Bio
Frieda loves humor, history and exploring new ways to tell a story. In her lively, interactive presentations, she uses drama, group participation, chants and storytelling to engage her audience.
Frieda was raised and educated in New York City, where she earned a B.A. in International Relations with honors in History and a Master of Science in Special Education. She taught children and adults with learning disabilities in New York, Israel and Canada. She also established a number of school libraries, taught writing at Humber College and worked on educational documents and projects for the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Girl Guides of Canada.
Frieda began writing in the 1980s. She wrote book reviews, profiles and articles for magazines and newspapers. In 1990, her first picture book, OONGA BOONGA was published by Little Brown and was voted "Pick of the List" by American Booksellers. It was published again in 1998 with new art by Random House UK, Dutton US and Scholastic Canada. In 2011 it will be reprinted with new cover art by Scholastic Canada. OONGA BOONGA is still going strong after twenty years!
To date, Frieda has published over eighty trade and educational books. She writes in a variety of genres including picture books, chapter books, novels and non-fiction. Her books have been translated into French, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Korean, Chinese, German, Spanish and Catalan.
Frieda's books have earned critical praise, starred reviews and have been reviewed in magazines and newspapers around the world including The London Times, The Observer and The New York Times. Many of her titles have been praised by the CBC's prestigious book panel and have won awards in Canada, the US and the UK.
Her book, EACH ONE SPECIAL, was nominated for a 1999 Governor General's Award for text and won the 1999 Print Braille Book of the Year Award. JENNIFER JONES WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE won the 2004 Stockport, Portsmouth and Sheffield Picture Book Awards. PLEASE LOUISE won the 2008 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. MAGGIE CAN'T WAIT won the 2010 Christie Harris Book Award. She is the author of the popular CANADIAN FLYER ADVENTURE series (Owlkids.)
