Member Profile

Mailing her homework to her great-grandfather was a Grade 4 assignment gone bad. But as with many mistakes, it had a good ending: the failed project set Sue on a path of writing every day as she accumulated more than 100 penpals throughout North America. That habit led her to a career in journalism where she learned to ask questions, listen attentively, and write the type of articles people keep in scrapbooks.

Her latest work is a popular picture book, Raven, Rabbit, Deer that tells the story of a boy and his grandfather exploring nature. The two embark on another wilderness adventure (available April 2022) in "Finding Moose."

Originally from Cape Breton Island and now living in northern Alberta, Sue writes for children of all ages – from preschool to young adult. Her YA novel, Cold White Sun, was a 2019 finalist for a Governor General’s Award for literature for young people – text. It’s the story of a child refugee who flees Ethiopia and arrives in Calgary confused, frightened and very alone. Kirkus Reviews called it an “emotionally gripping work of fiction…A profound, heartbreaking narrative filled with loss, confusion, displacement, and longing.”

Additionally, her titles include the middle grade novel Lacey and the African Grandmothers that’s set on a First Nation’s reserve, and two picture books set in rural towns. Sue's books acknowledge our critical need for human connection. Sue believes fervently in the power of stories to connect us, one to the other. She believes we must tell our stories and listen to the stories of others. Sue also writes for adults. Her work as a feature writer and newspaper columnist has appeared in local, regional and national publications. For more information: www.suefarrellholler.com