Ann Blades facts for kids

Ann Blades is a talented Canadian artist, writer, and teacher. She is well-known for illustrating and writing many wonderful children's books. Her stories often feature children and animals in beautiful Canadian settings. She has won several important awards for her work.

Early Life and Education

Ann Blades was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on November 16, 1947. She loved learning and went to university. In 1970, she earned a teaching certificate from the University of British Columbia. This allowed her to become a teacher. Later, in 1974, she also graduated in nursing from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Ann Blades used her teaching skills in many small, faraway communities across British Columbia.

Her Books and Illustrations

Ann Blades published her first book, Mary of Mile 18, in 1971. This book was very popular and won the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award. This award recognized it as one of the best children's books that year. The story of Mary of Mile 18 was even made into a film by the National Film Board of Canada.

After her first success, Ann Blades continued to write and illustrate. She published A Boy of Taché in 1973. Her beautiful drawings have been shown in art exhibitions. For example, her illustrations were part of an exhibition called "Canada at Bologna" in Italy in 1990. This show was at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, a big event for children's books from all over the world.

Awards and Recognition

Ann Blades has received many awards for her amazing work. Besides the Canadian Library Association award, she won the Canada Council Children's Literature Prize in 1978. This was for her illustrations in A Salmon for Simon. She also received the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award in 1979. In 1986, her book By the Sea: An Alphabet Book won the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. These awards show how much her talent is appreciated.

Selected Works

Here are some of the books Ann Blades has written or illustrated:

• The Cottage at Crescent Beach (1977)
• Jacques the Woodcutter (1977) text by Michael Macklem
• A Salmon for Simon (1978) text by Betty Waterton
• Six Darn Cows (1980), text by Margaret Laurence
• Anna's Pet (1980) text by Margaret Atwood and Joyce Barkhouse
• Pettranella (1980) text by Betty Waterton
• By the Sea: An Alphabet Book (1985)
• Ida and the Wool Smugglers (1987) text by Sue Ann Alderson
• The Singing Basket (1990) retold by Kit Pearson
• A Ride for Martha (1993) text by Sue Ann Alderson
• A Dog Came Too (1993) text by Ainslee Martin
• Back to the Cabin (1996)
• Pond Seasons (1997) text by Sue Ann Alderson