Member: The Writers Union of Canada, CANSCAIP, SCWBI. Fiction writer. Skipping Stones Book Award 2025. In person sessions: $250 for one, $450 for two, $600 for three, $800 for four . Mileage within Toronto waived, otherwise $.50 cents/km for SW ON.
Nadja is a veterinarian turned writer, and an experienced workshop facilitator for both adults and children. She is the author of a children’s chapter book series, as well as a short story collection and a novel for adults. As a life-long animal lover and longtime advocate for them, Nadja always shares her passion for nature and animals with her audiences.
“A truly engaging and inspiring visit. The children were completely captivated by her storytelling.” Judith Goldberg, Principal, Bayview Glen PS (YRDSB)
Presentations:
Nadja is an extremely flexible presenter, and very familiar with the Ontario curriculum through her work with Scientists in School. She is willing and able to adapt her workshops to cover topics such as animal needs and characteristics, life cycles, habitats, biodiversity, and more. She also loves to facilitate creative writing with engaging prompts and activities. Regardless of the workshop theme, Nadja shares her childhood love of both books and animals, her career as a veterinarian, and her passion for storytelling.
Let’s Talk Dogs!
Target Audience: Grades 1-3
Nadja will guide students through ways to understand doggie feelings in this dynamic and interactive presentation. Her second children’s chapter book, Tizzy and Me: The Incredible Adventure of Moondog’s Eye, explores the joys and challenges of adopting a dog. Using her book as a guide, students will learn Doggie SOS, a quick and simple way to stay safe around dogs, as well as how to read a dog’s body language. (For some extra fun, they’ll also learn to speak a little guinea-pig!) Students will have a chance to “adopt” their own dog. As a wrap-up, students will use story stones to generate their own animal stories.
Let’s Be Animal Kind
Target Audience: Grades 2-5
Description:
Nadja will introduce students to the mink, a semi-aquatic animal native to Canada. Using her children’s chapter book, Tizzy and Me: Fifteen Ways to Love a Mink as a guide,students will learn about mink characteristics, as well their needs. They will be introduced to the issue of mink fur farming in Canada, in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. Finally, they’ll get to be “Animal Kind” kids and explore ways to take action to help animals. Each student will design, make and keep their own poster and/or button. As a wrap-up, students will use story stones to generate their own animal stories.
Tizzy and Me: Fifteen Ways to Love a Mink: friendship, family, kindness, conflict, mink, dogs, animals, animal activism, protests, Toronto, LGBTQ+.
Tizzy and Me: The Incredible Adventures of Moondog’s Eye: friendship, family, adoption, dogs, guinea pigs, animals, dog safety, doggie language, doggie SOS, veterinarian, Toronto, LGBTQ+.
Group Size Preference: 12 – 25 (maximum 40)
Venue: classroom
Tech: projector and screen for Power-Point