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Helaine Becker

Authors' Booking Service is pleased to announce that award-winning children's author, Helaine Becker, is scheduling visits to Ontario schools 
for the coming school year. 
 
Helaine is available for visits to the Greater Toronto Area, North to Simcoe County, West to Brantford and East to Oshawa. She will be in available in the Ottawa area in the Fall and Spring – please contact ABS for dates. 
 
Helaine would love to plan a visit to your school or library during this period. Her rate is $650 for two sessions, $850 for three and $1000 for four, plus HST and travel from Toronto. 
 
Helaine is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite her may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to off-set the 
cost of her visit. For details, please contact us. 
 
Helaine is the winner of the 2010 Lane Anderson Award for Science Writing for Children, 2011 CBA-Libris Picture Book of the Year Award, 2008 and 2006 Silver Birch Awards, 2011 Silver Birch Honour Award, and a 2008 Red Cedar Award. Her books have been chosen as among the Top Ten of the Year by Book Sense, Indigo Books, and the Ontario Library Association. 
 
Here's what Teacher Rosanne Stefani of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Toronto has to say about this author: 
 
Helaine Becker is an inspirational writer. My grade five students have 
become very enthusiastic about writing since her visit. A ten-year-old boy 
quietly said, "writing poetry is a cool thing to do!” 
 
And here's what Kelly Diiorio of Niagara DSB had to say about Helaine's Silver Birch keynote to 500 students in May 2010: 
 
Helaine’s keynote address was exceptional – in fact, I would consider it one of the best we have experienced in our 5 years of organizing this conference. Her presentation was a mixture of hilarious stories, life lessons and advice to aspiring writers. She was able to ensnare the whole audience and keep them riveted for the entire length of her talk. Students, parents and teachers all raved about it afterward, and on our feedback forms, Helaine consistently rated very highly. 
 
 

Trouble in the Hills 2011
How to Survive Absolutely Anything Spring 2012

Picture Books:

The Haunted House that Jack Built 2010 
A Porcupine in a Pine Tree 2010 
Juba This, Juba That 2011 
 
Children's Non-fiction: 
 
The Jumbo Book of the Ocean Spring 2012
The Hilarious History of Hockey 2010 
The Quiz Book for Girls 2011 
The Quiz Book for Boys 2010 
Magic Up Your Sleeve 2010 
What's the Big Idea? 2009 
The Insecto-Files 2009 
Science on the Loose 2008 
Mother Goose Unplucked 2007 
Secret Agent Y.O.U. 2006 
Like A Pro! 2006 
Funny Business 2005 
Are You Psychic? 2005 
Boredom Blasters 2004 
 
Children's Fiction: 
 
The Looney Bay All-Stars Series: 
The Emperor Strikes Out 
Egyptian Slam Dunk 
Pirate Power Play 
Attack by Knight 
Vikings Have a Field Day 
Explorers out of Bounds 
Final Faceoff 
 
Read with Chirp 2006 
Mama Likes to Mambo 2001 
 
Beginning Readers: 
 
Reading Rods Reader - Superdude 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Twirly Girl 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Ben's Tent 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Peanut-Free! 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Sheep Dee 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Lost and Found 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Socks 2004 
Reading Rods Reader - Rosa's Cold 2004 
 

A Porcupine in a Pine Tree
-2010 Libris Award – Picture Book of the Year

-2011 CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens
-2011 Best of the Year –Resourcelinks
-2010 OLA Best Bet– Top 10 Picture Books

The Haunted House That Jack Built
-2011 CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens

The Hilarious History of Hockey
-2011 Shortlisted – Hackmatack Award
-2011 CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens
 

Magic Up Your Sleeve
-2010 OLA Best Bets – Top 10 Nonfiction
-2011 Shortlisted – Rocky Mountain Award
-2011 CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens

The Insecto-Files  
- Silver Birch Non-Fiction Nominee 
- Lane Anderson Science Writing for Children Award
- Hackmatack Award Nominee 2011 
- Red Cedar Award Nominee 2011
- CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens 2010

What’s the Big Idea? 
- 2011 Best of the Year –Resourcelinks
- 2011 Silver Birch Honour Award
- 2010 Cdn Toy Testing Council Best Books
- 2010 CCBC Best Books for Kids &Teens
- 2010 Longlist – Information Book Award
- 2009 OLA Best Bets – Top 10 Nonfiction

Because of my strong background in education - I was in the 'school biz' for over 10 years, writing supplemental materials for math, science and language arts - I know what teachers and school librarians need from authors visiting their schools. So when I do a reading or performance, I add as much educational content as I can while still keeping the event light and fun.

When reading a poem, for example, we might listen for rhyme, or alliteration, or the distinctive rhythm of a limerick. A look at the optical illusions in Boredom Blasters turned into a science lesson on light for a grade 9 class. And Funny Business is super for introducing lessons on how to 
structure essays. I will organize my presentation to meet the needs of your students based on their grade, the subjects currently being taught, and the 
size of the group. And there’s this too – we usually wind up laughing so hard that some poor kid winds up peeing his pants.  
 
Grades I will present to: All 
 
Maximum number of students per session:150 
 
Is this flexible? Yes; I will adapt to suit small or large groups as needed 
 
Workshops available? Yes, for Junior, middle and high school 
 
Maximum participants for workshop:30 
 
I also offer... 
 
Professional Development Workshops 
 
Grade 12 Writers' Craft Workshops 
 
I am comfortable in a classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium. 
 
I require: black or white board for workshops

To access Helaine's School Library Assessment tool, go here.