Loop de Loop AVAILABLE NOW!
My new book for kids, illustrated by talented, Rotterdam-based Roozeboos, has just been published. I had a blast at Telling Tales Festival in Burlington and Word on the Street in Toronto.
You’ll find the FREE downloadable guide for educators that I made with teacher Sari Stillman here.
Here’s what people are saying about it:
“A green read that holds promise to fill a reader with gentle, golden hope.”—Global Literature in Libraries Initiative
“Actionable steps are clearly outlined, and hope is offered in this bright and optimistic title.”—School Library Journal
Watch for more news and reviews here and at my lnkbio.
OLA Best Bets Honourable Mention
City of Neighbors is the fourth book in the ThinkCities series from Groundwood. It was recognized by librarians as an OLA Best Bets Honourable Mention; it is also on the World Illustration Awards longlist for the beautiful art of Katy Dockrill. Watch for it in stores or order now!
The FREE teacher/parent resource guide is also available now.
Kirkus calls it “a lively exposition of creative community-building projects.”
Canadian Review of Materials called it “Highly Recommended” and gave it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! “City of Neighbors is an outstanding narrative nonfiction book to inspire community action and galvanize positive change.”
I wrote an essay about how we might create our own city of neighbours in Canada’s Globe and Mail. You can read it here.
Did you catch the bookstore window Katy and I did at Toronto’s TYPE books? If not, check out my instagram for photos and more. For more reviews and news about me and my latest work, visit here.
Recent books
City Streets are for People, the 3rd book in the Groundwood Books ThinkCities series, is on Kobo’s Best of the Year in children’s literature list! It’s also been named to Booklist‘s Top 10 books for youth on Environment and Sustainability. Beautifully illustrated by Emma FitzGerald (Hand Drawn Halifax, Hand Drawn Vancouver), it’s about sustainable transportation and how people all over the world are reclaiming our streets. Available in bookstores, as an ebook or by order now! Ask your local bookshop to bring it in.
I also had two new books for young people publish in 2021.
Illustrated by Katy Dockrill, City of Water is the second in the ThinkCities series from Groundwood Books. It was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and named one of the Top 10 best books on sustainability by the ALA Sustainability Roundtable. Aimed at 8-12 year olds, it tells the story of how water gets to our cities and what we need to do to preserve this precious, finite resource. Order now or ask your favourite bookshop to bring it in! I also wrote an essay about how I started exploring the ravines and water systems in my own city inspired by my research for this book. Check it out here.
Barnaby is illustrated by Kass Reich and it’s my first fiction picture book to be published by Owlkids Books! I’ve been working on this book for years and I’m so excited to see it finally come to life. Barnaby tells the tale of a vain little blue budgie who flies away, only to discover there’s no place like home. Watch for it at bookstores or order now! Read the starred Kirkus review here!
UN Sustainable Development Goals Book Club
A Forest in the City came out in 2020 and is published by Groundwood Books. With beautiful illustrations by the prolific, award-winning artist Pierre Pratt, it’s an ode to the trees that make our cities sing. It received a Skipping Stones Honor Award and was named a UN Sustainable Development Goals Book Club pick.
As a former treeplanter and longtime tree lover, I’ve been thinking and writing about trees for a long time. Check out my first magazine feature about treeplanting here!
I also published a piece about my experience trying out forest bathing in Chatelaine.
To spread the love for city trees, I’ve started a social media campaign encouraging kids and adults to write letters of thanks to their favourite city trees. Listen here for an interview on CBC’s Metro Morning about my favourite tree! See my Instagram for some of the amazing letters or follow #notetoatree on social. Teachers and parents: click below for a craft tutorial related to the campaign.
I’m delighted that A Forest in the City is the first in a series of books about sustainability and changing urban systems called ThinkCities.
Big Water
Watch the handmade book trailer for my first YA novel by clicking here.
For adults
I also write award-winning books and magazine articles for adults. I’m interested in everything from food and politics to architecture and health.
