I’m super excited to be presenting at the Children Change the World Montessori Conference in Calgary April 11-13. If you’re anywhere near Calgary, you won’t want to miss this awesome conference. I’ll be talking about inspiration literature and I’ll be presenting some of the fabulous new audio enhanced electronic picture books put out by Crow Cottage Publishers. See you in Calgary.
VCLR with Stephen McCallum of Crow Cottage Books
10 Jan 2014 Leave a comment
Here’s how I plan on celebrating my 60th birthday 🙂
Join illustrator /publisher Stephen McCallum & author Sheryl McFarlane Monday on January 20, 2014 at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable at Nellie McClung Branch Library to hear about the exciting new world of audio enhanced e-picture books for kids.
Come and see how picture books translate beautifully to the e-book form.
Doors open at 7 pm. Browse Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies and Children’s Bookstore table before the meeting begins at 7:30 pm. VCLR is open to the public. New members and drop-ins welcome. Members free; $5 drop-in; $4 student. For more information call 250-598-3694.
Advice from Neil Gaiman
02 Jan 2014 2 Comments
in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, Help for writers Tags: advice to young writers, Arthur cartoon featuring Neil Gaiman, Neil Gaiman
I can’t believe it’s already 2014! I thought I’d start the new year with a sage bit of advice offered to a young writer by author, Neil Gaiman. Gaiman drops in on an episode of the Arthur cartoon to impart some writerly wisdom, but his advice is true for writers of any age…trust your story and don’t give up. You just might be lucky enough to live the author dream of hearing a reader ask, ‘What happens next?’
…and thanks to GalleyCat for the heads up.
The Island Santa ebook is coming…
07 Dec 2013 Leave a comment
in For Parents, News
Stephen McCallum from Crow Cottage Publishing has done a superb job of putting together Island Santa as an audio enhanced i-book. The question is, will Apple approve it before the holidays? I sure hope so. It’s been taking them a little longer lately…probably the seasonal rush. It’s fabulous, and helps to support Jeneece Place. Of course there’s always the hard cover option 🙂 available through your independent bookseller. Happy holiday season.
Haiku contest for kids
27 Nov 2013 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents, News Tags: Haiku writing contest for kids, Jacqueline Pearce
Thanks to my colleague Jacqueline Pearce for the heads up on this cool writing contest.
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★ Haiku Competition Rules
THEME : ‘ DREAMS ‘
AGE ： Ages 15 and under/Elementary or junior high school student
COMPOSITION ： One haiku entry per child
・ Must be unpublished original work, either handwritten or typed.
・ Haiku must be written on the artwork same page.
ARTWORK ： Hand-drawn/hand-crafted original artwork by the child
・ Any form allowed (water/oil-colored, black and white, wood-cut print, lithograph, paper cutwork, etc)
・ Use A4 sized (210mm x 297mm) paper or larger （US region : letter-sized or larger)
・ No photographs and digital images accepted.
Sponsored by: JAL FOUNDATION Co.Sponsored by: Japan Airlines
Supported by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan、Agency for Cultural Affairs in Japan, Japan Foundation、
Japan Committee for UNICEF
Co.Supported by In Association with: Haiku International Association、Japan Students Haiku Association
Victoria writers to catch in December
26 Nov 2013 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents, for teens Tags: Robin Stevenson, Sarah Harvey, Victoria Literature Roundtable, young adult authors
Authors Sarah Harvey & Robin Stevenson
Monday December 9th, 7:30 pm at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable
Two local authors for teens, Sarah Harvey (Lit Report, Death Benefits, Three Little Words) and Robin Stevenson (Record Breaker, Attitude, A Thousand Shades of Blue) will tell us about their writing experiences. Sarah, an editor for Orca Books, will also talk about the editing process, focusing on the new Limelights series of novels about the performing arts.
Also: Orca Books presents their new titles, and Sarah Harrison, Children’s Librarian, showcases Christmas books for gift-giving. Enjoy some Christmas treats!
The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road.
Doors open at 7 pm. Browse Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies and Children’s Bookstore’s table before the meeting. Bring a friend!
For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:
1 venue, 2 wonderful BC Authors
15 Nov 2013 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents Tags: children's literature, Children's Literature Roundtable, Dayle Gaetz, Kristin Butcher, Teen Literature
Authors Dayle Gaetz & Kristin Butcher
Monday November 18th, 7:30 pm
at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable
Authors Dayle Gaetz and Kristin Butcher will tell us about their latest books for youth. Dayle’s books range from animal adventure for the youngest readers, to mystery and history novels for pre-teens and teens. Her latest title is Taking the Reins, a horse story for girls. Kristin, drawing on her teaching experience, writes for ages 7-17. Her latest titles are Caching In (Orca Currents) for teens, and Truths I Learned from Sam, about 17-year-old Dani set in BC’s Cariboo Country.
The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road.
Doors open at 7 pm. Browse Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies and Children’s Bookstore’s table before the meeting. Bring a friend!
For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:
Grades 5-8 Write for a Better World Contest
03 Nov 2013 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents
2014 Write for a Better World Contest
World Literacy Canada
presents its annual
WRITE FOR A BETTER WORLD
contest
for Canadian students in Grades 5-8
This year, the writing theme was created by
Kelley Armstrong
author of numerous award-winning fantasy books
(here’s a sample below)
What to do:
• Using this story starter, tell what happens next in 400 words or less:
It’s been a long, sleepless night of strange dreams. Even once you wake up, you think you’re still dreaming, because you aren’t in your own bed. You aren’t even yourself! It’s no dream. You’ve woken in another part of the world, as someone from another culture.
How stories will be evaluated:
- Has the writer written about a place and culture that is different from their own? Is there indication that the author learned something about the culture?
- How unique is the writer’s approach to the topic?
- How is the story organized? Is there a clear beginning, middle and ending?
- Does the writer use proper spelling and grammar?
- Is the main character well-written? Does he/she represent the ideals of global citizenship?
Deadline:
• April 4, 2014
Full Details:
• Details of prizes and the entry form can be found athttp://www.worldlit.ca/canada-programs/write-for-a-better-world/write2014/
Author of the Silverwing and Airborn series in Victoria
20 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Parents, for teens, News
I won’t be in town for this, but if you are, don’t miss author Kenneth Oppel’s talk for the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable Monday October 21st, 7:30 at Nellie McClung Library. I love his books and if you haven’t read them, you will too!
Monday October 21st, 7:30 pm
at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable
All the way from Toronto: meet Kenneth Oppel, author of the Silverwing and Airborn series, Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor: the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, and more! Join us for Oppel’s illustrated talk about his career as an author – starting with his earliest writings in school, what inspired him, and how he got his first book published at age 17.
The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road.
Doors open at 7 pm. Browse Schoolhouse Teaching Supplies and Children’s Bookstore’s table before the meeting. Bring a friend!
For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:
Short-lists and winners
17 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
in Award News, For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens
It’s award season, and yes, it’s hard to keep up. If you hail from north of the 49th parallel, you’ll be familiar with the Ontario Tree Awards…These are a big deal here, cuz they’re a reader’s choice award, and what author doesn’t want his/her readers to love their books! There are awards for fiction as well as non-fiction with 6 English categories and two French. Their site has a handy template that links each category to this year’s short list as well as short lists and winners for several previous years. I recommend printing the lists off for future reading.
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The short-list for the Governor General’s Literature Award For Children’s Text (see below)
The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna
Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock
Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean E. Pendziwol
Counting Back from Nine by Valerie Sherrard
and short-list for the Governor General’s Literature Award for Illustration (see below) were also recently announced.
Miss Mousie’s Blind Date illustrated by Rachel Berman
Oy, Feh, So? illustrated by Gary Clement
Northwest Passage illustrated by Matt James
The Dark illustrated by Jon Klassen
How To illustrated by Julie Morstad
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Our friends south of the Canuck border are also celebrating short-lists of their own. The finalists for the 2013 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature has just been announced.
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt (S&S/Atheneum).
The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata (S&S/Atheneum).
Far Far Away by Tom McNeal (Knopf).
Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff (Putnam).
Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang (First Second).
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And finally, here in Victoria, BC we are celebrating Polly Horvath’s Bolen Books Prize win for Children’s Literature.
Sheryl McFarlane 