Karen Bass (born 1962 in High Prairie, Alberta)[1] is a Canadian writer of young adult fiction. Her 2017 novel Graffiti Knight won the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award[2] and Geoffrey Bilson Award.[3] Her 2015 novel Uncertain Soldier also won the Geoffrey Bilson Award.[4]

Karen Bass
Born1962 (age 61–62)
High Prairie, Alberta, Canada
Alma materUniversity of Victoria
Notable awards
Website
karenbass.ca

Biography

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Bass was born in 1962 in High Prairie, Alberta and grew up on a farm.[1] After attending the University of Alberta, she received a degree in psychology from the University of Victoria.[5] In 2012, she was the writer-in-residence for the Peace region in Alberta.[6]

Later, Bass managed a library in northwest Alberta for sixteen years before committing to writing full-time.[1] In 2017, Bass moved to Hamilton, Ontario with her husband. Although she focuses on writing full-time, she also volunteers at the Hamilton Public Library.[1] She is a member of the Canadian Society of Children's Authors Illustrators & Performers, Writers' Union of Canada,[5] and Writers Guild of Alberta.[1]

Awards and honours

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Three of Bass's novels are Junior Library Guild books: The Hill (2016),[7] Two Times a Traitor (2017),[8] and Blood Donor (2021).[9]

In 2015, Bank Street College of Education included Graffiti Knight on their list of the best books for children ages fourteen and up.[10] In 2017, the novel was included on CBC Books' "100 young adult books that make you proud to be Canadian" list in the thirtieth position.[11]

Awards for Bass's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2008 Run Like Jäger INDIES Award for Young Adult Fiction (Children's) Honorable mention [12]
2009 Summer of Fire INDIES Award for Young Adult Fiction (Children's) Finalist [13]
2011 Drummer Girl INDIES Award for Young Adult Fiction (Children's) Bronze [14]
2012 Moonbeam Children's Book Award for YA General Bronze
2014 Grafitti Knight Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award Winner [15][2]
Geoffrey Bilson Award Winner [16][17][3]
R. Ross Annett Award for Children's Literature Winner [18]
Stellar Book Award Nominee
2016 Uncertain Soldier Forest of Reading Red Maple Award Finalist [19][20]
Geoffrey Bilson Award Winner [21][22][4]
IODE Violet Downey Book Award Shortlist [23]
Grafitti Knight Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee
2017 The Hill Forest of Reading Red Maple Award Finalist [19][20]
Snow Willow Award Winner
Sunburst Award for Young Adult Fiction Longlist [24][25][26]
2018 Rocky Mountain Book Award Nominee
2022 Blood Donor Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence for Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book Shortlist [27][28]

Publications

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  • Run Like Jäger (2008)
  • Summer of Fire (2009)
  • Drummer Girl (2011)
  • Graffiti Knight (2013)
  • Uncertain Soldier (2015)
  • The Hill (2016)
  • Two Times a Traitor (2017)
  • Blood Donor (2021)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "About". Karen Bass. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  2. ^ a b "2014 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award Recipient: Karen Bass". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  3. ^ a b Robertson, Becky (2014-11-07). "Canadian Children's Literature Award winners announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  4. ^ a b Cerny, Dory (2016-11-18). "Florence, Thisdale win TD Canadian Children's Literature Award". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  5. ^ a b "Karen Bass". The Writers' Union of Canada. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  6. ^ "Writer-in-Residence: Karen Bass" (PDF). Peace Library System News & Notes. 24 (1): 1. Spring 2012. ISSN 1190-8890.
  7. ^ "The Hill by Karen Bass". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  8. ^ "Two Times a Traitor by Karen Bass". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  9. ^ "Blood Donor by Karen Bass". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  10. ^ "Best Children's Books of the Year, Fourteen and Older, 2015 Edition" (PDF). Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  11. ^ "100 young adult books that make you proud to be Canadian". CBC Books. 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  12. ^ ""Run Like Jager" is a 2008 Foreword INDIES Winner". Foreword Reviews. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  13. ^ ""Summer of Fire" is a 2009 Foreword INDIES Finalist". Foreword Reviews. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  14. ^ ""Drummer Girl" is a 2011 Foreword INDIES Winner". Foreword Reviews. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  15. ^ "Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award Archives". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  16. ^ "2014 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People Recipient: Karen Bass". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  17. ^ Williams, Leigh Anne (2014-11-07). "Annick Book Wins Big Canadian Children's Lit Award". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  18. ^ "2014 R. Ross Annett Award for Children's Literature Recipient: Karen Bass". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  19. ^ a b "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, 7 to 12 Programs: Red Maple Winners & Nominees, 1998–2023". Queen's University Library. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  20. ^ a b Ontario Library Association. "Red Maple Award™ Winners and Nominees 1998–2021" (PDF). Forest of Reading. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  22. ^ Kahrizi, Camilia (2016-11-18). "Winners Announced for the 2016 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  23. ^ Robertson, Becky (2016-03-31). "Allan Stratton, Frieda Wishinsky make 2016 IODE Violet Downey Book Award shortlist". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  24. ^ "2017 Sunburst Award Longlist!". The Sunburst Award Society. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  25. ^ "2017 Sunburst Awards Longlist". Locus Online. 2017-05-30. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  26. ^ Robertson, Becky (2017-05-29). "Ami McKay, Sylvain Neuvel among 2017 Sunburst Awards longlisters". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  27. ^ "2022 Shortlists". Crime Writers of Canada. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  28. ^ Berki, Attila (2022-04-21). "2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
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