FRED & MARJORIE

People often ask me, “which is your favourite out of all your books?” It always feels like I’m being asked to pick a favourite child. (Impossible, I assure you, my sweeties!)

Until now, (possibly)…

FRED & MARJORIE (illustrated by Angela Poon and pubbed by Owlkids Books) is a story that’s deeply personal to me. My father-in-law was a juvenile diabetic (TID) diagnosed at age 7 (in 1943), which means he needed multiple shots of insulin every day for the rest of his life in order to survive. If he’d been diagnosed before 1921, he would never have lived to adulthood (or even teenhood). Which means that my husband, Jordan, and children, Jonah and Dahlia, are all living legacies of Fred and Marjorie’s work. That alone is reason enough to pick this one as the ‘book of my heart’. But this graphic novel also highlights the many heroic dogs who were so vital to the discovery of insulin. And, as a dog lover, I’m very happy to be able to share their story with the world.

On August 14th, I was delighted to launch FRED & MARJORIE in London, Ontario at Banting House National Historic Site — the birthplace of insulin. My first in-person book event since the pandemic hit — and how exciting it was to meet readers again! Not to mention speak to them face-to-face and sign books for kids (and adults, too). Many people travelled from far away to be at the event, including descendants of Sir Frederick Banting, a past associate of Dr. Charles Best, and lots of T1D warriors — such an honour to meet them all!

I’m so very grateful to Diabetes Canada and Banting House National Historic Site of Canada for hosting this wonderful event and helping me launch FRED & MARJORIE so successfully. Especially as millions around the world celebrate the 100th anniversary of this historic and life-changing discovery.

FRED & MARJORIE is a 2021 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

To learn more or to order a copy, please click here.