author feature – Orca Book Publishers

Author Feature: Charles Ghigna

April 17, 2018 No Comments

Who Can? YOU CAN! Tongue-twisty teasers lead the reader through a miscellany of animals in this brilliantly illustrated hint-and-reveal book. Careful clues invite the child to guess what’s coming next, and rhythm and repetition invite early readers to try out this little riddle book on their own. From toucan to centipede, all will delight in Vlasta van Kampen’s colorful art and Charles Ghigna’s whimsical words. How do you usually begin writing your stories? Story ideas often pop into my mind at the most unexpected times, such as in the middle of a school visit […]

Author Interviews

Author Feature: Holly Bennett

March 20, 2018 No Comments

In Casting Lily, fourteen-year-old Ava is thrilled when she lands a part in a play based on the true story of orphans sent to Canada in the 1800s to work on farms. But is she good enough to hold her own in a professional production? As the rehearsal pressures crank up, Ava struggles with her character, with the vocal demands of outdoor theater and with the annoying ego of her castmate Kiefer. But as she learns more about the historical Lily on which her part is based, things begin to fall into place. Then one […]

Author Interviews

Author Feature: Jeff Ross

March 6, 2018 No Comments

Shark: Seventeen-year-old Mark “Shark” Hewitt is good at playing pool. Really good. When he, his mom and sister move to a new town, Mark immediately seeks out the local pool hall. He loves to play, but even more than that, he just loves hanging out with the regulars. It reminds him of good times with his dad, who is no longer in the picture. When one of the patrons notices Mark’s natural gift for the game, he forces Mark to use his talent for profit. Now Mark has to find a way to get out […]

Author Interviews

Author Feature: Monique Polak

January 30, 2018 No Comments

Princess Angelica, Camp Catastrophe: Angelica isn’t a liar. She just loves making up stories. When she goes to sleepaway camp and is mistaken for a princess, she could easily clear up the misunderstanding…but pretending to be royalty is way more fun! When her best friend from home surprises her at camp, Angelica is forced to fess up. Luckily, she also has a talent for repairing things, and when disaster strikes on the girls’ kayaking trip, Jelly has to repair more than just her newfound friendships. What planning and research did you do for your book? […]

Author Interviews

Author Feature: John Lawrence Reynolds

November 7, 2017 No Comments

It’s almost summer in small town Port Ainslie. Or is it? Temperatures are so far below normal that Police Chief Maxine Benson and her team are wearing sweaters. But is it cold enough to freeze the body of the man found in a ditch on the outskirts of town one morning? Maxine starts to investigate, but she is elbowed aside by the mostly-male provincial police force so she takes charge on her own. Soon she’s visiting the victim’s cold-hearted widow, tracking the widow’s mysterious brother, and confronting the killer alone in a tract of forest. […]

Author Interviews, Teachers

Author Feature: Jen Sookfong Lee

October 24, 2017 No Comments

From its beginnings as a farming celebration marking the end of winter to its current role as a global party featuring good food, lots of gifts and public parades, Chinese New Year is a snapshot of Chinese culture. Award-winning author and broadcaster Jen Sookfong Lee recalls her childhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, and weaves family stories into the history, traditions and evolution of Chinese New Year. Lavishly illustrated with color photographs throughout. What planning and research did you do for you book? I did a lot of research into how Chinese New Year has evolved […]