Canadian Children's Book Week

Thanks to all of the schools and libraries I visitied in Lindsay, Kirkfield, Woodville, Oshawa, Mississauga and Toronto. I had a wonderful, albeit very busy, time in Ontario during the Book Week tour. Also, thanks to the Canadian Children's Book Centre and Monica Winkler, organizer par excellence, for making the trip possible and for making it as smooth and hassle-free as possible! The Canadian Children's Book Centre does so many things for Canadian writers — if you love books and kids and the idea of keeping books about Canada by Canadians on library and bookstore shelves, please check them out and consider supporting them. You can find more at their website.

The trip had crazy weather "bookends." High winds and lots of rain (and, consequeqntly, no power for 36 hours) the days before I flew east and a west coast snowstorm when I arrived home. Still balmy in Ontario I understand. This morning it is snowing here, something we only see every few years. The kids are happy and I would be too if I didn't have to drive to Port Alberni, a town 110 or so km away with some narrow, twisty roads and a high pass. Maybe my daughter won't get her braces today afterall!

Off to Ontario!
I'm off to Ontario for Children's Book Week. I'm looking forward to visiting students, teachers and parents in Woodville, Lindsay, Oshawa, Mississauga, Hamilton, North York, Scarborough and Toronto. Phew! No doubt it will be a fun, but exhausting, week! I'll give a full report when I've recovered.

Silver Birch Nomination
I've just learned that my book Skunks, published spring 2006, is nominated for the Silver Birch award, in the Express category. It's been awhile since I've been nominated for this award, but from their web site it seems like they have quite the events planned around the ceremony. May consider a trip east for the ceremony (it's always so much fun) if I can swing some school visits too. All of the nominees can be found at the OLA site.

Latest Issue of KNOW
Issue 6 of KNOW is whizzing it's way across the country. This was another fun one (they are all to me) with a theme section on dogs. Lots of cute pups, which I hope kids will enjoy.