Author Visit

The students in grades 4 to 8 had the opportunity to hear Canadian author, Eric Walters, on Monday, March 17th.  It all began in 1993 when Eric was teaching a Grade 5 class.  His students were reluctant readers and writers and Eric began to write to encourage them to become more involved in literature.  His first novel, Stand Your Ground, was created for this class.  It is set in the school where Eric was teaching, Vista Heights Public School, and some of the features of the community of Streetsville and many of the names of his students were incorporated into the story.  Since his first novel Eric has literally exploded on the children’s and young adult scene.  Over the following years he has published over 80 more novels and picture books with more than ten scheduled for the coming years.  These novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents.  Eric’s novels have won more than 100 awards including eleven separate children’s choice awards.  He is the only three time winner of both the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch and Red Maple Awards – in which over 250,000 students participate and vote the winner.