Laura Deal at NorthWords Writers Festival

The 18th annual NorthWords Writers Festival is taking place from May 31 to June 4. This year’s festival is happening in person and includes readings, panel discussions, writing workshops, and signature events.

Laura Deal is the author of My Ittu: The Biggest, Best Grandpa, In the Sky at Nighttime, How Nivi Got Her Names, and The Ugly Place. She will be participating at the following events:

Family Storytime with NorthWords
June 3, 10:30-11:30 am, Yellowknife Public Library meeting room
June 4, 10:30-11:30 am, Yellowknife Visitor Centre
Come and share the magic of stories with your children at this free event featuring wonderful books read by the authors.

Panel Discussion: Small Readers, Big Ideas: Books for Children About Things that Matter
June 3, 3-4:30 pm, Union of Northern Workers North Star Building
While most children’s books have a light-hearted tone, we can also use picture books to guide children into difficult conversations. In this moderated discussion, children’s authors will talk about their insight and experience writing about topics such as coping with grief, caring for mental health, dealing with difficult family dynamics, and more.

Closing Words: Stories That Heal
Richard Van Camp thinks of stories, whether for adults, young adults, or children, as medicine. The beauty of fiction, he said, is that it can fix what has been broken, by providing alternative realities. “When something breaks my heart, I think: how can I honour this, how can I write about this?” Join Richard as he discusses with featured festival authors the impact stories can have on an individual and communities. He will invite them to consider their role as storytellers in reshaping contemporary mindsets and helping readers to imagine a different way of moving forward. 
3:00–4:30 pm, Union of Northern Workers North Star Building

You can find the entire schedule of events here.