About MeI've written more than 25 books for middle-grade and young-adult readers. I write both fiction and non-fiction, often choosing topics related to science, pop + read more culture, or social history -- or a combination of the three. I love tales about rogue scientists, obsessed adventurers, and risk-takers who've changed the world.

In my spare time, I play tennis, bake, and read. My favourite meal is breakfast, my favourite color is blue, and my favourite children's book is A Wrinkle in Time.

I grew up in Creston, B.C., but now live in Vancouver with my husband and two children.
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My Work Speaker Info Contact Me

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You May Know Me For:

Literature Types
• Picture Books
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Middle Grade Nonfiction
• YA Fiction
• YA Nonfiction
• Editorial Services

Published WorksSnoozefest (Middle-grade non-fiction, Kids Can, Fall 2021)
This is Your Brain on Stereotypes (Middle-grade non-fiction, Kids Can, Fall 2020)
Me and Banksy (Middle-grade fiction, Penguin Random House, Spring 2020)
Under Pressure (Middle-grade non-fiction, Kids Can, Fall 2019)
Mya's Strategy to Save the World (Middle-grade fiction, Penguin Random House, Spring 2019)
Prince of Pot (Young-adult fiction, Groundwood, Fall 2017)
Shadow Warrior (Middle-grade fiction, Annick, Fall 2017)
Eyes and Spies (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, Spring 2017)
Extreme Battlefields (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, Spring 2016)
DNA Detective (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, Fall 2015)
When the Worst Happens (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, Fall 2014)
50 Body Questions (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2014)
Anywhere But Here (Young-adult fiction, Simon and Schuster, 2013)
Seeing Red (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2012)
The Low-Down on Denim (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2011)
50 Underwear Questions (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2011)
50 Poisonous Questions (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2011)
50 Burning Questions (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2010)
Canadian Boys Who Rocked the World (Middle-grade non-fiction, Whitecap, 2007)
Burn (Young adult non-fiction, Annick, 2007)
Rescues! (Young adult non-fiction, Annick, 2006)
Jared Lester (Middle-grade fiction, Annick, 2006)
The Blue Jean Book (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2005)
Fires! (Middle-grade non-fiction, Annick, 2004)
My Time as Caz Hazard (Young-adult fiction, Orca, 2004)
Truth (Young-adult fiction, Orca, 2003)
Canadian Girls Who Rocked the World (Middle-grade non-fiction, Whitecap, 2001)

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Speaking InformationI give presentations to intermediate and high school students as well as to adults. I've spoken at the Vancouver Writers Fest, travelled with TD Canadian + read more Children's BookWeek, and visited schools across Canada. If the workshop descriptions below don't suit your needs, please feel free to contact me directly.

This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes (ideal for middle-grade students)
* Available as a digital presentation via Zoom or MS Teams
This is a sometimes silly and sometimes very serious introduction to the science of stereotypes. It covers the history of discrimination, secret biases in our brains, and how stereotypes affect our sense of self. Interactive sections will help young people make sense of how and why we sort and classify the world around us — and how we might broaden our horizons.

Under Pressure (ideal for middle-grade students)
* Also available as a digital presentation via Zoom or MS Teams
We all experience stress—that sweaty, heart-racing feeling. It’s a natural reaction. But while it may have been useful to our ancestors as they were fighting off lions in the wild, feeling flustered isn’t always so helpful in our modern lives. In this interactive, occasionally silly presentation, I share stories from my book Under Pressure: The Science of Stress. There are fascinating facts about the origins of stress, wacky historical experiments in the name of research, and—most importantly—practical ways to stress-bust in our everyday lives. We experiment with five of these methods, together, during the presentation.

Writing to Change the World (ideal for middle-grade students)
I love to write about people who've taken risks and achieved great things. In this fast-paced presentation, we look at why people pursue unusual goals, what characteristics help them succeed, and how their actions change the world. Along the way, there are questions and answers, a chance to act out one of the stories, and plenty of crowd-sourced sound effects. Show Less

I will visit:
• Vancouver
• Coast
• Lower Mainland
• Gulf and Vancouver Islands
• Kootenay Rockies
• Virtually

I Present to Age Groups:
• Grades 4-6
• Grades 7-8
• High School
• College / University / Adult

Request Booking Info

TestimonialsIt was an absolute pleasure to work with Tanya. Together, we organized a speaker tour across ten of + read more our regional libraries. We received comments of overwhelming delight and praise for her presentations. I had the pleasure of listening to her talk twice – and enjoyed it enormously both times! Tanya is an engaging storyteller who captivates her audiences (whether they are children or adults). The children were engrossed in her stories, delighted by her jokes, and eager to participate in her highly interactive presentations. After the presentation, many of the children wanted the opportunity to speak with her. Tanya is an excellent speaker. I cannot use enough superlatives to describe how much we enjoyed working with her. —Rachel Burke, Fraser Valley Regional Library Show Less