Kathy Stinson
Kathy Stinson is a familiar name in children’s literature. She wrote Red is Best and Big or Little?—two of the first picture books for preschoolers in Canada. Kathy is also the author of The Man with the Violin (2013), winner of the 2014 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.
In the early 1970s Kathy attended university while teaching elementary school. In 1981, she took a course called “How to write and get published.” Since then, she has published picture books, young adult novels, historical fiction chapter books, and short stories. She lives near Guelph, Ontario.
Harry and Walter by Kathy Stinson (Pre-K – 2)
Best Friends Forever. Harry may be four and three-quarters and Walter may be ninety-two and a half, but that doesn’t stop them from being best friends. But one day, Harry’s family is moving. Harry is devastated that he and Walter will no longer be neighbors. A poignant, cross-generational story that will warm the hearts of children and adults alike.
Author Kathy Stinson reads from Harry and Walter, a new picture book illustrated by Qin Leng
Watch the award-winning children’s book author Kathy Stinson read from her forthcoming title, Harry and Walter! This new picture book from Annick Press, illustrated by the also award-winning Qin Leng, tells the story of two best friends born decades apart. But when one friend’s family moves away, will their friendship remain intact?
Other Books
The Man with the Violin (Gr. 1-3)
THE MAN WITH THE VIOLIN is a picture book based on a true story: in January 2007, famous violinist Joshua Bell went undercover as a street musician and played a free concert in a Washington, D.C., metro station. Over a thousand people passed by as he played, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. Joshua Bell noticed that children often wanted to stop, but their parents hurried them along. This picture book, written by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Dusan Petricic, imagines what the subway concert might have been like from the perspective of one of those children.
What Happened to Ivy
“This book tackles a very heavy subject with sensitivity and compassion for all those involved. Stinson masterfully depicts the stress that Ivy’s condition puts on the entire family and their relationships, as well as the reality of David’s situation.” – Canadian Children’s Book News, Winter 2013.
About Kathy Stinson’s Appearance at Wordfest 2016
Visits often begin with a reading of a story she wrote in elementary school. (A great ice-breaker, especially with students in upper grades who are often surprised that “the author” is prepared to show her early efforts to be so mediocre.) Reading aloud from her work – published and/or in-progress – is an important part of any visit. So is discussing various aspects of the writing and editing process, appropriate to the age and writing experience of the students. Kathy can also run a Professional Development workshop for teachers on how to write a picture book.
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