Michael Bedard
Michael Bedard (born June 26, 1949)[1] is a Canadian novelist. He was born and raised in Toronto, Canada.[2] He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1971 with a BA in philosophy and English. He began writing when his former high school teacher showed him works of Emily Dickinson and T. S. Eliot. Bedard currently lives in Toronto with his wife Martha. He has four children and two grandchildren.[3]
Works
- The Green Man (2012)
- William Blake: The Gates of Paradise (2006)
- The Painted Wall and Other Strange Tales: Selected and Adapted from the Liao-Chai of Pu Sung-ling (2003)
- Stained Glass (2001)
- The Wolf of Gubbio (2000)
- The Clay Ladies (1999)
- Glass Town: The Secret World of the Bronte Children (1997)
- The Divide (1997)
- Painted Devil (1994)
- Emily (1992)
- The Nightingale (1991)
- The Tinder Box (1990)
- Redwork (1990)
- The Lightening Bolt (1989)
- A Darker Magic (1987)
- Pipe and Pearls (1980)
- Woodsedge and Other Tales (1979)
A Darker Magic
Bedard’s first novel, A Darker Magic (1987), is about an old teacher (Miss Potts) who discovers a handbill for a magic show which reminds her of the death of a friend from her childhood which she blames on the magic show. With the help of a student (Emily), they are able to prevent the show from happening. Dale Gale calls Bedard’s first novel “rich in language and riveting in tone: it brims with a sense of foreboding that is sustained throughout”.[4] Once again, Gale states that A Darker Magic is a “well-crafted eerie novel that demands to be read again.”[5] This book is currently out of print.
Redwork
Redwork (1990) has won numerous awards such as the Governor General's Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award for Children and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award. Although receiving many awards, his second novel was criticized by some. Margaret A. Chang claims that the novel “falls short of the high standard set by Margaret Mahy ’s Memory, the consummate tale of interaction between young and old.”[6] Others have claimed that Bedard is “working on a new level” [7] and that “everything is described in detail and every point is made through dialogue.”[8]
The Green Man
The Green Man is Bedard's newest work, set to release on April 10, 2012. In part a sequel to A Darker Magic, the story follows Emily's niece, Ophelia, as she battles the next generation of the same dangerous magic her Aunt Emily faced as a child. Described by the publisher as "At once an exploration of poetry, a story of family relationships, and an intriguing mystery, The Green Man is Michael Bedard at his finest." [9]
Honors/Awards
- Governor General's Literary Award, Canada, 1990
- Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award for Children, 1991
- IODE Violet Downey Book Award, 1991
- National Chapter of Canada, and runner-up, 1991
- Young Adult Canadian award, 1991
- IODE Book Award (Toronto chapter), 1991 [10]
- IODE Violet Downey Book Award, 2013 [11]
Works cited
- ↑
- ↑ The Storymakers: Writing Children’s Books: 83 Authors Talk about Their Work. Pembroke Publishers, Portland/ Markham 2000, ISBN 1-55138-108-7, p.8/9. (online)
- ↑ A Bio on Michael Bedard, Jenkinson, Dave ; Emergency Librarian Nov/Dec91, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p66, 5p,
- ↑ Gale, David “A Darker Magic” School Library Journal; Sept87, Vol.34, Issue 1, pg.177, 1/9p
- ↑ Gale, David “A Darker Magic” School Library Journal; Sept87, Vol.34, Issue 1, pg.177, 1/9p
- ↑ Chang, Margaret A. “Redwork” School Library Journal; Oct90, Vol.36, Issue 10, pg.139,1/5p
- ↑ Jones, Patrick “Redwork” Voice of Youth Advocates, Dec87, pg242
- ↑ Jones, Patrick “Redwork” Voice of Youth Advocates, Dec87, pg242
- ↑ Goodreads, The Green Man.
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