Christie Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christie Harris
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| Born | November 21, 1907 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | January 5, 2002 (aged 94) |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Period | 1957–1994 |
| Genre | Children's literature |
Christie Lucy Harris (November 21, 1907 – January 5, 2002) was a Canadian writer for children. She is well-known for her book Raven's Cry (1966). This novel shares stories about the Haida First Nations culture.
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About Christie Harris
Christie Harris was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1907. When she was a child, her family moved to British Columbia, Canada.
Exploring First Nations Cultures
In 1958, Christie Harris moved to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This move led her to learn more about the cultures of the Northwest Coast. She wrote several radio plays for the CBC about First Nations topics.
She even received a special grant from the Canada Council. This allowed her to work with the famous Haida artist Bill Reid. Together, they researched the life of a great Haida carver named Charles Edenshaw. She also worked closely with Wilson Duff and with Edenshaw's daughter, Florence Davidson, in Masset.
In her 1975 book Sky Man on the Totem Pole?, Christie Harris explored interesting ideas about ancient stories from the Northwest Coast. She looked at how some theories, like those about "ancient astronauts," might connect with these old tales.
Awards and Recognition
Christie Harris received many honors for her writing. In 1980, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is a very high award in Canada. In 1973, she won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. This award celebrates a writer's entire collection of works for young people.
Three months after she passed away, a new award was created in her honor. It's called the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize. This prize is part of the BC Book Prizes and celebrates great children's books with illustrations.
Working with Douglas Tait
Christie Harris worked with illustrator Douglas Tait on at least eight books. These books were published between 1972 and 1982. One of their books was The Trouble with Princesses (1980). This book retells stories about princesses from the Northwest Coast. It also compares them to similar princesses from older European stories.
For The Trouble with Princesses, Christie Harris won the CCCLP prize for English-language writing. This award is now known as the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature. Douglas Tait also won an award for his illustrations in the book.
Christie Harris won the annual Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award twice. She won in 1967 for The Raven's Cry. She won again in 1977 for Mouse Woman and the Vanished Princesses. This was another book she created with Douglas Tait.
Christie Harris's Books
Here are some of the books written by Christie Harris:
- Cariboo Trail (1957)
- Once Upon a Totem (1963)
- You Have to Draw the Line Somewhere (1964)
- West with the White Chiefs (1965)
- Raven's Cry (1966)
- Confessions of a Toe-Hanger (1967)
- Forbidden Frontier (1968)
- Let X Be Excitement (1969)
- Figleafing Through History: The Dynamics of Dress (1971) – written with Moira Johnston
- Secret in the Stlalakum Wild (1972)
- Mule Lib (1972) – written with Tom Harris
- Once More Upon a Totem (1973)
- Sky Man on the Totem Pole? (1975)
- Mouse Woman and the Vanished Princesses (1976)
- Mouse Woman and the Mischief-makers (1977)
- Mystery at the edge of two worlds (1978)
- Mouse Woman and the Muddle-heads (1979)
- The Trouble with Princesses (1980)
- The Trouble with Adventurers (1982)
- Something Weird Is Going On (1994)
