Deborah Ellis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Deborah Ellis
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Deborah Ellis in Renaissance, Florida, 2011.
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| Born | August 7, 1960 Cochrane, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Writer, activist and feminist. |
| Notable works |
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Deborah Ellis CM OOnt (born August 7, 1960) is a Canadian writer and activist. She is known for her books that often tell stories about children facing difficult situations around the world.
Contents
Early Life
Deborah Ellis was born in Cochrane, Ontario, Canada. Her family moved many times when she was a child because of her parents' jobs. She started writing when she was about 11 or 12 years old.
Her Writing Career
Much of Deborah Ellis's writing is inspired by her travels and the people she meets. She talks to people from different countries and learns about their lives. For example, to write The Breadwinner series, she visited Afghanistan to meet refugees. She has also worked to support the peace movement and the anti-war movement.
The Breadwinner Series
In 1997, Deborah Ellis traveled to Pakistan to interview people living in an Afghan refugee camp. These interviews helped her write The Breadwinner series. This popular series includes:
- The Breadwinner (2001): This book is about a brave girl named Parvana.
- Parvana's Journey (2002): This is the next book in Parvana's story.
- Mud City (2003): This book is about Shauzia, who is Parvana's best friend.
- My Name is Parvana (2011): This is the fourth book in the series.
- One More Mountain (2022): The fifth book continues Parvana's story as the Taliban takes control of Kabul again.
The first book, The Breadwinner, was inspired by a real interview with a mother and a girl who dressed as a boy to survive in a refugee camp. The other books in the series are imaginative stories about how children might survive in tough situations.
Other Notable Books
- Looking for X (1999): This novel is about a young girl's daily life in a poor area of Toronto. It won the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature in 2000.
- The Heaven Shop (2004): This well-known book tells the story of a family of orphans in Malawi. They face big changes because of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Deborah Ellis wrote this novel to help people understand more about HIV/AIDS and to celebrate the strength of children who are affected by it.
- I Am a Taxi (2006): This book became a best-seller.
- Sacred Leaf (2007): This is the sequel to I Am a Taxi. It follows Diego's adventures with a family who helped him and a large protest.
- Bifocal (2007): Deborah Ellis wrote this novel with Eric Walters. It explores themes of racism and conflict in Canada.
- Lunch with Lenin and Other Stories (2008): This is a collection of stories.
- Moon at Nine (2014): This young adult novel is based on the true story of two teenage girls who were arrested and imprisoned in Iran.
Awards and Recognition
Deborah Ellis has received many important awards for her writing and her work.
- In 2006, she was named to the Order of Ontario, which is a high honor in her home province.
- In December 2016, she was named a Member of the Order of Canada, which is one of the highest honors in Canada.
- She has also won the Governor General's Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and the Vicky Metcalf Award for her entire collection of work. Her books have also been recognized by the American Library Association (ALA Notable) and the Children's Africana Book Award.
Personal Life
Deborah Ellis is a very generous person. She gives almost all the money she earns from her books to organizations that help others. Some of these organizations include "Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan" and UNICEF.
See also
In Spanish: Deborah Ellis para niños
