Today I Am: 10 Stories of Belonging
About this ebook
In this timely, thought-provoking, funny and heartbreaking collection, ten acclaimed BIPOC authors from across Canada explore the theme and concept of home.
From awkward family dinners, to life on the rez, to moving to a new town, each of these stories provides a unique perspective on the theme of belonging through characters tasked with navigating and finding their place in this world.
Brought together by curator (and story contributor), Jael Richardson, Today I Am will make readers laugh and cry while opening their hearts and minds to the world around them, validating how it feels to be young and alive today.
Today I Am includes stories by Marty Chan, Rosena Fung, Michael Hutchinson, Chad Lucas, Angela Misri, Mahtab Narsimhan, Danny Ramadan, Liselle Sambury, Brandon Wint and Jael Richardson.
About the author
MARTY CHAN writes books for kids and plays for adults. He's best known for his Marty Chan Mystery series, which includes award winners The Mystery of the Frozen Brains and The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul. The Junior Library Guild awarded the gold medal standard to his novels Willpower and Haunted Hospital. Marty works and lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife Michelle.
ROSENA FUNG grew up and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Her graphic novel, Living With Viola, was nominated for the Silver Birch award. When she is not drawing, Rosena can be found teaching illustration, vending at zine fairs and going to the library. Her favourite activities are reading, cats, snacking and learning to play the guitar. Her name is pronounced "Rosanna."
MICHAEL HUTCHINSON is a citizen of the Misipawistik Cree Nation in the Treaty 5 territory, north of Winnipeg. He is the author of the Mighty Muskrats Mysteries series. He has spent much of his career telling the stories of Indigenous peoples and advocating for First Nation families and communities across Canada. Currently he is the Communications Manager for the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre. Michael's greatest accomplishments are his two lovely daughters.
CHAD LUCAS is the author of Thanks A Lot, Universe (winner of the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children's Literature), Let The Monster Out (a 2023 Red Maple Award Nominee) and You Owe Me One, Universe. A proud descendant of the historic African Nova Scotian community of Lucasville, he lives with his family in Nova Scotia.
ANGELA MISRI is an award-winning journalist, author and educator. She is best known for her detective series, The Portia Adams Adventures, and her middle grade series, Tales from the Apocalypse. Pickles vs the Zombies won the 2021 Hackmatack Award for fiction. Trip of the Dead is up for the 2023 Red Cedar Award. Angela teaches journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University.
MAHTAB NARSIMHAN is the award-winning author of numerous books, including The Third Eye, which won the Silver Birch Fiction Award, Mission Mumbai and The Tiffin. The Boy and the Banyan Tree is her first picture book for Scholastic. Mahtab is originally from Mumbai, India, and lives in Vancouver, Canada. Visit her online at www.mahtabnarsimhan.com.
DANNY RAMADAN is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ-refugees advocate. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, won multiple awards and his picture book Salma et les saveurs de la Syrie continues to receive accolades. Danny graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing, and lives in Vancouver with his husband.
JAEL RICHARDSON is the author of the memoir The Stone Thrower, a picture book by the same title and the picture books Because You Are and The Hockey Jersey. Her debut novel, Gutter Child, was shortlisted for the Amazon First Novel Award. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) in Brampton, Ontario. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and lives in Brampton, Ontario. Visit her online at www.jaelrichardson.com.
