Caroll Simpson Book Tour 12 days ->8,000 Miles Round Trip http://events.bookcentre.ca/book-week I am humbled to be chosen, along with some of Canada’s best authors, illustrators and storytellers, to visit schools, libraries, and community centres across Canada. I will be getting onto 20 planes to 17 towns and 21 venues in northern Ontario! Sharing my new book, The Salmon Twins, will be my main subject matter. Evolving around that, I have writer/Illustrator workshops for high school students & writer’s clubs, a couple of Drama workshops AND my favourite… a mask making workshop for 91 elementary students. Bounding on my first flight, May 4th, I’ll be leaving Victoria on the ‘Red-eye’ … 6:45AM. You know that means, check in time is 4:30AM wholllly molllley! (Alright get over it… my impeccable editor Grenfell Featherstone has refused to edit my blog ;-) One of the tiny planes only allows a total of 53# of luggage! (I swear, I’m flying with 5 plane companies…some of the best in the AIR…. Bearskin Airlines and Wasaya Airways! Don’t tell my Dad he will have a fit! Leaving Victoria, BC and arrive at 7:42PM. Doesn’t that sound like 12 hours?? I can go to Germany in 9hrs. LOL… I wonder if the diligent Heritage house publicist Neil Weiden, knew what I was in for when he submitted my book. I sure didn’t. I have no idea how many hours I’ll be in the plane because they put the dang thing on a 24hr. clock and threw in a couple of time changes!! All I know is I’ll be stopping over in Toronto to change planes and have 2 more hours to Thunder Bay, where I will spend my first night. I know it sounds crazy but, you all know me therefore you will not be surprised when I say, I’m a little excited, to say the least! Stay tuned……… ;-) Saturday, May 4 Fly from Victoria, BC to Thunder Bay, ON.

Great Blog

There is a great new blog out by an enthusiastic elementary teacher in Vancouver, BC. It is called There is a Book For That. Way to inspire young people! QUOTE FROM Carrie Gelson blog: http://thereisabookforthat.com/2013/02/11/the-first-mosquito/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog The First Mosquito Posted on February 11, 2013 Our BLG book this week was The First Mosquito written and illustrated by Caroll Simpson.

Students loved hearing about all of the Supernatural creatures and beings in this book (there is a detailed description of each in the back of the book) and loved Simpson’s art work. There was mumbling all through the story: ■“Wow. Her pictures are so beautiful.” ■“I love the art.” ■“She does such nice drawing.” Also lots of comments about the creatures: ■“I’m a little scared of Creek Woman.“ ■“Those Lightening Snakes are powerful.” (This child leaped out of his seat to get a better look!) ■“The Wild Man of the Woods is easily tricked for food!” Student writing reveals how engaging we found this story! Student reviewers respond: Shereese: I like when the Mom saved the day! I like the art too. I like Creek woman crouched under the creek. I love those pictures. Ashley: My favourite part was when the bloodsucking monster turns into mosquitoes

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.