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Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that BC’s young adult author, Shelley Hrdlitschka, will be in Toronto for the White Pine Award celebration the week of May 11- May 15, 2009 and would be delighted to plan a visit to your school or library on one of those days. Her per session rate is $300 for one session, $550 for two, $800 for three and $1000 for four. Shelley can visit any school or library that is accessible by public transit within the GTA.

Shelley won the White Pine for her book Dancing Naked in 2002. Her books Kat’s Fall was a White Pine honour book and Sign Signs also received a nomination. This year her book Gotcha! has been nominated.

Shelley’s books have been nominated for numerous other awards including The Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis award and the BC Book Prize. They have made distinguished lists including the International Reading Association Choice for Young Adults, the ALA Quick Picks, ALA Best Books, ALA Popular Paperbacks, and the OLA 2008 Best Bets for Children and for Young Adults. A complete list follows.

Here’s what Teacher-Librarian Lori Zuk of Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver had to say about her presentations:

“It was a magical, enlightening experience for our two English 8 and 9 classes. During the hour long presentation, Shelley exuded warmth, humour, and charm as she related her early years struggling to get her first book published. In addition, the students learned about the background ideas and inspiration for all her books. At the end of Shelley’s presentation our English Department Head said, “That was the best English class of the year.”

Published work

Sister Wife, 2008, Orca Book Publishers
Gotcha!, 2008, Orca Book Publishers
Sun Signs, 2005, Orca Book Publishers
Kat's Fall, 2004, Orca Book Publishers
Dancing Naked, 2002, Orca Book Publishers
Tangled Web, 2000, Orca Book Publishers
Disconnected, 1998, Orca Book Publishers
Beans on Toast, 1998, Orca Book Publishers

Awards & recognition

* 2008 Surrey Board of Trade Special Achievement Award

Gotcha!:
~ White Pine Nominee, 2009

~ an Ontario Library Association’s (OLA) 2008 'Best Bet' for Children and for Young Adults

Sun Signs:
~ White Pine Nominee, 2006
~ Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award Nominee, 2007
~ ALA Popular Paperback, 2006
~ Snow Willow 2007 nominee
~ Our Choice selection
~ Chicago Public Schools Battle of the Books nominee

Kat's Fall:
~White Pine Honour Book, 2005
~ALA Quick Pick For Reluctant Readers, 2005
~The Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award Nominee, 2005
~BC Book Award Nominee, 2005
~Manitoba Young Reades Choice Award Nominee, 2006
~Selected for Inclusion in the New York Public Library's 2005 Books for the Teen Age List

Dancing Naked:
~ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers 2003
~ALA Best Book Nominee 2003
~ALA Popular Paperback 2005
~Canadian Library Association Y/A Honour Book 2002
~White Pine Award 2002
~The Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice List 2002
~International Reading Association Choice For Young Adults

Tangled Web:
~BC2000 Book Award

Disconnected:
~The Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice List 1999
~ Nominee - South Carolina Junior Book Award 2001-2002
~2nd Place, Surrey Book of the year, 2000

Beans on Toast:
~The Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice List, 1998
~Moose Jaw & District Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee

Shelley's Presentation Details

Shelley focuses her school and library presentations on the value of perseverance. She describes the pitfalls she encountered on her path to becoming a published author. She discusses where ideas come from using examples from her books and how they change and develop. She touches on numerous literary devices, depending on the age of the audience. Shelley also reads from some of her many rejection letters - the part of the presentation that students seem to like most.

Shelley will present to Grades 5 – 12, with a maximum of 90 students per session. She also gives writing workshops, with a maximum of 2 classes. As a former teacher, she is comfortable working with students.