Sherman, Gisela Tobien
Biography
Gisela writes novels for young people, and articles and reviews for adults. She came to Canada from Germany when she was six, and grew up in Dundas, Ontario. Raised on her mother's tales, surrounded by books and history, fields and ravines, she always loved stories - other people's and her own. With encouragement from her teacher, Gisela knew in grade five that she wanted to become a writer. She held that dream through several years of parenting, teaching in Hamilton elementary schools, being a school librarian, and earning her BA at McMaster University. Though many manuscripts ended up in the closet, some articles and short stories appeared in newspapers, including The Spectator, The Globe and Mail, and Canadian Children's Literature Journal. Then a runaway boa constrictor became a media event that begged to be written as a novel.
Gisela taught creative writing at Mohawk College for 10 years, then a novel writing course at McMaster University for 9 years. She enjoys speaking about books and writing to young people, their teachers, librarians, and parents across Canada. She's a past president of CANSCAIP (The Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers) and still involved with organizing Packaging Your Imagination, their annual day of writing seminars. For the past few years she has been acting in small films, doing background acting in larger movies. For fun she likes to spend time with family and friends, travel, hike, do Pilates, ride her bike, garden, and of course, read. She lives with her husband Frank, and their Lab/Pointer, in Burlington.
Awards/Recognitons
Shortlisted, Manitoba's Young Readers' Award for Grave Danger, 1999.
Listed, CCBC's Our Choice Guide for Grave Danger, 1998.
HARAC (Hamilton and Region Arts Council) Award for Best Children's Book for Grave Danger, 1997.
HARAC Award for Best Children's Book for There's a Snake in the Toilet, 1995.
Other Information
Related Websites or Blogs
Profile of Gisela Tobien Sherman
Published Work
1997. Grave Danger. Toronto : Scholastic Books. (Fiction)
1995. There's a Snake in the Toilet. Toronto: Scholastic Books (Children's)
1994. King of the Class. Toronto: Scholastic Books. (Children's)
