Hello! My name Samantha Pearson and I am the new chair of the Information Book Award for the VCLR. You have probably seen my name popping up in emails or maybe seen me at a VCLR event and possibly wondered ‘who is this girl?‘ Let’s get to know each other a bit shall we?
I have a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature and Art History and a Bachelor of Education specializing in Elementary School Education, both from UBC. I am a Teacher On Call in West Vancouver and I also work part time at a bookstore in North Vancouver.
I have an extreme love of books which some say verges on an obsession. You can often find me at local libraries, bookstores, or curled up on my sofa reading. I currently have 11 bookshelves in my tiny basement suite, most built by fiancée who became tired of tripping over pile of books on the floor.
I really enjoy children’s literature and have a particular interest in young adult / teen fiction. Some of my favourite authors are Kit Pearson (The Guests of War Trilogy), Mary Hoffman (The Stravaganza Series), and Michael Buckley (The Sisters Grimm Series).
I am really excited for the opportunity to be the Chair of the Information Book Award. I think that this is a fantastic award that honours some wonderful Canadian authors. As a teacher, I know just how hard it is to find good information books and this award really brings together the best of the best. I hope that during my time as Chair I can work towards making the literary community in and around Vancouver more aware of this award. I hope that I will potentially be able to work with our local libraries and book stores to publicize the winner and honour book, as well as the Top 5 contenders.
I look forward to conversing with you all in the future!
Samantha Pearson
Information Book Award Chair
Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable