Maureen Bush

Little Brother

I’ve found another book I love  – Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow. It won the White Pine Award at the Forest of Reading celebration in Toronto. It’s a YA scifi – teenage hacker in trouble in dystopia United States. I loved the writing, the flow, the characters, the amazing details about computer hacking . . . it was exactly what a good book should be – provocative, funny, couldn’t put it down.
Maureen

Paper Mache Dinosaurs

I guess I’m not the only one who likes paper mache dinosaurs. I took this picture in Cabbagetown, in Toronto.

I was totally impressed – wouldn’t it be great to have one for the garden?

Maureen

Just Alice

I’m back from Ontario, tired and thrilled. Feather Brain came in second, making it a Silver Birch Express Honour Book.

Tuesday I went to Uxbridge with three Toronto authors, and met more authors there. We ate lunch with the kids, gave brief talks, signed books and chatted. The drive was gorgeous – spring is a couple of weeks ahead of Calgary, and it was a joy to see green.

The Forest of Reading award ceremony is at Harbourfront, in Toronto, and it’s a huge festival. For the award event, we walked on stage in a little parade of author, student presenter, and student sign-carrier, while the audience cheered for their favorite books. The student presenters who introduced the authors were wonderful – thank you, Dani! We were cheered like rock stars – those kids are passionate about their books!

At the book signing (well, a book, bookmark, notebook and bits of paper signing), a group of kids from the grade 3 class of Olivet New Church school brought me a present. We’d exchanged emails in the spring – and they’d made a paper mache dinosaur for me.

Around her neck is a sign that says “Hello, my name is Alice. I am an Apatosaurus. I belong in the class of Sauropods. Sauropods were among the largest land animals that ever lived. I am an herbivore, which means that when you use the magic potion to make me come alive, I will not attack you.”

Alice is wonderful. She was a little difficult to get home; airplanes are not really designed for dinosaurs. However, the WestJet attendants thought Alice was wonderful, too, and found a safe place for her.

Now, in case anyone thinks, “Oh, what a great idea. Maureen collects dinosaurs – let’s send her one,” please don’t. Please! One dinosaur is quite enough for a small office already populated by gumbie, two dragons and two frog princes (in frog form, with crowns).

Send me pictures. Send me stories. Tell me all about it. Alice has lots of company already, and I think populating homes and classrooms across the country with paper mache dinosaurs is a noble goal.

Maureen

Silver Birch Express Honour Book

Feather Brain came in second place for the 2009 Silver Birch Express, which makes it a Silver Birch Express Honour Book.

Silver Birch Express

I’m off to Toronto on Monday for the Forest of Reading Festival. Feather Brain has been nominated for the Silver Birch Express, so I get to take part in the awards ceremony, sign books, give a workshop on “What If? – Where Ideas Come From”, and drive up to Uxbridge with some Toronto writers for a school event.

I’ll report back on the all the excitement when I get home.

Maureen