Maggie De Vries
Encyclopedia
Maggie De Vries was born in Ontario, in 1961, but grew up in Vancouver.
In her mid-to-late thirties, she was a substitute teacher for five years. Before that, in the late ’80s she worked for two years as the assistant to children’s author Jean Little (who is also her aunt), traveled with her all over Canada and the States and in England, and taught children's literature courses with her at the University of Guelph. Until 2002, she taught children's literature courses regularly in Language and Literacy Education at UBC, and she taught a graduate course in Canadian children’s literature at Simmons College in Boston in 1994. She has also taught creative writing at Langara Community College in Vancouver. Since 2003, she has taught a yearly graduate course in writing, publishing and the book trade in the Masters in Children’s Literature program at UBC. She is now also teaching Advanced Writing for Children in UBC's Creative Writing Department.
She received her B.A. in English from UBC in 1984, her M.A. also in English in 1992, and Bachelor of Education, Elementary in 1994. She has also attended McGill University and the University of Guelph.
Maggie De Vries social impact consisted of being an editor for Orca Books, a publishing company dedicated to children’s books and young teen novels in Canada. Through Orca books Maggie coordinated a writing group for the prostitutes in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Maggie was also the first Writer-in-Residence at Vancouver Public Library in fall 2005.
Tale of a Great White Fish: A Sturgeon Story
Winner of the 2007 Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
Winner of the 2007 PCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award
Silver Birch Express 2007 Honour Book
Missing Sarah: A Memoir of Loss
Nominated for the 2003 Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction
Winner of the 2004 George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in BC Literature
Winner of the 2004 VanCity Book Prize
Honourable Mention for the 2004 Vancouver Book Award
Runner up for 2004 One Book, One Vancouver
How Sleep Found Tabitha
Nominated for the 2003 Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
Chance and the Butterfly
Nominated for the 2002 Silver Birch Award
Nominated for the 2002 Chocolate Lily Award
Nominated for the 2002 Diamond Willow Award
Nominated for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize
In her mid-to-late thirties, she was a substitute teacher for five years. Before that, in the late ’80s she worked for two years as the assistant to children’s author Jean Little (who is also her aunt), traveled with her all over Canada and the States and in England, and taught children's literature courses with her at the University of Guelph. Until 2002, she taught children's literature courses regularly in Language and Literacy Education at UBC, and she taught a graduate course in Canadian children’s literature at Simmons College in Boston in 1994. She has also taught creative writing at Langara Community College in Vancouver. Since 2003, she has taught a yearly graduate course in writing, publishing and the book trade in the Masters in Children’s Literature program at UBC. She is now also teaching Advanced Writing for Children in UBC's Creative Writing Department.
She received her B.A. in English from UBC in 1984, her M.A. also in English in 1992, and Bachelor of Education, Elementary in 1994. She has also attended McGill University and the University of Guelph.
Notable Works
- Hunger Journeys ISBN 978-1-55468-579-0 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize nominee
- Somebody's Girl ISBN 978-1-55469-383-2
- Chance and the Butterfly ISBN 978-1-55469-865-3
- Fraser Bear: A Cub's Life ISBN 978-1-55365-521-3 Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize nominee
- Tale of a Great White Fish Hardcover ISBN 1-55365-125-1 Paperback ISBN 1-55365-303-3
- Once Upon a Golden Apple ISBN 0-14-054164-0
- How Sleep Found Tabitha ISBN 1-55143-193-9
- Missing Sarah: Memoir of Loss ISBN 978-0-14-317044-0
Missing Sarah
“Missing Sarah” is Maggie De Vries’ most famous young adult nonfiction novel, which was a memoir to her missing adopted sister Sarah. Sarah was born on May 12, 1969, and the De Vries family adopted her in April 1970. Sarah Disappeared from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in April 1998. Her DNA was found on Robert Pickton’s property on Aug 6, 2002. In this book, Maggie remembers her sister’s life through Sarah’s journal entries, and poems.Social Impact
Maggie De Vries has worked with Orca Books as an editor and has coordinated a writers' group with Vancouver prostitutes. For four months in the fall of 2005, she was the first Writer-in-Residence at the Vancouver Public Library.Maggie De Vries social impact consisted of being an editor for Orca Books, a publishing company dedicated to children’s books and young teen novels in Canada. Through Orca books Maggie coordinated a writing group for the prostitutes in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Maggie was also the first Writer-in-Residence at Vancouver Public Library in fall 2005.
Awards
Awards & recognitionTale of a Great White Fish: A Sturgeon Story
Winner of the 2007 Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
Winner of the 2007 PCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award
Silver Birch Express 2007 Honour Book
Missing Sarah: A Memoir of Loss
Nominated for the 2003 Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction
Winner of the 2004 George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in BC Literature
Winner of the 2004 VanCity Book Prize
Honourable Mention for the 2004 Vancouver Book Award
Runner up for 2004 One Book, One Vancouver
How Sleep Found Tabitha
Nominated for the 2003 Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
Chance and the Butterfly
Nominated for the 2002 Silver Birch Award
Nominated for the 2002 Chocolate Lily Award
Nominated for the 2002 Diamond Willow Award
Nominated for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize