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Jan Thornhill












Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author and illustrator, Jan Thornhill, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year.   

Jan is always available for visits within a 3-hour driving radius of her home in Havelock, which is halfway between Ottawa and Toronto. Other areas are possible, though accommodation may need to be provided.

Jan would love to plan a visit to your school or library. Her rate is $300 for one session, and $200 for each additioanl presentation, plus mileage and HST. Because she is often in Toronto, she offers a flat mileage fee of $75 for the GTA.

Jan’s science, nature and animal-based books have received multiple honours, including the Norma Fleck Award for Children’s Non-Fiction (I Found a Dead Bird), the Children’s Roundtable Information Book Award twice (A Tree in a Forest, I Found a Dead Bird), as well as two major international awards (The Rumor; The Wildlife 123). A complete bibliography and details of Jan’s presentation follow this message. 

Here’s what Teacher Ann Avdovich of Holy Spirit School has to say about this author:

“You are terrific and we all enjoyed your presentation!”

and from Chantal (Gr.1):

“I like your pictures and I like your bones.” 

And from Frances Parker of Rogers Public School:

“I just wanted to let you know that we had Jan Thornhill at Rogers P.S. in Newmarket yesterday and she was wonderful.  She was energetic, enthusiastic, informative and the students really enjoyed her presentation.  She brought her museum in a bag and she ended her talk with time to pass around everything among the students.  I had her speak to the Grade 5's and 6's.  She .... is not only a Silver Birch author from last year but also one from this year, I'm sure she will be in great demand.”

Jan is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite her may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to off-set the cost of her visit. For details of this program, please contact us.


Published Works


The Wildlife ABC: A Nature Alphabet & Counting Book 2012

Over in the Meadow 2012

Who Wants Pizza?: The Kids’ Guide to the History, Science & Culture of Food 2010

This Is My Planet: The Kids’ Guide to Global Warming 2007

I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death 2006

Folktails: Animal Legends from Around the World 2006


Over in the Meadow 2004

The Wildlife ABC & 123: A Nature Alphabet & Counting Book 2004

The Rumor – A Jataka Tale 2002

Before & After: A Book of Nature Timescapes 1997

Wild in the City  1995

In the Great Meadow (illustrated only) 1994

A Tree in a Forest 1991

  

Recent Awards and Nominations


Who Wants Pizza?
2011  Rocky Mountain nominee

This Is My Planet
2009  Silver Birch & Red Cedar nominee
2008  Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction – finalist
2008  Rocky Mountain nominee
2008  Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award – finalist
2008  Science in Society Book Awards – finalist

I Found a Dead Bird
2008  Winner – Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award
2008  Silver Birch & Red Cedar nominee
2007  TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, Short-listed
2007  Winner – Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction
2007  Nautilus Book Awards, Finalist – Non-fiction
2006  Gold selection, NAPPA

The Rumour

2009  Sankei Jido Shuppon Bunka Award, Japanese edition
2006  IPPY Awards, Semi-finalist
2004  IBBY Canada, Outstanding Canadian Picture Book 2000-2003
2003  Blue Spruce Award nominee
2003  Shining Willow Award nominee
2002  Conaculta 7th International Award for the Illustration of a Children’s Book
And others.


Presentation Details


With older kids, she usually begins with a short talk about the writing process (where ideas come from, different types of research, editing, etc.), as well as explanations about her various illustration techniques – including digital photo-collage. After this, things get much more interactive as she and the kids explore the content of one or more of her Kids’ Guides series of books (Dead Bird, This Is My Planet, Who Wants Pizza?). With younger kids she spends more time talking about how she makes her illustrations and about wildlife.


Near the end of each session, she tells the kids about each of the the items in her “Museum-in-a-Bag” (a collection of animal skulls, snake skins, feathers, dinosaur bones, mummified bats and hummingbirds, etc.), treasure that all get passed around afterwards. Because of this hands-on element, the maximum number of kids per session is limited to 2 classes.  

Jan’s preferred age groups are Grades 1 through 6, but she’s happy to present to younger or older kids as well.

Maximum number of students per session: 2 classes

I  also offer Professional Development Workshops on tackling the difficult topics of death and Global Warming with kids.

I am comfortable in a classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium – anywhere so long as kids are seated on the floor, not chairs.

I have no equipment requirements.