Barbara Azore

Readings

Barbara reads a story, asking children for input where suitable (e.g., why a character does what he/her does) to make sure the students are understanding the story. She also connects the story to curriculum where possible or to problems children may experience. She discusses the illustrations and answers the children's questions on: being a writer; how she writes; where do ideas come from; getting published; how a book is produced and anything else they want to know.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Biography

Barbara was born in England and came to Canada in 1967. When her youngest child entered school, she went to work for the Edmonton Public School Board, initially as a lab aide and later working in junior high and elementary school libraries. Barbara began writing stories for her grandchildren and never intended to be a published author. She became published after submitting a story to a children's story competition. Her story came in second and one of the readers asked Barbara if she would let her take it to Tundra Books, the children's department of McClelland & Stewart. They asked Barbara to send them any other stories she had written and chose to publish Wanda and the Wild Hair which was written for a great niece in England. A second book, Wanda and the Frogs, was published in March 2007 and a third book, Wanda's Freckles, will be in bookstores in the Fall of 2009. Barb has written many articles and edited two volunteer newsletters, and has had several articles published in the Edmonton Journal. She is currently working on a novel for Grades 4 to 9.