Really happy that I get to unleash my history geek to work on these two new nonfiction projects with two wonderful Atlantic Canadian publishers.
The first is centered on the SS Atlantic, a steamship that wrecked not far from where I live in Nova Scotia in 1873. This will be a photo rich middle-grade book for 8-12 year olds, and part of Nimbus’s Compass Series. It’s a tragic tale with a terrible loss of human life, but also speaks to incredible resilience, selflessness, and heroism – and is an important window into the lives of young people emigrating from England and Ireland to North America, as well as the kids living in fishing communities in Nova Scotia at the time. Expected publication date in Spring 2026.
The second book, The High Flyers of Tea Hill, is inspired by a little-known episode in Prince Edward Island history – the unexpected detour of Canada’s first Transatlantic flight to the tiny province in 1930. This will prove to be a fascinating challenge to bring to the page, and I can’t wait to see what PEI-based illustrator Jennifer DesRoche brings to the project!
I’ve been getting my tech and tools dusted off, taking many books out of the library, and heading out on site visits already. I love getting lost in research, making new connections, and going out on travels in search of stories and sensory details. Here we go!