Raoul Follereau (1903-1977) was a French writer and humanitarian. He established World Leprosy Day (the last Sunday in January each year) and worked tirelessly for the dignity of the poor and marginalized. In France, his name is found on schools, streets, and squares. Today, in seventeen countries, you can find associations that bear the name ‘Raoul […]

As a young child, Jan Coates waited eagerly for her first library card. Today, as a critically-acclaimed children’s book writer, she is helping to fill libraries herself. Her young adult novel A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature, […]

Beverley Brenna is known for her warm, funny family stories that capture the essence of childhood and champion diversity. Her awards include an international Dolly Gray Award, a Printz Honor Book Award, and a shortlisting for the 2013 Governor General’s Award. Wild Orchid, the title book in a trilogy about a young woman on the […]

Sylvia McNicoll is the award-winning author of more than 30 novels for young people. Once a financial clerk earning her English degree at night from Concordia University in Montreal, Sylvia has since been a teacher and the editor of Today’s Parent Toronto. Today Sylvia is a full-time writer who also gives her time to the Canadian […]

Ann Ingalls is the author of more than twenty books for children and adults., including Little Piano Girl, a finalist for the Crystal Kite Award. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Ann graduated from Michigan State University and worked as an early childhood and special education teacher. She now writes full time at home in Kansas City, […]

Raymond Nakamura is an educational consultant and avid science blogger who has worked with the Vancouver Aquarium, Nikkei National Museum, and Science World British Columbia. Now residing in Vancouver, he explored his Japanese heritage while spending time at a marine station and teaching ESL in Southern Japan. Raymond’s own spunky daughter inspired the character of […]

Mireille Messier hails from Ottawa but calls Toronto home. Her picture book The Branch was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association’s Blue Spruce Award in 2018. In addition to her career in books, Mireille has also worked as a voiceover artist and as a screenwriter for children’s television. She enjoys flexing her creative muscles in […]

Lifelong poet and writer Jill MacLean took the literary world by storm when she began writing for children in 2008. Her honours include the Ann Connor Brimer and Red Cedar book awards, the IBBY Honor List, the USBBY Outstanding International Books Honor list, and the VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers list. Her […]

Sanne Dufft was born in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1974. She spent her school career decorating the margins of her exercise books and drawing portraits of her fellow pupils (who liked it) and her teachers (who didn’t always…). She studied Art Therapy in Nürtingen, Germany, and worked with children with a variety of special needs (and […]

John Spray grew up in the midwest and spent years as a successful amateur boxer, gym rat and boxing fanatic. He has been a private investigator in Toronto for forty years and is the owner and founder of Mantis Investigation. John also sponsors the annual John Spray Mystery Award for excellence in mystery writing for […]