THE WINNER OF...

~ The Toronto Heritage Award of Merit for Changing the Pattern

~ Storytelling World Award for The Rooster Prince

~ Frances E. Russel Award for Believing in Books

~ Our Choice Seal for one of the best Canadian Children's Books for Changing the Pattern and My Mannequins

As a teacher/librarian, Sydell added a new dimension to her classroom, incorporating her love of story . Creative writing classes, book reviewing, storytelling, plays, puppets and visual displays became a daily delight in the class and school library. Recently, while teaching a primary special-education class, her love of story allowed her to communicate and connect in a new fashion.

While teaching two courses, Creative Writing and Writing for the Children's Market for the Toronto Board of Continuing Education, Sydell developed writing exercises and building blocks that she now shares with groups of aspiring young authors. Two years in a row she shared her "tricks of the trade" at the Young Authors' Conference at the Norman Berman Library in Montreal, and recently taught at the University of McGill's Young Authors' Conference.

Presentations, as part of the Canadian Children's Book Centre Tour took her to schools in Quebec. Locally she has presented her engaging visual presentation at numerous Markham libraries and Toronto schools where she has jumpstarted their summer reading sessions.

"No kind of writing lodges itself so deeply in our memory, reverberating there for the rest of our lives, as the books that we met in our childhood, and when we grow up and read them to our very own children, they are the oldest old friends."
William Zinsser

BELIEVING IN BOOKS, by Sydell Waxman, Page 8.

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