Home ›

25 Where do Books Come From?

Sarah Ellis
British Columbia
Glen Huser
British Columbia
Sarah Ellis,  British Columbia

Sarah Ellis is the award-winning author of many young adult novels, including Pick Up Sticks, winner of the Governor General’s Award; Out of the Blue, which received Mr. Christie’s Book Award; and The Baby Project, recipient of the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Book Prize. In 1995, Ellis was honoured with the Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work. She lives in Vancouver. Her new book, Dear Canada: That Fatal Night, takes a unique perspective on the Titanic tragedy. Read more

Close
Glen Huser,  British Columbia

Glen Huser has written many highly praised novels for young readers. He has won a number of awards such as the Mr. Christie Award, the Governor General’s Award and the R. Ross Annett Award. A teacher-librarian for most of his life, he lives in Vancouver where he continues to write, pursue his artwork and coach students working on their own books for young people. Read more

Close
Host: Shannon Ozirny
Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 10:00am - 11:30am
Granville Island Stage
$17 / $8.50 for student groups

Where does the idea for a book come from? Some books start with themes, some with insistent, stubborn characters, still others with a series of questions. Two legendary children’s authors, both Governor General’s Award winners, talk about telling a captivating story from the first page to the last word. The art of writing fiction is that magic combination of inspiration and perspiration, and Sarah Ellis and Glen Huser have experienced both for many years. Is it always “right” from the start? And when do you know that you’ve got a great story?

Suitable for grades 5–8

Bookmark and Share

View the study guide for this event.

What if...?

Where does the idea for a book come from? Some books start with themes. Some with insistent, stubborn characters. Others with a series of “what if’s?” Two legendary children authors, both Governor General’s Award winners, talk about telling a captivating story from the first page to the last word. The art of writing fiction is that magic combination of inspiration and perspiration, and Sarah Ellis and Glen Huser have experienced both for many years. Is it always “right” from the start? And when do you know that you’ve got a great story?

Curriculum Connection:

  • Develop research skills
  • Depict different points of view by writing
  • Write a narrative describing a character

Activities:

  1. What if it were you? Have your students use the historical period and setting of either Ellis' or Huser's novel as a starting point for their own story, they may use the authors’ protagonists, create their own new character, or simply transport themselves to that time and place. Students may also choose one of the secondary characters in either novel and expand on them. Students may need to conduct secondary research so that their story is accurate and their characters are believable.
  2. Research Activity: On a series of cue cards write interesting moments in history (Klondike Gold Rush 1899, French Revolution 1789, American Civil War 1861, Ancient Egypt, Bohemian Paris 1900, Italian Renaissance 13th - 17th century). Have students research this time period and conceive a character in that time and write a back-story for them. Then, have them write a short story about the character's day to day life.
  3. Create a list of famous figures in history (Cleopatra, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Toulouse Lautrec, Laura Secord, Alexandra the Great, or Princess Elizabeth I). Assign a historical figure to each student and have them to research and write an accurate, believable and entertaining narrative in which the figure speaks in the first-person. Students can approach the narrative with realism, satire, surrealism etc.

More Resources:

Dear Canada: A Prairie as Wide as the Sea Page: http://www.scholastic.ca/dearcanada/books/prairie.htm

Dear Canada series lesson plans: http://scholastic.ca/dearcanada/index2.htm

Historical Resources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/11_16/site/history.shtml

Creative Writing Resources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/writing/

Close