Valerie Sherrard
Valerie (Russell) Sherrard was born on May 16, 1957 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Valerie’s father was in the Air Force and so the family moved about a good deal. While living in Lahr, West Germany, Valerie’s grade 6 English teacher, Alf Lower, encouraged her writing and the idea of becoming an author was born. Although nearly three decades would pass before she began to pursue writing seriously, Valerie never forgot his words.
Valerie has made her home in NB since 1980. Over the years she fostered approximately 70 adolescents for various lengths of time and also worked as the Executive Director of a group home for teens for eleven years. It was these experiences that prompted Valerie to write for children and teens.
Valerie’s husband, Brent, is also a writer (and a carpenter). The couple lives in a converted funeral home in general servitude to their cats.
Memberships
TWUC, CANSCAIP, CCBC, WFNB, WiSP, ABS
Publications:
Down Here: 2015 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, ON)
Random Acts: 2015 (Penguin Canada, Toronto, ON)
Rain Shadow: 2014 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto)
Driftwood: 2013 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, ON)
Counting Back from Nine: 2012 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, ON)
Miss Wondergem’s Dreadfully Dreadful Pie: 2011 (Creative, St. John’s NF)
Testify: 2011 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Accomplice: 2011 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
The Glory Wind 2010 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, ON)
There’s A GOLDFISH In My Shoe 2009 (Creative, St. John’s, NF)
Tumbleweed Skies 2009 (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, ON)
Superstars: Vanessa Hudgens (biography) 2009 (Crabtree, St. Catharines, ON)
Watcher 2009 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
There’s A COW Under My Bed 2008 (Creative, St. John’s, NF)
Searching for Yesterday, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2008 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Three Million Acres of Flame 2007 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Speechless 2007 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Eyes of a Stalker, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2006 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Sarah’s Legacy 2006 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Hiding in Plain Sight, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2005 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Sam’s Light. 2004 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Chasing Shadows, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2004 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
KATE, 2003 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
In Too Deep, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2003 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Out of the Ashes, A Shelby Belgarden Mystery 2002 (Dundurn, Toronto, ON)
Selected Awards:
National/Regional:
Finalist: Governor General’s Literary Award, Children’s Text: 2013
Finalist: CL A Book of the Year for Children 2011, 2014 & 2015
Winner: Word Guild Award for Writing for Young People, 2013
Finalist: TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award 2011
Winner: Geoffrey Bilson Historical Fiction for Young People Award 2011
Winner: Ann Connor Brimer Award 2011
Finalist: Ann Connor Brimer Award, 2008 & 2010 & 2015
Winner: Bronze Medal, Fiction, Independent Publishers Assoc. (International) 2011
Provincial:
Finalist: Rocky Mountain Book Award: 2015
Finalist: Snow Willow Award 2006, 2009 & 2015
Finalist: Red Maple Award 2003 (Honour title) 2008 & 2013
Finalist: Diamond Willow Award 2012
Finalist: Hackmatack Award 2012, 2016
Finalist: Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award 2006 & 2012
Finalist: Silver Birch Award 2012, Honour title 2015
Finalist: Blue Spruce Award 2010
Finalist: Shining Willow Award 2010
Finalist: BC Stellar Award 2006
Honour Title: White Pine Award 2005
Finalist: Arthur Ellis Award, 2003
