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John Wilson

Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that Young Adult author, John Wilson, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools in the two weeks prior to Remembrance Day, 2011. The tour is titled Canada at War, and will use several of John’s novels and non-fiction books dealing with Canadians caught up in the First and Second World Wars

John would love to plan a visit to your school or library. His rate is $250 + HST for one session,  $450 + HST for two sessions, $650+ HST for three sessions and $800 + HST per full day (4 sessions). Expenses for this tour are $50 per session and John is only booking full days, although these can be split between nearby schools.

John is the author of 30 books for kids and teens. His latest release, Shot at Dawn, is now out as part of Scholastic’s successful I Am Canada series for boys. This fall, Ghost Moon, a sequel to Written in Blood is scheduled for release. Written in Blood, a story about the adventures of a Canadian boy, Jim Doolen, as he searches for his father in the harsh desert world of Arizona and Mexico during the 1870s, has recently been short-listed for the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards, and designated a TriState YA Book of Note for 2011. The third novel in the series, Victorio’s War, is planned for the spring of 2012. John’s books have won or been short-listed (often multiple times) for almost every major Canadian award including the Governor General’s 
   
John is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite him may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to off-set the cost of his visit. For details of this program, please contact us.

John’s Books and Awards

Grail: The Heretic’s Secret Book II

Written in Blood

Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards; TriState YA Book of Note for 2011

Crusade: The Heretic’s Secret Book I

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, short-list

Death on the River

TriState YA Book of Note 2010

Germania

Resource Links Best Book 2008; CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens, starred title of “exceptional calibre”).

The Alchemist's Dream

Governor General's Award, finalist, 2007; Geoffrey Bilson Award short list; Moonbeam Award, Silver Medalist, 2007; Shiela Egoff Prize (BC Book Prize), Honour Book; Chocolate Lily Award, short list; ForeWard Book of the Year, (Young Adult), finalist.

Where Soldiers Lie

Geoffrey Bilson Award, Honour Book; Red Maple short list, 2008; Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice (SYRCA) Snow Willow Award.

Red Goodwin

Red Maple short list, 2007; Chocolate Lily short list, 2007/8; CCBC Our Choice, 2007.

Four Steps to Death

White Pine short list, 2007; Shiela Egoff Prize (BC Book Prize), Honour Book;  Manitoba Reader's Young Choice Award, short list, 2006; Geoffrey Bilson Award Honour Book; Society of School Librarians International, Honour Book 2006; Stellar Award short list; Isinglass Award, short list; CCBC Our Choice (starred) 2006.

Battle Scars      

CCBC our Choice 2006

Flags of War      

CCBC Our Choice 2005

Flames of the Tiger

White Pine short list, 2005; New York Public Library Selection, Best Books for the Teen Age List, 2004; Manitoba Reader's Young Choice Award Honour Book, 2005; Society of School Librarians International, Honour Book; Stellar Award short list; CCBC Our Choice 2004

And in the Morning

White Pine short list, 2004; New  York Public Library Selection, Best Books for the Teen Age List, 2004; Chocolate Lily Award Nominee; Stellar Award short list; CCBC Our Choice (starred) 2003 .

Adrift in Time      

Chocolate Lily Award Nominee.

Lost in Spain      

New York Public Library Selection, Best Books for the Teen Age List, 2000.

Ghosts of James Bay

Across Frozen Seas

Geoffrey Bilson Award, short list; Shiela Egoff Prize (BC Book Prize)  Honour Book; CCBC Our Choice. 

The Weet Trilogy (Weet, Weet’s Quest, Weet Alone)

Non-Fiction — Young Adults 

Bitter Ashes: The Story of WWII

Desperate Glory: The Story of WWI      

Red Maple short list, 2009; OLA Best Bets

Dancing Elephants and Floating Continents: The Story of Canada Beneath Your Feet

Science in Society Book Award short list; Shiela Egoff Prize (BC Book Prize)  Honour Book; Hackmatack Award short list, 2004/5; CCBC Our Choice 2004

John Franklin: Traveller on Undiscovered Seas

Norman Bethune: A Life of Passionate Conviction

Discovering the Arctic: The Story of John Rae      

Norma Fleck Award short list, 2004; CCBC Our Choice.2004

Righting Wrongs: The Story of Norman Bethune       

Norma Fleck Award short list, 2002. 

  
Of Interest to History and Socials Teachers:

For grades 6 to 10: John can focus on modern history using fiction and non-fiction books set during the First and Second World Wars, American Civil War, Spanish Civil War and the Indian Mutiny. He can also travel back in time to the Middle Ages and Roman times. Learning Resource Packages are available for several of his books.

For grades 5 to 8: John can discuss exploration and the search for the Northwest Passage, focusing on Henry Hudson and Sir John Franklin and putting both in the historical context of their times.  
 
Of interest to English teachers: John can cover most aspects of writing including structuring novels, descriptive writing and creative non-fiction. He can also touch on book reviewing, freelance writing and poetry (all of which he does or has done).

Perhaps most importantly, John can tell stories from his books and their historical background and get young readers (particularly but not exclusively boys) energized and wanting to read and find out more about the past.    
  
John's style is flexible and he welcomes questions. Presentations are usually around an hour.  
  
Specifics Overview from John:  
  
I will present to grades 4 to 12  
   
Maximum number of students per session: 50/60  
   
I am also comfortable with large groups, rates negotiated by specific case  
   
I offer workshops available for grades 8 to 12  
Maximum participants for workshop: 12  
   
I also offer...  
Professional Development Workshops  
Grade 12 Writers' Craft Workshops  
   
I am comfortable in a classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium.  
   
I require: White board/flip chart