Laura Langston

Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s and young adult author, Laura Langston, is taking requests for visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year. 

Laura would love to plan a visit to your region. Her rate is $250 per session, plus travel/accommodation expenses. Her half day rate (2 sessions at the same school) is $475; her full day rate (4 sessions at the same venue) is $925.

Laura is the winner of the Kobzar Literary Award (Lesia’s Dream). Her work has been nominated for a number of other awards including the Governor General’s award, the Snow Willow, the Silver Birch, the Rocky Mountain Book Award and the Cilip Kate Greenaway Medal.  A complete bibliography and details of her presentation follow this message.

Here’s what reading teacher Mary Tkachuk of The Priory School in Montreal had to say about this author: “You were an incredible speaker and kept the children engaged and interested throughout your presentation.”

________________________________________________________________________

Published Works: laura langston

Young Adult Novels:

Finding Cassidy, 2006

Exit Point, 2006

Lesia’s Dream, 2003

Juvenile Novels:

Trouble with Cupid, 2008

Perfect Blue, 2008 (formerly published as A Taste of Perfection, 2002)

Picture Books:

My Bully, (pending)

Mile-High Apple Pie, 2004

The Fox’s Kettle, 1998

The Magic Ear, 1995

No Such Thing As Far Away, 1994

Non-fiction:

Chan Hon Goh, Prima Ballerina, 2005

Rosemary Brown, Political Pioneer, 2005

Our Mysterious Universe, 2005

Pay Dirt! The Search for Gold in British Columbia, 1995

Awards and Nominations

Finding Cassidy

- Teen Pick, 2006, Junior Advisory Board, Indigo

LAURA’s Presentation Details

My interactive school visits vary, depending on the ages and interests of the students, and the needs of the teachers. 

In most cases, I talk about how writing a book is like making a pizza: you need certain key ingredients. The first is an idea! I talk about where my ideas come from, what makes a good character, how the first draft is written, and the writing life, including revisions, rejections and reviews. Depending on time and interest, I like to take students through the process of brainstorming a story.  Each presentation includes a brief reading and I leave plenty of time for questions.   High school students are often interested in my background as a journalist for CBC or how they might submit to publishers; I’m happy to discuss both.  I’m also more than willing to devote the entire hour to Lesia’s Dream and its related topics of Ukrainian immigration to Canada, internment, and racism and discrimination.

I will present to grades 3 and up. I prefer not to make exceptions at this time.

Maximum number of students per session: I prefer groups of 60 but I can present to larger groups, particularly if the teachers remain present & engaged. Please let me know what you need.  

I offer writing workshops to grades 7 and up.

Maximum participants for workshop:30 (will consider slightly larger groups of grades 11 and/or 12 students)

I am comfortable in a classroom, library or auditorium. I prefer to avoid gymnasiums if possible, but I’m flexible.