Age guideline 7-11, 11-13
About the event
Canadian author David A. Robertson talks about his new book The Barren Grounds, the first book in a middle grade fantasy series inspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia and indigenous Canadian ‘stories of the sky’. David will be in conversation with Eloise Williams, Children's Laureate Wales (2019 – 2021). Both their books explore our connections to myth and folklore and the landscape, placing young protagonists at the heart of stories of adventures and quests.
This event will be followed by a live Q&A.
How to access the event
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Teacher Resources
David A Robertson’s podcast explores who he is, where his family comes from and the importance of learning about and understanding our personal histories in order to build resilience and connection: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/425-kiwew
Orange Shirt Day is an event that started in 2013. It was designed to educate people and promote awareness about the Indian residential school system and the impact this system had on Indigenous communities for more than a century in Canada, and still does today: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/resources--supplies.html
Further resources exploring First Nation and Indigenous communities in Canada can be found here:
Canadian Geographic put together an Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada that is a pretty good starting point:
https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/section/first-nations/
Library and Archives Canada has some good resources, as well:
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/aboriginal-heritage/Pages/introduction.aspxAnd the CBC (Canada’s national broadcaster) has an Indigenous news vertical, though that tends to cover more contemporary topics: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous
If you prefer your history in podcast from, there’s also a very good Canadian history podcast called The Secret Life of Canada. Here are some episodes about the Indigenous experience in Canada:
The Reader Teacher’s Top Tip
Thanks to Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher, for this top teacher tip:
‘This event is wonderful to use when teaching English, particularly when looking at myths, legends and folklore, in the curriculum as Eloise chats to David to make connections to how mythology, the people and the landscape of his country and how his experiences of reading as a child have inspired the writing of his new book.’ @MrEPrimary
About the author and illustrator
David A. Robertson is the author of numerous books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won the 2017 Governor General’s Literary Award and was nominated for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg. His latest books are a middle-grade fantasy novel, The Barren Grounds (Tundra Books), and the memoir, Black Water (Harper Collins Canada).
Eloise Williams grew up in Llantrisant and lives in West Wales, very close to the sea. Having studied Drama, she went on to work as an actor for over ten years before studying for a Masters in Creative Writing at Swansea University. She was chosen to be the first Children’s Laureate Wales in September 2019. Wilde will be her fourth book with Firefly.
About the festival partner
This event has been programmed by Toronto International Festival of Authors
The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) is Canada’s longest-running literary festival, a charitable, non-for-profit cultural organization. Since 1974, the 11-day Festival has presented the finest of Canadian and international writers, artists and thinkers across literary genres, offering audiences access and empowerment to meet, hear and learn from the finest contemporary writers and thinkers of our time. Alongside the flagship Festival, TIFA delivers a range of literary events and activities all year long.