Natasha Deen

Biography

Guyanese-Canadian NATASHA DEEN is a best-selling author, with novels for kids, teens, and adults, and she’s a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Her novel, In the Key of Nira Ghani, won the Amy Mather Teen Book Award and her most recent YA title, The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad was a Globe & Mail’s Top 100 Books for 2022. When she’s not writing, she teaches Introduction to Children’s Writing with the University of Toronto’s SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house. Visit Natasha at www.natashadeen.com.

Natasha is offering virtual presentations exclusively for the 2022-23 school year

Presentations

Writing is difficult work, and often, by the time students are done learning the mechanics and rules, they’ve forgotten the best part of writing: it delivers STORY and stories change the world!

Natasha’s dynamic sessions celebrate the funny, sad, stories of being a kid and being part of an immigrant family. She uses those experiences to help kids see the power of their own stories and get them excited about sharing their imagination and memories with the world.

Her presentations are designed to be inclusive for students of all literacy levels. They encompass not only the language arts and social studies curriculum needs of schools but also tackle social issues, including (but not limited to) diversity, inclusion, Own Voices, immigration, mental health, bullying, resiliency, racism, family and friendships, independence, and teamwork.

Natasha is also available for writing workshops, including write-ins, Residencies, Master Class, Q & A, and sessions focused on the mechanics and business of writing.

VIRTUAL VISITS

Special offer: Snack Time with Natasha
Bring Natasha in for a short virtual visit!  The session can include a reading of your students’ choice, a Q & A, or something customized just for you!
Time length: 15 minutes
Cost: $50 + GST.

Types of Visits Offered: Masterclass (Q & A, Sessions focused on one aspect of writing (i.e., character), General Writing Workshops, Literacy Presentation.

Presentation & Workshop Fees (Effective October 15, 2022):

$150 for single 30-40 minute session

$250 for single 45-60 minute session

$500 for 150 minutes max of session time to be divided up

$750 for 240 minutes max of session time to be divided up

Recommended session lengths are 20-30 minutes for K-2 and 45-60 minutes for grades 3-12 but can be adjusted in consultation with Natasha within the maximum limits. Virtual visits can be scheduled for a single day or divided over a course of days/weeks and can be customized according to the school’s needs.

Audience limit: Flexible
Digital Platform: Flexible (Zoom is preferred)

PRESENTATIONS FOR K-GRADE 2

THE KEY TO IT ALL: Using the Lark Ba series, Natasha helps kids see how stories are all around them and how everyday experiences, like losing a key, can become jumping points for writing.

Themes include: kindness, being proactive, & family relationships
Writing Fundamentals: beginning/middle/end, story ideas, writing inspiration

FROM THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, TO THE STARS, AND BACK AGAIN: Fairy tales are fantastic and so is science, and mixing the two together can make for great stories! In this presentation, Natasha shares some lesser-known myths and legends, and connects it with the science to show students how stories and science go together to help us understand the world.

Themes include: science (biology, oceanography), bullying, self-care
Writing Fundamentals: myths and legends, story starters, writing inspiration

 

PRESENTATIONS FOR GRADES 3+

READ, WRITE, AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD: When most of us think of reading and writing, we think of sitting quietly, scribbling away on the paper or getting lost in a great book. But did you know that reading and writing can help you learn how to read minds and see people’s secrets? In this session, Natasha will show how creating characters, sketching plots, and reading books not only help you become a great writer, but also how they can navigate the world. (Taking it over is up to you).

Themes include: relationships, resiliency, self-identity
Writing Fundamentals: cliff-hangers, subtext, minding the story gap

I THINK I CAN: Growing up is hard to do, especially when you feel different from everyone else. In this session, Natasha uses humour to talk about growing up as a visible minority, racism, and how books and stories helped her find her happy ending.

Themes include: resilience, support networks, Seven Habits
Writing Fundamentals: beginning/middle/end, story ideas, writing inspiration

 

PRESENTATIONS FOR GRADES 6+

HUSH. LISTEN. HEAR. SPEAK: Using In the Key of Nira Ghani Natasha shows how our experiences not only help us with writing stories but help us to make sense of ourselves and the world around us. The session helps students view themselves and those around them in a kinder, more positive light, encourages them to tell their stories, and to become listeners to the voices of those who are different than them.

Themes include: mental health, self-identity & self-image, own voices narratives
Writing Fundamentals: point of view, creative non-fiction, character voice

OF MICE AND MUTANTS: Using superheroes as a jumping point, Natasha explores what it means to be the person behind the mask, and how knowing the true arc of the superhero can help students unlock the superhero inside of themselves and those around them.

Themes include: resilience, perseverance, identity, kindness
Writing Fundamentals: Point of View, subtext, deduction

PRESENTATIONS FOR GRADES 9+

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: The hero’s journey doesn’t just live between the pages of a book but breathes and grows in our lives, as well. Natasha’s session shows students how having a hero’s mindset can help them meet their goals in school and life.

Themes include: persistence, strategy, inner power
Writing Fundamentals: plot, character, subtext

THERE IS YOU, THERE IS ME, THERE IS US, THERE IS WE: This session gets students talking about how heavy issues can be tempered with humour, how to find their inner strength, and how being aware of the world around also helps in the creation of fiction/non-fiction narratives.

Themes include: internal dialog, bullying, relationships
Writing Fundamentals: plot twists, writer’s block, who is your audience?

Bibliography

Spooky Sleuths, Book 4: Fire in the Sky (Penguin Random House Young Readers, 2023)

Spooky Sleuths, Book 3: Don’t Go Near the Water! (Penguin Random House Young Readers, 2023)

Jake Maddox: Girl Sport Stories: Surfing Shake-Up (Capstone Publishers, 2023)

Lark Has the Shivers (Orca Book Publishers, 2022)

•  TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Read

The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad (Running Press Kids, 2022)

• OLA Best Bets Pick
• A CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens, Starred Selection ★
• A Globe and Mail Top 100 Books in 2022
• A CCBC Recommended Read
• The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD Kids) “September’s Book of
  the Month
• A CBC Books’ 14 YA Books to Watch for in Spring
• Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Spooky Sleuths, Book 2: Beware the Moonlight (Penguin Random House Young

Readers, 2022)

Spooky Sleuths, Book 1: The Ghost Tree (Penguin Random House Young Readers,

2022)

• School Library Journal Best Books of 2022

Lark Steals the Show (Orca Book Publisher, 2022)

Girls Survive: Millie and the Great Drought (Capstone Publishers, 2022)

Depth of Field, Orca Book Publishers 2022

Maria and the Plague of Florence, Capstone Press, 2021

Nothing But Net, Illustrated By Katie Wood, Capstone Press, 2020

Danger on the Reef, illustrated by Giuliano Aloisi, Capstone Press, 2020

“Not that Kind of Girl,” You Too Anthology, Inkyard Press, 2020

In the Key of Nira Ghani, Running Press, 2019

• Manitoba Young Readers Award Nominee
• Ross Annett Award
• Red Maple Award Honour Book
• OLA White Pine Teen Committee Summer Reading List Selection
• Barnes & Noble Top 25 Most Anticipated Own Voice Novels
• Chapters-Indigo Most Anticipated Teen Books
• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens
• CCBC Red Leaf Literature Selection
• Junior Library Guild Selection for Reluctant Readers
• Junior Library Guild Book Club Selection

Softball Switch-Up, Illustrated By Katie Wood, Capstone Press, 2019

Thicker than Water, Orca Book Publishers 2019

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teen, Starred Selection
• Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
• Red Maple Summer Book Club Selection

Lark Takes a Bow, Illustrated By Marcus Cutler, Orca Book Publishers, 2018

Game’s End, Great Plains Publications, 2017

Lark and the Diamond Caper, Illustrated By Marcus Cutler, Orca Book Publishers, 2017

Terminate, Orca Book Publishers, 2017

Across the Floor, Orca Books Publisher, 2016

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens

Gatekeeper, Great Plains Publishing, 2016

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens
• Moonbeam Award Winner
• Alberta Readers’ Choice Award Nominee

Lark Holds the Key, Illustrated By Marcus Cutler, Orca Books Publishing, 2016

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teen, Starred Selection

Burned, Orca Books Publishing, 2015

Sleight of Hand, Orca Books Publishing, 2015

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teen, Starred Selection

The Not So Secret Adventures of Billy Vale, P.I., Blueberry Hill Press, 2015

At Dock’s End, Blueberry Hill Press, 2014

Guardian, Great Plains Publications, 2014

• CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teen
• Moonbeam Award Winner
• Starburst Award Nominee

True Grime 2: Angel-Maker, Blueberry Hill Press, 2012

True Grime, Blueberry Hill Press, 2011

• P&E Top 5 Pick for YA Book

Reviews