Écrire avec des mots et des images avec Marie-Louise Gay

Does writing kids’ books seem easy as pie to you? The question is, how do you communicate emotion, how do you develop characters and plot, how do you inspire and captivate young readers in ten words, a hundred words or six hundred words? How exactly can we, as adults, adopt a child’s voice and perspective? In this workshop we will explore the power of images and words in children’s literature. We will consider the importance of children’s reading as a window on the world, and how access to a public library can encourage and enrich this possibility. We will do a short writing exercise on the spot to revisit the emotion and wonder of childhood. Celebrate the joy of reading with us during Library Month.

Marie-Louise Gay is the author and illustrator of over 70 children’s books, including the Stella & Sam series, Caramba, Any Questions?, Mustafa, I’m not Sydney!, The Three Brothers, Fern and Horn, and Walking Trees. Her books have been translated into some 20 languages. Her stories have been adapted for theatre, puppet shows and a TV series called Stella and Sam.

Her books have won numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Award (twice), the Mr. Christie’s Book Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, the Prix Alvine-Bélisle, and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. She has twice been a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Le coin du livre will be present at the event, selling books by Marie-Louise Gay.