STEM – Authors' Booking Service

Marianayagam, Maria. (Calgary, Alberta)

CANSCAIP and Canadian Children’s Book Center member, multi-starred reviewed author, with published titles from board books to middle grade.

Maria’s rate in and around Calgary is:

IN-PERSON: $300 for one session, $500 for two, $750 for a full day (three one-hour sessions). Option to add a lunch-time signing or small-group session with keen readers for $100. Classroom writing workshops are available for $500. GST and mileage are also applicable. A travel fee of $0.50/km for areas outside Calgary.

VIRTUAL: $200 + GST, one hour, Zoom. **For the 2025/2026 school year, Maria is booking virtual visits exclusively.

FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE

Maria Marianayagam is a Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian engineer turned children’s book author. She fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). She was born in India and grew up across four provinces in Canada (Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta). Her debut picture book, The Amazing Power of Girls (Sourcebooks eXplore, 2024), was named a Children’s Book Council Teacher’s Favourite, a CCBC Best Science Book, and endorsed by the presidents of Girls Inc. and Actua Inc.

She is the author of the quadruple-starred, critically-acclaimed middle grade novel, No Purchase Necessary (HarperCanada/HarperCollins, 2025), the family favourite 4-title board book series, The Baby Virtues (Hachette, 2024/2025), and her most recent STEM picture book release, Wait ‘Til You’re Older (Sourcebooks eXplore, 2025).

Maria is an experienced speaker, comfortable in front of an audience of kids and adults alike. Maria’s sessions revolve around a slide presentation, book reading, and Q&A (activity can be included as well). Working with each educator or teacher/librarian, Maria selects the perfect book or books that will be appreciated by each age group.

Here are examples (but all can be tailored):

Grade 1-4: STEM focus: The Amazing Power of Girls or Wait Til You’re Older. Audience members will learn about Maria’s journey from engineer to author, how to find careers that marry both STEM and art, plus an introduction to the science elements of the book. Enjoy a reading of the book to conclude the presentation. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)

Grades 1-4: Cultural focus: Curry Means More [available after Oct 28, 2025]. With a warm, inclusive tone, Maria Marianayagam encourages students of all backgrounds to share and celebrate their own family traditions—whether it’s a stew, sandwich, or snack. This visit blends read-aloud moments, behind-the-scenes insights into writing a book, and fun, reflective questions that help students see the beauty of their own heritage and imagination. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)

Grade 5-6: Writing Workshop: Using the STEM-focused presentation for The Amazing Power of Girls, Maria will dissect literary devices like diction, personification, puns, and more, using examples from the book, and have students write their own poetry to present. (1 hr., 1 classroom maximum)

Grade 7-9: No Purchase Necessary: In this thought-provoking talk, Maria explores how she built the central ethical dilemma in No Purchase Necessary, and how characters become real when they face tough choices with no easy answers. Including a reading from the novel, a behind-the-scenes look at the writing process, and an exercise where students reflect on their own values and write about a dilemma of their own. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)

Grades 7-9: Writing Workshop: In this hands-on writing workshop, author Maria uses scenes from No Purchase Necessary to show students how to convey powerful emotions—like fear, guilt, or excitement—not through dialogue alone, but through body language, movement, and action. Maria guides students in understanding how actions can reveal character, deepen stakes, and drive plot. Maria will read a short scene from the novel, identify Ajay’s feelings and how it’s shown through action, and then have students write a short scene where characters show an emotion without saying it outright. (1 hr., 1 classroom maximum)

Maria’s presentations are visual, interactive, and fast-paced. She prefers to speak to a maximum of 100 students at a time (but can be flexible, if needed). Her presentations work best with 1-3 classrooms at a time, with workshops being most effective with one classroom. She requires a screen, a laptop with 2 USB ports, and a microphone (if it’s an assembly presentation).

Contact Maria to book a visit:

Kachala, Elaine (Toronto, Ontario)

The Writer’s Union of Canada, SCBWI & CANSCAIP; Selected accolades: AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books (Longlist, 2024); NSTA/CBC Best STEM Books K-12 (2023); Red Cedar Book Awards (Shortlist, 2023); SCBWI Golden Kite Award (Finalist- NF Text for Older Readers, 2023); Children’s Book Council (Hot off the Press); Best Books (Canadian Children’s Book Centre); Best S&L Books (Tinlids); Top Grade CanLit for the Classroom; TEACH Magazine. Under contract with Orca Book Publishers for a second book, Building Homes for All.

Presentations (in-person): $250 for one session (30-60 minutes), $450 for two, $675 for three, and $900 for a full day (four sessions). Plus a travel fee of $0.50/km if outside Toronto.

AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Finalist, 2024, NSTA/CBC Best STEM Books, 2023, Red Cedar Book Awards, Shortlist, 2023-2024

Elaine Kachala is a health-policy researcher, writer, adviser, and children’s author. She is the author of Superpower? The Wearable-Tech Revolution (Orca Book Publishers). Part of the popular Orca Think nonfiction series, this book is a fascinating look into how the same technologies that help and heal us also pose ethical concerns. Elaine delivers an exciting presentation and brings a unique perspective to the topic of wearable technology that kids and educators find intriguing!

Two thumbs up! Kids, parents, teachers, and librarians say that Elaine’s book and presentations inspire young people to wonder about inventing technology for a better world.

BOOKS:

Superpower? The Wearable-Tech Revolution, Orca Book Publishers, 2022, illustrated by Belle Wuthrich. Themes: Technology & Society / Wearable Computing / Inventions / Young Inventors / Robotics/ Responsible Design / STEM / STEAM / Human-Machine Evolution / Critical-thinking / Teamwork / Diversity & Inclusion.

A free teaching guide is available.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS:

Grades 4-8

Do you wonder how wearable technology (the next wave of computing), changes us and society?

Can innovation go too far?

How do we design responsible technology to gain benefits and mitigate harm?

Are you interested in stories about inventors, including young inventors, and how they’re navigating the next tech frontier?

Curious about what it’s like to be a children’s author?

Elaine will cover these topics and more through an engaging, interactive, and tailored presentation.

Following a brief introduction about myself, I’ll draw from pre-reading questions in the Teacher’s Guide to activate students’ background knowledge and excite them about the subject of wearable technologies.

I’ll highlight what wearable technology is and how it works, with examples of how wearables impact our lives and change the world.

I’ll introduce students to some of the experts in the book. They’ll meet inventors, engineers, scientists, and young people who see a problem and create technology to solve it. But the experts face a dilemma when their devices have unintended consequences; we’ll discuss this dilemma.

I’ll briefly speak about what it’s like to be a nonfiction children’s author and to write this book.

I’ll use slides for visuals, and there will be a Q/A opportunity.

I’ll have bookmarks and a Get Brainstorming Activity (from the book) for handouts.

Elaine’s happy to lead small or large groups. She’ll present to classes individually or grouped but asks that they’re grouped appropriately by grade level (i.e., 4-6; 7-8)

EDUCATORS:

Are you seeking a helpful STEM/STEAM and social studies resource for the revised science and technology curriculum? Superpower? and the accompanying Teacher’s Guide helps readers connect STEM/STEAM topics from school with the effects of science and tech on their lives and the world.

Presentation: CAUTION! Move Slow + Think Human: Helping Students Consider the Pros, Cons, and Ethics of Technology Design and Use.

Wearable computing is the next tech frontier that will change our lives. It’s a topic steeped in a fantastic mix of benefits, risks, and ethical problems. Drawing from Superpower? Elaine will explain how scientists, engineers, designers, and young inventors navigate with responsible design—an approach to complement the engineering and design process and human-centered design thinking. By highlighting controversial technologies and examples from the accompanying Guide, this session will show how to prompt students’ critical thinking about the pros, cons, and ethics of technology and why inventors are calling for a societal debate—let’s talk!

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

I use PowerPoint, so I need a projector, screen, and extension cord. Water would be great too! And lunch and coffee if I’m staying for the day. A microphone for larger groups, in the gym, or if the room acoustics are questionable.

Contact Elaine to book a visit:

Bailey, Jen Lynn (Ottawa, ON)

Jen Lynn Bailey is an award-winning children’s author and certified Ontario elementary teacher. She is the recipient of the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, picture book category, for her debut picture book This is the Boat that Ben Built (illustrated by Maggie Zeng, published by Pajama Press 2022).

Member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, the Ontario College of Teachers, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Canada, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP). English language presentations and workshops for grades K-6; all ages on request.

In-person rates for a classroom visit (40- to 60-minute sessions): $275 for one, $400 for two, $530 for three, $680 for a full day (4 sessions). For larger presentations with up to 100 students in the same or adjacent grade level(s): $375 for a 45- to 60-minute presentation. Published fees are for schools; fees for other settings are subject to change. Venues over 25 km from Ottawa centre will be charged a travel fee for artist’s transportation costs.

Virtual visit fees are $150 for one 45-minute session (or two 25-minute sessions for kindergarten students); $125 for each additional session the same day.

Jen is an experienced teacher, workshop leader, and presenter who loves introducing kids to the animals of the northern river ecosystem through fun, interactive sessions. She also enjoys teaching about writing and about how picture books are made. She will gladly collaborate with teachers and/or librarians to customize visits to meet the children’s interests and the teachers’ curriculum requirements. Students and staff have the option to order personalized, signed books which will be delivered to their school. Jen will provide ordering instructions.

Here are some sample presentations, which each include an author intro and Q&A:

This is the Boat that Ben Built – Participatory Reading & Activities Age level: K – grade 1; Duration: two 25-minute sessions. Appropriate for up to 30 students for optimal engagement.

The first 25-minute session introduces kids to the northern river ecosystem in a fun participatory reading session of This is the Boat that Ben Built. Jen also discusses idea generation and the inspiration for the story. The second 25-minute session includes a generative alliteration activity and an animal size classification activity.

Key concepts: ecology, species diversity, food webs, STEM, poetry

Key themes: curiosity, natural world, exploration

Explore a Book! Explore an Ecosystem! Age level: Grades 2-6; Duration: 45-60 minutes. Appropriate for classroom visits or larger venues.

Students will explore the picture book This is the Boat that Ben Built through the lens of a reader, writer, scientist, and artist. They’ll discover how the author and illustrator work together to create a picture book, and how the animals of the northern river ecosystem are interconnected in the story and real world.

Key concepts: ecology, species diversity, food webs, STEM, picture book creation, writing process, cumulative stories, science

Key themes: curiosity, natural world, exploration

Levels: primary, junior, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, grade 6

Writer’s Workshops Age level: K – grade 6; Duration: 45-60 minutes (shorter for kindergarten). Appropriate for visits with up to 30 students.

Animals as Story Starters: Story ideas come from our real-world experiences with people, places, and things. One great source of inspiration is animals in their natural environments. In this workshop, we’ll use animal behaviours, habitats, and adaptations to generate story characters, settings, and conflicts.

Witty Words, Awesome Animals: A Poetry Workshop: Kids will use their “poetry toolkits” to uncover meaning and music in a variety of animal poems, then generate their own. For K-4, the emphasis will be on descriptive words, comparisons and repeated letter sounds; in grades 5-6 more specific poetic techniques will be identified and explored (e.g., similes and metaphors, alliteration, consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia)

If you are interested in writing workshops for students in grades 7 – 8, secondary school, or college, or in workshops for adults, please contact Jen about your group’s needs. Jen offers picture book manuscript critiques as well.

Library Storytime Age level: preschool – grade 1; duration 30-45 minutes

Following a participatory reading of This is the Boat that Ben Built, Jen will lead kids in a simple craft about the animals in the northern river ecosystem. Digital templates will be provided in advance; craft supplies to be provided by the library.

General Equipment needs: For in-person visits, laptop with PowerPoint or Google Slides (Jen will bring her own laptop if it can be connected to school projector, otherwise she will bring a USB stick), digital projector and screen for presentation, microphone if the space is larger than a classroom, chair or stool. For virtual visits, school Zoom account (or similar). Student supplies depend on chosen session and will be discussed prior to visit. Teacher or librarian must be present for all presentations, virtual or in-person.

Jen offers picture book manuscript critiques as well.

Contact Jen:

McLeod, Cinders (Toronto)

Writers’ Union Member. Now doing virtual visits only: $200 for one 60 minute session, $350 for 2, $525 for 3, $675 for 4. Maximum 4
sessions per day. JK to SK: two 30-minute sessions for the price of 1.

Cinders presents to JK to Grade 3. Single class size is best for discussion, but Cinders is flexible.

Author-illustrator of the Moneybunnies financial literacy for young children series, published by Penguin N.Y. She is also a well known human rights cartoonist and musician. Cinders has 20 years’ experience in Canadian and British books and newspapers, is the creator of the 8-year-old Broomie Law cartoon and one of the few published, women political cartoonists in the world. She is also an experienced performer (singer, songwriter, double bassist with a record on Billy Bragg’s label) and cartoon workshop presenter. She wrote and illustrated EARN IT! SPEND IT! SAVE IT! and GIVE IT! for ages 3- 8 because it’s never too early to teach children about money. The Moneybunnies series is popular with STEM educators.

Continue reading “McLeod, Cinders (Toronto)”

Carmichael, LE PhD (Trenton, ON)

Writers’ Union Member. Multi-award-winning author of more than 20 books for kids and teens.

Fees for on-site visits: $350 + HST for up to one hour, $600 + HST half day, $900 + HST full day (4 hours). Travel and/or accommodation fees may also apply. Fees for virtual visits: $300 + HST for up to 1 hour, $200 + HST for each additional presentation on the same day, to a maximum of 4 hours.

Surprising facts, engaging stories, and her willingness to answer just one more question set Lindsey’s science programs apart. And her workshops make even the most reluctant young writers excited to express themselves.

Polar won the 2025 Lane Anderson Award and the SWCC Award
The Boreal Forest won the Information Book Award

STEM PROGRAMS

What Is a Forest For? Introducing the Boreal Forest | Grades 1-3 | Duration: 45 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, photosynthesis, biomes, habitats, the boreal forest, climate change

The boreal forest is the largest, most northern forest in the world… and 29 percent of it is right here in Canada! This introduction to the boreal biome will help kids understand why forests matter. We’ll explore biodiversity with a look at some weird and wonderful animals that call the boreal forest home. During a movement activity, we’ll discuss photosynthesis and how it helps forests prevent climate change.

This high-energy program is designed to captivate young learners, and includes plenty of time to answer questions.

Surviving ‘til Spring: Animal Adaptations in the Boreal Forest | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, animals, biomes, the boreal forest, adaptations, migration

In the world’s most northern forest, where snow cover lasts up to 10 months, boreal animals use a wide range of adaptations to survive until spring! During this interactive presentation, students will brainstorm a list of well-known boreal animals. A reading from The Boreal Forest introduces some of the biome’s more unusual occupants; from the reading, students will identify popular adaptations that get these critters through the cold. We’ll round out our discussion with two extreme adaptations that are sure to get students talking!

Packed with engaging, high-interest examples, this program encourages critical thinking and leaves plenty of time for questions.

(Ant)Arctic Adaptations: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, biomes, polar regions, adaptations, life cycles, climate change

The polar regions are bitterly cold, freeze-dried wildernesses, where the wind can blow harder than hurricanes. They are also the only places on Earth where day—and night—last up to six months. And yet, many animals not only survive in these extreme environments, they thrive!

After a brief introduction to the Arctic and Antarctica, kids will be asked to brainstorm a list of polar species. We’ll discuss the adaptations that help their favourite animals stay warm, find food, and raise their babies, all in two of the harshest habitats on the planet. Then, we’ll explore the surprising adaptations of some less-familiar species… including one that protects itself with projectile vomit!

Packed with stunning visuals and surprising facts, this lively presentation features deleted scenes from Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth.

Ocean Migrations: Over the Ice and Under the Sea | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: animals, oceans, polar regions, migration, life cycles, climate change

What do humpback whales, northern wolves and arctic foxes have in common? Their life cycles all include migration. In this deep dive into animal migration, we’ll define three different types of migration, and meet Arctic animals that use each type. Whether over the ice or under the sea, each migration depends upon the world’s oceans. We’ll finish by discussing potential impacts of global climate change on wildlife migration.

Drawing on Lindsey’s PhD research and her book Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth, this presentation is the perfect ending to any elementary science migration unit.

Boreal Brake: The Carbon Cycle and Climate Change | Grades 9-12 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: the carbon cycle, the boreal forest, climate change, positive feedbacks, conservation, activism

The boreal forest provides habitat for countless fish and birds and mammals—including humans! By drawing CO₂ out of the air, the forest’s plants and trees also slow down climate change. In this presentation, we’ll cover the stages of the carbon cycle in the context of the boreal forest and the polar regions, discovering how regional events connect to global processes. After discussing the impacts of climate change on life in northern ecosystems, students will explore simple, research-based strategies they can use to reduce their carbon footprints, influence climate policy, and preserve these vast Canadian wildernesses for future generations.

Rooted in science, this program empowers students to take meaningful action in uncertain times.

WRITING WORKSHOPS

What’s Your Book About? How to Decide What to Leave Out | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min

Tell people you’re a writer, and they’ll probably ask “What’s your book about?” But before we can tell other people, we have to be able to tell ourselves. Knowing what our book, story, article, or report is really about lets us research efficiently, revise strategically, and avoid time-consuming tangents… producing a final draft that’s concise, cohesive, and effective. In this presentation, I’ll share the coolest animal facts that aren’t in The Boreal Forest, and explain exactly why I cut them. Then, we’ll walk through each draft of the book’s opening scene, exploring the step-by-step-decision-making process of revision.

Throughout the program, two-minute writing challenges give participants a chance to apply revision strategies to their own work. Designed to get writers excited about re-writing, this program can be adapted for elementary, middle, high school, or adult audiences.

Writing Down the Feels | Grades 7-12 | Duration: 60 minutes or full day

Why do we forget some stories, while others stay with us for years? Be they fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, stories with staying power are the ones that make us feel. This workshop explores the connections between language and emotions, teaching writers how to manipulate their reader’s response. Writers will harness the emotional resonance of vivid words and figures of speech, making their readers laugh, cry, and remember their words forever.

This program can be adapted for elementary, middle, high school, or adult audiences. It’s available as a 60-minute session, or as a full-day workshop in which participants apply these techniques to a new piece of writing.

Note: To allow each student to receive personalized feedback, the full day version of this workshop is capped at 20 participants.

IMPORTANT INFO:

For on-site visits, hosts must provide an LCD projector and screen for slideshows. Depending on program and audience size, speakers (for video), whiteboards, and a microphone may also be required. Contact Lindsey for details.

For virtual visits, Lindsey can present in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and YouTube Live. She can accommodate schedules in a range of time zones.

Contact Lindsey for a visit:

Krossing, Karen (Toronto, ON)

Writers’ Union Member. YA and MG fiction. Picture books (nonfiction and fiction). K to 12. Karen’s rate is $250 plus HST for one session, $450 for two, $675 for three, $900 for a full day (4 sessions). Mileage within Toronto may be waived. A virtual visit is $150 plus HST.

Karen Krossing is the author of many books for kids and teens, including picture books My Street Remembers, One Tiny Bubble, and Sour Cakes, and novels Monster vs. Boy, Punch Like a Girl, and Bog. She won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada in 2015 and 2023 and has been a finalist for the Ontario Library Association White Pine Award and the Joan F. Kaywell Books Save Lives Award, among other honours. Karen has an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she teaches writing at Whale Rock Workshops and the Humber School for Writers. She loves meeting readers and writers of all ages.