Membership: Writers’ Union of Canada, SCBWI, CANSCAIP, Association Jewish Libraries.
Awards: Vine Award for Fiction, 2021 (You Are Not What We Expected); Danuta Gleed Award, finalist, 2021; Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, finalist, 2008.Canadian Jewish Literary Award, 2024, Sydney Taylor Honor, 2025, Junior Library Guild, 2025.
Presentation rates, in person: $325 for one session, $500 for half day (two sessions), $1000 for full day (four sessions, max). For outside of GTA, $.50/km. Presentation rates, virtual: $200 per session.
Sidura is an internationally published writer of books for children and adults. She has over 30-years experience leading creative writing workshops to students of all ages. She loves nothing more than being in front of the classroom and sharing her life-long love of writing and books. She is the author of the picture books OUR SPECTACULAR SUKKAH (Candlewick, 2026), RISING (Candlewick, 2024), the middle grade novel SWAN (Nimbus, 2024), the adult short story collection YOU ARE NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED (House of Anansi, 2020) and the adult novel HOLDING MY BREATH (Key Porter Books, 2007).
Presentations
Middle Grade (4-8) (one hour)
Rejection is Your Best Friend – my journey on how I became a full-time working writer, including the year I tried to get rejected as many times as possible, and what I learnt along the way. Includes reading from SWAN, question and answer and short writing prompt.
Grades 1-3 (one hour)
How I became a picture book writer – presentation includes how I became a writer (with images from childhood), and how picture books get made. I read from RISING and include a lot of interactive questions with students. Art workshop on making a picture book, using an unpublished manuscript, where students get to be the illustrators. All art supplies included.
JK-SK (45 minutes)
Shalom, Sukkot! – Sukkot is a Jewish harvest holiday that occurs in the Fall. This presentation introduces students to key concepts, including the sukkah (outdoor hut), the lulav and etrog, and the importance of welcoming guests. I read from my book OUR SPECTACULAR SUKKAH, and then lead students in a sukkah-related craft. Includes interactive circle-time songs.
Let’s Eat! – interactive song and storytime about making challah and celebrating Shabbat. Discussion on what foods do you eat when you are celebrating something? Read from RISING. Two station art workshop afterwards: 1) drawing picture of what you eat when you’re celebrating 2) learn to “braid challah” with Play Doh. All art supplies are included.
Maximum number of students: Grade 1-3, 50; JK/SK, 30; grade 4-8, 100
Preferred location: library or classroom, but am fine with anywhere that allows students room to both my presentation and art workshop (for JK-Grade 3).
Equipment: (Grades 1-3) projector, screen, glass of water, tables with enough seating for students for art workshop; (JK-SK) chair and table for circle time, tables and seating for students for two-station art workshop; (Grades 4-8), projector, screen, microphone for large groups