Author Archives: Deborah Hodge

Back to School

West Coast WildSeptember is here and the children and teachers are back to school. The memories of summer vacations and wandering the shoreline of our wild beaches are quickly slipping away.

As a former teacher, I always enjoyed the September start. The classroom was full of anticipation, excitement about being reunited with friends and the thrill of a whole new year of learning.

It’s been years since I was a teacher, but I will never forget how wonderful it was to spend time in the company of my students. They always inspired me, and I continue to think of them every time I write a book.

If you are back in the classroom this September, I wish you a happy and productive year — and many good books to read!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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Karen Reczuch and I are thrilled and honoured to have one of our books selected for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.  West Coast Wild BABY ANIMALS is on the 2025-26 list. Hooray!

This wonderful program is a (free!) literacy initiative for young children – aiming to inspire them with a love of reading. The famous and talented singer, Dolly Parton, said she grew up with a father who was the smartest person she knew – yet he could not read. She remembered how it troubled him and so began this wonderful give-away program of books for young children in his honour.

Small children in many places will receive our little book in the mail, and we couldn’t be happier!

West Coast Dreaming

I’m at home in the city, dreaming about the beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island and wishing I were walking on this long, wonderful beach. It is my favourite place in the world to explore.

We had a lovely adventure there in June and I am hoping to get back again before too long. Some folks love to jump on an airplane and visit international destinations, but I am very happy to be in my home province enjoying all the beauty and nature of the Pacific Northwest.

Will I get back to the wild west coast this summer? I sure hope so. Until then, I’ll dream about it and keep enjoying the photo of this gorgeous beach with its endless sea and sky.

West Coast Summer

Summer in our part of the world is a lovely season, and I was fortunate once again to spend a week on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

As always, I walked many beaches and revelled in the wild and beautiful coastline.

These are a couple of photos, taken on the beach where we stay: one in the daytime and another at sunset.

Every summer, when I visit this magnificent place, I get some much-needed inspiration that lasts for a year and encourages me to keep writing.

Gorgeous art

I feel very lucky to have such a talented illustrator partner for my books these days. Karen Reczuch creates extraordinary paintings in all of our works and I couldn’t be happier! As well as that, over the last 12 or more years, we have become  very good friends and gone on multiple adventures to see beautiful nature spots and fascinating creatures, while doing the research for our books.

We are excited about the upcoming release of The Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island on Aug. 5. As a preview, here is an image of a couple of the interior pages — so lovely!

The Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island

Illustrated by Karen Reczuch; published by Groundwood Books

Meet the remarkable Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island!

A pair of beautiful birds, with long golden tufts, prepare a burrow and lay a single egg on the steep cliffside of Triangle Island – a rare and protected habitat off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island.

In this wild and remote place, the tufted puffins will raise their baby until it is ready to leave the nest and live at sea. If Triangle Island remains undisturbed, and the ocean stays cool and full of fish, these marvellous birds and their babies will continue to thrive and grow.

Wild by Nature series
A series for young readers that explores the unique links between ecologically sensitive species and habitats, and encourages the preservation of the world’s wild places.

Green Earth Book Award, long list

“Informative and thought-provoking.” Kirkus Reviews

“An elegant introduction for any reader with a bent for birds or an interest in ecology.” Booklist

“Deborah Hodge is known for making nature accessible to young minds. With more than thirty-five books to her name, she distills big ecological ideas into clear, poetic nonfiction for children.”  BC BookLook

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Earth Day!

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Happy Earth Day to you and to all the creatures of our beautiful and fragile world!

These lovely tufted puffins are preparing a burrow on the steep cliffside of Triangle Island. The mother will lay a single egg – and soon a new baby puffin will be born!

See more about these remarkable birds when The Tufted Puffins of Triangle Island, illustrated by Karen Reczuch and written by me, is released by Groundwood Books in August.

Until then, please enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of nature on this important day for the earth.