Biography
Maureen never planned on becoming an award-winning author of books for kids of all ages. As a kid, her favorite subjects in school were science and math; she dreamed of becoming a doctor or an airline pilot. At university, she got degrees in science and business; afterwards, she had jobs in the aerospace, biopharmaceutical and financial services industries. She even taught business at college!#It wasn’t until after she’d had her first baby that Maureen even thought about writing. The first time she sat down to give it a try, the most amazing thing happened: as she reached her hands toward the keyboard, it felt as though she were slipping on a pair of gloves that had been waiting for her since forever. She knew in a heartbeat that she was meant to be a writer, and from that moment until this, she has never stopped writing.#Maureen finds writing exhilarating, frustrating, satisfying, exhausting and hard. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages. Her novels include Exploits of a Reluctant (But Extremely Goodlooking) Hero, The Gypsy King trilogy and Ortega, which won the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award. Her picture books include the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series, InvisiBill and The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten, which won the Ontario Library Association Blue Spruce Award. Her books have been nominated for such prestigious national awards as the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the Joan Betty Stuchner – Oy Vey! – Funniest Children’s Book Award.#Maureen lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with her husband, three kids and Buddy the wonder dog.~Facebook: @MaureenFergusAuthor~Twitter: @maureenfergus
Awards
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The Day Dad Joined My Soccer Team
2019 - Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College, Listed
2018 - Best Books for Kids and Teens, The Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
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The Reptile Club
2020 - Blue Spruce Award, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2019 - Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
2019 - Shining Willow Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards, Finalist
2018 - OLA Best Bets, Ontario Library Association, Winner
2018 - The Globe 100: Favourite Books of 2018, The Globe and Mail, Listed
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The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten
2015 - Blue Spruce, Forest of Reading, Winner
2014 - Best Books of the Year for Children and Young Adults, Bank Street Children's Book Committee, Winner
2013 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
Picture Books
The Day Dad Joined My Soccer Team, 2018
The Reptile Club, 2018
The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten, 2013