Life, the Universe and Everything


Interior spread from Wake Up Little Pin by Loretta Garbutt

Loretta Garbutt: A Little Story with a Big Message

Writing for children is an incredible experience and it’s also a lot of hard work. But, I love it. Not every single minute, but when I sit to write, I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. I often pinch ... Read More  

Cover of Bird Brain by Joanne Levy

Joanne Levy – How Bird Poop Inspired a Book

One of the most common questions I get from young readers is, “Where do you get your ideas?” If you’re an author reading this, I’m sure you’re nodding along—it’s very common. I take this question to mean that the person ... Read More  

Dr. Linda Campbell in the field

Happy Women in Science Day!

It's the International Day of Women and Girls in Science - yaaaaay! If you've been around this blog for more than five seconds, you'll know that I happen to be a woman in science, so uplifting female voices in ... Read More  

Aliya's Secret: A Story of Ramadan, by Farida Zaman

Farida Zaman: Aliya’s Secret

Aliya’s Secret published by Owl Kids is a picture book very close to my heart. Firstly, because it’s my debut picture book as an author / illustrator, and secondly because it was inspired by my own childhood experience, trying ... Read More  

OLA Best Bets Announcement for Polar

A New Year and a Running Start – Author Events Schedule for 2024

It feels a bit silly doing a New Year’s Post when it’s *checks calendar* January 19th already. But I hit the ground running this year, and this is the first moment I’ve had to pause and catch my breath. ... Read More  

A World of Love by Aimee Reid, illustrated by Chris Lyles

Aimee Reid: The Birth of a Book

I remember the months of waiting for my first child to be born as both a thrilling and vulnerable time. As is my tendency when encountering change, I prepared and planned as much as I could. I followed developmental milestones ... Read More  

Sunset

A Dickens Year and a Schrodinger’s Week

The week between Christmas and New Years’s is always a weird one for me. We’re poised on the brink between last year and next year, reflecting on 2023 and planning for 2024. Caught between leftover holiday indulgences and upcoming ... Read More  

Cover of The Lion Queen by Rina Singh

Rina Singh: The Lion Queen

The Lion Queen was inspired by the true story of Rasila Vadher, the first woman guardian of the last Asiatic Lions of India’s Gir Forest. The book is gorgeously illustrated by Tara Anand and published by Cameron Kids. There are ... Read More  

Book Cover - Polar Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth by L.E. Carmichael

Happy Antarctica Day: Fun Facts and Recommended Reading

I'll be honest: I have no idea how it's even December already, so today's post celebrating Antarctica is a little less polished and a little more... random. We'll start with a couple fun facts leftover from Polar research, and ... Read More  

Cover of Iz the Apocalypse by Susan Currie

Susan Currie: Perseverance and Iz the Apocalypse

Iz the Apocalypse took me seven years to write. I’ve honestly lost count of how many versions there were. Characters and storylines came and went as I fought to figure out exactly how to tell Iz’s story. My husband ... Read More  

Leslie Gentile: Novel Writing with Music – the Unexpected Connection

It started with a boring writers’ bio. When my first book, a middle grade novel called Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer, was published (Cormorant/Dancing Cat Books 2021), my writing accomplishments were pretty slim, so in my bio ... Read More  

Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth makes the IndigoKids 2023 gift guide!

All-Canadian Updates for I Read Canadian Day

I am beyond thrilled to share that Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth, is featured in the IndigoKids Christmas Gift Guide! This would be incredible news for any author, but it's particularly special for me. That's because ... Read More  

More Than Words by Valerie Sherrard and Natalie Hyde

Valerie Sherrard: More Than Words – Navigating the Complex World of Communication

I’ve been making things up since I was a young child, although my talents went generally unappreciated back then. As a small maker-up-of-things, I felt insulted when playmates refused to believe my stories. So what if they were obviously ... Read More  

The Marathon Migrations of Arctic Terns (Revisited)

Hold on, you're saying to yourself, I think I've read this post before... You're not wrong! There are TWO World Migratory Bird Days every year, because - surprise! - migration is a round trip. At least, that's how we ... Read More  

Caroline Fernandez: Lifting Up Women in STEM

There aren’t a lot of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) who grace the pages of history books. Perhaps it is because of lack of education or opportunity. Perhaps it’s because of gender roles. Perhaps it’s because the ... Read More  

The Coolest Habitat On the Planet

One reason Antarctica is so unique is because it's been isolated from the rest of the planet for about 20 million years: ever since the Antarctic Circumpolar Current formed. The ACC - you guessed it - is an ocean ... Read More  

The Boy and the Banyan Tree by Mahtab Narsimhan

Mahtab Narsimhan: The Boy and the Banyan Tree – A Story About Gratitude and Giving Back

Who is the tree in your life? And whom will you be a tree to? There are many people in our lives, family, friends, teachers, and mentors, who nurture us and make us who we are today. How often do we ... Read More  

Tipping Towards Fall: The Autumnal Equinox

Science Literacy Week is almost over – almost, but not quite! There’s still time to get some free science-y goodness in your life, so hop on over to the Science Literacy Week website to learn about last-minute events happening ... Read More