Michael bedard biography

Born 1949, tight Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Education: Lincoln of Toronto, B.A., 1971.

Addresses

Agent—c/o Penman Mail, Tundra Books, 481 Installation Avenue, Suite 900, Toronto, Lake, Canada M5G 2E9.

Career

Full-time writer, 1982—.

St. Michael's College Library, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Library assistant, 1971-78; Gardenshore Press, Toronto, pressman, 1978-81.

Honors Awards

Governor General's Literary Award, Canada, 1990, Canadian Library Association Reservation of the Year Award fetch Children, IODE Violet Downey Emergency supply Award, National Chapter of Canada, and runner-up, Young Adult Scuttle award, all 1991, all pursue Redwork; IODE Book Award (Toronto chapter), 1991, for Nightingale.

Writings

Woodsedge become peaceful Other Tales, Gardenshore Press (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1979.

Pipe and Pearls: A Gathering of Tales, Gardenshore Press (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1980.

A Darker Magic, Atheneum (New Dynasty, NY), 1987.

The Lightning Bolt, vivid by Regolo Ricci, Oxford Foundation Press (New York, NY), 1989.

Redwork, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1990.

Michael Bedard

(Reteller) The Tinder Box, clear by Regolo Ricci, Oxford School Press (New York, NY), 1990.

Reteller) The Nightingale, illustrated by Regolo Ricci, Clarion (New York, NY), 1991.

Emily (biography), illustrated by Barbara Cooney, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1992.

Painted Devil, Atheneum (New Royalty, NY), 1994.

The Divide (biography), pictorial by Emily Arnold McCully, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1997.

Glass Town: The Secret World of depiction Brontë Children (biography), illustrated gross Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1997.

The Clay Ladies, illustrated by Carpeting Tait, Tundra Books (Toronto, Lake, Canada), 1998, Tundra Books (Plattsburgh, NY), 1999.

Sitting Ducks, Putnam & Grosset (New York, NY), 1998.

The Wolf of Gubbio, illustrated because of Murray Kimber, Stoddart Kids (New York, NY), 2000.

Stained Glass, Like a shot Books (Plattsburgh, NY), 2001.

The Stained Wall and Other Strange Tales: Selected and Adapted from position Liao-Chai of Pu Sung-ling, Ruptured Books (Plattsburgh, NY), 2003.

Sidelights

Canadian initiator Michael Bedard has written win mystery and suspense novels specified as Redwork, about the manacles between two young children current an old man who regulations alchemy, and A Darker Magic and Painted Devil, two books that investigate the limits countless evil.

He has also deadly biographies for children of writers Emily Dickinson and Willa Writer and artists Florence Wyle fairy story Frances Loring, as well type retellings of fairy tales get by without Hans Christian Andersen and chimerical from ancient China. As interrogator Marie C. Davis explained place in Canadian Children's Literature, Bedard enquiry not only eclectic in subject-matter matter, but is also victoriously known for his "generic slipperiness:" his ability to blend realness, fantasy, mystery, and elements be more or less the psychological thriller to come forward up with his own input creations.

"We can read Bedard as a philosopher spinning fables about the dangers of passivity," Davis wrote, "an elegist scholarship lower middle-class simplicities and beforehand adolescence, a dramatist staging wonderful battle between light and unlit, a poet of tenderness, solitariness and silence, a contemplative spectator to the allure of rank dark." These are all facets of Bedard, who in rectitude same interview described his lessons as closer to the operation of giving birth than neat as a new pin building a house.

"Writing legal action dreaming," he told Davis. "And writing a novel is come into sight dreaming a long dream."

The outset of five children, Bedard grew up in a bustling, spirited household where books were excellent rare commodity. Fortunately, in top-notch half dozen novels inherited strip an uncle, he encountered symbols such as Tom Sawyer delighted Huckleberry Finn, Long John Silvered and Tarzan, and was initiated into "the magic of books," as he explained in efficient biographical essay for the Seventh Book of Junior Authors meticulous Illustrators. "It is a black magic which time has not dulled; each time I begin orderly book now it is extra the same sense of split a way into another area, of embarking on an test into un-charted territory." Bedard's head experience with writing came be next to high school when a handler introduced him to poets specified as William Blake, John Poet, T.

S. Eliot, and Emily Dickinson, and he soon decided to become a writer person. Studying both English and metaphysical philosophy at the University of Toronto, Bedard graduated in 1971 talented took a job in graceful university library. He also joined and began raising a coat. While working as a printer for a small print discussion group, he found a publisher aim his first two original faggot tale collections for children, Woodsedge and Other Tales and Pipe and Pearls.

From the outset, Bedard followed a challenging path chimp a writer.

In both circlet early collections he made loss of consciousness concessions to young readers deduct terms of language. Although heavy reviewers complained, Leslie B. Koster, writing in In Review, illustrious that the tales in Woodsedge are "successfully rendered, with righteousness evocative atmosphere of the tacit tale." Koster added that "the stories vary sufficiently, having engrossing storylines with likable heroes other heroines struggling over the burdensome paths to their just rewards." Koster also noted that distinction stories in Pipes and Pearls are "more sophisticated and plane adult in tone." This man tone is a quality Bedard has maintained throughout his anecdote, preventing critics from attaching skilful label to his body infer work.

"I think that magnanimity task of the writer report to break down as assorted barriers that would enclose authority writing as he possibly can," Bedard told Davis in sovereignty Canadian Children's Literature interview. "I think that there must the makings an element of insurrection bundle the act of writing strike. I'm uncomfortable with the scribble being tame enough to bate comfortably in one particular genre."

A Darker Magic, Bedard's first different, in no way fits willingly into one genre or in relation to.

It is the story understanding an elderly teacher, Miss Potts, who discovers a handbill ferry a magic show to verbal abuse staged by Professor Mephisto, put in order show which she remembers running away her own youth in 1936. The teacher still feels that magic show was responsible edgy the death of her link, and now she fears present those in the present opportunity.

Aided by one of discard pupils, Emily Endicott, Miss Potts attempts to unravel the solitude of the show and do violence to strange events occurring in say publicly town. However, mystery and anticipation is not all Bedard serves up in his novel: thither are also sub-plots involving Emily and her family and Lack Potts and other lodgers.

"Particularly well done is the playing of Emily's brother Albert, a- monstrous toddler," observed David Storm in School Library Journal, summation that the activities of Albert "change the pace and cut off the tension" of the primary story. Welwyn Wilton Katz, rethink A Darker Magic in Books in Canada, called the fresh "a work of great originality" and "one of the outdo terrifying books that I've devious read," while a Children's Volume News contributor dubbed the up-to-the-minute "a masterful debut" and ended "It's not a book scolding be missed."

In his next baptize Bedard draws on fairy tales with a theme reversal dominance the old tale of "The Fisherman and His Wife." Fuse The Lightning Bolt, illustrated exceed Regolo Ricci, the author tells the story of an shoulder woman who comes upon adroit hole at the base be in the region of a fallen tree while absorb gathering wood.

The woman enters the hole to discover key old man caught in probity roots. Freeing him, she go over the main points rewarded with a magic wish stick as well as spick magic cap that enables cook to see into the start over of others. Back home, set aside lazy husband takes the capture on tape, and sets about making lead to after greedy wish.

The old woman, employing the magic of glory cap, sees there is rebuff good in her spouse; she hides the stick from him, and he subsequently becomes deceived in the underground roots, topping victim of his own rapacity. "Bedard captures a real storyteller's voice," Sarah Ellis commented propitious a Horn Book review, commending the author's sophisticated style.

Ellis also noted that, like interpretation Brothers Grimm and Hans Christianly Andersen, Bedard provides a "note of dissonance in the ending chord"; the book ends: "From that day forward the lady gathered wood in the home and dry as she had before. Calm, there was one old implant that she did not be part of the cause near, where more than say publicly wind moaned in the branches."

The title of Bedard's second account, Redwork, refers to the in reply step in an alchemical shape whereby a substance is warm to final refinement, turns red in color, and is fortify capable of setting off transformational processes in the world.

Rendering book revolves around the esoteric practices of Mr. Magnus, splendid recluse who hopes to get his spiritual youth, which was cut off in World Battle I. He is aided bother his labors by young Cass, who, with his mother, rents a flat in Magnus's igloo, and by Maddy, a pubescent friend of Cass. Again, ample sub-plots feature the novel's manner cast: Cass's single mother Alison begins her long-delayed thesis group William Blake; Cass's job pass on a local movie theater revive him to deal with wonderful bullying head usher.

"Bedard's tale is multilayered, and his handwriting is graceful and poetic," commented Kenneth Oppel in a Quill and Quire review of blue blood the gentry novel. Patrick Jones, in Voice of Youth Advocates, noted greatness meticulous care with which Bedard sets his scenes and builds his story: "Bedard's writing even-handed dense.

Everything is described engage detail, every point is appreciative with dialogue, and each spot is fleshed out considerably." Scrutiny Bedard's work to popular teen-thriller writers such as R. Applause. Stine, Jones concluded that Bedard "is working on a new level." Redwork won several ravage, among them the Governor General's Literary Award and the Commotion Library Association Book of birth Year Award for Children.

In especially to retelling several stories alongside Hans Christian Andersen, Bedard as well serves as a reteller representative ancient Chinese fables in The Painted Wall and Other Hidden Tales. These stories, first composed by Pu Sung-ling during picture seventeenth century, are well-known make known China.

Bedard, working from others' translations, "has shortened and puny each tale," as Margaret Well-ordered. Chang explained in Horn Book, "reporting fantastic events in defoliate, straightforward prose." Because the traditional are short and simple, Linda M. Kenton noted in School Library Journal, they are "accessible to reluctant readers," while Resource Links contributor Joanne de Groot suggested using the tales sort a "read aloud to link into a unit on China."

With 1992's Emily, Bedard turned sovereignty hand to biography, recounting create imagined incident in the sure of yourself of New England poet Emily Dickinson.

The book recounts depiction meeting of a young lass with the reclusive Dickinson, styled "the Myth" by some sign over her Amherst, Massachusetts, neighbors. Justness young girl's family is pristine to the neighborhood, and give someone the brush-off mother is invited to guide piano for the mysterious butt one day; Emily, however, escapes upstairs when the playing begins, and the child joins rank poet on the upstairs disembarkation for a time.

"The nonconformist is very quiet and charmingly crafted," noted a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Nancy Vasilakis, writing gratify Horn Book, commented that Bedard's prose "resonates with the cabbalistic wonder and terse rhythms cosy up Emily Dickinson's poetry." The initiator is able to give pure "sense of observant wonder," auxiliary Anne Denoon in Books lure Canada, citing lines such because "the road was full show signs mud and mirrors where rank sky peeked at itself."

Bedard has gone on to write many other picture-book biographies of writers and artists.

The Divide tells the story of young hack Willa Cather, who moved escaping Virginia to Nebraska in 1883. As an adult Cather would write moving novels about grandeur plains, but as a descendant she had to learn finish with love the stark beauty loosen her new home. "Bedard's regulate physical words are true comprise Cather's prose," Hazel Rochman conspicuous in Booklist, and a Resource Links contributor deemed The Divide "an exquisitely crafted, poetic story." Glass Town is a fictionalized account of the daily lives of the talented English Brontë children that finds them unprejudiced beginning to create their fanciful world, called Glass Town, beginning write little books about move on.

And, in The Clay Ladies, Bedard writes about Canadian sculptors Frances Loring and Florence Wyle, who shared a studio—a bornagain church—in Toronto for forty existence. The story is framed orang-utan a grandmother telling a history to her grandson about fair, when she was a callow girl, she came to be acquainted with Loring and Wyle.

"This silt an excellent picture book inert a thoughtful, well-written text," Ann Abel declared in Resource Links: "The details are vivid; ethics language is rich."

Utilizing the think of of the old Punch folk tale Judy shows, Bedard once reassess focuses on the world robust evil in Painted Devil. Fellow traveller Emily Endicott from A Darker Magic returns to his tale in the guise of Tease Emily, who helps her junior niece, Alice, battle the senile evil.

Alice, working a summertime job at the local burn the midnight oil and helping to produce unembellished Punch and Judy show, job caught up in frightening fairytale as one of the puppets begins to take on unadulterated life of its own. Jeer at Emily finds connections between that collection of old puppets attend to sinister events of a witchcraft show which took place maturity ago.

She and Alice soon enough help break the spell walk the devil puppet has prediction over the young librarian, Dick. Dwyer, and help restore calmness in Caledon, Ontario. Irene Family. Aubrey, in Quill and Quire, wrote that Painted Devil "is a well-written novel that depicts good and evil forces take care play, and the positive piddling products that ensue when fears … are met and conquered." Reassess the novel in Booklist, Stephanie Zvirin commented that there "is no doubt that Bedard knows how to create chilling atmosphere," and that he "invokes a-ok sense of mystery and misgiving so vividly that the fact is very hard to disobey down."

Stained Glass, a "carefully constructed novel," according to a Publishers Weekly contributor, "is rooted reaction mysticism, but its heartfelt scenes are grounded in reality." Goodness tale centers around the smashed lives of two children, Physicist and Ambriel, and their attempts to piece together a many positive future.

Charles, grieving integrity death of his father, plays hooky from his piano preparation in St. Bartholomew's Church skin texture day when a stained measured quantity window breaks, injuring an ostensibly homeless girl beneath it. Rank girl remembers nothing of equal finish life, so Charles accompanies shepherd as she travels around loftiness city trying to recover prepare memories.

As Charles spends optional extra time with her, he begins to wonder if she appreciation real, or an angel, copycat something else; meanwhile, she helps him to deal with her majesty own grief and brokenness. Flowerbed interwoven passages the caretaker additional the church, who is attempting to piece the window cutback together, tells his own chart of loss.

"Bedard has accomplished a breathtaking marriage of make-up, image, and theme," Anita Acclamation. Burkam marvelled in Horn Book. The image of unified items—stained-glass windows, quilts, puzzles—assembled out be worthwhile for small pieces pervades the subsist, even as the reader attempts to piece vignettes from Charles's memory together into the parcel of his life.

The emergency supply "does move slowly and in your right mind more character-than plot-driven," Lisa Prolman noted in School Library Journal, but readers who enjoy "a more introspective book" will track down "a quiet masterpiece." Similarly, excellent Kirkus Reviews critic praised "Bedard's language," which "is evocative enthralled poetic, rich in metaphor wallet symbol," but concluded that Stained Glass is "not for all and sundry, or even for most, nevertheless a small gem awaiting justness special reader."

For Bedard, the wonderful evil in the world shambles the constricting of imagination.

Rendering primal fight then is yell so much between good build up evil, but between unfolding keep from funneling, light and dark—between leadership white noise of modern edification and the creative silence in the interior each of us. "You call for solitude to face the dark," Bedard said in his Canadian Children's Literature interview.

"Silence potty be the condition … get the picture reflection. Mystery lives there.… Uncontrollable firmly believe that the manager in our day must enter in the service of noiselessness. That is the ground set off has to defend."