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!
Once a month, children’s author Vikki VanSickle goes on CTV’s Your Morning to recommend Canadian kids’ books. Recently, Vikki was on the show to talk about Halloween-themed titles for all ages, and included Monster vs. Boy. My book was in great company!
Plus, this book has received wonderful reviews over the last few weeks:
“While some readers may pick up Monster vs. Boy because of the promise of a horror story, Karen Krossing’s latest middle-grade novel is more a reflection of what we see and fear in others before we know them….Karen Krossing also reminds us of the magic of books and reading.” CanLit for Little Canadians
“Monster vs. Boy is a heartfelt and charming story about family, community support, and the power of acceptance of yourself and others.” The Miramichi Reader
“Rich with fantasy, the novel explores the definition of family, the power of friendship, and the healing that comes from confronting the trauma we may have locked behind closed doors.” Canadian Children’s Book News
Guess what arrived? In June, illustrator Dawn Lo and I were honoured to win the 2023 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award in Canada for One Tiny Bubble, and I just received this lovely recognition of it!
I have so much gratitude to Owlkids Books for taking on this project. Karen Li first championed the project, Stacey Roderick was such a thorough and vigorous editor that she was a dream to work with, Dawn Lo brought one tiny bubble to life with the magic of her brush, Alisa Baldwin designed it so well that the book won second place in the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design (Children’s Category), and the marketing and publicity team at Owlkids have been on point and supportive at all times.
This book began during my MFA at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I want to acknowledge the wisdom of faculty advisor William Alexander and workshop leader Cynthia Leitich Smith, who enthusiastically welcomed my fledgling manuscript, as well as the support of my writing partners who read many early drafts of this manuscript.
Thanks also to Dr. William F. Martin, author of many scientific articles on life’s early evolution and professor at the Institute of Molecular Evolution in Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. Dr. Martin enthusiastically reviewed the text and illustrations, and I greatly value his expertise.
And of course, I must recognize the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and its members. This award is implemented by the SCBWI and peer-selected by its members. I’m grateful for their support.
If you’d like to learn more about One Tiny Bubble, please check out these resources:
Recently on L.E. Carmichael‘s Cantastic Authorpalooza blog, I talked about my inspiration for writing Monster vs. Boy. To check it out, go to “Karen Krossing: Addressing the Monster in the Closet.” Also, please check out L.E. Carmichael’s fantastic books!
To hear me reading from Monster vs. Boy, please check out this video.
For ideas about how to share Monster vs. Boy with young readers, please see this Discussion Guide.
Today on L.E. Carmichael‘s Cantastic Authorpalooza blog, I talk about my childhood love for science, which grew into my first nonfiction STEM book One Tiny Bubble, illustrated by Dawn Lo. I discuss:
how I saw my role as a translator of high-level scientific concepts into child-centred language and experiences.
how I used my fiction-writing skills to craft nonfiction.
how I helped to connect the child reader to the content.
