Marie-Louise Gay

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Marie-Louise Gay
Marie-Louise Gay (SDLM '16).jpg
Gay at the Salon du livre de Montréal 2016 in Montreal Canada
Born (1952-06-17) June 17, 1952 (age 71)
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
OccupationIllustrator, writer
LanguageEnglish, French
Genre Picture books, children's literature
Spouse David Homel

Marie-Louise Gay (born June 17, 1952) is a Canadian children's writer and illustrator. [1] She has received numerous awards for her written and illustrated works in both French and English, including the 2005 Vicky Metcalf Award, multiple Governor General's Awards, [2] and multiple Janet Savage Blachford Prizes, among others.

Contents

Biography

Gay was born in Quebec City and lived in Montreal and Vancouver as a child. Gay lives in Montreal.[ when? ]

Gay co-wrote two longer books with her husband, Montreal novelist and translator David Homel, which included her black-and-white illustrations: Travels With My Family (2006) and On the Road Again! (2008). [3] At the time, she said, "For the last twenty-five years, I have mainly been writing, illustrating and creating only for children." [3]

Gay's books received renewed attention after a public school library system in Alabama mistakenly flagged Read Me A Story, Stella as potentially inappropriate for children, because of her surname. [4]

Awards and honours

In 2013, Canada Post released a series of stamps featuring Gay's character Stella. [5]

Awards for Gay's writing
YearTitleAwardResultRef.
1984Lizzy's Lion by Dennis Lee Canada Council Children's Literature Prize Winner
1984Drôle d'école Canada Council Children's Literature Prize Winner
1987Moonbeam On A Cat's Ear Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award Winner [6]
1987Rainy Day Magic Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Winner [7] [8]
1988Angel and the Polar Bear Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Shortlist
1988Rainy Day Magic Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award Winner [6]
1995Berthold et Lucrèce Governor General's Award for French-language children's illustration Shortlist
2000Sur mon île Governor General's Award for French-language children's illustration Shortlist
2000Yuck, A Love Story Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Winner [7] [8]
2001Stella: Queen of the Snow Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Winner
2002Stella, Fairy of the Forest Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Shortlist
2005 Vicky Metcalf Award Winner [9] [10]
2006CarambaRuth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children's Picture BookWinner
2006Caramba Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award Winner [11]
2007Houndsley and CatinaALSC Notable Children's BooksSelection [12]
2007Stella étoile de la mer Mr. Christie's Book Award for French: 7 and underWinner
2009When Stella Was Very, Very Small Janet Savage Blachford Prize Shortlist [13]
2009 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Longlist [14]
2010When Stella was Very, Very Small Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award for Children's Picture BookWinner [15]
2010When Stella Was Very, Very SmallRuth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book AwardsShortlist [16]
2011Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth! Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award Winner [6]
2011Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth! Forest of Reading: Blue Spruce AwardShortlist [17]
2014Any Questions? Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award Winner [6]
2014Any Questions? Janet Savage Blachford Prize Shortlist [13]
2014Any Questions? Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Shortlist [18] [19]
2014Read Me a Story, StellaRuth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children's Picture BookFinalist [20] [21] [22]
2015Any Questions?Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon AwardWinner [23]
2015Any Questions?CBC Fan Choice AwardWinner [24]
2015Any Questions? TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Finalist [25] [26]
2017Short Stories for Little Monsters Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration Shortlist
2018Mustafa Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Finalist [27]
2019MustafaRuth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Children's Picture BookFinalist [28]
2019Mustafa TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Shortlist [29] [30]
2020Fern and Horn Janet Savage Blachford Prize Shortlist [13] [31]
2020Mustafa Forest of Reading Award Shortlist [32]
2020The Three Brothers Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Winner [33] [34]
2020The Three Brothers Janet Savage Blachford Prize Winner [13] [35] [36]
2022I’m Not Sydney Janet Savage Blachford Prize Shortlist [37] [38] [39]

Publications

Stella and Sam series

Gay's Stella and Sam books have been published in more than twelve languages. [3] They spawned a 52-episode cartoon series in 2013 that aired on Sprout and Family Junior.

Stella series

  • Stella, Star of the Sea (1999)
  • Stella, Queen of the Snow (2001)
  • Stella, Fairy of the Forest (2002)
  • Stella, Princess of the Sky (2004)
  • When Stella Was Very, Very, Small (2009)
  • Read Me A Story, Stella (2013)

Sam series

Sam is Stella's younger brother

  • Good Morning, Sam (2003)
  • Good Night, Sam (2003)
  • What Are You Doing, Sam? (2006)

Travels with My Family series

The Travels with My Family series was co-written with David Homel.

  • Travels With My Family (Groundwood, 2006)
  • On the Road Again! (Groundwood, 2008)
  • Summer in the City (Groundwood, 2012)
  • The Traveling Circus (Groundwood, 2015)
  • Travels in Cuba (Groundwood, 2021)

Standalone books authored

Books illustrated only

  • The Last Piece (1993)
  • When Vegetables Go Bad! (1993)
  • The Fabulous Song (1996)
  • Dreams Are More Real Than Bathtubs (1999)
  • Yuck, a Love Story (2000)
  • Didi and Daddy on the Promenade (2001)
  • Houndsley and Catina (2006)
  • Maddie series; Sophie series (1993–2003)[ clarification needed ]

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