Last week, to commemorate I Read Canadian Day, I held a contest to test readers' knowledge of Canadian authors and illustrators for young readers. Though some questions were answered correctly by everyone, there were other answers that tripped almost everyone up. In fact, I had to mark submissions manually as some participants gave answers that I had to check might have been correct even if not the answer I had set. (Unfortunately, several of these answers were either non-Canadian authors, or authors but not author-illustrators, or mother and daughter, rather than sisters, or something else altogether.)
Still, there were two participants who earned 15/18 points (one point for each name) but one spelled Susin Nielsen incorrectly–it is an unusual spelling of the first name–so the winner of the I READ CANADIAN CONTEST is ....
Deborah Ishii
Deborah is a retired teacher from
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in Mississauga.
Congratulations, Deborah!
Thank you to all participants for playing along and celebrating I Read Canadian Day with CanLit for LittleCanadians.
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For anyone who wants to check their answers to my contest questions, I've posted them below.
How well did you do?
Questions and ANSWERS
1. Which Canadian author and Order of Canada recipient has written everything from dystopia, tigers, spies, space, 9/11 to Terry Fox?
ERIC WALTERS
2. These sisters are both author-illustrators. Though they have illustrated their own books as well as those written by others, they have never co-authored a picture book together. Who are they?
RUTH OHI and DEBBIE RIDPATH OHI
3. This author-illustrator is probably the foremost illustrator of plasticine art, winning countless awards for her artwork including the Governor General's award for illustration, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz children's book award, the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Vicky Metcalf award. Did I mention she was also appointed to the Order of Canada? Name this author and illustrator.
BARBARA REID
4. This Canadian author can find the humour in even the most emotional dramas. No wonder a prime-time TV law series which she created is such a hit. Who is this writer?
SUSIN NIELSEN
5. He's done CBC sports, hosted CBC Sunday Morning, illustrates for others, and writes his own picture books and middle grade novels. And he once painted a mural on Yonge Street for his book launch. Who is this author and illustrator?
KEVIN SYLVESTER
6. Though she's written many award-winning books, this Canadian writer was bestowed with the Order of Princess Olha by the Ukrainian President for her depictions of Ukrainian history through her books. Who is she?
MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH
7. Name two sisters who are Canadian author-illustrators who've written several picture books together.
ANDREA BECK and CAROLYN BECK
8. This author is the founder of Canada's first festival for diverse authors and storytellers and a writer of picture books and novels for young people as well as adults. Name this author.
JAEL RICHARDSON
9. This author has written two picture books, one which highlights the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and the other relates to her grandfather's residential school experience. Who is this author?
MELANIE FLORENCE
10. Though her many novels have social justice themes from across the world including Afghanistan, Malawi, Iran, the West Bank and Bolivia, as well as Canada, her latest ventures are one word-titled short story collections that allow readers to travel to a multitude of countries in one book. Who is this author?
DEBORAH ELLIS
11. This Quebec author-illustrator is probably best known for her frightened sciurine character but my personal favourite is her red marker-wielding feline with cheek. Who is this creator?
MELANIE WATT
12. This Swampy Cree author has written more than 20 picture books, middle grade, and YA books and won two Governor General Literary Awards. Who is this author?
DAVID A. ROBERTSON
13. This Toronto author blends the surreal with the real so flawlessly that his steampunk airships seem to be historic stories, an attack by aliens with plants and insects seems imminent and the voices of his chiropteran characters totally believable. Name this author.
KENNETH OPPEL
14. This Irish Canadian author has been awarded the Governor General Literary Award twice, both for novels of historical fiction set in the mid-1800s but one originating in Ireland and the other in Virginia, USA. Who is this author?
CAROLINE PIGNAT
15. Most young children will recognize this picture book author's name but they're also probably recognizing the artist who has illustrated more than 25 of his books. Name both the author and the illustrator.
ROBERT MUNSCH and MICHAEL MARTCHENKO
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Thank you again to all participants.
Look for another contest next year
for I Read Canadian Day.
