Leslie Gentile, Brentwood Bay, BC. Writer’s Union Member. Middle grade Indigenous fiction English, grades 2-7. Virtual and local in person visit rates: $150 for 45-60 minutes.
Leslie’s debut middle grade novel Elvis, Me and The Lemonade Stand Summer won the 2021 Victoria Children’s Book Prize, and as shortlisted for the 2022 Rocky Mountain Book Awards and Silver Birch Award, The 2023 Hackmatack Award, MYRA Award, The Diamond Willow Award, the Red Cedar Award, The Jean Little First-Novel Award and the Geoffrey Bilson Historical Fiction Award. Leslie is of Coast Salish, Tuscarora and Settler heritage.
Leslie is an engaging speaker who is very comfortable working with children of all ages. As a musician, she often incorporates songs with her readings.
Leslie is an experienced and engaging speaker who prefers to connect with and engage her audience rather than just deliver a set talk. Leslie is very comfortable working with children of all ages, and is prepared to answer all questions from the audience.
45 – 60 minutes: Readings from her novel, plus Q&A’s from audience.
This can include a discussion on The State of Kindness. Using characters from her novel, Leslie will lead a discussion on how the kind characters appear to be happy, and the unkind characters are unhappy. She will include examples from the book of bullying and racism. This can lead to a discussion or short writing activity where students write about a time when they were kind (or
unkind) and how it made them feel.
In person audience size 45 maximum. Virtual audience is limitless.
Writers’ Union Member. $400 plus HST for one session; $150 for each additional session in the same area on the same day – can be split between schools. Travel costs waived in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and the townships.
Writers’ Union Member. Author, illustrator, picture books, Forest of Reading, lightbox, paper, children’s books, primary, workshop, art project. Elly’s rate is $275 for one session, $475 for two, $675 for three and $800 for four, plus local travel from Toronto when in the area (either taxi or being picked up by a teacher to accommodate her in bringing her miniature theatre and supplies).