Val Ross facts for kids

Valerie Jacqueline Candida "Val" Ross (born October 17, 1950 – died February 17, 2008) was a talented Canadian writer. She won the Norma Fleck Award in 2004 for her amazing non-fiction books for children. Val Ross was also a journalist who wrote for a big newspaper called The Globe and Mail. She even won a National Newspaper Award in 1992 for her excellent writing about different topics.

Val Ross's Early Life and Education

Val Ross was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1950. Her parents were Jack and Erma Ross, and she had a younger brother named Philip. Val went to a special primary school called the Institute of Child Study. This school was known for its modern teaching methods.

After high school at Jarvis Collegiate Institute, Val thought about becoming an artist. She studied art at St Martin's School of Art in London, England. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto.

Career and Interests

Before becoming a full-time writer, Val Ross had many interesting jobs. She worked in urban planning, which is about designing and managing cities. She also wrote about tourism and worked as a broadcaster at CBC. Traveling a lot helped her learn about different communities, cultures, and media around the world.

In the early 1970s, Val started learning Washin Ryu, a type of karate. She worked hard and earned a brown belt. Val also loved walking and was part of several women's groups in Toronto who often went for walks together.

Val wrote for popular magazines like Chatelaine, Saturday Night, and Toronto Life. Then, she became a writer and editor at Maclean's magazine in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She reported on important events, like the conflict in El Salvador. She became a strong voice for human rights and freedom of expression.

Later, she spent the rest of her career at The Globe and Mail. She worked as a reporter covering books and publishing. She was also a deputy editor for the Comment section and an arts reporter.

Books for Young Readers

Val Ross wrote two fantastic books for children:

• The Road to There (published in 2003)
• You Can't Read This (published in 2006)

The Road to There tells the history of cartography, which is the art of making maps. This book won the $10,000 Norma Fleck Award in 2004. It also received honors from the Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award. You Can't Read This explores the history of books that have been banned or censored.

Her last book was Robertson Davies: A Portrait in Mosaic. This book was published after she passed away. It shares stories and interviews about the famous Canadian writer Robertson Davies. Val continued working on this book even after she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2007.

Family and Legacy

Val Ross was married to Morton Ritts. They had three children: Max, Madeleine, and Zoe.

Val Ross passed away in Toronto on February 17, 2008, due to brain cancer. She left behind a legacy of important journalism and engaging books for young people.

Val Ross's Published Works

• 2003: The Road to There (Norma Fleck Award winner) (Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award Honors)
• 2006: You Can't Read This
• 2008: Robertson Davies: A Portrait in Mosaic (published after her death)