Authors
Meghan Rose Allen
Meghan Rose Allen writes stories for young readers and adults, and has had her work published in numerous literary journals across Canada. Born in Peterborough, Ontario, she has lived in Calgary, Ottawa, and Halifax, and currently lives in Sackville, New Brunswick. Enid Strange is her debut novel.
Helaine Becker
Helaine Becker is a bestselling writer of children's and YA fiction, non-fiction, and verse. She has won the Silver Birch Award two times (Boredom Blasters, 2006; Secret Agent Y.O.U., 2008) and been a Silver Birch Honour recipient (What's the Big Idea?, 2011). Her chapter book series, The Looney Bay All-Stars, has sold over 185,000 copies to date; A Porcupine in a Pine Tree was the #1 Canadian National Bestseller and received the Libris Picture Book of the Year Award from the CBA. A New York native, she has lived happily in Toronto for more than 20 years.
Kate Blair
Kate Blair is a native of Hayling Island, UK, and is now a Canadian citizen living in Toronto. Her first novel, Transferral, was a finalist for the Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award and the Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Snow Willow Award, and was a Starred Selection of the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens. Transferral is currently being adapted for television.
George Bowering
George Bowering is a poet, writer, biographer, and historian. He has written over ninety works and was the first Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada. He has won the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction and Poetry. In 1993, he became an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2004 received the Order of British Columbia. Having lived all across Canada, including Montreal, Calgary, and London, Ontario, he is currently living the good life and is retired in Vancouver, BC.
Brian Deines
Brian Deines has illustrated numerous books for children, including Skysisters (written by Jan Bourdeau Waboose), Dragonfly Kites (written by Thomson Highway), and One Hockey Night (written by David Ward). He has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Literature Award, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, and the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award. A native of Red Deer, Alberta, Brian lives in Toronto.
Cherie Dimaline
Cherie Dimaline is a Métis author and editor whose award-winning fiction has been published and anthologized internationally. Her first book, Red Rooms, was published in 2007, and her novel The Girl Who Grew a Galaxy was released in 2013. In 2014, she was named the Emerging Artist of the Year at the Ontario Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, and became the first Aboriginal Writer in Residence for the Toronto Public Library. Her book A Gentle Habit was published in August 2016. The Marrow Thieves has won the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Kirkus Prize; it is a finalist for the White Pine Award, was named to the Globe and Mail Top 100 and was selected for CBC’s Canada Reads.
Holly Dobbie
Holly Dobbie is a former high school teacher with a heart for the underdog. Her teaching experiences and volunteer work with at-risk youth through the Red Cross Child Abuse Prevention Program has taught her that change is needed at almost every level of the middle and high school environments. She lives with her family in Langley, BC.
Philippa Dowding
Philippa Dowding has won many magazine awards and has had poetry and short fiction published in journals across Canada. Her children's books have been nominated for numerous literary awards in Canada, in the U.S., and Europe, including the SYRCA Diamond Willow, OLA Silver Birch Express, OLA Red Maple, and Hackmatack awards. In 2017, she won the OLA Silver Birch Express Honour Book Award for Myles and the Monster Outside.
R.s. Fleming
R.S. Fleming was born in Pierrefonds, Quebec, and has lived in Mississauga, Ontario, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the Prince Edward County. He served for twenty-two years in the RCAF as an aviation technician and instrument electrician, and was awarded a Canadian Forces Decoration and clasp as well as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for meritorious service. Fleming is now a full-time author. Kate Tattersall Adventures in China is his first book.
Cherie Dimaline
Alma Fullerton was born in Ottawa Ontario, as one of seven children. Her dad was in the military so they moved when his postings changed, first to Trenton when she was two, then to Comox when she was twelve. Being dyslexic, she couldn’t read until grade four and didn’t enjoy reading at all until grade nine, when she discovered books that she really loved. Now that she is as an award-winning author, Alma visits schools to teach children that they, too, can overcome any obstacle. Her first three books are: In the Garage (2006); Walking on Glass (2007), which was named to the 2008 YALSA Quick Pick list; and Libertad (2008), which has won and been nominated for many awards, including the 2008 Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature (finalist), the 2009 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award (finalist), the 2009 Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award (winner), the 2009 CLA Children’s Book of the Year Honor Book, the 2009 Golden Oak Award (winner), the 2009 Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award (winner), and the 2010 Silver Birch Award (shortlist).