So, in honour of my nation's birthday, I'd like to celebrate a few of my favourite Canadian authors.
Margaret Atwood -- great poetry & novels! I first discovered her in high school. I love the poems in The Circle Game. I always introduce a few of her poems to my students to show them poetry isn't all love poems or 'bippity-boppity-boo' stuff. They love it!
Farley Mowat -- fabulous adventures - fiction and nonfiction. Never Cry Wolf is my favourite (I've mentioned it before). Another is Virunga. This is a biography of Dian Fossey's life - with Mowat's narrative entwined with entries from Fossey's diary. Amazing stuff!
Gordon Korman -- incredibly talented and prolific author. He's written tons of MG and YA books. He started writing when he was a kid - and produced The MacDonald Hall series. Bruno & Boots get into hilarious adventures at a boarding school.
Lucy Maud Montgomery -- of course! You all know how I feel about her :)
Talli Roland -- she's living in the UK, but she was born in Canada, so she counts! The Hating Game is a fun-filled book. Great romance story with hysterical escapades on a reality TV show.
Dennis Lee -- awesome poet for kids. I think my kids had at least 20 of his poems memorized before they were 4. They adored his stuff! Here's an example from memory (hope it's right!)
Here is the story of Freddy my friend,I know! They loved it. More faves were Jelly Belly & Annie & Ernie - fun stuff! :)
He ran out in traffic,
And that is the end!
Hope everyone has a marvelous weekend! Happy 4th of July to all my US buddies!!
70 comments:
:) I'm actually in the process of re-reading ANNE, so huge YES to Montgomery. (And, of course, to Talli, who is awesome.)
Happy Belated Canada Day to you!
My daughters and I love Dennis Lee too. Yay, Canada Day!
Emy - thanks!!! Talli is awesome :) I adore LMM and her Anne series - just reread the 1st a few months ago!
Andrea - Dennis Lee is a riot! Such unique rhymes that are easy on the ear and the funny bone :)
Happy Canada Day! "Oh Canada..." Never mind, you don't want to hear me sing...
Alex - I'd love to hear you sing!! Anyone singing Oh Canada sounds wonderful ... even me! Okay, maybe not :)
Happy Canada day! :) And great authors. :)
Bethany - thanks!! :)
I agree - they are terrific - there are more, but no one wants to read a looooooong post!
I was born in Victoria, but live in the USA. I celebrate both Canada Day and the Fourth of July...I also have two Thanksgivings! : )
Happy Fourth of July!
Emily - you have the best of both worlds!! All kinds of parties & celebrations :) sounds like a blast!!
Have a great Canada weekend Jemi, it's thundering as I write this. Where in Canada are you?
Clearly, Canada has some wonderful authors. I really like Margaret Atwood and Talli Roland.
Kangaroobee - thanks! We're outside at a bonfire now so I hope the thunder stays far away! I'm in beautiful northern Ontario :)
Helen - thanks! I agree - there are so many terrific writers from here :)
Happy Canada Day....
I'll be visiting in August/September.... Toronto, the falls, Montreal, and Quebec...
I am SO looking forward to visiting your fair country.
This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing your favorite authors with us!
Being in Canada 6 weeks ago I know what a great place it is, I was in Toronto for 4 days in that time visited Niagara Falls, then went on to the US. Hope you enjoyed Canada Day with family and a Happy 4 th July for tomorrow.
Yvonne.
Gordon Korman! I WANT TO GO HOME is one of my favourite books ever! My copy dissolved and I can't get another anywhere. Man, that book makes me laugh out loud in public.
HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay for gorgeous and lovely Canadian bloggie friends too! Take care
x
Michael - thanks! You'll love it!! Those are fantastic cities - so many great sites and things to do. You'll have a blast!
Nichole - you're welcome! I hope you can find a new author among them :)
Yvonne - Toronto & Niagara are fabulous cities! Those falls are truly an incredible site. I remember your photo from being on the Maid of the Mist! :)
Amie - I agree! That book is hysterical! I've read it aloud to several classes and they love it. I love the beaver subplot throughout! :)
Old Kitty - Thanks!! You're a sweetie!! :)
As long as you remembered in real life, that is what matters.
Diane - so true! Real life is what it's all about after all :)
You have some excellent writers in your neck of the wood. Hope your 4th was super. Off to enjoy the one here in the U.S.
I'm from the U.S., but a lot of my favorite musicians, actors, and authors are Canadian, not to mention some good friends, too. :) So, Happy belated Canada Day!
Happy Canada Day, Jemi!!! L.M. Montgomery is my favorite Canadian author, too! I also like Alistair MacLeod.
No July 4th celebrated in Australia, but we are on school holidays for 2 weeks (yipee!). No excuse now to put off writing.
Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers
Happy Canada Day, Jemi!
Happy Birthday to your nation :)
Hey Jemi, I'm trying to get caught up in my blog reading. Sorry I'm late in wishing you a Happy Canada Day!
Hi Jemi, Sorry to be late in wishing you but anyway, Happy Canada Day!
Talli is awesome.
Happy Canada Day!
I've read Margaret Attwood - of course - but I love the sound of Gordon Korman's novels I can't wait to find some (I'm reading boarding schools next ;)) It made me smile to see Talli Roland listed as Canadian.
Lee - thanks! I think they're fabulous too :)
We've had a fabulous weekend! Hope yours is the same
Thanks Shelley! :) I have lots of great US buddies too!
Laura - LMM is magic! MacLeod is good too - forgot about him... :)
Charmaine - happy 2 weeks off! We had an exchange teacher from Australia one time and she loved our long holidays - but still missed those 2 week breaks every couple of months!
Teresa - thank you! :)
Lynda - thanks! We've had a great weekend to celebrate :)
Susanne - that's more than okay! I was even late posting about it :)
Nas - I agree - she's terrific!
Thanks! Best wishes are never late :)
Elaine - I know! I like claiming Talli as Canadian - even though she lives in the UK! :) I think your students would enjoy Korman's books!
AHHHHHHH! How thrilled am I that I'm on your list! Thanks so much, Jemi! And *lowers voice* I will always consider myself a Canadian first. It's where my roots are and I couldn't be prouder.
Happy Canada Day!
What a great way to celebrate your country! Thanks for all the suggestions. Hopefully I'll get to check them out in the near future. Although I'm already super familiar with Montgomery; seeing Prince Edward Island is on my bucket list. :)
Talli - you're very welcome! I don't think Canadians ever give up their roots all the way!! That Canuck blood is pretty strong :)
E - PEI makes a great choice for a bucket list! I'd love to get there one day too - such pretty countryside ... and I'd love to see Green Gables :)
Happy belated Canada Day! :)
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
Thanks Angela - we've extended the day over several days so you're right in time :)
Glad to hear that you had a great Canada Day.
Yay! I get to say Happy Canada Day. Better late than never, right? So glad the day was special for you and your family.
Rosalind - thanks! It's been lots of fun :)
VR - thanks! We had a blast - and it's kind of still going on :)
I totally did not know Gordon Korman was Canadian! Wow. How is it you guys produce such an abundance of coolness with so few people? :)
Susan - love it! Yes, we proudly claim Gordon Korman. I saw him speak once to a group of kids and he was incredible! I have a signed copy of Bugs Potter & I treasure it :)
Wow - it's interesting to me that Canada and the US's birthdays are so close to each other! Gordon Korman's name sticks out on your list. Probably because I got to hear him speak at SCBWI LA last year. He was awesome!
Lisa - I heard Gordon Korman speak over a decade ago and he was amazing. He inspired a whole audience full of kids! Amazing! :)
Happy Belated Canada day!!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend ;o)
Tanya Huff is Canadian. She wrote an awesome space opera series.
Love Atwood and Montgomery, too. And Tally.
Happy Canada Day!
Happy "belated" Canada Day!
I must check out some of your favourite Canadian authors.
Erica - thank you! We had a wondeful time :)
M Pax - I've heard good things about Tanya Huff, but I haven't read her stuff yet. I'll have to put her on my wishlist! :)
Alexa - thanks! I think you'll enjoy them :)
Wow, authors I never knew were Canadian! Very cool--and happy belated Canada Day!
Meagan - thanks! I'm always pleasantly surprised when an author is Canadian :)
I had no idea those authors were Canadian, especially Talli. That's so cool.
Happy Canada Day!
Julie - well, Talli lives in the UK now, but she was born Canadian so we get to claim her!! :)
Thanks!
I'm singing "Oh Canada," in my head. I lived in Toronto for a few months in my youth. Loved it there. Especially familiar candy with French packaging. I'm also a massive Gordon Korman fan. NO MORE DEAD DOGS rules.
Leslie - Toronto is a great city! I love our bilingual stuff too :P
No More Dead Dogs is hysterical! Such a fun book!! :)
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