A Well Earned Honour for an Outstanding Canadian

Patsy Aldana has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, recognizing “her contributions to children’s publishing in Canada and around the world.” Perhaps best known as publisher of Groundwood Books (which she founded in 1978), Patsy Aldana has also served as president of IBBY International, played leadership roles in publishing associations and school library coalitions, and worked for the Children in Crisis program. She is currently co-chair with Rick Wilks of the TD National Reading Summit. All the while continuing to publish such leading writers as Brian Doyle and Sarah Ellis, Marie-Louise Gay and Tim Wynne-Jones, Celia Barker Lottridge and Anne Laurel Carter.

I’ve tried to tempt Patsy with various projects over the years, but nothing I’ve sent her has ever quite piqued her interest or met her exacting standards.

My congratulations to Patsy Aldana on the recognition of an outstanding career in the field of children’s literature!