Catherine Hernandez

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Catherine Hernandez is a Canadian writer, [1] whose debut novel Scarborough was a shortlisted finalist for the 2017 Toronto Book Awards [2] and the 2018 Edmund White Award. [3]

She has also written the plays The Femme Playlist, Singkil, Eating with Lola, Kilt Pins and Future Folk, and the children's book M for Mustache: A Pride ABC. [4] She has been the artistic director of the Sulong and b_current theatre companies in Toronto. [5]

Of mixed Filipino, Chinese, Spanish and Indian descent, she identifies as queer. [6] [7]

Her second novel, Crosshairs, was published in 2020. [8]

Scarborough was adapted by Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson into the film Scarborough , [9] which premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. [10] Hernandez won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards for the film's screenplay. [11]

The novel was subsequently selected for the 2022 edition of Canada Reads , where it was defended by Malia Baker. [12]

Her latest novel Behind You, made longlist for the International Dublin Literary Award in 2025. [13]

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<i>Scarborough</i> (2021 film) 2021 Canadian film

Scarborough is a 2021 Canadian drama film, directed by Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson. An adaptation of Catherine Hernandez's 2017 novel Scarborough, the film centres on the coming of age of Bing, Sylvie and Laura, three young children in a low-income neighbourhood in the Scarborough district of Toronto, as they learn the value of community, passion and resilience over the course of a school year through an after-school program led by childhood educator Ms. Hina.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough (novel)</span> 2017 Canadian novel

Scarborough is the debut novel by Canadian writer Catherine Hernandez, published in 2017. Set in the Toronto district of Scarborough, the novel centres on the coming-of-age of three young children living in the low-income Galloway Road neighbourhood — Bing, a boy struggling with his sexual identity; Laura, a girl who longs for stability as she is continually being shuffled back and forth between her mother's and her father's separate homes; and Sylvie, a girl whose family is living in a homeless shelter — as well as Hina, a community literacy worker dedicated to serving as a supportive oasis of guidance for underprivileged children in her community.

References

  1. "Scarberia redacted: Catherine Hernandez's novel brings a spotlight to a Toronto neighbourhood often left in the wings". National Post , May 12, 2017.
  2. "Jen Agg, Catherine Hernandez nominated for Toronto Book Awards". CBC Books, October 2, 2017.
  3. "Catherine Hernandez, Kai Cheng Thom up for Triangle Awards". Quill & Quire , March 12, 2018.
  4. "Catherine Hernandez". Asian Heritage in Canada.
  5. "Never Settle, Never Rest on Your Laurels: Activist Catherine Hernandez on Her Book, 'Scarborough'". PopMatters , September 18, 2017.
  6. "Catherine Hernandez sets her sights on Scarborough". Now . May 25, 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-11-24. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  7. Bergman, S. Bear (January 27, 2022). "Growing up queer in suburbia". Xtra Magazine . Pink Triangle Press. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  8. Letticia Cosbert Miller, "Catherine Hernandez' novel "Crosshairs" turns present-day Toronto into a dystopian battleground". Toronto Star , September 1, 2020.
  9. Norman Wilner, "The top five events to catch at the Reel Asian Film Festival". Now , November 11, 2020.
  10. Rebecca Rubin, "Toronto Film Festival Unveils Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery Lineup". Variety , July 28, 2021.
  11. "Night Raiders, Scarborough emerge victorious at 5th night of Canadian Screen Awards". CBC News, April 8, 2022.
  12. "Meet the Canada Reads 2022 contenders". CBC Books, January 26, 2022.
  13. IGO (2025-01-14). "Behind You". Dublin Literary Award. Retrieved 2025-01-15.