Claire Mackay facts for kids

Claire Mackay (born December 21, 1930 – died August 11, 2013) was a talented Canadian writer. She wrote many books for young people, including stories and non-fiction books. Claire wrote eleven books in total, which were enjoyed by children and young adults.

About Claire Mackay

Claire Mackay was born Claire Lorraine Bacchus. She grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was a very bright student and earned a special scholarship to the University of Toronto. There, she studied Political Science, which is the study of how governments work and how people make decisions in society.

Her Writing Journey

Claire Mackay started her writing career by creating articles for newsletters, newspapers, and magazines. She became interested in writing children's books because her own son loved mini-bikes, but she couldn't find many books about them for him to read.

This inspired her to write her first children's book, Mini-Bike Hero, in 1979. It was published by Scholastic Canada and became very popular, selling over 450,000 copies! Because of its success, she wrote two more books about mini-bikes: Mini-Bike Race and Mini-Bike Rescue.

Claire Mackay was also one of the eleven people who helped start the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP). This group helps support people who create books and performances for children in Canada.

Her books were published by several well-known companies, including Annick Press, Kids Can Press, James Lorimer, Scholastic Canada, and Tundra Books.

Her Life and Family

While studying at the University of Toronto, Claire met Jackson Mackay. He was an engineering student and later became a chemical engineer. They got married in 1952 and had three sons.

Their family moved several times because of Jack's work. They lived in Vancouver, Regina, and Sarnia before finally settling back in Toronto, Ontario.

Claire Mackay passed away on August 11, 2013, at the age of 82.

Awards and Recognition

Claire Mackay received several awards for her amazing work in children's literature:

• In 1982, she and her co-author Marsha Hewitt won the Ruth Schwartz Award for their young adult novel One Proud Summer.
• In 1983, she received the Vicki Metcalf Award. This award celebrates a writer's entire collection of work in children's literature.
• In 1988, she won another award for her book Marvin and Me and the Flies.

Books by Claire Mackay

Here are some of the books Claire Mackay wrote:

• Mini-Bike Hero (1974)
• Mini-Bike Racer (1976)
• Exit Barney McGee (1979)
• Mini-Bike Rescue (1982)
• The Minerva Program (1984)
• Marvin and Me and the Flies (published in Canadian children's annual, 12 in 1987)
• Pay Cheques and Picket Lines: All About Unions in Canada (1987)
• The Toronto Story (1990)
• Touching all the Bases: Baseball for Kids of All Ages (1994)
• First Folks and Vile Voyageurs (2001)

Books She Co-Authored

Claire Mackay also worked with other authors on these books:

• One Proud Summer (with Marsha Hewitt, 1981)
• Bats About Baseball (with Jean Little, 1985)