SPREADING THE WORD 2016
R E I M AG I N E YO U R WO R L D
Spreading the Word offers students from grades K–12 the opportunity to interact with celebrated writers from across the globe in more than 40 events designed specifically for young people and their teachers, schools and student groups.
October 17– 23, 2016 Featured Authors and their Books Catherine Leroux – The Party Wall Ashley Little – Niagara Motel Jim Lynch – Before the Wind Yann Martel – The High Mountains of Portugal Owen Matthews – The Fixes Lisa Moore – Flannery Riel Nason – All the Things We Leave Behind Emilee Nimetz Kenneth Oppel – Every Hidden Thing Kevin Patterson – News from the Red Desert Kit Pearson – A Day of Signs and Wonders Susan Perly – Death Valley Noah Richler – The Candidate: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail Margriet Ruurs – Stepping Stones Ellen Schwartz – Heart of a Champion Olive Senior – Anna Carries Water Aaron Simm Cordelia Strube – On the Shores of Darkness, There is Light Madeleine Thien – Do Not Say We Have Nothing Vikki VanSickle – If I Had a Gryphon / Summer Days, Starry Nights Roy Henry Vickers – Peace Dancer Frank Viva – Sea Change Andrew Westoll – The Jungle South of the Mountain Colson Whitehead – The Underground Railroad Zoe Whittall – The Best Kind of People Peter Wohlleben – The Hidden Life of Trees Alissa York – The Naturalist
PHOTO: ALBERT NORMANDIN
André Alexis – The Hidden Keys Roberto Ascalon Paula Ayer – Water Wow! Antonia Banyard – Water Wow! Peter Behrens – Carry Me Erin Bow – The Swan Riders Lisa Charleyboy – Dreaming in Indian / Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City Ann Y.K. Choi – Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety Eileen Cook – With Malice Ivan Coyote – Tomboy Survival Guide Craig Davidson – Precious Cargo David Denby – Lit Up Jennifer Gasoi – Blue and Red Make Purple Anne and Nicholas Giardini – Startle and Illuminate Sarah Glidden – Rolling Blackouts Yaa Gyasi – Homegoing Teva Harrison – In-Between Days Adam Haslett – Imagine Me Gone Faith Erin Hicks – The Nameless City Chris Humphreys – The Hunt of the Dragon Marni Jackson – Don’t I Know You? Amy Jones – We’re All in This Together Joy Kogawa – Gently to Nagasaki Affinity Konar – Mischling Gordon Korman – Slacker Alice Kuipers – Violet and Victor Write the Most Fabulous Fairy Tale / The Death of Us Monica Kulling – Happy Birthday Alice Babette /On Our Way to Oyster Bay
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Hear authors of all genres read from their work, talk about writing and answer questions from the audience. Buy books at the venue and have them signed by the authors after the event. A limited number of ticket subsidies, based on financial need, are available through the Cynthia Woodward Development Program. The Bus Subsidy Fund provides local travel assistance to groups of students attending Festival events, based on financial need. Festival books are available from Kidsbooks at the locations below:
– 2557 West Broadway, Vancouver – 3040 Edgemont Boulevard, North Vancouver – Kidsbooks.com
SCHOOL GROUP TICKETS • • • • • •
Tickets go on sale at 8:00 am on Monday, September 12, 2016. Tickets are $9.50 per ticket for school groups and $17 for individual tickets unless otherwise noted. A surcharge of $.50 per ticket applies to all school group tickets. A surcharge of $3.75 per ticket applies to individual tickets bought online or over the phone or $2.00 per ticket for in-person sales at the Festival box office and at the door. Teachers and adults accompanying school groups must purchase tickets. How to request tickets:
– Online: writersfest.bc.ca/schoolorders – In person at the Festival box office: Main floor of Festival House 1398 Cartwright Street, Granville Island
PHOTO: JOURDAN TYMKOW
READING WITH WRITERS Book a Festival author for your classroom! Each year Festival authors visit local schools-in-need to talk with students about reading and writing, at no cost to the school. To book a writer or a classroom visit, please contact Ilona Beiks at education@writersfest.bc.ca or 778.873.3094.
SPREADING THE WORD YOUTH WRITING CONTEST
Roberto Ascalon
Erin Bow
Lisa Charleyboy
Eileen Cook
Ivan Coyote
Jennifer Gasoi
Faith Erin Hicks
Gordon Korman
Alice Kuipers
Lisa Moore
Kenneth Oppel
Kit Pearson
Ellen Schwartz
Olive Senior
PHOTO: NATHALIE MARSH
AT THE FESTIVAL:
– Fax a ticket form to: 604.757.2320 Ticket order forms are available on the Festival website, or by calling 604.681.6330. Please note, faxed orders will not be processed without a credit card number. • Info: writersfest.bc.ca or 604.681.6330
Dream big and let your imagination run wild with our 2016 Youth Writing Contest! Writers in grades 8 – 12 in British Columbia are encouraged to send us their best poem or short story for a shot at these fabulous prizes: • 1st prize: $300 + publication (in each category) • 2nd prize: $200 + publication (in each category) Winners will have their work seen by thousands of readers online at writersfest.bc.ca and in The Claremont Review. Submit your work at writersfest.bc.ca/youthwritingcontest by 5pm on Sunday, October 23, 2016.
Full contest details available at our website.
STUDY GUIDES Make the most of your experience! Study guides that are directly tied to BC curriculum goals are available for all Spreading the Word events.
MAKE A DAY OF IT! Experience the many wonders that Granville Island and False Creek have to offer:
PHOTO: CAROLINE FORBES
34 weekday daytime events at the Festival aimed at children with exciting, engaging authors from Canada and around the world. 6,000 student attendees from the Lower Mainland, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. Reading with Writers: 20 author visits to schools-in-need in the Lower Mainland, offered free of charge to schools. Writer in Residence: Two, week-long residencies in outlying BC communities during which authors connect with adults and children in workshops at schools and community centres. A Youth Writing Contest offering opportunities for writers in grades 8-12 to get published.
RBC Foundation
PHOTO: JAY PARSON
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RJ Nelson Family Foundation
PHOTO: IAN CRYSLER
SPREADING THE WORD IS...
Chris Spencer Foundation
• Granville Island Public Market • Kids Market • Emily Carr University of Art + Design and the Charles H. Scott Gallery • Art and craft galleries • Bird watching and sea life spotting • Vancouver Maritime Museum • The Museum of Vancouver • False Creek Ferries and Aquabus water taxis
FOR STUDY GUIDES AND INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS, VISIT WRITERSFEST.BC.CA
Roy Henry Vickers
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES AND WEBSITE LINKS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE FESTIVAL WEBSITE: WRITERSFEST.BC.CA
EVENTS FOR PRIMARY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN 5 37 44 BLUE AND RED MAKE PURPLE (1)
READ IT AGAIN, PLEASE!
A CONCERT WITH JENNIFER GASOI
MONICA KULLING, OLIVE SENIOR, VIKKI VANSICKLE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10–11:00 AM WATERFRONT THEATRE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10–11:00 AM REVUE STAGE Settle in for storytime! In Alice Kuipers’ book, twins Violet and Victor work together to write an extraordinary tale starring an evil witch on the loose in a fairytale kingdom. In Vikki VanSickle’s If I Had a Gryphon, Sam longs for an interesting pet, but who knew sasquatches were so messy and unicorns so shy? And in acclaimed storyteller Roy Henry Vickers’ Peace Dancer, Tsimshian children who mistreat a crow learn an important lesson about respecting all nature’s creatures. Suitable for grades K–3. Books: • Violet and Victor Write the Most Fabulous Fairy Tale, Alice Kuipers • If I Had a Gryphon, Vikki VanSickle • Peace Dancer, Roy Henry Vickers Curriculum Connections: • Literacy Foundations
Don’t expect young ones to sit still at this event! Blue and Red Make Purple is a unique book and CD combination that takes readers on a musical tour with Grammy-winning jazz singer Jennifer Gasoi and her musical friends. The colourful picture book features songs that highlight the history and instruments of different musical genres, like the blues or Dixieland jazz or Cajun. While there will be lots for kids to learn, it will be in the midst of a whole lot of fun. Suitable for grades K–3. Book: • Blue and Red Make Purple, Jennifer Gasoi Curriculum Connections: • Music • Storytelling
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1–2:00 PM REVUE STAGE Kids often get attached to their favourite storybooks, asking for them to be read over and over again. Today, add three new titles to that list. Children will relate to Anna’s determination as she struggles to carry a jug of water on her head in Anna Carries Water. They’ll get wrapped up in the bungled birthday party preparations in Happy Birthday, Alice Babette. And they’ll delight in the mishaps that come with having mythological creatures as pets in If I Had a Gryphon. Suitable for grades K–3. Books: • Happy Birthday, Alice Babette, Monica Kulling • Anna Carries Water, Olive Senior • If I Had a Gryphon, Vikki VanSickle Curriculum Connections: • Storytelling
GORDON KORMAN
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 10–11:15 AM WATERFRONT THEATRE
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With more than 75 books for young people to his name, Gordon Korman is no slacker. Not like Cameron, the main character in Korman’s new novel. But just because Korman’s a high achiever doesn’t mean he can’t relate to kids who’d rather play video games than do their homework. Korman’s a master at understanding “kid logic” and turning it into a great story. Come and meet the man who’s been delighting young readers for almost 40 years. Suitable for grades 4–7. Book: • Slacker, Gordon Korman Curriculum Connections: • Reading • Writing • Listening
PEACE DANCER
ROY HENRY VICKERS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 10–11:15 AM REVUE STAGE
THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES
PETER WOHLLEBEN IN CONVERSATION WITH JOHN VAILLANT
LISA CHARLEYBOY IN CONVERSATION WITH KATHRYN GRETSINGER
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Renowned artist Roy Henry Vickers is a master storyteller and author of a bestselling series of children’s books through which he shares the First Nations legends that have shaped his life. With his latest, Peace Dancer, Vickers weaves a warning tale about respect for the natural world and what happens when children mistreat a crow, bringing about near-disaster to their village. Suitable for grades 2–5. Book: • Peace Dancer, Roy Henry Vickers Curriculum Connections: • Writing • Art making
EVENTS FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS 2 CITY DWELLERS: FIRST NATIONS AND THE URBAN EXPERIENCE
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10–11:30 AM WATERFRONT THEATRE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10–11:30 AM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE While studying at York University, Lisa Charleyboy was “encouraged to explore [her] heritage … and be more critical about aboriginal issues in Canada.” She talks about her journey to being named one of the Young Aboriginal Canadians to Watch by Huffington Post Canada and an “Aboriginal Storyteller for the Digital Generation” by the National Post, as well as her online publication Urban Native Magazine and two co-edited anthologies. Each project aims to inspire indigenous youth and dispel untruths about Canada’s First Nations. Suitable for grades 7–10. Books: • Dreaming in Indian, edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale • Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City, edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale Curriculum Connections: • Critical thinking • Diversity, Identity and Self-esteem
ERIN BOW, CHRIS HUMPHREYS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10–11:30 AM PERFORMANCE WORKS
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A walk in the woods will never be the same once you have heard Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees, speak. Did you know that trees can count, learn, remember, nurse sick neighbours and even warn each other of danger by sending electrical signals across a fungal network known as the “Wood Wide Web”? This scientifically rigorous and simultaneously magical event will change the way you look at forests forever. Suitable for grades 8–12 and adults. Book: • The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben Curriculum Connections: • Environmental stewardship
“Characters’ lives do not end just because a book does,” says Chris Humphreys. Today, he and Erin Bow present the next chapter in their characters’ lives. Bow’s The Swan Riders picks up where The Scorpion Rules left off, set in a world 400 years from now, with humankind on the brink of extinction. Humphreys’ Elayne, star of The Hunt of the Unicorn, is primed for new adventures in The Hunt of the Dragon when she hears reports of a two-headed snake caught in the city’s sewers. Suitable for grades 8–12. Books: • The Swan Riders, Erin Bow • The Hunt of the Dragon, Chris Humphreys Curriculum Connections: • Creative Writing: Characters and plots
SETTING THE HOOK FOR SUSPENSE EILEEN COOK, ALICE KUIPERS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10–11:30 AM REVUE STAGE
DINOSAUR DREAMS KENNETH OPPEL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1–2:15 PM WATERFRONT THEATRE
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Suspense, doubt, anticipation—they’re what keep us turning pages. Readers will be perched on the edge of their seats as Eileen Cook and Alice Kuipers hook them in with their addictive novels. Cook’s thriller opens in the hospital room of 18-year-old Jill who has no recollection of the past six weeks while on a school trip. Her best friend is dead, and now everyone’s a suspect—including Jill. Meanwhile, Kuipers’ love triangle-gone-horribly-wrong jumps between a deadly car accident and the two weeks leading up to it. Suitable for grades 10–12 and adults. Books: • With Malice, Eileen Cook • The Death of Us, Alice Kuipers Curriculum Connections: • Creative Writing process
Saddle up for a trek through the Badlands with Festival favourite Kenneth Oppel. In Every Hidden Thing, Samuel, Rachel, and their rival fathers, set out in the late 19th century on a hunt for the largest dinosaur skeleton the world has ever seen. Every Hidden Thing will appeal not only to boys and girls, but also teachers, who’ll be pleased with how Oppel challenges sexist and racist stereotypes. This is Oppel’s only event at the Festival this year—you won’t want to miss out! Suitable for grades 4–7. Book: • Every Hidden Thing, Kenneth Oppel Curriculum Connections: • Historical fiction/reality
NOWHERE TO GROW BUT UP
ANN Y.K. CHOI, IVAN COYOTE, ASHLEY LITTLE, LISA MOORE
IVAN COYOTE, CRAIG DAVIDSON, TEVA HARRISON, NOAH RICHLER
TOMBOY SURVIVAL GUIDE
IVAN COYOTE, ALISON GORMAN, PEBBLES WILLEKES, SALLY ZORI
Although drawing from real life experiences, memoirs require just as much creativity to write as novels. Ivan Coyote’s Tomboy Survival Guide is the personal tale of the triumphs and terrors of a “young butch.” Craig Davidson opens up about his year of driving a school bus for a group of children with disabilities. Teva Harrison’s comic illustrations and personal essays chronicle how she lives with terminal breast cancer. And Noah Richler recounts his time on the campaign trail. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Books: • Tomboy Survival Guide, Ivan Coyote • Precious Cargo, Craig Davidson • In-Between Days, Teva Harrison • The Candidate, Noah Richler
STARTLE AND ILLUMINATE
ANNE GIARDINI AND NICHOLAS GIARDINI FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 10–11:30 AM STUDIO 1398
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When Carol Shields died in 2003, she left behind a wealth of material on the craft of writing. Startle and Illuminate has been drawn from decades of correspondence, essays, notes and lectures. With Shields’ trademark vision and humour, she reveals her thoughts on why we read and why we write. Anne Giardini, Shields’ daughter, is an author in her own right. Nicholas Giardini had a rare chance to know his grandmother better, spending hours in archives and poring over letters and notes. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Book: • Startle and Illuminate, edited by Anne and Nicholas Giardini Presented by The Writer’s Studio @ SFU.
GENTLY TO NAGASAKI
JOY KOGAWA IN CONVERSATION WITH KATHRYN GRETSINGER
Curriculum Connections: • Literary Genre: Historical • Social Studies: Global Citizenship and Responsibility
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1–2:30 PM PERFORMANCE WORKS Tomboy Survival Guide is a collaboration between Ivan Coyote and their all-tomboy band who, through story, music, lyrics, memories and photographs, have created a show that’s part anthem and part instructions for dismantling the gender stories we tell. A defiant, fearless and tender performance awaits you, fresh from the creative minds of Coyote, award-winning author of 10 previous books, and musical friends who have found their own way to be true. Suitable for grades 10–12 and adults. Book: • Tomboy Survival Guide, Ivan Coyote Curriculum Connections: • Cultural identity • Performing arts
ILLUSTRATED IMAGINATIONS
PAVING THE WAY
WORLDS UPSIDE DOWN
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 10–11:30 AM STUDIO 1398
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1–2:30 PM WATERFRONT THEATRE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1–2:30 PM REVUE STAGE
FAITH ERIN HICKS, FRANK VIVA
SATURDAY OCTOBER 22 10:30–11:30 AM WATERFRONT THEATRE
Bring your kids to Granville Island this morning for a great family outing that will have you and your little ones bouncing in your seats. Blue and Red Make Purple is a unique book and CD combination that takes young readers on a musical tour with jazz singer Jennifer Gasoi, the first Canadian children’s entertainer to win a Grammy. You’ll be introduced along the way to the history, instruments and unique characteristics of many different musical genres, like the blues or Dixieland jazz or Cajun. This morning the Waterfront will rock! Suitable for children (aged 5-9 years), families and caregivers. Book: • Blue and Red Make Purple, Jennifer Gasoi Curriculum Connections: • Music • Storytelling
KIT PEARSON, ELLEN SCHWARTZ
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1–2:30 PM REVUE STAGE
Two local authors make BC history come alive by recounting it through the eyes of children. Kit Pearson, veteran novelist of acclaimed books for children, takes us back to 1881, and one amazing day in the life of young Emily Carr in Victoria. Award-winning author of 16 books for children, Ellen Schwartz paints a vivid portrait of BC in 1941. Kenji is obsessed with baseball, but his life changes drastically when war comes to his Japanese Canadian community in Vancouver. Suitable for grades 4–7. Books: • A Day of Signs and Wonders, Kit Pearson • Heart of a Champion, Ellen Schwartz Curriculum Connections: • BC History • Writing
WORD!
ROBERTO ASCALON, EMILEE NIMETZ, AARON SIMM HOST: CHRIS GILPIN
Prepare for the best kind of Festival experience: a room buzzing with artistic energy and inspired young minds. Roberto Ascalon ties together different cultures and communities by performing poetry about everything from racism and first kisses to family and Spam. Arts educator, performance artist, choreographer and ukulele enthusiast, Emilee Nimetz has toured her poetry across the country. And Victoria’s Individual Slam Champion Aaron Simm is known for his sharp tongue, clever wordplay and satirical wit. Suitable for grades 8–12 and adults. Warning: Content in this event may not be suitable for all classes. Curriculum Connections: • Language arts • Drama and Theatre Stage Craft
INTO THE FUTURE WITH ERIN BOW THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1–2:15 PM STUDIO 1398
MONICA KULLING, MARGRIET RUURS
Join two accomplished writer-artists who bring vastly different worlds to life through words and pictures. Faith Erin Hicks worked in animation for several years before starting to write and draw comics full time in 2008. Frank Viva is an award-winning illustrator of several books for children. His heavily illustrated Sea Change is loosely based on childhood summers spent with relatives in a remote corner of Nova Scotia, while Hicks’ graphic novel, The Nameless City, is set in a fictional world based on historical China. Suitable for grades 4–7. Books: • The Nameless City, Faith Erin Hicks • Sea Change, Frank Viva Curriculum Connections: • History • Art
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ELLEN SCHWARTZ, ROY HENRY VICKERS
Young people often feel powerless-meet two authors keen to prove they are anything but. Monica Kulling shares the inspiring true story of Mother Jones and her march to end child labour, as told by two fictitious eight-year-olds who wish they could go to school instead of working in a cotton mill. World traveller Margriet Ruurs provides kids with a better understanding of the Syrian refugee crisis by following one family’s journey as they flee on foot from the ravages of civil war. Suitable for grades 2–5. Books: • On Our Way to Oyster Bay, Monica Kulling • Stepping Stones, Margriet Ruurs Curriculum Connections: • Global awareness
Sometimes, when worlds are upside down, we have a chance to learn how to be better people. In Ellen Schwartz’s Heart of a Champion, a young boy who’s nuts about baseball finds a way to keep his family’s spirits up amid the inhumane conditions of a Japanese Canadian internment camp. When children mistreat a crow in Roy Henry Vickers’ Peace Dancer, the Chief of the Heavens brings down a ferocious storm and imparts an important lesson about the importance of respect for all creatures. Suitable for grades 4–7. Books: • Heart of a Champion, Ellen Schwartz • Peace Dancer, Roy Henry Vickers Curriculum Connections: • Identity • Diversity • Human Rights
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 10–11:30 AM WATERFRONT THEATRE
FAMILY FRACAS
ADAM HASLETT, AMY JONES, JIM LYNCH, ZOE WHITTALL
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Families are like fudge: mostly sweet with a few nuts—or so goes the old saying. In Adam Haslett’s novel, Michael cycles through obsessions while his family orbits around him in a constant emergency. Amy Jones’ novel follows the Parker family’s misadventures after dementia beckons the family matriarch to plunge over a waterfall in a barrel. Jim Lynch puts his imagined family all together in a sailboat. And Zoe Whittall’s fictional family patriarch is arrested for sexual assault, leaving his family reeling with questions. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Books: • Imagine Me Gone, Adam Haslett • We’re All in this Together, Amy Jones Curriculum Connections: • Before the Wind, Jim Lynch • Literary Genre: Short Story • The Best Kind of People, Zoe Whittall
TEVA HARRISON IN CONVERSATION WITH SHAENA LAMBERT
GORDON KORMAN, FRANK VIVA
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10–11:30 AM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1–2:30 PM WATERFRONT THEATRE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1–2:30 PM STUDIO 1398
Joy Kogawa published her first novel, Obasan, in 1981. The story of the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II won the Books in Canada First Novel award and became essential reading for our nation. Now 82, Kogawa has published Gently to Nagasaki, a memoir she has been working on for years. This is a rare opportunity to hear a Canadian icon whose life has been a tireless search for healing and restoration, personally and for her community. Suitable for grades 10–12 and adults. Book: • Gently to Nagasaki, Joy Kogawa
Writer and graphic artist Teva Harrison was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer at the age of 37. She started to draw comics as one way to fight back against the disease, and find the humour and absurdity in it. She added short personal essays, and In-Between Days was born. In it she balances the sadness of cancer with everyday acts of hope and wonder. Spend an afternoon with an inspiring, honest and funny woman who really knows the difference between surviving and living. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Book: • In-Between Days, Teva Harrison
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DISPATCHES FROM THE DANGER ZONE
SARAH GLIDDEN, KEVIN PATTERSON
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 10–11:30 AM PERFORMANCE WORKS
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WATER WOW!
PAULA AYER, ANTONIA BANYARD
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 10–11:15 AM STUDIO 1398
Children like stories to be served with a good helping of humour and a dollop of self-recognition. What kid can’t see themselves in Gordon Korman’s latest romp Slacker, featuring a video-game obsessed boy? Kids will also connect with the characters in Frank Viva’s Sea Change, in which Eliot’s mother ships him off for a summer in a Nova Scotian fishing village. There are lessons underlying each story, but there’s also a whole lot of mischief and fun. Suitable for grades 4–7. Books: • Slacker, Gordon Korman • Sea Change, Frank Viva Curriculum Connections: • Creative writing process
BLUE AND RED MAKE PURPLE (2) A CONCERT WITH JENNIFER GASOI
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1–2:00 PM WATERFRONT THEATRE
Have you ever considered that the water in your glass has an incredibly long history? It might once have been dinosaur pee, or Cleopatra’s bath water, or rain that fell on your great-great-grandfather! These are just some of the surprising ways that co-authors Paula Ayer and Antonia Banyard get into the slippery nature of that spectacular substance covering three-quarters of the planet. If you didn’t have a classroom of conservationists before this event, you will after! Suitable for grades 4–7. Book: • Water Wow!, Paula Ayer and Antonia Banyard Curriculum Connections: • Environment • History • Global citizenship
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OWEN MATTHEWS, LISA MOORE, VIKKI VANSICKLE
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Don’t expect young ones to sit still at this event! Blue and Red Make Purple is a unique book and CD combination that takes readers on a musical tour with Grammy-winning jazz singer Jennifer Gasoi and her musical friends. The colourful picture book features songs that highlight the history and instruments of different musical genres, like the blues or Dixieland jazz or Cajun. While there will be lots for kids to learn, it will be in the midst of a whole lot of fun. Suitable for Grades 2–4. Book: • Blue and Red Make Purple, Jennifer Gasoi Curriculum Connections: • Music • Storytelling
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CHAIN REACTIONS
LIT UP
DAVID DENBY IN CONVERSATION WITH SUSIN NIELSEN
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1–2:30 PM PERFORMANCE WORKS
Two authors who’ve seen war and its aftermath up close help us understand how wars raging across the ocean should matter to us all. In Rolling Blackouts, graphic novelist Sarah Glidden looks at how the lives of refugees from the Iraq war have been altered, and how those changes are reported by journalists. Writer and practising doctor Kevin Patterson drew on his experiences serving in Afghanistan for nine years for News From the Red Desert, a novel about a war correspondent. Suitable for grades 10–12 and adults. Books: • Rolling Blackouts, Sarah Glidden • News From the Red Desert, Kevin Patterson Curriculum Connections: • Human geography
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1–2:30 PM STUDIO 1398
Three authors share stories of teen life gone sideways, from falling in with the wrong crowd, to the growing apart of “best friends since forever,” to floundering between childhood and adolescence. Owen Matthews explores what happens when Eric’s new crowd ups the ante from shoplifting to building bombs. Man Booker and Scotiabank Giller Prize nominee Lisa Moore creates a series of shattering events that change 16-year-old Flannery’s worldview. And award-winning author Vikki VanSickle looks at the summer that everything changed for Reenie. Suitable for grades 8–12. Books: • The Fixes, Owen Matthews • Flannery, Lisa Moore • Summer Days, Starry Nights, Vikki VanSickle Curriculum Connections: • Diversity, Identity and Self-esteem
David Denby wanted to explore one central question in his new book: can screen-obsessed teenagers be turned into serious readers? He spent a year sitting in on three high school classes to find out. Lit Up is an entertaining account of some of the awkward beginnings and excited breakthroughs as teens discover the joy of reading. In a sea of bad news about education and the fate of the book, Denby provides a lively rebuttal. Suitable for grades 8–12 and adults. Book: • Lit Up, David Denby Curriculum Connections: • Critical thinking
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ANDRÉ ALEXIS, MARNI JACKSON, CATHERINE LEROUX, SUSAN PERLY
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T ICK E T RE Q U E ST F O RM
S C H O O L GR O U P S
Four writers explore “conceits”: whether they bind a story, free it, or just get in the way. André Alexis set out to write a pastoral, an apologue, a quest narrative, a ghost story and a kind of Harlequin romance. Marni Jackson believes we live in a world obsessed with celebrities so stars show up in every one of her linked short stories. Catherine Leroux links her stories through siblings joined in surprising ways. And Susan Perly’s Death Valley is a mashup of recognizable established forms. Suitable for grades 10-12 and adults. Books: • The Hidden Keys, André Alexis • Do I Know You?, Marni Jackson • The Party Wall, Catherine Leroux • Death Valley, Susan Perly
GRAND AND MONUMENTAL
PETER BEHRENS, YAA GYASI, MADELEINE THIEN, COLSON WHITEHEAD
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PLEASE FAX THIS FORM OR ORDER ONLINE AT WRITERSFEST.BC.CA/SCHOOLORDERS
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SIBLING STRONGHOLDS
AFFINITY KONAR, CATHERINE LEROUX, RIEL NASON, CORDELIA STRUBE
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1–2:30 PM REVUE STAGE
Harriet and her brother, Irwin, have a complicated relationship with each other, and with the oblivious adults who are raising them. Twins Pearl and Stasha have an unbreakable bond that helps them endure the horrors of Auschwitz. Violet is haunted by the absence of her older brother. And siblings bonded in surprising ways feature in Catherine Leroux’s story collection. Leroux, alongside Affinity Konar, Riel Nason and Cordelia Strube, demonstrates how fiction can illuminate sibling bonds; connections that go far beyond just sharing parents. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Books: • Mischling, Affinity Konar • The Party Wall, Catherine Leroux • All the Things We Leave Behind, Riel Nason • On the Shores of Darkness, There is Light, Cordelia Strube
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School groups $9.50 per ticket
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604.757.2320 202–1398 Cartwright St., Vancouver, BC, V6H 3R8 writersfest.bc.ca/schoolorders
TICKET PRICES
Please use the event numbers in the Writers Fest program guide when filling out this ticket request form. Evening and weekend events are not available through the Schools Program. Teachers attending events on Friday, October 21 receive the schools rate only if attending with school groups. Teachers and adults accompanying school groups must have tickets to attend.
EVENT #
Join four big thinkers to talk about creating intimate, historical portraits of people pitted against forces beyond their control. Peter Behrens’ novel is a historical epic, ranging from golden Edwardian summers to pre-war Germany. Yaa Gyasi’s debut novel is described as magisterial and monumental and spans 300 years of Ghanaian and American history. Madeleine Thien examines the impact of the events of 20th century China on one family. And Colson Whitehead tracks a slave’s escape state by state, creating a shattering meditation on our shared history. Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Books: • Carry Me, Peter Behrens • Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi • Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Madeleine Thien • The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
2016
School group ticket sales start at 8:00 am on Monday, September 12. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. NO EARLY REQUESTS ACCEPTED.
ORDER DATE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1–2:30 PM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 10–11:30 AM REVUE STAGE
IN-BETWEEN DAYS
LIVE AND LEARN
Erin Bow is the author of The Scorpion Rules, awarded the 2016 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Young Adults. In it, Bow introduced readers to Greta Stuart, a princess and hostage to peace. Greta’s nation is on the brink of war. If it tips over, Greta’s life will be forfeit. Today Bow shares her much buzzed-about companion novel, The Swan Riders, in which Greta has become AI. Big ideas and a richly imagined world will get kids thinking this afternoon. Suitable for grades 9 and up. Book: • The Swan Riders, Erin Bow Curriculum Connections: • Fantasy and Science Fiction
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 10–11:30 AM PERFORMANCE WORKS
Presented by HarperCollins Canada Ltd.
18/40
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 10–11:30 AM AND THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1-2:30 PM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE
CONCEIT
Three authors preoccupied with humankind’s relationship to the animal world take the stage. In Yann Martel’s novels, animals often play central roles, and, in his new novel, a chimpanzee gets star billing. Andrew Westoll, who won the Charles Taylor Prize in 2012 for The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, sets his novel in the rainforest where a primatologist is obsessed with the capuchin monkeys he studies. Alissa York set The Naturalist in the Amazon of 1867— “an Eden full of snakes.” Suitable for grades 10 - 12 and adults. Books: • The High Mountains of Portugal, Yann Martel • The Jungle South of the Mountain, Andrew Westoll • The Naturalist, Alissa York
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BACK IN TIME
THE ARK
YANN MARTEL, ANDREW WESTOLL, ALISSA YORK
MODERATOR: ANDREAS SCHROEDER FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 10–11:30 AM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE
6
We all have to grow up, but it’s not often easy. Growing up in Toronto’s Korean community, Ann Y.K. Choi’s protagonist is caught between two cultures. With wry humour, Ivan Coyote’s memoir recounts growing up as a tomboy in the Yukon. In Ashley Little’s novel, 11-year-old Tucker’s mom is a stripper and he’s sent to live in a youth group home. And in Lisa Moore’s first novel for young readers, 16-year-old Flannery’s mother can’t pay the bills and young love is a potentially damaging experience. Suitable for grades 10–12 and adults. Books: • Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety, Ann YK Choi • Tomboy Survival Guide, Ivan Coyote • Niagara Motel, Ashley Little • Flannery, Lisa Moore Curriculum Connections: • Genre Writing: Memoir and Realistic Fiction
PRO-D DAY EVENTS FOR GRADES 10 – 12, TEACHERS AND PARENTS 54 53 LEARNING FROM LIFE
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1–2:30 PM GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE
Presented by Vancity.
MYTHICAL MODERN WORLDS
A CONCERT WITH JENNIFER GASOI
Co-presented with the Vancouver International Children’s Festival.
Presented by Kidsbooks.
SLACKER
BLUE AND RED MAKE PURPLE (2)
!
ALICE KUIPERS, VIKKI VANSICKLE, ROY HENRY VICKERS
TICKET REQUEST FORM
CREATURES, KIDS AND COMMUNITY
EVENTS FOR PRIMARY/INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS 70 4 7
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