Writer in ResidenceTag

August Writer-in-Residence Alison Wearing on Family, Unexpected Inspiration, and the Art of Memoir

Say hello to Alison Wearing, our writer-in-residence for August!A critically-acclaimed author, educator, and multimedia artist, Wearing's previous book Confessions of a Fairy's Daughter earned her nominations ...

The Dirty Dozen with July Writer-in-Residence Irfan Ali

Meet our July 2020 writer-in-residence, Irfan Ali!A Toronto-born poet, essayist, and educator, Ali's previous book of short poetry Who I Think About When I Think About You found him shortlisted for the ...

If You Care About Education, You Need to Care About Copyright

Unless you’re a writer, you probably don’t think much about copyright law. But if you are a parent, or care at all about education, copyright needs to be on the top of your mind.A quick overview:Authors ...

Five Reasons Why Children’s Science Books are THE Must-read Books of the 21st Century. For Kids and Adults.

I have been a fan of the scientific method since I first learned what it was (It's only the single most powerful tool humans have ever created, but that’s another post ).I was terrible at doing science ...

The Male Default in Children's Literature - What It Is and Why It Matters

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Bechdel Test for movies.  A film that passes the Bechdel Test must have at least one scene in which two female characters are talking to each other – and not about a man. ...

To Pre-read, or Not to Pre-read?

Should you be vetting your kids’ reading material? For many, the answer seems so obvious, you don’t even need to ask the question.  To make sure kids are choosing books that meet their approval, ...

The School Library - Why It Matters More Than Ever

School libraries, now sometimes called Information Centres, have been getting short shrift in the last decade or so. Budgets have been slashed, staff hours cut and distributed among multiple locations, ...

Why are Canadian kids’ books so darn good? (And they are!)

We Canadians are pretty good at downplaying our accomplishments. “Cutting down the tall poppies” and “familiarity breeds contempt” should perhaps be emblazoned on our coins and flag.So it may ...

What Makes a Good Children’s Book?

You’re buying a book for a new baby, or for your own restless 12-year-old. You know what books delighted you when you were a kid. But are those books actually good? And are they likely to please and ...

June Writer-in-Residence Helaine Becker on Her Feminist Origin Story, Writing for Kids, and Her Inspiring New Book

If you're a fan of children's publishing, it's very likely you've heard of Helaine Becker. The Toronto-based creator has authored over eighty books for kids of varying ages, garnering accolades along ...