Monique Polak

Monique is available to come to Ontario. will be in Toronto at the end of February 2010 and if she visits your school then, her transportation costs will be covered.

She would love to plan a visit to your school or library.  Her rate is $250 per session, plus GST and transportation from her hotel. A portion of her travel and accommodation costs may also apply. 

Monique is fluently bilingual in French and English and can present in either language. She is the author of eleven books for young adults. Her first historical YA novel, What World Is Left, based on Monique’s mother’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II was nominated for the American Library Association Young Adult fiction prize. It is also up for a Manitoba Readers’ Choice Award. Three of Monique’s books, Flip Turn and On the Game, All In, Scarred, and Finding Elmo, were included on the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice lists. Her novel All In was nominated for the Arthur Ellis Prize. Monique’s next two books, The Middle of Everywhere and Junkyard Dog are due out in October 2009. Monique is also an active freelance journalist whose work appears in the Montreal Gazette and in Canwest publications across the country. She has also been published in The Globe & Mail, Newsday and Maclean’s. Monique teaches courses on Journalism and Writing for Children at Marianopolis College in Montreal.

Here’s what Librarian Dayle Cushen of Lindsay Place High School has to say about this author:

“The students, teachers and I feel that your presentations were a great success. You really stimulated the students (even Charles!) to want to read and write. You have a dynamic presence when you speak to the students. I am so glad you were able to come to Lindsay.”  

Monique 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. Contact us for details of this program. 

Time slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, so please respond early if you are interested in booking Monique Polak.    

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Published Works:

The Middle of Everywhere (Orca)

Junkyard Dog (Orca)

What World is Left (Orca)

121 Express (Orca)

Scarred (Lorimer)

Finding Elmo (Orca)

All In (Lorimer)

Home Invasion (Orca)

On the Game (Lorimer)

No More Pranks (Orca)

Flip Turn (Orca)

Awards and Nominations

What World Is Left nominated for the ALA YALSA prize (2009), and nominated for the Manitoba Readers’ Choice Award, 2010

Scarred included on Resource Links Best of 2007 list

All In nominated for the Arthur Ellis Prize, 2007

Flip Turn and On the Game on Canadian Children’s book Centre Our Choice lists, 2005 and 2006

Home Invasion named Popular Paperback by the American Library Association, 2006

Monique's Presentation Details

My presentation begins with a discussion of attitude and moves into the more concrete business of writing. If I hadn’t been persistent and hardworking and if I’d been the type to give up in the face of obstacles, I would never have made it as a professional writer. I think this is a valuable lesson for all students, even those who are not that interested in writing. Then I cover topics such as finding inspiration for stories and the importance of getting the right voice. Because of my background as a journalist, I also discuss links between the worlds of journalism and fiction writing. Both involve research and effective storytelling techniques.  

Grades I will present to: Grades four and up

Maximum number of students per session: No maximum.

Workshops available for Grades four through twelve. I can do workshops on the following topics: dialogue, setting, character development and point of view.

Maximum participants for workshop: 25

Do you offer...

Professional Development Workshops: Yes, I have done workshops on using a journal; breaking into the children’s writing market; and using dreams for inspiration.

Grade 12 Writers' Craft Workshops? As a long-time CEGEP teacher in Quebec, I am accustomed to working with 17 and 18-year-olds. One of my courses is called “Writing for Children.” In it, I cover units on dialogue, setting, plot, character development and point of view. I can offer these as workshops to Grade 12 students.

I’m comfortable is any venue: classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium.