Imagine growing up watching the #SantaClaus parade on television throughout your childhood (and adult years) to one day be sitting down and chillin' with #Santa, talking about my first picture book, Malaika's Costume, and its message, as well as our love of playing musical instruments, languages, and Drama class.  Well that is what happened here.  #Santa was really cool.  And not because he lives in the #NorthPole and likes jazz (although that helps). 

​I was so excited that a #MalaikasCostume float was a part of the 117th The Original Santa Claus Parade this year as part of the #TDGradeOneBookGiveaway.  Irene Luxbacher's gorgeous illustrations were brought to life in 3D.

Interacting with a life-size 3D version of my character is surreal andstill gives me chills and they are true to Irene Luxbacher’s gorgeous  vibrant illustrations.

I really do feel lucky.  I know that this is rare for an author. I thank God for this opportunity and I have been blessed by this experience. 🙏🏾 

The fitting song 🎵 you hear is a cover by the #German🇩🇪/#Trinidadian🇹🇹 group Boney M. of the #Tanzanian🇹🇿 song, #Malaika.  I learned about the song after the book's publication.

When I first named this character, I pronounced her name Malika (mal-EEKA) which means queen in #Swahili but then switched it to Malaika (mal-AY- ka) eventually learning that means angel.

I think both names suit her.  There are even more special connections to this name.

When the late Sheila Barry, former publisher at Groundwood Books, acquired my story, she said she thought it would be big.  She was right.

Her story represents resilience, resourcefulness, creativity, community, and family... and reflects diversity and the immigrant experience. 

I wanted to show which illustrations from the picture book were used to inspire the float.

In these images, you will see Malaika with her grandmother and three of her friends, Malcolm, Marcus, and Ravina.

Perhaps the most frequent comment given to Irene Luxbacher’s illustration in all three books of the Malaika series is how gorgeously colourful 😍 they are depicted.

On my two workshop visit and through consultation with regular photo updates, I had a chance to see and comment the different stages in the construction process.

I'm not a professional illustrator but I've always loved to make art (draw, collage, paint, edit videos). Seeing these 3D images up close was amazing and a result of hard work, consultation, teamwork, and creativity. The sculpts are made from Styrofoam and paper mâché, paint, and cloth.

Thank you, Irene, for your art that inspired such a beautiful float.  Thanks to everyone who made this float happen.

 You can still view the Santa Claus Parade for a limited time at the CTV website here or go my Linktree here.

Agent update 
I finally have a literary agent for the first time in my #writerlylife.  I am happy to say my three and a half year search for representation has landed with Hilary McMahon, senior agent and executive vice-president of Westwood Creative Artists.  Hilary is highly recommended and has a 20+ year track record as a literary agent.  After 5 years as a published author who has secured 10 book contracts on my own, my priority is about delegating more, especially during these eventful last several years in my personal life. I think the timing for an agent couldn’t be more perfect and I look forward to this partnership with Hilary. I wish to thank the following authors who helped me to make this decision: Rahma Rodaah (for inspiring me to know that it was about time), Richard Scrimger (for making the introduction to Hilary after his initial offer to do so 3 years ago), SK Ali and Susan Yoon (for advice and listening ears), and Joanne Levy, Susin Nielsen, and Susan Juby (as well as Richard and Rahma) for their glowing recommendations of Hilary. I look forward to working with Hilary.  

MFA highlights
In September, I began my second year of studies in the MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph.  It has been a busy program.  I have taken courses in fiction with Dionne Brand, screenwriting, creative nonfiction with Ayelet Tsabari, self-directed studies, and now drama and decolonial fiction.  I continue to cohost the monthly online reading series, Speakeasy.  My summer mentorship was with Jamaican Poet Laureate, Olive Senior and my thesis advisor is Shyam Selvadurai.
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TD Grade One Book Giveaway                                               My first picture book Malaika's Costume has been selected as this year's TD Grade One Giveaway. When I got the news, it felt unreal, maybe because I had dreamt this would/could happen one day.  As a former Grade One teacher, it means that much more.  Now over 550, 000 students across Canada will get a chance to read about Malaika in English and in French.  For more info, visit: https://bookcentre.ca/programs/td-grade-one-book-giveaway
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OLA Nomination                                                                                     Malaika’s Surprise was nominated for the 2022 Forest of Reading (Blue Spruce Award).🌳 
This is a huge honour.  The Forest of Reading is basically the #Canadian equivalent of the Kids’ Choice Awards but for books.  This is my first Forest of Reading nomination.
It’s been twelve years now since I had read Blue Spruce nominated picture books 📚 to my second graders and helped them vote on their favourite.  That year, Chester by Melanie Watt won!
And now, it’s my turn to be a part of the festivities as an author. 
Congratulations to all of the nominees!
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Cooking with Nadia L. Hohn.                                            Cooking with Nadia L. Hohn: Caribbean Dishes Featured in Malaika's Surprise
Join me for Cooking with Nadia episode 1: Malaika's Surprise as I talk about and make Caribbean dishes featured in my newest picture book, Malaika's Surprise. On today's menu are fried plantains, cornmeal porridge, and doubles. I even take you to Trinidad and Tobago. Enjoy!
You can view my full video here on IGTV or my YouTube channel. Please see this link.  For a downloadable copy of the recipes, please visit the link.

interviews by nadia                                                                Check out my first episode of #interviewsbynadia with Harriet's Daughter author/poet M. NourbeSe Philip on my YouTube channel here. 
Check out my second episode of #interviewsbynadia with Facing the Sun author Janice Lynn Mather here.  This book was the 2021 CCBC Amy Mathers Teen Book Award winner.
In the winter term of my MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph, I did a self-directed reading course with Professor Jennifer Schacker. I decided to focus on books featuring Black adolescent girlhoods.  As part of this course, I interviewed two young adult authors— M. NourbeSe Philip and Janice Lynn Mather.  I hope you enjoy these interviews. 

Articles and Podcasts 
“How Harriet’s Daughter Helped Me Find My Way as a Black Canadian and a Writer for Young People”, Arc Poetry magazine (Arc 96 Islands of Influence Caribbean Canadian edition) (Fall 2021).

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“Writer with a Capital W”, University of Waterloo podcast

“Writer Finds Resilience Stories Black Women and Girls”, University of Waterloo magazine (Spring 2021). 
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Upcoming books
Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

Editor of Untitled anthology (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika #4 (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

Published books
Interview in Contemporary Canadian Picture Books: A Critical Review for Educators, Librarians, Families, Researchers, & Writers by Beverley Brenna, Richard Dionne, and Theresa Tavares (Brill, 2021).

Malaika's Surprise (Groundwood Books), Spring 2021  https://houseofanansi.com/products/malaikas-surprise  French version available in 2022 by Éditions Scholastic, Malaika's Surprise Book Trailer

A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett-Coverley Found Her Voice (Owlkids), Aug. 15, 2019 

Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter (Harper Collins), 2018 

Malaika's Winter Carnival (Groundwood Books), 2017 (available in French and English paperback http://scholastic.ca/editions/livres/view/le-carnaval-de-malaika)

Malaika's Costume (Groundwood Books www.groundwoodbooks.com), 2016 (available in French paperback www.scholastic.ca) 2021 TD Book Giveaway

Music in the Sankofa series (Rubicon Publishing), 2015 www.sankofacollection.com
Media in the Sankofa series (Rubicon Publishing), 2015 www.sankofacollection.com
Reprints
A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett-Coverley Found Her Voice 

Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter 

Malaika's Winter Carnival 

Malaika's Costume


Upcoming Events 
Monday, November 22 11:00-11:20am ET for OISE/UT Stay at Home Club on Twitter.
A big partnership this December that I can’t tell you about yet. (Follow my social media for details.)
Thursday, December 9 7pm ET Pre-Kwanzaa Pyjama Party on Zoom.
Past Events
Telling Tales 2021
Toronto International Festival of Authors 2021 (TIFAKids)
Upcoming in Winter 2021 Nadia’s Notables Newsletter…

• MFA Update
• Audioreads
• Toronto Arts Council grant
• Innisfil IDEALab Writer in Residence 
• TD Book Giveaway on the Road
• MFA Update- The Thesis

© Nadia L. Hohn, 2021
Toronto, ON, Canada

So this just happened...

#MalaikasSurprise was nominated for the 2022 Forest of Reading (Blue Spruce Award).🌳 

This is a huge honour.  The Forest of Reading is basically the #Canadian equivalent of the Kids’ Choice Awards but for books.  This is my first Forest of Reading nomination.

It’s been twelve years now since I had read Blue Spruce nominated picture books 📚 to my second graders and helped them vote on their favourite.  That year, Chester by Melanie Watt won!

And now, it’s my turn to be a part of the festivities as an author. 

Congratulations to all of the nominees.

To see the full announcement on the Forest of Reading website, click here.

Guess what came in the mail!

2021 TD Grade One Book Giveaway copies of #MalaikasCostume!

This book takes me all the way back at 2016 when Malaika's Costume was first published. 

This was my very first picture book and it was illustrated by #IreneLuxbacher.  Irene has worked hard to redo and revise several illustrations for the TD Grade One Book Giveaway 2021.  I think they look gorgeous.  (One revised illustration is shown here.)

My editor at the time, the late Sheila Barry, said Malaika's Costume would be big before I even signed the contract. I still wonder how she knew. 

I've taken this story all over the world and now over 550,000 children will get a copy.

Enjoy!

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Okay, maybe a few months off the press so the press has cooled down now.  I’m excited to share that I’m excited to be one of the spotlighted children’s picture book creators in CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN PICTURE BOOKS: A Critical Review for Educators, Librarians, Families, Researchers, & Writers by Beverley Brenna, Richard Dionne, and Theresa Tavares.

The book was published earlier in 2021.

Buy your copy here: https://brill.com/view/title/60329 or at the link here: linktr.ee/nadialahohn.

First week of year 2 #MFA #CreativeWriting program at 44 years old.

How'd it go?

This is my second Masters degree and it feels like such a better fit.

During my "first go" at grad school, I was 24 years old and no longer sure that I had made the right choice.  I started with a clear idea of my research focus but then became lost and jaded for several reasons. The material was difficult and dense, the other students were older and seemed more knowledgeable, and I was exhausted constantly. As a result, my goal became to finish my degree as quickly as possible and I did, thankfully, complete my Masters in Education with a focus on Equity (MEd) in 2005.

The goal now is to graduate with my MFA in Creative Writing in summer 2022.

Here goes!

The story of Caribbean migrant labour has not been an easy one.

From the Panama Canal to migrant farm workers, #tradeunions and my own experiences, Caribbean people have often filled labour shortages and did undesirable jobs, travelling far to provide for themselves and their families, sometimes risking their lives to do so. 

This is part of my family’s story and an inspiration of Malaika’s Costume and the series.

In this slide carousel, I share about about Caribbean migrant work. 

This Labour Day, I reflect on Caribbean migrant workers, labour unions, books, and my work in teaching and writing.

Books featured here are:

• They Call Me George: The Untold Story of Black Train Porters and the Birth of Modern Canada by Cecil Foster

 

• My name's not George: The story of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters : personal reminiscences of Stanley G. Grizzle by Stanley Grizzle 

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• Malaika’s Costume  by Nadia L. Hohn (aka me)

 

• Dying to Better Themselves: West Indians and the Building of the Panama Canal by Olive Senior

Fun facts: Stanley Grizzle was born in Toronto in 1918 of Jamaican parents and was the president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. He eventually became a Canadian Citizenship Judge. His daughter Nerene Virgin. Stanley died in 2016 and I had the pleasure of speaking with him on multiple occasions. 

Please note: Stereotypes of the happygolucky or lazy Caribbean person are racist and utterly false.

To learn more about more Caribbean migrant experiences, read stories about domestic workers, nurses, trades people, and the Windrush generation.