The only picture of me wearing a lab coat in existence. Ironically, it’s not my lab coat. It’s not even my lab. This photo was taken specifically for my book Fuzzy Forensics, which was written several years AFTER I finished my PhD and left academia! Notice the sweater – it was cold in this lab, too. Welcome to STEMinism Sunday! As a former woman in science, I have a deep and enduring interest in the…

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It’s the first ever I Read Canadian Day! Take 15 minutes out of your day today to read a Canadian book. Any Canadian book! And if you are so inspired: read out loud to your class, library, family, or pet post about that book on your social media feeds write a book review on Goodreads, Amazon, or Indigo donate to the I Read Canadian Fund, which helps put Canadian books in the hands of Canadian…

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Welcome to Cantastic Authorpalooza, featuring posts by and about great Canadian children’s writers! Today’s guest: Mahtab Narsimhan. Take it away, Mahtab! I dread reading the news these days. It’s important to stay up to date with current affairs but what do you do when almost everything you read ratchets up the stress, the tension? I’ve figured it out. You keep your eyes and ears, but especially your heart open for good news, for a story…

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Welcome to Mad Science Mondays, where we talk about depictions of science in movies, TV shows, books, and the media. We dissect the good, the bad, the comical and the outright irresponsible. Who says learning about science can’t be fun? Last week, the news broke that Canadians who are being evacuated from China will be quarantined at Canadian Forces Base Trenton for two weeks, to ensure they’re not infected with the new coronavirus. This got…

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  It’s Black History Month, so today I have a special guest: Marjorie Gunn, Canadian author of two children’s books on the legacy and ongoing practice of slavery around the world. When Francis Bok was seven years old, his mother sent him to the market near his village in southern Sudan to sell hard-boiled eggs and peanuts. This was the first time she’d entrusted him with this responsibility, and he felt very proud. But Francis’s…

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Dr. Patricia Bath is featured in my kids book about pioneers in medicine! Welcome to STEMinism Sunday! As a former woman in science, I have a deep and enduring interest in the experiences and representation of women in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). This series will be an opportunity for me – and you – to get to know some of these intellectual badasses. Imagine it’s the 1960s and you’re a black person…

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Welcome to Cantastic Authorpalooza, featuring posts by great Canadian children’s writers! Today’s guest: Sylvia McNicholl. Take it away, Sylvia! The Great Mistake Mysteries and Growth Mindset Sometimes I find it’s hard to stop being angry with yourself when you make a stupid mistake. Berating yourself then leads to a feeling of inadequacy which can easily morph into anxiety and a lack of confidence to try something new. That’s me, a writer with over thirty years…

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Welcome to Mad Science Mondays, where we talk about depictions of science in movies, TV shows, books, and the media. We dissect the good, the bad, the comical and the outright irresponsible. Who says learning about science can’t be fun? I’ve been watching Murder Maps on Netflix recently (because what’s more Christmasy than murder?) and if you’re into forensic science, it’s solid viewing – a sort of historical Forensic Files, but with more social context.…

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Welcome to Teach Write! This column draws on my 20 years’ experience teaching writing to kids, university students, and adult learners. It includes ideas and exercises that teachers can use in the classroom, and creative writers can use to level up their process. Happy New Year, and welcome to January, also known as “the start of a new semester.” Which means it’s a perfect time to talk about the most common form of writing assigned…

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As the holiday season kicks into high gear, we’re going to take a brief hiatus here on ye olde blog. The blog-mistress is in dire need of a nap, and she’s willing to bet a lot of you are, too. Wishing you all a healthy, happy, restful holiday season. Regularly-scheduled content returns January 6.  

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