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Norma Charles

Norma Charles

Charles
Photo: Brian Wood

Norma Charles was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba and moved to the west coast as a young child. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, she taught school for several years, then "retired" to have four children. It was then that she began to write books for children. When her children reached school age, she returned to work as a teacher/librarian in Vancouver for many years, a position she has recently left to enable her to write full-time. Now, besides writing, she enjoys visiting students in libraries and schools to talk about the wonders of story.

City:
Vancouver, BC

Publications

The Accomplice. Vancouver, BC: Raincoast Books, 2001.
Sophie Sea to Sea. Vancouver, BC: Beach Holme, 1999.
Runaway. Regina, SK: Coteau, 1999.
Dolphin Alert!. Scarborough, ON: Nelson Canada, 1998.
See You Later Alligator. Richmond Hill, ON: Scholastic, 1991.
All the Way to Mexico. Raincoast, 2004
Sophie's Friend in Need. Beach Holme, 2004
Criss Cross Double Cross. Beach Holme, 2002
Boxcar Kid. Dundurn, 2007
The Girl in the Backseat. Ronsdale Press, 2008
Bank Job (with James Heneghan). Orca Books, 2009
Chasing a Star. Ronsdale Press, 2009
Run Marco Run. Ronsdale Press, 2011
Last Chance Island. Ronsdale Press, 2016
Runner: Harry Jerome, World's Fastest Man. Red Deer, 2017
Tree Musketeers. Ronsdale Press, 2018

Awards

British Columbia Annual Book Award for Sophie Sea to Sea, 2000.
First prize, Coquitlam Pioneers for "Lum King", 1989.
Chocolate Lily Award for All the Way to Mexico, 2005
Sheila Egoff Award Finalist for The Accomplice, 2002
Moonbeam Bronze Award for Children's Literature for The Girl in the Backseat, 2008
Chocolate Lily, second place for Boxcar Kid, 2009
Chocolate Lily shortlist for The Girl in the Backseat, 2010
Red Cedar Shortlist, for The girl in the Backseat, 2010/11
Chocolate Lily shortlist for Bank Job, 2010/11
Chocolate Lily, second prize for Bank Job, 2011
Gold Moonbeam Medal for Run Marco Run, 2012
Sheila Egoff Award for Children's Literature, shortlist. for Runner: Harry Jerome, World's Fastest Man, 2018
Links:
Website
http://www.normacharles.ca
Eligible for National Public Readings Program:
Yes

WITS

Presentation Description

After introducing my new books, I usually tell students just how a book becomes a book, right from the initial idea, through brainstorming, character and scene building, first drafts, self and peer editing, then submission of manuscript to a publisher. We discuss contracts and working with an editor, effectiveness of a good cover, and finally the publication and celebration time. I like to leave time for Q&A which usually leads to a discussion of why and when I started to write. And why write for kids.

Presentation Length:
60 min.
Genre:
Juvenile Fiction
Grades:
k-6
Audience Size:
100