextChocolate Lily Book Award, ChristieHarris Illustrated Children’s LiteraturePrize

Kirsti in Isle of Skye, Scotland

9781550416817, hc9781550417227, pbWorldPicture Book, Concept, Numeracy, NatureChocolate Lily Award shortlist, Chosen by the BCgovernment as a title to support their literacy initiative.Every kindergarten child in the province will receive thisbook in a family literacy package.

Growing up in a family in which art was partof everyday life, Kirsti has art in her blood.Although her artist grandmother was anconsciously choose the path of an artist. As shedescribes her career now, “It feels like the wind sortof blew me in that direction and here I am.”

Although she wanted to be a veterinarian or aforensic entomologist, Kirsti ended up enrolling ina design and illustration course in college. “In my

wonderful editor, Ann Featherstone.” From that

job, A Pod of Orcas: A Seaside Counting Book.Wandering the shorelines of Vancouver and WestVancouver to capture the setting for the book, “I wasbitten by a seal pup at that beach while attemptingto secure it for rescue for my uncle, who runs a sealrehabilitation centre at the Vancouver Aquarium. Istill have a little scar.”

In her home studio, which she jokingly admits is a“short commute,” Kirsti works through a detailedprocess to create her illustrations. After reading anddigesting the manuscript for about a week or so,Kirsti works on thumbnail sketches and characterdevelopment. After developing storyboards, shebegins developing her rough illustrations. She cleansup the drawings and places text, then she submitsher work for the publisher’s approval. The next stepsinvolve redrawing, redrawing and redrawing as well

paintings.

Besides being a book illustrator, Kirsti is also agraphic designer and commercial illustrator. In herspare time, Kirsti enjoys travelling, gardening andthrowing dinner parties for friends. She also claimsto “kick butt on the animal related questions in TrivialPursuit.” For aspiring freelance artists, Kirsti offersthis advice: “You know, there’s so much advice Ihave, and at the same time it’s all useless because

out on your own during your artistic and personaldevelopment. And I believe those two things arelinked. Oh, and redraw, redraw, redraw...and beinterested.”

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www.ericwalters.net Mississauga, ONEric Walters

EEric has published more than 40 books forkids—all of them bestsellers and many ofthem award winners. One of his greatestjoys has been his work with kids, especially duringhis 13 years as an elementary school teacher.

is “seeing them grow, change, discover, becomewho they are.”

In 1993 Eric began writing novels for his Grade 5students as a way of encouraging their interest inreading and writing. He wrote about the school, thecommunity and even some of his students. Eachday he read aloud to his class, and at the end of theyear, one of his students suggested that he try to gethis manuscript published. That manuscript became

Stand Your Ground.

chapter books, sports books and mysteries. Oftenhis stories include themes from Eric’s background

in education and social work and his commitment tohumanitarian and social justice issues. Eric hopes his readers, like his children, “understand howimportant it is to try to help people along the way.”

a rush of different emotions—“satisfaction that thebook is completed, joy that I can move on to anotherproject, sadness that I can no longer talk to thecharacters and that the story is no longer just mine.” His advice to aspiring writers: “The same advice I’dgive to somebody who wants to be a professionalbasketball player. Play ball—write. Listen to yourcoaches—teachers. Watch good players—readgood books.” Eric is encouraged by what he seeshappening in Canadian children’s and YA literature.“We are now seeing children and young adults as

situations.”9780773674707, mm

Grade 7+, Coming of Age,Social Issues, ReadingLevel 4.2Red Cedar Award shortlistCCBC Our Choiceselection

9780773733039, hc9780773674851, pbWorld ex. NL, JPGrade 6+, Bully Issues,Disabilities, Reading Level4.2OLA Red Maple Award,Snow Willow Award,Manitoba Young Readers’Choice Award shortlist

9780773674219, mmWorld ex. FRGrade 7+, Coming of Age,Family Issues, ReadingLevel 4.8OLA Silver Birch Awardshortlist, Blue Heron Awardshortlist

9780773674479, mmWorldGrade 7+, Coming of Age,Social Issues, ReadingLevel 4.6OLA Silver Birch Award,Blue Heron Award,CCBC Our Choiceselection, Manitoba YoungReaders’ Choice Awardshortlist

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Stratford, ONLeslie Elizabeth Watts

Lillustrator. Her book, The Baabaasheep Quartet, won the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award in 2006 for its illustrations.

QHow did you get into illustration and developyour style?AI decided when I was in kindergarten thatI wanted to be a children’s book writer andillustrator. I drew and painted regularly as a child andcontinued to do so through school, although I did notreceive formal training. I didn’t even take Art in highschool. My style has developed naturally. I haven’ttried to force it. The technique I use, egg tempera,seems to determine the way my illustrations look.

QWhat is your favourite subject to draw?

AI don’t have a favourite subject. Besidesillustration, I also paint still life, portraits andlandscapes. All of these inform, to some degree, mychildren’s book illustrations. That sort of sustainedwork helps to keep me observant.

QWas there a point in your career when youwanted to do something different?ANo. Illustrating is hard work, but so is any job. I am always trying to become better, so thatchallenge keeps me going.

QWhat inspires your illustrations?

AThe simple answer is, of course, a great story. However, lately I have found myself inspired bya desire to bring more colour, contrast and movementinto my work. I have begun to look harder at theillustrations themselves and a little less intensely atthe world around me.

QWhat is your preferred illustrating technique?

AI start with pencil drawings, trace these ontoheavy cotton watercolour paper, and paint withegg tempera, which is made of egg yolk, water, and

applied in many layers until the desired intensity andform are achieved.

QWhat are you most proud of as an illustrator?

AReceiving the Amelia Frances Howard-GibbonAward for The Baabaasheep Quartet in 2006. I had been illustrating books for twenty years, and I

9781550418859, hcWorldPicture Book, Fanciful, Dinosaurs

9781550418903, hcWorldPicture Book, HumourAmelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for Illustration

9781550418057, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Relationships, Family

illustration from The

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Lethbridge, ABRudy Wiebe

9780889953345, pbWorldPicture Book, Native StudiesForeWord Magazine Book of theYear Award shortlist, Amelia FrancesHoward-Gibbon Award Notable Title,Alberta Children’s Book of the YearAward, Alberta Book Illustration ofthe Year shortlist,CCBC Our Choiceselection

9780889950863, pbWorldAges 12+, Picture Book, OlderReaders

9780889952683, pbWorldAges 12+, Adventure

9781550413236, pbWorldHigh School/Adult,North West Rebellion,Louis Riel/GabrielDumont

9781550413250, pbWorldHigh School/Adult

9781550413274, pbWorldHigh School/Adult

Rudygrewuponabushfarmina Saskatchewantown. By the fourth grade, he had readsuch epics as Les Misérables and David . William Faulkner, Leo Tolstoy, Robert

Kroetsch, Flannery O’Connor and W.G. Sebaldare his favourite authors because of their abilityto recreate their homeland, wrestle with faith andexplore particular places.

Rudy and his family moved to the community ofLethbridge, Alberta, when he was 12, where thedifferences between country and city life wereimmediate. “One big difference was that I came toa huge school, and it was no longer possible to bealone the way I was on our isolated farm,” he says. “There were people living and working around useverywhere, all the time.”

For Hidden Buffalo, Rudy was inspired by two things:“the Cree story of the creation of the buffalo by theCreator, and the geography of the place surroundingSounding Lake—the delightful Neutral Hills, the lake

Deer River Badlands to the south.”

Rudy teaches creative writing. “The delight of superbstorytelling spreads like the roots of a poplar tree,branching out, growing up strong, everywhere,”he says. Some of the advice he passes on to hisstudents—as well as all aspiring writers—is to readwithout ceasing, and above all, write and rewrite andrewrite again. When asked what he enjoys most

a story into the fewest possible words, reading thestory aloud, and showing the pictures to a circle ofspellbound children.”

Rudy has won major literary awards in his career,including two Governor General’s Awards, and,most recently, the Charles Taylor Prize for LiteraryNon-Fiction.

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Budge Wilson was born and educated inNova Scotia, but spent many years inOntario before returning home in 1989. Shehas enjoyed a varied professional life as a teacher,

and writer. But in her late 40s her near vision startedto blur, and she found she was no longer able to takegood pictures. It was around this time she beganto pursue writing, enduring rejections for six years

is patience. “A lot of patience was required. Butwhen it all came together, I discovered that I lovedthe work.”

Budge loves the writing process, and is extremelyinterested in incorporating people’s emotions intothe characters in her stories—writing charactersthat people can relate to. “One interesting trend I am

to discover the pleasure to be derived from reading alot of well-written and insightful YA books,” she says. “Because they enjoy remembering their own youth,and also come to a better understanding of theirown children.” These kinds of books are frequentlyreferred to as “crossover books”—crossing overfrom one readership to another. Budge participatesin readings, talks and workshops in Canada andaround the world (most recently in Lahr, Germany,Mexico City and Guadalajara).

Anne of Green Gables, which was commissioned tocelebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication ofthat book. It is a project she is very excited about.

Budge has won many honorary awards, and severalof her books have been translated to television and

has published over 32 books, with translations in 10languages and 13 countries. In 2003, Budge Wilsonwas presented with the Mayor’s Award for CulturalAchievement in Literature in Halifax, Nova Scotia.In 2004 she was made a Member of the Order ofCanada.

Northwest Cove, NSBudge Wilson

9780773761209, pbWorldPicture Book, Fear of AnimalsCCBC Our Choice selection

9780773674677, mmWorldAges 12+, Adventure,Coming of Age, EcologyIssuesCAA Lilla Stirling Award,CCBC Our Choiceselection

9780887845031, pb9780773673632, mmWorld ex. US, AU, ITAges 12+, Short Stories,Coming of Age, FemalePoint of View

9780773730212, hcWorld ex. AU/NZ book clubPicture BookCCBC Our Choice selection

9780773674561, mmWorld ex. USAges 12+, Short StoriesThomas Raddall FictionAward shortlist

9780773674233, mmWorldAges 12+, Short Stories,RelationshipsCity of Dartmouth BookAward shortlist, CCBCOur Choice selection

9780773673489, mmWorldAges 12+, Coming ofAge, Told Through DiaryEntriesCAA Mariana DempsterAward, CCBC OurChoice selection

9780773755086, pb9780773674165, mmWorldAges 8-12, Bully Issues,Adversity, Relocation &AdjustmentAnn Connor Brimer Award,City of Dartmouth BookAward shortlist, CCBC OurChoice selection

Budge receiving the Order of Canada Medal from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson

Budge and husband, Alan, in Northwest Cove

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www.janetwilson.ca Eden Mills, ONJanet Wilson

Janet Wilson is an award-winning illustratorof children’s books.QWho is your favourite artist?

AMy favourite artist is my son Cory. When heBunny—but the real way and not by animators whopretended to be Chuck Jones, the original creator.Cory attended a high school with a good art program,and after he graduated from the Sheridan Collegeanimation program he had many offers for jobs inHollywood. But the one he accepted was with—youguessed it—Chuck Jones.

Qto be more challenging than you expected. Hasit gotten easier as you work on more books?

ANo, it hasn’t become easier, but now I don’t havean expectation that it will. The more experienceI have, the greater my feeling that I don’t know whatI’m doing. But also with more experience, I have

doing.

QWhat do you do when you feel stuck oruninspired in your work?

AUsually I feel stuck and uninspired when I’mnot working. Once I’ve forced myself to startpainting, then I get inspired. I work on many paintingsat the same time so if one is bothering me I put itaway. After a few days, when I look at it again with afresh eye, the solution is often obvious.

QWhat is your advice to aspiring illustrators?

ABe an electrician or a dentist or a teacher. Thatway you’ll have money, holidays and a pension.Then you will have fun illustrating as a hobby onevenings, weekends and when you’re retired. Youdon’t choose to be an artist—it chooses you. If youdo have a choice, then I think you should choose tobe employed. If you don’t have a choice, then youmust be prepared to be a starving artist.

Q What do you want your children to learn fromyou as a mother?AI want them to always replace the empty rollof toilet paper. This is very important to me. Itshows kindness, decency, thoughtful considerationfor others, and an important sense of duty, work andresponsibility.

QWhat are your top three priorities?

ACan I have four? My husband, my two sons andmy grandson. If they count together as family,then I would add community and art.

9781895555707, hc9780773758377, pbWorld ex. USAges 5+, Picture Book,Pioneer LifeAmelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award, ElizabethMrazik-Cleaver Award, RuthSchwartz Award

9780773730182, hcWorld ex. USAges 5+, Picture Book,Pioneer Life

9780773732216, hcWorldPicture Book, Non-Fiction & Fiction, Overview of20th Century, Capsule Information

9781550051391, pbWorldPicture Book, Dealing with Death,Health Issues (AIDS)9780773762046, pb

WorldPicture Book, Homeless Cat Findsa New Home

Illustration from

Janet with 21 HIV AIDS orphans in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

9781550051445, hc 10th Anniversary Edition9780773729919, hc9780773759251, pbWorldPicture Book, Poem by John McCrae, WorldWar IOLA Silver Birch Award, IODE Book Award,Resource Links The Year’s Best, CLA HonourBook for Text, CLA Honour Book for Non-Fiction, Information Book Award, White RavensSelection, Red Cedar Award for Non-Fiction,IRA Teachers’ Choice Book, New York PublicLibrary Books for the Teen Age

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Frieda Wishinsky is the critically acclaimedauthor of over 30 books. Here she talks aboutpivotal moments in her life as a writer.QAs a special education teacher for over 20years, did you ever learn any important lessonsfrom your students?

AI learned how much persistence pays off. I alsosaw how all of us have areas of strength andweakness and those are different for everybody.

Qwhen you moved with your husband from NewYork in the ’70s?

AToronto seemed sprawling, clean and quiet.I know the quiet part sounds strange butremember I grew up in New York with constantnoise. Toronto was also starting to become amulticultural city and new restaurants, shops andfoods were adding buzz and pizzazz to the city. Iliked all of that.

QWhat were some favourite books that youchecked out of your local library as a kid?

AI loved fantasy. Books like Mary Poppins andEdgar Eager’s Half Magic intrigued me. I lovedor under a hole. I liked biographies, too.

QYour childhood experiences have been thematerial for some of your books. What is youradvice to kids?

AEvery day is a story. Actually every hour is astory. Write your own stories in your own way.The best stories come from true experiences andfeelings, mixed with imagination.

QHow do you overcome writer’s block?

AI read. I talk to other writers. I take a walk. I writesomething, anything. I believe that if you’relooking for a story, it will come. It’s magic. You justhave to relax and let the magic happen.

QWho is your favourite character in your books?

AMany of my characters are a little me, a littlesomeone I know and a little pure imagination,so I don’t have a favourite. I love them all.

QWho is your favourite author?AI have many favourites but here are three. Forkids stuff: Kate DiCamillo and Kevin Henkes.They have unique styles, a real voice and humour.For adult books: Jane Austen. She has a strong,subtle sense of how people behave.

Toronto, ONFrieda Wishinsky

9781550415193, hc9781550415216, pbWorldReader, Chapter Book, Self-EsteemToronto Public Library100 Best CanadianChildren’s Books, CCBCOur Choice selection

9781550415292, pbWorldReader, Chapter Book, BullyIssues, Self-Esteem

9781550416820, hc9781550417043, pbWorld ex. KRPicture Book, Overcoming Fear, Self-Esteem, Bully IssuesResource Links The Year’s Best,OLA Blue Spruce Award shortlist,Chocolate Lily Award shortlist, TinyTorgi PrintBraille Award shortlist,CCBC Our Choice selection

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Millustrator of such critically acclaimed books asOld Bird, Scared Sarah, Lizzie’s Storm, Apples and Angel Ladders and Tooga: The Story of a Polar Bear. She is best known for the accurate historical detail inher illustrations. She uses picture references in as many

her illustrations.

As a child, Muriel’s favourite book was always “the nextbook.” This love for the world of literature has followedher into her adult years. She says her favourite characterout of all her illustration work is “always in the next bookI’m illustrating.” Muriel always delves into the book orillustration she is working on, adopting the drawing as an

Muriel graduated from the Canterbury College of Artand began illustrating children’s books in 1964. Shecites William Blake as one of her favourite artists, as his

into her art. Later in life, as an experienced artist and

aspiring illustrators as a teacher of art. Muriel alsoenjoyed nurturing her students’ originality and see their

the Ontario College of Art for 10 years.

Muriel has created designs that have appeared on

she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. She makes her home in Toronto..

Illustration from

Linear drawing from

Toronto, ONMuriel Wood

9781550417951, pbWorldGrade 3+, Chapter Book, Immigration,Historical, AdversityChocolate Lily Award shortlist

9781550417128, hc9781550417142, pbWorldGrade 3+, Chapter Book, Native,Immigration

9781554550005, hc9781554550012, pbWorldGrade 3+, Chapter Book,Adjustment & Relocation, SocialIssues

9781550416718, hcWorldGrade 6+, Pioneer Stories,ImmigrationGrant MacEwan Award

Alberta Award, CAAChildren’s Short StoryAward, CCBC Our Choiceselection

9781550416954, hc9781550416978, pbWorldPicture Book, Pioneer, Family IssuesGrant MacEwan Award Honourable Mention,CCBC Our Choice selection

9781550413526, hc9781550413540, pbWorldGrade 3+, Chapter Book,Immigration, Social Issues, AdversityOLA Silver Birch Express Awardshortlist, Resource Links Best Book,CCBC Our Choice selection

9781550418989, hc9781550419009, pbWorld ex. KRGrade 3+, Early Chapter Book,Science, Habitat, Life of aPolar BearCCBC Our Choice selection,Alberta Children’s Choice BookAward shortlist

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Shirley Woods retired from business so hecould spend more time doing the things heloves best: writing and being outdoors. Hedeveloped a love of nature from his father, who wasan enthusiastic and knowledgeable outdoorsman. “We lived on the outskirts of a city, so my playgroundwas mostly uninhabited woodland. My love ofdogs—as well as animals and birds—started whenI was a small boy. At that time, my best friend was alarge black Labrador named Soot.”

Shirley includes his passion for animals andnature in his children’s books. He has written anumber of books about various animals: a deermouse (Pip: The Adventures of a Deer Mouse),a coyote (Black Nell: The Adventures of aCoyote), a raccoon (Kit: The Adventures of a Raccoon), a fox (Amber: The Story of a Red Fox),a beaver (Jack: The Story of a Beaver) and a polarbear (Tooga: The Story of a Polar Bear). For the mostpart, Shirley tries to write books featuring animals

that are misunderstood. “All the species I write abouthave suffered at the hands of humans, and most ofthem have also suffered from bad press in the formof inaccurate and negative information circulated bythe media and word of mouth.” Shirley wants to tryto educate his readers about nature and animals aswell as entertain them. “Children have open mindsand a thirst for knowledge,” he says. “They also havean innate ability to tell whether something rings true,or if it is false. My books are written for the animals(to the children), and it pleases me to be able to tellyoung readers the facts about the challenges facedby our indigenous species. After all, the children oftoday will be the movers and shakers of tomorrow—and hopefully they will do something to protect thesespecies in the future.”

but says his main interest now is writing for childrenand educating them. He is a fellow of the RoyalSociety of Arts.

Mahone Bay, NSShirley Woods

9781550418989, hc9781550419009, pbWorld ex. KRGrade 3+, Early ChapterBook, Science, Habitat, Lifeof a Polar BearCCBC Our Choice selection,Alberta Children’s ChoiceBook Award shortlist

9781550417333, hc9781550417357, pbWorld ex. KRGrade 3+, Early ChapterBook, Science, Habitat, Lifeof a Beaver

9781550418118, hc9781550418101, pbWorld ex. KRGrade 3+, Early ChapterBook, Science, Habitat, Lifeof a FoxDiamond Willow Award,Red Cedar Book Awardshortlist, Snow WillowAward shortlist, CCBC OurChoice selection, Children’sCrown Award shortlist

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Rockwood, ONPeter Carver Victoria, BCAnn Featherstone

Aformer high school teacher, Peter has worked inthe Canadian publishing industry for 30 years asan editor, a publisher, the publications editor forthe Canadian Children’s Book Centre and the co-ordinatorof the annual Children’s Book Week. Since 1986, he has

Deer Press.

As an editor, Peter would like to be known as “someonewho helped contribute to the body of work that is Canadianchildren’s and teen literature. And every word of those fouris important to me. Canadian—because it’s vital that wehave a rich body of material that comes out of this country,out of our national sensibilities. Children’s and teen—because they are the most important of all readers. If wecan’t bring children to the written word, we’ll have made afatal slip in the job of maintaining a cultural heritage that isdistinctive on this planet. Literature—because excellenceis simply the only standard that can apply to reading forthis audience.”

For the past 20 years, Peter has been mentoring aspiringwriters in his Writing for Children courses at GeorgeBrown College in Toronto, and “not a small number ofthose students are among the most exciting authorson the bookshelves today.” In 2007, Peter received theClaude Aubry Award, which is given to an individual

literature.

Peter left Red Deer Press in June 2007. We all wish himcontinued success.

Ann Featherstone is a highly successful editor ofchildren’s literature at Fitzhenry & Whiteside. Shewas also the pioneer of the children’s publishingprogram for Orca Book Publishers, starting their children’sline from scratch.

Ann entered the industry as an editor in 1989. Before that,she was a buyer in a large independent bookstore, whereshe saw a real need for children’s books about the WestCoast. So when she had the opportunity to work for asmall publisher and initiate a line of children’s books, sheleapt at the chance.

Since then, children’s literature has become her specialty:everything from picture books to young adult novels. Heradvice to aspiring editors is to read as broad a spectrumof books as possible, especially bestsellers and award-

and start analyzing what makes the great books of thatgenre so great.

When she needs to take a break from her work, Ann oftenvisits bookstores to see what is new and current on themarket. Ann loves bookstores, and says that if she hadn’tgotten into editing, she probably would have bought herown small bookstore.

Children’s Editors Children’s Editors

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IndexAbsolutely Invincible, 7Adventures of Baby Bear, 95Alice and the Birthday Giant, 84Amazing Animal Adventures Around

the World, 80Amazing Animal Adventures at the

Poles, 80Amazing Animal Adventures in

Forests, 80Amazing Animal Adventures in

Rivers, 80Amazing Animal Adventures in the

Desert, 80Amazing Animal Adventures on

Islands, 80Amber Waiting, 65Amber: The Story of a Red Fox, 54, 151Andrew, Catch That Cat!, 89

Mittens, 89Angel and the Polar Bear, 49Animal Dreaming, 110Apples and Angel Ladders, 109, 148Aram’s Choice, 121, 148

Baabaasheep Quartet, The, 138Baby Elephant, 95Baby Fox, 95Baby Grizzly, 95Baby Ground Squirrel, 95Baby Koala, 95Baby Lion, 95Baby Mountain Sheep, 95Baby Owl, 95Baby Penguin, 95Baby Porcupine, 95Baby Sea Turtle, 95Baby Seal, 95Baby Sloth, 95Baritone Cat, The, 145Bastedo, Jamie, 2Bats and Burglars, 77Bats in the Garage, 77Bats out the Window, 77Battles of the War of 1812, The, 9Beauty Returns, 104Beckoning Lights, 74Bedard, Michael, 5Bell, William, 6Bells on Finland Street, The, 23Ben Over Night, 40, 89Berton, Pierre, 9Between Brothers, 109Beyond the Northern Lights, 11Bibi and the Bull, 61

Big Ben, 40, 89Big Boy, 107Black Heritage, 122Blaikie, Lynn, 11Blaine’s Way, 74Blood Brothers, 68Blue Highway, 133Bottled Sunshine, 114Bouchard, David, 12Breath of a Ghost, 72Brenna, Beverley, 14Bringing Up Beauty, 104Brothers and Strangers, 68Bumblebee Sweater, A, 89But Cows Can’t Fly, 68By the Standing Stone, 131Bye Bye Pie, The, 77, 114

Call Me Aram, 121, 148Camping, 30Canada Moves West, 8Carmen, 47Carry Me, Mama, 33Carter, Anne, 16Carver, Peter, 152Cassidy, Sean, 19Charles, Veronika, 20Chicken Cat, The, 19, 103Chinook Christmas, 141Christmas Orange, The, 49Circle of Silver, A, 131City Dogs, 56Company of Fools, A, 39Cook, Lyn, 22Cordelia Clark, 142Courtship, The, 142Cowboys Don’t Cry, 68Cowboys Don’t Quit, 68Crabbe, 7Crane Girl, The, 21Crook, Connie Brummel, 25Czerneda, Julie, 26

Daniel, Alan & Lea, 28Dare, 68Darker Magic, A, 4Defenders, The, 122Deines, Brian, 31Devine, Monica, 33Diamonds in the Rough, 137Different Kind of Beauty, A, 104Discovering Canada series, 122Dixon, Norma, 34Dollmage, The, 93Dragon’s Pearl, The, 90, 110

Dragon’s Tapestry, The, 93Dream Catcher, The, 74Dreamstones, 131Dume’s Roar, 107Dunnion, Kristyn, 37

Edge, 133Eh? to Zed, 29Ellen’s Terrible TV Troubles, 53Ellis, Deborah, 38Ellis, Sarah, 41Emily, 4Emma and the Coyote, 116Emma at the Fair, 116Emma’s Cold Day, 116Emma’s Eggs, 116Emma’s Emu, 89En la granga del tio Juan, 30, 44Enough, 98, 121Explorer, 27Exploring the Frozen North, 9

Fabulous Song, The, 49Falling for Snow, 3Fangs and Me, 53Fantastic Companions, 27Fast Track, 70Fat Charlie’s Circus, 49Fear of Angelina Domino, The, 142Featherstone, Ann, 153Fire! The Renewal of a Forest, 54First and Vital Candle, 141Fitzgerald, Joanne, 42Fitz-Gibbon, Sally, 45Five Days of the Ghost, 7Five Pennies: A Prairie Boy’s

Story, 109Flight from the Fortress, 23Flight, 24Flying Lessons, 54Flying Tortoise, The, 107Focus on Flies, 35Forever, 30Forgive Us Our Travises, 126Fréchette, Carole, 47Free as the Wind, 3Full Throttle, 70Fur Traders, The, 122

Gay, Marie-Louise, 48G-Force, 70

Ghost Dance, The, 110Ghost of Avalanche Mountain,

The, 90Gilders, Michelle, 51Gilmore, Rachna, 52Girl on Evangeline Beach, The, 16Give Maggie a Chance, 67, 146Glass Town, 4Goatnappers, The, 78Godkin, Celia, 55Goertzen, Glenda, 57Gold Fever Trail, 74Golden Trail, The, 8Goldstone, 90Good to be small, 19Gorrell, Gina K., 58Graham, Georgia, 60Grain of Sand, A, 86

, 62Grave Secrets, 104Great Depression, The, 8Great Klondike Gold Rush, The, 9Great War, The, 122Gregory, Nan, 64

, 66Group of One, A, 53Gummytoes, 19

Halvorson, Marilyn, 69Hampshire, Anthony, 71Hanna Bear’s Christmas, 19, 33Healing Our World, 113Heaven Shop, The, 39Heck Superhero, 93Hidden Buffalo, 141Hiding Place, The, 23Horrocks, Anita, 73How Smudge Came, 65Hughes, Monica, 75Hungry Year, The, 24Hunter in the Dark, 74

I Remember Korea, 63If I Just Had Two Wings, 119Imagine That!, 145In Flanders Fields, 63, 145In the Key of Do, 47Initiation, 119Into My Mother’s Arms, 77, 114

Jack: The Story of a Beaver, 54, 151Jakeman, 39Jennings, Sharon, 76

Jessica Moffat’s Silver Locket, 98Jingle Bells, 84Jordan, Rosa, 79

Kate’s Castle, 90Keating, Brian, 81Kele’s Secret, 107Keturah & Lord Death, 93Kids’ Guide to Zoo Animals, The, 50King and the Tortoise, The, 107Kitoto the Mighty, 107Kobzar’s Children, 121Kogawa, Joy, 82Kovalski, Maryann, 84Krykorka, Vladyana, 87

Ladybug Garden, 54LaFave, Kim, 88Lang, Aubrey, 94Lawson, Julie, 91Lean Mean Machines, 96Leaving, The, 142Leavitt, Martine, 92Leon’s Song, 103Let it Go, 68Little Dog Moon, 131Lizzie’s Storm, 44, 148Lizzy’s Lion, 49Log Jam, 74Long Wait, The, 142Long White Scarf, The, 131Lorinda’s Diary, 142Lost Goat Lane, 78Lowdown on Earthworms, 35Loyal Refugees, The, 122Lynch, Wayne, 94

Mad Trapper, The, 141Mademoiselle Moon, 49Magic Hockey Skates,The, 98Maiden of the Mist, 21Making Grizzle Grow, 53, 138Maple Moon, 24Marineau, Michèle, 97Martchenko, Michael, 99Matthew and the Midnight Ball

Game, 98Matthew and the Midnight Bank, 98

98Matthew and the Midnight Flood, 98Matthew and the Midnight Hospital,

98Matthew and the Midnight Movie, 98

Matthew and the Midnight Pilot, 98Matthew and the Midnight Pirates, 98Matthew and the Midnight Wrecker,

98Matthew and the Midnight Wrestlers,

98McFarlane, Sheryl, 100McLellan, Stephanie, 102McNicoll, Sylvia, 105Messenger, 119Meyers’ Creek, 24Meyers’ Rebellion, 24Midnight Mimi, 49Mina’s Spring of Colors, 53Missing Matthew, 36Mollel, Tololwa, 106Monkey Mountain Monster, The, 126Moon Children, The, 15Moonbeam on a Cat’s Ear, 49Morck, Irene, 108Morin, Paul, 111Morley, David, 113Mosh Pit, 36Most Beautiful Kite in the World, The, 138Mounties, The, 122Mr. Hiroshi’s Garden, 110, 131Mud Family, The, 110My Home Bay, 16, 29My Lonely Enemy, 141Mythspring, 27

Naomi’s Road, 83Native Peoples, 122Nature Babies series, 95Necklace of Stars, 21Nellie L., 24Nellie’s Quest, 24Nellie’s Victory, 24New France, 122Next Stop!, 40, 114Nightingale, The, 4No Frogs for Dinner, 146No Limits, 27No Missing Parts, 16No Monsters Here, 77, 114Nobody Said It Would Be Easy, 68Nokum Is My Teacher, 13Nokum Ma Voix et Mon Coeur, 13North Star to Freedom, 59Number 21, 30

Odyssey, 27Ohi, Ruth, 115Old Bird, 109, 148

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Oliver’s Wars, 142Omar on Board, 85Omar on Ice, 84, 85Omar’s Halloween, 85On the Limit, 70On Thin Ice, 3On Uncle John’s Farm, 30, 44On Wings of a Dragon, 128On Wings of Evil, 128Only a Cow, 67Orbiter, 27Orphan Boy, The, 107, 110Orphans in the Sky, 86Our Stories, Our Songs, 39

Packing Fraction, 27Paint Box, The, 131Painted Devil, 4Pants Off First!, 114Pavlova’s Gift, 131Perilous Year, The, 24Pod of Orcas, A, 101, 135Polar Bear’s Gift, The, 86Polaris, 27Prairie Dogs, The, 56Prairie Summer, 30Prairie Willow, 131Princess, 126Priscilla and Rosy, 77Priscilla’s Paw de Deux, 77Prism Moon, The, 93Promise, The, 74

Queen’s Feet, The, 40

Rabbit Blue, 49Railways, The, 122Rain, Rain, 84Rainy Day Magic, 49Reaching North, 3Rebels, The, 122Rebound, 137Redwork, 4Refuge, The, 74Rhino’s for Lunch and Elephants for

Supper!, 107Road to Chlifa, The, 96Roundup at the Palace, 29Ruurs, Margriet, 117

Sandwriter, 74Saturday Appaloosa, The, 61Scared Sarah, 148

Schwartz, Virginia, 118Scoop on Poop, The, 95Scorched Wood People, The, 141Screaming Kind of Day, A, 53Sea Otter Inlet, 54Second Banana, 126Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt, 125, 145Selina and the Shoo Fly Pie, 125, 145Send One Angel Down, 119Sharla, 142Shield Country, 3Silver Moon, 86Silver Threads, 98, 121Skrypuch, Marsha, 120Smell of Paint, The, 101Smith, A.G., 123Smucker, Barbara, 125So Long Stinky Queen, 146Sower of Tales, The, 53Stand Your Ground, 137Stardust, 27Stars, 137Staunton, Ted, 127Stinky, 126Storm at Batoche, 131Stranger on the Line, 68Stranger on the Run, 68Stretch, Swallow and Stare, 21Strongest Man This Side of

Cremona, The, 61Summoned to Destiny, 27

Take Me Out to the Ball Game, 85Taker’s Key, The, 93Taylor, Cora, 129Team Like No Other, A, 61There Have Always Been Foxes, 131This is me and where I am, 43This is the Dog, 101Tiger Flowers, 145Tiger’s New Cowboy Boots, 61, 109Tiny Kite of Eddie Wing, The, 131Title Run, 70To Everything a Season, 68Tom Finder, 93Too Many Suns, 90Tooga: The Story of a Polar Bear, 148, 151Topher, 72Tracking Triple Seven, 3Treasure of the Long Sault, The, 74Trottier, Maxine, 130Trouble With Girls, 126Tullson, Diane, 132

Turns on a Dime, 90Twelve Months, The, 86Two False Moves, 126Two Shoes, Blue Shoes, New

Shoes!, 44

Under a Shooting Star, 131

Vikings, The, 122

Wake Up, Henry Rooster!, 19, 116Wakelin, Kirsti Anne, 134Walking Stick, The, 131Walters, Eric, 136Watts, Leslie Elizabeth, 139We’ll All Go Exploring, 89We’ll All Go Flying, 89We’ll All Go Sailing, 89What They Don’t Know, 72What’s That Sound? At the Circus,

89, 101What’s That Sound? By the Sea, 89, 101What’s That Sound? In the City, 89, 101What’s That Sound? On the Farm,

89, 101When the Giant Stirred, 54

When Vegetables Go Bad!, 49When you get a baby, 43, 77Where Poppies Grow, 63Why Am I Rare?, 50Wiebe, Rudy, 140Wild Girl & Gran, 65Wild Orchid, 15Wilson, Budge, 143Wilson, Janet, 144Wishinsky, Frieda, 146Wolf Island, 54Wolf of Gubbio, The, 4Wood, Muriel, 149Woods, Shirley, 151

Yum!yum!!, 43

Zero, 133

Index