Biography
Marie Lafrance has been drawing all her life, from her childhood’s queens and kings with crowns on their heads to her most recently published book, The Lady with the Books, based on the story of Jella Lepman, whose travels around Germany in 1946 with an exhibit of international children’s books led to the formation of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).#Marie studied Graphic Arts and Etching, worked as a printmaker and eventually started illustrating, a career which is not really a career as much as a lifestyle; she basically lives in her studio, cooking up characters and trying to give graphic life to authors’ great stories.#In the past thirty years, Marie has been illustrating mostly children’s books, but also draws for older people. Her work was nominated four times for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and she won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award for A Hen for Izzy Pippik.#Marie lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Awards
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The Lady with the Books
2021 - Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, IBBY Canada, Commended
2021 - Outstanding International Books List, USBBY, Winner
2020 - Best Books of the Year, The Globe and Mail, Winner
2020 - Books of the Year list, A Mighty Girl, Winner
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The True Tale of a Giantess
2019 - Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
2019 - Delaware Diamonds Award, Diamond State Reading Association, Commended
2019 - Information Book Award, Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable, Commended
2018 - Cybils Award - Elementary Nonfiction Category, Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards, Finalist
2018 - Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award, California Reading Association, Honor Book
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A Hen for Izzy Pippik
2013 - Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street Children's Book Committee, Winner
2013 - Great Lakes Great Books, Michigan Reading Association, Commended
2013 - Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award, Winner
2013 - Shining Willow Award, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2012 - Best Bets, Picture Books, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Commended
2012 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, , Winner
Picture Books
The Lady with the Books, 2020
Bunny the Brave War Horse, 2014
A Hen for Izzy Pippik, 2012Non-fiction
The True Tale of a Giantess, 2018