Hélène Boudreau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hélène Boudreau
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| Born | 16 June 1969 Petit-de-Grat, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Occupation | Children's author, artist |
| Period | Present |
Hélène Boudreau (born June 19, 1969) is an Acadian artist and author from Canada. She writes books for children and her art, which often shows themes from the Maritimes, has been displayed in places like the Toronto Public Library.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hélène Boudreau was born and grew up in Petit de Grat, a small French Acadian community in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Her family was large, with three brothers and four sisters. She can speak both English and French very well.
After finishing high school in 1987, Hélène went to Dalhousie University. There, she studied biology. She also worked as a Park Interpreter for the Canadian Parks Service. Later, she trained to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist. When she was in her late twenties, she moved to Ontario from her home in the Maritimes. This was when she truly began her journey to become a children's author.
Becoming a Children's Author
Hélène Boudreau often shares what made her want to write for kids. She remembers a special moment from when she was in fourth or fifth grade. Her teacher published a picture book, which inspired Hélène greatly.
She said, "I first thought of being a children's author in 4th/5th grade when a teacher of mine published a picture book. It was very inspirational for me to see someone I knew accomplish such an unimaginable feat. That day, I went straight home and wrote and illustrated a picture book of my own but it wasn't until much later (almost thirty years) when I actually put that dream of being an author into action."
First Books and Awards
In 2007, Hélène was recognized in the Surrey International Writing Contest. She was short-listed in the "Writing For Young People" group for her story With Measured Breath. Soon after, she started working on her first book, Acadian Star. She had been living in Ontario for many years by then.
Acadian Star is a novel for middle school children. It tells the story of a young girl named Meg Gallant and her friend Neve. They take part in a local competition called the Acadian Star. Nimbus Publishing released the book in 2008. It was later nominated for the 2009/2010 Hackmatack Children's Choice Award. Acadian Star also won second place in the 2008 Writers Federation of New Brunswick Literary Competition. This helped Hélène gain many young fans in Eastern Canada.
Popular Series: Real Mermaids
The year 2010 was busy for Hélène. She published two more novels. One was KEEP OUT! by Nimbus Publishing. The other was Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Jabberwocky Publishing. This book is about a mermaid girl who is afraid of water. She tries to balance her normal teenage life with her mission to save her mermaid mother from scary mer-dudes.
Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings became her most famous book. It was a finalist for the Crystal Kite Member Choice Award. This book was also the start of a series. Its sequels include Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath (published in May 2012) and Real Mermaids Don't Have Two Left Feet (published in February 2013).
Interestingly, Hélène wrote most of her first Real Mermaids book while walking. She loves to walk and finds that moving helps her thoughts flow. She once said, "I find when you're on the move, it helps your thoughts be on the move, too."
Personal Life
Hélène Boudreau is married to Gordon Clarke. He is a retired lieutenant and used to be the President of the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada. They have two daughters named Charlotte and Marcelle.
Even though her family lives in Markham, Ontario now, Hélène's hometown of Petit de Grat still inspires her writing. The themes in her children's books often come from her birthplace. Hélène is known for being a "compulsive walker." She also loves cheese and chocolate. Some authors who inspire her include Madeleine L'Engle, Louis Sachar, Katherine Paterson, and Kate DiCamillo. She is also an active member of The Writers' Union of Canada.
