Eric Walters
Encyclopedia
Eric Robert Walters is a Canadian author
of children's literature
. His novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents.
. In 1993, he was teaching a grade 5 class, where many of the students were reluctant readers and writers. To encourage them to become more involved in literature, Walters began writing and created his first novel, Stand Your Ground, for his class. The novel was set in the school where Walters was teaching, included features from the community and the names of many of his students. He continued writing and has since written more than seventy novels for young adults.
His novels have garnered more than 100 awards, including being the only three time winner of both the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch and Red Maple Awards – voted by over 100,000 students throughout the province of Ontario. His books have been translated in various languages and published in many countries.
In addition to writing, Walters makes presentations across Canada and around the world, speaking to over 125,000 students each year. He encourages them to become more enthusiastic readers and writers.
and now resides in Mississauga, Ontario
, with his wife, Anita and his dogs Lola and Winnie the Poodle, while his three grown children, Christina, Nick and Julia reside in the area.
Eric often experiences the books he is writing. In April 2010 he walked 200 kilometers across the Sahara desert in order to write Just Deserts and in the summer, along with his son, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
for his upcoming book, Between Heaven and Earth.
In addition Eric founded and runs The Creation of Hope an organization dedicated to providing care for orphans in the Mbooni district of Kenya
. Presently over 400 orphans are being provided with a services which include food, school fees, uniforms, tools, beds, livestock and the construction of two children’s residences in the town of Kikima. He also went to Hillside Senior Public School which Mostafa is a student in it in class 704
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
. His novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents.
Background
Walters was an elementary school teacher at Vista Heights Public School in Streetsville, OntarioStreetsville, Ontario
Streetsville is an established community located in the northwestern corner of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on the Credit River...
. In 1993, he was teaching a grade 5 class, where many of the students were reluctant readers and writers. To encourage them to become more involved in literature, Walters began writing and created his first novel, Stand Your Ground, for his class. The novel was set in the school where Walters was teaching, included features from the community and the names of many of his students. He continued writing and has since written more than seventy novels for young adults.
His novels have garnered more than 100 awards, including being the only three time winner of both the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch and Red Maple Awards – voted by over 100,000 students throughout the province of Ontario. His books have been translated in various languages and published in many countries.
In addition to writing, Walters makes presentations across Canada and around the world, speaking to over 125,000 students each year. He encourages them to become more enthusiastic readers and writers.
Personal Life
Eric Walters was born and raised in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and now resides in Mississauga, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, with his wife, Anita and his dogs Lola and Winnie the Poodle, while his three grown children, Christina, Nick and Julia reside in the area.
Eric often experiences the books he is writing. In April 2010 he walked 200 kilometers across the Sahara desert in order to write Just Deserts and in the summer, along with his son, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
for his upcoming book, Between Heaven and Earth.
In addition Eric founded and runs The Creation of Hope an organization dedicated to providing care for orphans in the Mbooni district of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Presently over 400 orphans are being provided with a services which include food, school fees, uniforms, tools, beds, livestock and the construction of two children’s residences in the town of Kikima. He also went to Hillside Senior Public School which Mostafa is a student in it in class 704
Awards
Walters's works have won or been nominated for the following awards:- The Pole
- National Outdoor Book AwardNational Outdoor Book AwardThe National Outdoor Book Award was formed in 1997 as a US-based non-profit program which each year honors the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watters. Awards are presented in ten categories. The award is announced in early November...
(Children's Category), 2008
- National Outdoor Book Award
- STARS
- Silver Birch Award, Ontario Library Association, 1997
- Blue Heron Book Award, Blue Heron Books, 1997
- Children's Choice Award, Canadian Children's Book Centre (CBC)
- Trapped in Ice
- Silver Birch Award, 1997
- CBC Choice Award, 1997
- Ruth Schwartz Award nomination, 1997
- War of the Eagles
- Ruth Schwartz Award, 1998
- CBC Choice Award, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age designation, 1998
- Canadian Library Book of the Year Honor selection, 1998
- Diamonds in the Rough
- CBC Choice Award, 1998
- Red Cedar Award nomination, 1998
- The Hydrofoil MysteryThe Hydrofoil MysteryThe Hydrofoil Mystery was written in 2003 by Canadian author Eric Walters. It is about a teenage boy named Billy McCracken whose mother arranges for him to go away for the summer to work with none other than the well-known inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell...
- Canadian Library Association (CLA) Honour Book designation, 1998
- Caged Eagles
- CLA Book of the Year shortlist, 2000
- UNESCO Honor Selection designation, 2003
- Rebound
- Red Maple Award, 2002
- Snow Willow Award, 2002
- The Bully Boys
- CBC Choice Award, 2002
- Red Maple Award finalist, 2002
- Camp X
- Silver Birch Award, 2003
- Arthur Ellis Award shortlist, 2003
- Run
- Torgi Award, 2003
Fiction
- Just Deserts (Penguin, September 2011)
- Catboy (Orca, September 2011)
- End of Days (Doubleday, September 2011)
- Shaken (Doubleday, January 2011)
- Flyboy (Penguin, 2010)
- Home Team (Orca, 2010)
- Trouble in Paradise (Penguin, 2010)
- Branded (Orca, 2010)
- Beverly Hills Maasai (Doubleday, 2010)
- Wave (Doubleday, 2009)
- Shell Shocked (Penguin, 2009)
- United We Stand (Doubleday, 2009)
- Wounded (Penguin, 2009)
- Tell Me Why (Doubleday, 2009)
- Black & White (Penguin, 2009)
- Special Edward (Orca, 2009)
- Alexandria of Africa (Doubleday 2008)
- Splat! (Orca 2008)
- The Pole (Penguin 2008)
- Voyageur (Penguin, 2008)
- When Elephants Fight (Orca, 2008)
- In A Flash (Orca 2008)
- The Falls (Penguin 2008)
- Boot Camp (Orca 2007)
- Sketches (Penguin 2007)
- Tiger Trap (Dundurn 2007)
- Safe as Houses (Doubleday 2007) RED MAPLE WINNER
- Bifocal (Fitzhenry & Whiteside 2007)
- House Party (Orca 2007)
- Shattered (Penguin 2006) WHITE PINE WINNER
- We All Fall Down (Doubleday 2006) RED MAPLE WINNER
- Camp X - Fool's Gold (Penguin 2006)
- Laggan Lard Butts (Orca 2006)
- Stuffed (Orca 2006)
- Triple Threat (Orca 2005)
- Elixir (Penguin 2005)
- The True Story of Santa Claus (2005)
- Ricky (Harpercollins)
- Underdog (Orca)
- Juice (Orca)
- Run (Penguin)
- Death by Exposure (Dundurn)
- I've Got An Idea (Harpercollins)
- Tiger Town (Dundurn)
- Northern Exposures (Canada)
Non-fiction
- Improve Your Child's Spelling 1 (1991) (with Norm Rippon)
- Improve Your Child's Spelling 2 (1993) (with Norm Rippon)
- When Elephants Fight (2008) (with Adrian Bradbury)
- Tell Me Why (2009)
Coming Soon
- The Matato Ride (Spring 2012) – A picture book based on an Africa tale and the crazy buses that form the backbone of transportation in many parts of the continent.
- The Taming (Spring 2012) – Co-written with award winning author Teresa Toten, this is a modern retelling based on The Taming of The Shrew.
- Hunter (Fall 2012) – The parallel novel to Catboy, is told through the eyes of one of the cats in the feral colony, Hunter.
- Between Heaven and Earth (2012) This book is one of the ‘Seven’ series in which seven grandsons are given a ‘final request’ in their grandpa’s will. D.J. is asked to scatter his ashes on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and the author climbed Kili in the summer of 2011 to research this book
- Power Play (Spring 2013) – Cody’s dream is to make it to the NHL – and being drafted into Major A brings him one step closer. His coach, the man who holds the key to those dreams, takes control of Cody is a way that could not only destroy his dreams but turns his life into a living nightmare.
- Tagged (Fall 2013) – A special fusion book that combines hi/low with a graphic novel. Street art or graffiti? Defacing the city or enriching it? Artist or criminal? Oswald pursues his dreams while dodging the police, a Major determined to be re-elected, and hiding his identity from his friends.
- My Name is Blessing (Fall 2013) – A picture book based on the life of a young man in the Creation of Hope Project.