For several weeks in the early spring and late fall I traveled as far north as Burns Lake, BC, southeast to Vancouver Island and on down to Washington State. During these trips my presentations included a street fair called Word on the Street, several readings, Meet the Author/Salmon Celebration slide shows, many

workshops and an Authors' Event at the Maritime Museum in Victoria.

The all-day workshops included classes in mask making, creative writing and drama. During the workshops, I helped the students create their own headband frontlet. Working together in small clan groups, the students made colourful masks in the same crest family. A worksheet is used to educate the children on the materials used in making a real FN mask.

After this project is completed the children move into ‘totem’ groups and write their own stories using the mask crests as the characters. One criterion to their stories is the final words used, “and this is our Totem.”

Upon completion of their story, the totem group performs it to the student body. During each ‘curtain call’ a photo is taken of the Totem created by each troupe. My first workshop like this was in 1984, my last in 2012 with too many to count in-between.

New Book "The Salmon Twins"

In Caroll Simpson’s third book inspired by the art and legends of the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest, she takes readers to the underwater world of Salmon, Killer Whale, Dogfish, Halibut and Sea Wolf. She also introduces readers to the powers of Thunderbird and Gray Whale and teaches the important lesson of how working together makes everyone stronger. Written for children aged 3 to 8, this charming tale of the transformation of greedy twins into hardworking, generous people illustrates the downfalls and dangers of selfishness. Featuring Caroll’s distinctive colour paintings, The Salmon Twins is intended to spark interest in the art and culture of all First Peoples. A glossary of legendary mythical creatures and to the sea life in the oceans of the Pacific Northwest provides an informative backdrop for her dramatic tale. When new twins are born in the village, everyone celebrates. The birth of twins is a rare and special occasion; they are the children of the salmon. But as the twins grow, they become selfish and greedy. Their mother warns the twins that selfishness and greed are not the way of their people, but the twins don’t listen. Seeing the twins fighting and arguing, Thunderbird is not happy and transforms them into a Two-Headed Sea Serpent and drops them into the ocean. Once transformed, the twins must learn to work together as one. On their journey, they encounter Killer Whale, Dogfish, Sea Wolf and other magical, mythological figures. Only if the Two-Headed Sea Serpent learns to share will the twins be able to regain their human forms. Caroll Simpson taught art and drama to grade-school children for many years before buying a remote fishing lodge, called Ookpik Wilderness Lodge, in the northern interior of British Columbia. Located on Babine Lake, it is accessible only by boat or float plane in the summer and by snowshoe during the winter. Caroll spends her off-season writing, painting and observing animals and nature. She enjoys giving interactive presentations to schoolchildren and encouraging them to write their own stories. She is also the author of The First Beaver and The First Mosquito.

Canadian' Children's Book Centre's Best Books

Congratulations, The First Mosquito has been selected for inclusion in the Canadian' Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids and Teens 2011. The committees reviewed over 585 submissions in several age groups and genres. Mosquito has been placed in the Folktales, Legends & Myths category.

The magazine is sold on newsstands across Canada and mailed directly to most library systems and school boards. All of the selected titles will be highlighted at the Ontario Library Association SuperConference, the Toronto edition of Word on the Street, and several other conferences and fairs. This is great exposure, especially to the school, educational, and library market.

Again, congratulations and I hope you are having a great summer!
Neil

Best Books for Kids and Teens 2011

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Neil Wedin
Media + Marketing
Heritage House

The Salmon Twins

I am currently working on the paintings for my new children's book. It is called The Salmon Twins. This book is about twin children finding adventure on the shores of British Columbia, and in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.