Rita Feutl

Readings

1. Room Enough for Daisy is a picture-book retelling of a central European folk tale. Rita Feutl will explain how she and co-author Debby Waldman realized they knew the story about a bride who was unhappy about the size of her new home, but from different perspectives. Then Rita will explain how they came together to write an updated version that speaks to kids everywhere. This presentation is best given to single classes.

2. Using old photographs and maps, as well as readings from her novel, Rescue at Fort Edmonton, Rita Feutl introduces students from Grade 4 to 7 to historical figures such as flying ace Wop May, Hudson’s Bay Company Chief Factor John Rowand and feminist and magistrate Emily Murphy. Not only will Rita explain how these people shaped Alberta’s past, but she’ll show how she incorporated them in her fictitious account of a 12-year-old girl. Rescue at Fort Edmonton is on the Authorized Resource List of Alberta Education’s Grade 4 social studies curriculum. This presentation works well in classrooms or in larger venues, including gymnasiums, provided a microphone is provided.

Special Equipment:

For Rescue at Fort Edmonton, I have digital files of photographs and maps that need an overhead projection system.

Book Sales:

Yes

Workshops

1. Step Inside a Historical Character to Set a Scene

For teachers: Author and journalist Rita Feutl helps children set a historical scene by awakening their senses. Smell the wood smoke, feel the itchy wool coat, hear the horses’ hooves; taste the hunger; watch this imagined world unfold. After choosing from real, historical photos of children, participants learn to describe a scene in vivid detail.

For students: Travel back in time—Whaddya mean, I can’t use a cell phone?!? Let author and journalist Rita Feutl show you the tips and tricks to shift a present-day character into the past. Let’s time-travel together, build a scene, add a modern-day kid and see what happens!

2. Create a Character:
For teachers: Author and journalist Rita Feutl helps students explore character development by having them answer questions about the character they want to create. Once that’s done, students will see how their characters interact and develop in a given situation, by recording written responses.

For students: Create a Facebook Character: Author Rita Feutl helps you choose a character and create a writer’s Facebook profile, complete with likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams. Then visit the other profiles in the workshop and see how your character develops.

Book Sales:

Yes

Biography

Rita Feutl is an Edmonton writer, journalist and editor who loves travelling, meeting new people and hearing old stories. Together with co-author Debby Waldman, Rita has adapted a central European folk tale to create Room Enough For Daisy, about a little girl who wants a bigger room for all the birthday presents she’s expecting. Rita’s novel, Rescue at Fort Edmonton, tells the tale of a kid who time-travels into Edmonton’s past to stop a disaster. Rita has written for newspapers and magazines across Canada and several of her creative works have appeared on CBC. She adores big dogs, good chocolate and everything about soccer.