mail	P.O. Box 2 Shedd, Oregon 97377
ph	541-491-0400
fax	541-491-0500
e	margriet@margrietruurs.com
web	www.margrietruurs.com

Biography

Margriet Ruurs
is the author of over 25 books for children. She has a Master of Education degree from Simon Fraser University and taught creative writing at elementary schools and Writing For Children courses at Okanagan University College. She has been a guest lecturer at several universities, including Iowa Writing Project at the University of Northern Iowa. She was the recipient of the 2005 Region West Presidential Award for Reading & Technology of the International Reading Association. She recently taught writing workshops for teachers in Lahore, Pakistan.
Margriet conducts author visits throughout the school year, sharing her love of reading and writing with around 25,000 students and teachers a year. She has been writing stories and poems since learning how to write at the age of six. “I love to use my imagination and to dream up stories!” she says. Several of Margriet’s books have won awards, including the Storytellers World Award Honor Title for Emma’s Eggs and short listings for the Mr. Christie Award of Excellence, the Shining Willow and the Chocolate Lily Awards. A Pacific Alphabet was shortlisted for Oregon’s Patricia Gallagher Award. My Librarian is a Camel is shortlisted for Utah’s Information Book Award and was awarded Teacher’s Choice Award.
Many of Margriet’s books reflect her interest in the environment and wildlife: A Mountain Alphabet, When We Go Camping, Wild Babies and Logan’s Lake. She also likes humour as you can tell by reading Virtual Maniac, Silly & Serious Poems for Kids and Ms. Bee’s Magical Bookcase.
For twelve years Margriet conducting children’s programming and a weekly story time for Okanagan Regional Libraries. She belongs to a children’s book club and reads, almost exclusively, books for children. “Everyone should read books for children and young adults,” she says, “They are among the best books you could every hope to read!”
Margriet and her family have lived in many different places including The Netherlands, where she was born, Alberta, the Yukon and many other parts of the U.S. and Canada. While currently living in Oregon with her park ranger husband, Margriet’s Canadian base is in Armstrong, B.C. She appears as keynote speaker at many IRA and other literacy conferences around North America addressing parents, teachers and librarians.
When she’s not busy writing and speaking, Margriet likes to hike or to knit. But what she likes best is getting children excited about writing and reading good books!

Book types: picture books, juvenile fiction, juvenile nonfiction, YA fiction, poetry, educational books

Guest speaker/presentation information

I speak in schools and at literacy conferences across North America and beyond:

•I do half hour readings for K-1, telling stories, reading from my picture books, using colour overheads, performing poetry and encouraging the kids to be readers and writers.

• For Grade 2 - 7 (as well as all other ages) I do a 60 minute slideshow presentation. During this time I talk about the writing process and explain how books are made, from first idea to finished book; about the relationship between author, publisher and illustrator. I use an LCD projector and laptop. The slides show both writing and art work in progress. I also bring uncut pages and color separations to explain the printing process. This talk is fun and exciting.

• In a full day in one school, I can do a combination of the above up to 4 presentations, i.e. one half hour reading for K-1 followed by a slideshow for Grades 2/3 in the morning. Then two slideshows in the afternoon for Grades 4/5 and 6/7 or one writers workshop.

• Group sizes can vary. In a gym, I don’t mind talking to up to 80 students. But group sizes of up to 60 students are preferred. For Primary readings, usually two or three classes combined are fine. Workshops are for classroom size groups only. Please don’t combine K-1 with older students.

• Writing Workshop: half day or full day in one class or with group of selected students up to 20. Students write fiction or poetry.

• Please feel free to invite homeschoolers, parents and public. Inviting a local newspaper to an author visit can also bring your school positive promotion.

Feel free to contact me to discuss your particilar needs and setting!

Presentation geographic range: Canada - beyond BC, USA

Presentation audience age groups: primary school, grades K-3, grades 4-6, college/university/adult

Published work

• Wake Up, Henry Rooster! ISBN 1-55041-952-8
• Me & Martha Black, ISBN 189413187-8
• Big Little Dog, Penumbra Press, ISBN 0-921254-46-6
• Emma’s Eggs, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 0-7737-2972-0
• Emma’s Cold Day, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 0-7737-33140
• Emma and the Coyote, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 0-7737-3140-7
• Emma at the Fair, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1-55005-126-1
• A Mountain Alphabet, Tundra Books, 0-88776-374-X
• When We Go Camping, Tundra, 0-88776-476-2
• Wild Babies, Tundra, ISBN 0-88776-627-7
• Virtual Maniac, Maupin House, ISBN 0-929895-43-6
• Logan’s Lake, Hodgepog, ISBN 0-9686899-7-3
• A Pacific Alphabet, Whitecap, ISBN 1-55285-264-4
• Ms. Bee’s Magical Bookcase, Chestnut, ISBN 1-894601-10-6
• Animal Alpha Bed, Boyds Mills Press, 1590782003
• My Librarian is A Camel, Boyds Mills Press, 1-59078-093-0
• The Power of Poems, Maupin House, ISBN 0-929895-44-4
•On The Write Track, Pacific Educational Press, 0-88865-086-8

Awards & recognition

• Storytellers World Award Honor Title - Emma’s Eggs
• Short listings for the Mr. Christie Award of Excellence, the Shining Willow and the Chocolate Lily Awards.
• A Pacific Alphabet was shortlisted for Oregon’s Patricia Gallagher Award.
• My Librarian is a Camel is shortlisted for Utah’s Information Book Award and was awarded Teacher’s Choice Award. It just received IRA's Notable Book for Global Awareness.