Tag: scholastic

New Sarepta AB, presenting to a single class of older students

One of the things I like most about presenting is that no two audiences are ever alike. This single class of grade 7/8 students was quite a change from the big groups of younger students. Different questions, but also more time for discussion. We talked about the kind of research an author does to write a book like Winterkill and how to find resources when the historical event has been hidden or suppressed. I am so grateful to HREC and HREC ED because their databases of resources are a great starting place for Holodomor research. This page on Rhea Clyman is one of my favorite places to send students. And this page is another superb resource that I used myself extensively. I particularly like the report to Congress because the massive database of survivor testimonies is searchable by word.

Books of Wonder virtual event

Thank you, Books of Wonder, for hosting this chat! Not only was it an honor to speak about Winterkill but it was so interesting listening to Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, Anika Fajardo, and Sara St. Antoine speak about their books, their writing process and their inspiration.

Winterkill in-person launch at Brantford Public Library

Thank you, Brantford Public Library for hosting Thursday evening’s launch of Winterkill, in the midst of Holodomor Memorial Week. This was the first in-person book event for me since the pandemic began and I was a little bit nervous. A small but mighty group of people came out, including students from Laurier Brantford (this pic was taken by student Ayse Aras), mothers and daughters, a friend from CFUW Brantford, friends from the Brant Historical Society, and one of my fellow kidcritters. Thank you, Zile for the intro and set-up. And thank you, everyone who came out for the great conversation.

St. Martin Ukrainian Bilingual School

It was an interesting experience, speaking with St. Martin students from Edmonton AB this afternoon. We always log in on the virtual visit fifteen minutes or so early to ensure everything is working, and it was. But Microsoft Teams gods were not with us, because once the students settled in, the screens for both classrooms went blank and no matter what Ms Pohoreski or Ms Alexandruk did, that’s how the screens remained. So I presented to two blank screens. When students asked questions, their voices were crisp and clear and their questions were well-considered. I made eye contact with the web-cam and pretended it was a student. I was grateful to get this pic to see all the lovely students I was talking to! Many thanks to HREC ED for the funding!

CUCS lecture Winterkill

It was a lively and informed discussion with a great group of students, alumni, scholars and readers, touching on the research I did in order to write this book and the reasons for including uncomfortably historically accurate Canadian characters. We also discussed the tendency in Holodomor literature to portray people as all good or all bad and why I went out of my way not to do that, and also what else I consciously avoided.

Visiting with St. Sofia students; thank you HREC ED

Visiting with St. Sofia Byzantine Catholic students feels like coming home. No I was never a student at St. Sofia, but I’ve visited so often, virtually and in person, and their students and staff are so welcoming. This year, with the heartbreaking war in Ukraine, there are many more students. And speaking about Winterkill and the Holodomor with kids who have fled war as they sit among the kind and welcoming people of St. Sofia is a poignant experience.

Here are some pics.