Biography
Mireille Messier is a Montreal-born, Ottawa-raised and now Toronto-based children’s writer with a background in broadcasting and theater. Before becoming an author, Mireille worked as a television and radio host, a director, a researcher, a book reviewer and a voice actress. Sometimes, she still does those things, too. One of her first “literary” jobs was writing jokes for the bottom of pudding lids!#Since the launch of her first book in 2003, Mireille has published over twenty books. When she’s not at her computer writing, she thinks up new stories while she walks, drives or sails her big old boat. #Mireille loves doing author visits. On average, she meets about three thousand kids a year … give or take a thousand. Some of the funniest questions she has been asked by students are: “Do you dream in French?” (Yes!), “How many minutes does it take you to write a book?” (About a million!) and “Are any of the characters in your books real?” (Yes, they are often different versions of me and the people I know).#Mireille lives in Toronto with her husband, two wonderful teenage daughters and two extremely fluffy cats.
Awards
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The Branch
2018 - Blue Spruce Award, Ontario Library Association, Commended
2018 - Shining Willow Award, Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards, Commended
2017 - 2017-2018 Chickadee Award, Maine’s Children’s Choice Picture Book Award, Commended
2017 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, Starred Selection, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
2017 - Picture Book of the Year Award, Surrey Schools, Commended
2016 - Best Picture Books of 2016, Kirkus Reviews, Winner
2016 - CCBC Choices List, Cooperative Children's Book Center, Winner
2016 - Governor General’s Literary Award, Children’s Illustration, Canada Council for the Arts, Commended
Picture Books
The Branch, 2016