Book Launch and Fall Presentations

Book Launch and Fall Presentations

by | Jul 25, 2025 | Presentation News

This Fall, I’ll be hosting a book launch for My Street Remembers, gorgeously illustrated by Cathie Jamieson. I’ll also be presenting at several festivals. I hope you’ll join me!

Book Launch

Please save the date for a family-friendly book launch of My Street Remembers plus a presentation and art activity by Moccasin Identifier.

Date: Sunday, September 14

Time: 1 to 3 p.m.

Hosted by: Create Art Studio, 1801/1803 Danforth Ave, Toronto

How many footsteps have walked your street in the past?

My Street Remembers peels back the history of one city street in North America to reveal the greater story of the land on which we live. This picture book by author Karen Krossing, of White settler descent, and Anishinaabe artist Cathie Jamieson ends with a question that readers anywhere can ask: What does your street remember?

Moccasin Identifier is an Indigenous-led initiative dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of Indigenous Treaties and history across Canada. Their mission is to cover Canada in Moccasins, creating visual and educational reminders of the significance of Treaties and the Indigenous relationships to the land.

Books will be for sale by Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore. This is a National Public Reading event with funding support from the Canada Council for the Arts through The Writers’ Union of Canada. 

Word on the Street Toronto

I’ll be at Word on the Street Toronto for a picture-book panel discussion with author Willie Poll on Saturday, September 27 at 1:35 pm.

New Hampshire Book Festival

I’ll be at the New Hampshire Book Festival for a book panel discussion on Saturday, October 4 at 1:15 pm on the KidLit Stage. The panel is called Home: Not as Advertised, and it’s with authors Azadeh Westergaard, Lita Judge, me, Adina King, and moderator Lisa Stringfellow. 

Telling Tales Festival

I’m thrilled that My Street Remembers was selected for the 2025 Telling Tales Reading List. Please check out the full list of new and upcoming titles.

You’ll find me at the Telling Tales Festival on Sunday, October 5 at 2:15 p.m. for a Storytime session. I hope to see you there!

     

To pre-order My Street Remembers:

Bookshop.org
Groundwood Site
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com

Cover Revel: One Cosmic Rock

by | Jun 25, 2025 | Book News

 

I’m excited to share the cover art by Julia Vasileva of our picture book One Cosmic Rock: The Story of the Asteroid That Changed Our World, coming from Owlkids Books on February 17, 2026. Julia illustrated with mixed media, including stencils, ink, collage, and a dash of stardust. This gorgeous book is a companion to One Tiny Bubble: The Story of Our Last Universal Common Ancestor.

Millions of years ago, an asteroid hurtled through space and crashed into Earth. In that moment, life on our planet changed forever. The world burned. Many plant and animal species became extinct. Yet amazingly, some life-forms survived and persisted. Over many, many generations, they evolved into new, diverse life-forms – including humans – that thrive on our planet today.

We already have an expert review of One Cosmic Rock:

“This vibrant, engaging book provides the perfect introduction to the last day of the dinosaurs and the resilience of life on Earth.”

Professor Paul M. Barrett, Natural History Museum

We can’t wait to share this book with you!

    

Available for Pre-order Now

Bookshop.org
Owlkids Site
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com

Mentoring News

by | May 28, 2025 | Mentoring

I love teaching at at Whale Rock Workshops. In fact, I recently finished facilitating a small-group workshop on revising picture books that was so wonderful I didn’t want it to stop. You will still find me teaching workshops and delivering lectures through Whale Rock.

Now, I’m excited to announce that I’m adding to my teaching by joining the faculty for the Creative Writing Graduate Certificate Program at the Humber School for Writers in September 2025! This is a long-term, graduate-level program where I’ll be focused on mentoring children’s writers as they create their best work. It’s now accepting applications for Fall 2025.

Upcoming Presentations

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Presentation News

Appleby College Festival of Authors

On Saturday, May 24, 2025, you can find me at the first-ever Appleby College Festival of Authors, located in Oakville, Ontario! Its goal? To celebrate the incredible work of Canadian authors. I’m thrilled to see this new festival joining the literary landscape. Let’s help it be a big success so that it can continue for years to come.

At this year’s festival, you’ll find panels of speakers who are all there to share their books and delve into their creative journeys. Whether you like fiction or memoirs, thrillers or romance, picture books, or YA, you’ll find an author and books that are right for you. Tickets are only $10 and are available here.

I’ll be speaking with moderator John Corr and panelists Richard Scrimger and Sylvia McNicoll about The Power of Friendship in Stories. Plus, A Different Drummer bookstore will be on site so you can pick up new books, including my latest – Monster vs. Boy. I hope to see you there!

Writing Craft Talk at CANSCAIP

On June 11, I’ll be speaking at the monthly CANSCAIP members’ meeting at 7 p.m. ET. Meetings are via Zoom, and you can contact CANSCAIP for membership options or a one-time invitation as a guest.

I hope to see you there!

Cover Reveal: My Street Remembers

by | Jan 20, 2025 | Book News, On Writing

I’m excited to share the cover art by Cathie Jamieson of our picture book My Street Remembers, coming from Groundwood Books in Sept. 2025. This gorgeous book peels back the history of one city street in North America to reveal the greater story of the land on which we live.

Here’s what Cathie has to say about her cover illustration:

“Inspired by the turtle that crosses the land every season, knowing where to nest, when to move inland, and when to return to the waters. The path of the turtle shows the natural patterns of moving and living with the land and waters. Years later these pathways would be the indicator for people to move and flow with the seasonal changes to the land and water for survival. Our footpaths and Indigenous trails became the pathways that gave way to the modern roadways. A reflection on nature’s way of showing you how to navigate the space you now call home.”

We can’t wait to share this book with you!

    

Available for Pre-order Now

Bookshop.org
Groundwood Site
Amazon.ca
Amazon.com

New Book Deal: The Cloud That Stuck

by | Jan 10, 2025 | Book News

In my home, stoicism is a common topic of conversation. My partner has been reading aloud to me from The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday since 2020, and we’re also fans of readalouds of poetry by yung pueblo – books such as Inward and The Way Forward. My upcoming picture book, The Cloud That Stuck with the talented illustrator Dorothy Leung, is my love song to stoicism as a way to cope with challenges beyond my control.

Weather happens. Our young character can’t change it. But perhaps, she can find another way through the storm.

I’m thrilled to be working with Julie Bliven, Ellie Erhart, and everyone at Charlesbridge Publishing once again. Many thanks to my agent Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown for all her support.

 

 

You can read more about my upcoming picture books here.

Upcoming Workshop: Revise Your Picture Book Manuscripts

by | Nov 8, 2024 | Mentoring, On Writing, Presentation News

I’m excited to share my next workshop with Whale Rock Literary Workshops. Details below!

Revise Your Picture Book Manuscripts:
A Faculty-led, Writer-Centered Critique Group

Dates: Wednesdays March 26 – May 21, 2025
Time: 7:30 – 8:50 PM EST
Where: Online

Do you have picture book manuscripts that you’d like to revise with a small, committed group of writers dedicated to helping you produce your best work? Join award-winning author and MFA-level instructor Karen Krossing for this in-depth, hands-on, nine-week workshop limited to eight participants. You’ll use your own manuscripts to explore picture-book craft/revision, you’ll discuss craft elements you can apply to your own manuscripts, and you’ll participate in weekly online discussions that dive into picture book craft topics.

Our nine weeks together include:

  • An initial session on learning how to participate in a writer-centered critique group—one that centers on each writer’s needs and creates a safe, nurturing feedback experience. (This session is required for participation.) 
  • Eight 80-minute workshop sessions facilitated by Karen Krossing where writers will offer and receive targeted, constructive feedback that inspires revisions and helps you meet your writing goals.
  • Two manuscript critiques per participant during the workshop sessions, including feedback from Karen.
  • Learning about picture book craft from Karen and one another’s creative efforts and insights.
  • Eight weekly online conversation prompts about picture book craft in a separate, online digital learning space exclusive to the group.

You will complete the workshop with:

  • Having built a community of fellow picture book writers.
  • The revision tools and craft knowledge to revise your own manuscripts as well as your peers’.
  • Meaningful ways to workshop and evaluate picture book stories.
  • Two critiques of your picture book manuscripts.
  • The tools needed to form your own writer-centered critique group or enhance your existing group.

This workshop is for you if:

  • You seek targeted, constructive, inspirational feedback on your picture book manuscripts.
  • You want to expand your understanding of picture book craft with a focus on revision.
  • You want to co-create a safe, nurturing feedback experience for all levels of writers.
  • You are seeking a writer-centered critique group or the tools and insight to enhance your existing critique group.

Register Here

New Book Deal: My Creek Speaks

by | Oct 25, 2024 | Book News

Have you ever stopped to think about the buried creeks and waterways tucked under our parks, homes, and streets? There’s a wetlands near my home where a creek burbles to the surface briefly before it’s contained underground again. It sparked My Creek Speaks, written by me and illustrated by Hawlii Pichette. This lyrical nonfiction picture book is a way to connect and reconcile with the waterways that sustain us. It’s also a cross-cultural creative collaboration that I’m grateful to be part of. I’m an author of settler heritage, and Hawlii is a Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) urban mixed ancestry artist and illustrator. Together with Groundwood Books, we can’t wait to share our creation with you in Fall 2026.

I’m a fan of Hawlii’s first picture book, BENJAMIN’S THUNDERSTORM, wonderfully written by Melanie Florence. Please check it out!

Many thanks to my agent Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown for all her support!

You can read more about my upcoming picture books here.

New Book Deal: My Street Remembers

by | Oct 23, 2024 | Book News

Have you ever stopped to think about all the footsteps that have walked your street—yesterday, today, and tomorrow? That thinking sparked My Street Remembers, written by me and illustrated by Cathie Jamieson. This lyrical nonfiction picture book is a way to connect and reconcile with the land where we live. It’s also a cross-cultural creative collaboration that I’m grateful to be part of. I’m an author of settler heritage, and Cathie is an Anishinaabe artist of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Together with Groundwood Books, we’ve created something special that we’re excited to share with you in Fall 2025.

I adore Cathie’s illustrations, including her art installation “The Gathering in Place,” currently on display at the YDZ Experience Centre in Toronto:

Many thanks to my agent Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown for all her support!

You can read more about my upcoming picture books here.

New Book Contract Signed

by | Oct 1, 2024 | Book News

I signed a new book contract last week, and I’m feeling really happy about it! I now have five picture books in the works with wonderful illustrators and publishers, including three with Groundwood Books that have become a series! Please watch my Coming Soon page for details, but for now, I’ll just post this teaser. I have so much gratitude to my agent Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown for all her support and encouragement.