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Sarah Ellis

サラ・エリス

Sara Erisu

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1952-05-19 （Vancouver, British Columbia）
Nationality
Canadian
Languages
English
Residence History
Vancouver → Toronto

Career

Occupations
children's writer, librarian, teacher
Active Years
1986-2024
Affiliations
Massey College, Vermont College of Fine Arts
Memberships
Writers' Union of Canada, Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable, CANSCAIP
Nominations
1990 Next Door Neighbours Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Finalist, 1994 Out of the Blue Governor General's Award Finalist, 2000 The Young Writer's Companion Norma Fleck Award Finalist, 2003 The Several Lives of Orphan Jack Governor General's Award Finalist, Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominated four times

Education

University of British Columbia
Degree: Bachelor of Arts honours
Period: 1973
Year of Graduation: 1973
Country: Canada
BA honours
University of British Columbia
Degree: Master of Library Science
Period: 1975
Year of Graduation: 1975
Country: Canada
MLS
Simmons University
Children's Literature
Degree: Master of Arts
Period: 1980
Year of Graduation: 1980
Country: United States
in children's literature

Awards

Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
1987
Work: The Baby Project
Organization: BC Book Prizes
Result: Winner
Governor General's Award for English-Language Children's Literature
1991
Work: Pick-Up Sticks
Organization: Governor General of Canada
Result: Winner
Mr. Christie's Book Award
1995
Work: Out of the Blue
Category: English, Ages 12 and up
Organization: Christie Brown & Co.
Result: Winner
National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award
1995
Work: Out of the Blue
Organization: National Chapter of Canada IODE
Result: Winner
Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
1997
Work: Back of Beyond
Organization: BC Book Prizes
Result: Winner
Science in Society Book Award
2003
Work: Salmon Forest
Result: Winner
Mr. Christie's Book Award
2004
Work: The Several Lives of Orphan Jack
Category: English, Ages 8–11
Organization: Christie Brown & Co.
Result: Winner
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
2007
Work: Odd Man Out
Result: Winner
Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
2007
Work: Odd Man Out
Organization: BC Book Prizes
Result: Winner
Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People
1995
Organization: Canadian Children's Book Centre
Result: Winner
Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence
2013
Organization: Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Pick-Up Sticks

1991 Children's literature

Out of the Blue

1994 Children's literature

Odd Man Out

2006 Children's literature

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack

2003 Children's literature

The Baby Project

1986 Children's literature

Bibliography

  • The Baby Project
  • Next Door Neighbours
  • Pick-Up Sticks
  • Out of the Blue
  • The Several Lives of Orphan Jack
  • Odd Man Out
  • Outside In
  • Dodger Boy
  • Next Stop!
  • The Queen's Feet
  • Salmon Forest
  • Waiting for Sophie
  • As Glenn as Can Be
  • Ben Over Night
  • Big Ben
  • A+ for Big Ben
  • Ben Says Goodbye
  • Ben and the Scaredy-Dog
  • Back of Beyond: Stories of the Supernatural
  • A Prairie as Wide as the Sea: The Immigrant Diary of Ivy Weatherall
  • A Season for Miracles: Twelve Tales of Christmas
  • Days of Toil and Tears: The Child Labour Diary of Flora Rutherford
  • A Christmas to Remember: Tales of Comfort and Joy
  • That Fatal Night: The Titanic Diary of Dorothy Wilton
  • The Young Writer's Companion
  • From Reader to Writer: Teaching Writing Through Classic Children's Books
  • Girls' Own: An Anthology of Canadian Fiction for Young Readers

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Gets ideas from memories, anecdotes people tell me, radio interviews, dreams, newspaper articles, family stories, being curious, observing the world, paying attention

Legacy

Prominent Canadian children's writer and librarian. Winner of the Governor General's Award and many other prizes. Advocate for children's literature, taught writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts, and masthead reviewer for The Horn Book Magazine.

Quotes

  • She gets her ideas from "memories, anecdotes people tell me, radio interviews, dreams, newspaper articles, family stories, being curious, observing the world, paying attention."
    Source: Interview

Trivia

  • Born May 19, 1952, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
  • Born to Joseph Walter and Ruth Elizabeth Ellis, has two older brothers.
  • She is an out lesbian.
  • Retired from library work in 2007 but began teaching at Vermont College of Fine Arts shortly after.