Eric Walters

Eric Walters is a critically acclaimed children's writer and one of the best selling authors in Canada. These novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents. Eric's novels have won more than 50 awards including ten separate children's choice awards. He is the only three time winner of the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Award, and a three time winner of the Red Maple. Over 250 000 children in Ontario participate in both awards annually and Eric has been voted their favorite author far more than any other author in the program. In addition he has received an award from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for his novel "War of the Eagles."

While remaining one of the best selling children's authors in the country, Eric's novels are now available in places as far away as New Zealand and Australia and have been translated into French, Chinese, Dutch, Korean, German, Flemish, Swedish, Norwegian and Japanese.

Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A. Hons. Psych). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and as a crisis worker in the emergency department at a local hospital. Originally he thought he might leave social work when he became a teacher, but he found he still enjoyed his job and remains part-time in the emergency department at Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, Ontario. In many of his books (STARS, Diamonds in The Rough, Visions), social workers are included as characters.

However, his career writing began in 1993 when Eric was teaching a Grade 5 class. His students were reluctant readers and writers and Eric began to write to encourage them to become more involved in literature. His first novel, Stand Your Ground was created for this class. It is set in the school where Eric was teaching, Vista Heights Public School, and some of the features of the community of Streetsville and many of the names of his students were incorporated into the story.

In addition to writing novels for adolescents Eric presents to school across North America. His presentation aim to inspire children to read and write, and blend drama, storytelling, audience participation and interaction. The presentations serve to get children excited not only about reading his novels, but to get excited about the literary process.

Works

*"Alexandria of Africa (Doubleday 2008)
*"Splat! (Orca 2008)
*"The Pole (Penguin 2008)
*"Voyageur (Penguin 2008)
*"When Elephants Fight (Orca 2008)
*"In a Flash (Orca 2008)
*"The Falls (Penguin 2008)
*"Boot Camp (Orca 2007)
*"Sketches (Penguin 2007)
*"Tiger Trap (Dundurn 2007)
*"Safe as Houses (Doubleday 2007)
*"Bifocal (Fitzhenery & Whiteside 2007)
*"House Party (Orca 2007)
*"Shattered (Penguin 2006)
*"We All Fall Down (Doublday 2006)
*"Camp X-Fool's Gold (Penguin 2006)
*"Laggan Lard Butts (Orca 2006)
*"Stuffed (Orca 2006)
*"Triple Threat (Orca 2006)
*"Elixir (Penguin 2005)
*"The True Story of Santa Claus (Chestnut 2005)
*"Ricky (Harpercollins)
*"Underdog (Orca)
*"Juice (Orca)
*"Run (Penguin)
*"Death by Exposure (BeachHolme)
*"I've Got an Idea (Harpercollins)
*"Tiger Town (BeachHolme)
*"Off Season (Orca)
*"Grind (Orca)
*"Camp 30 (Penguin)
*"Rebound (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
*"Road Trip (Orca)
*"Royal Ransom (Penguin)
*"Long Shot (Orca)
*"Tiger in Trouble (BeachHolme)
*"Northern Exposures (Harpercollins)
*"Hoop Crazy (Orca)
*"Overdrive (Orca)
*"The Money Pit Mystery (Harpercollins)
*"Caged Eagles (Orca)
*"The Bully Boys (Penguin)
*"Full Court Press (Orca)
*"Diamonds in the Rough (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
*"Camp X (Penguin)
*"Visions (Hapercollins)
*"Three on Three (Orca)
*"Stranded (Harpercollins)
*"Trapped in Ice (Penguin)
*"STARS (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
*"War of the Eagles (Orca)
*"Stand your Ground (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Basketball novel series

*"Three on Three" (1999)
*"Full Court Press" (2000)
*"Hoop Crazy" (2001)
*"Long Shot" (2001)
*"Road Trip" (2002)
*"Off Season" (2003)
*"Underdog" (2004)
*"Triple Threat" (2005) (with Jerome Williams)
*"Boot Camp" (2007) (with Jerome and Johnnie Williams)

Non-fiction

*"Improve Your Child's Spelling 1" (1991) (with Norm Rippon)
*"Improve Your Child's Spelling 2" (1993) (with Norm Rippon)

Novel Summaries

*"Alexandria of Africa (Doubleday 2008)- For Alexandria Hyatt having a fabulous life is easy: she knows what she wants and how to get it. Being glamorous and rich is simply what she was born to be. While driving her expensive car, not paying attention, she rams into another driver having to drag herself into court to face a judge just seems like a major inconvenience. But before she knows it she's on a plane headed to Kenya where she has been ordered to work for an international charity. Over the course of her month in Africa she will face a reality she could never have imagined, and will have to look inside herself to see if she has what it takes to confront it.

*"Voyageur (Penguin 2008)-Brian, his mom, and his sister, Jennie, have left their Manhattan home for a canoe trip in Northern Quebec in order to scatter the ashes of Brian's father, whose most cherished memories were of his childhood summers spent at a camp. They are unprepared for this trip and tragedy is only averted when they are rescued by an old many Pierre who offers his services as a guide In the end they discover that Pierre is somebody far more important than simply a guide.

*"Spalt! (Orca 2008)-Leamington is the home of a gigantic tomato festival including a parade, a beauty pageant, talent show, and then tomato toss. All goes terribly wrong when the tomato toss contest engulfs the entire town.

*"The Pole (Penguin 2008)-Fourteen-year-old Danny is off on an adventure of a lifetime. As the youngest crew member aboard the renowned ship The Roosevelt, captained by Robert Bartlett, he is heading north with an expedition led by Robert Peary, in a race to be the first to the North Pole. Based on true events, this action packed adventure details the journey of the first men to reach the Pole.

*"In a Flash (Orca 2008) - Mobs aren't necessarily a bad thing, if that mob comes together for an instant pillow fight or a freeze in. And perhaps, it can even be used as a protest against a school policy.

*"The Falls (Penguin 2008)- Fifteen-year-old Jay Hunter has but one goal in life: to get out of the Falls. Life in this tourist town doesn't hold much of a promise or future. But everything begins to change when his other reveals a remarkable family history: Jays's great-grandfather was one of the most famous river men whom ever lived, saving people who'd jumped into the Falls, retrieving the bodies of those who couldn't save, and going over the Falls himself in a barrel. With the help of an equally notorious river man, Bommer Williams, Jay immerses himself in the history of the Falls, learning about his family's history and about himself too. Suddenly life holds meaning-as well as a challenge that Jay finds irresistible.

*'When Elephants Fight (Orca 2008) – Non-fiction co-written with Adrian Bradbury – When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. This ancient proverb is as true today as when the words were first spoken, perhaps thousands of years ago. Its essence is simplicity – when the large fight, it is the small who suffer most. This book presents the stories of five children – Annu, Jimmy, Nadja, Farooq and Toma – from five very different and distinct conflicts – Sri Lanka, Uganda, Bosnia, Afghanistan and The Sudan. Along with these very personal accounts, the book also offers brief analyses – at a level that children can understand - of the history and geopolitical issues that are the canvas on which these conflicts are cast.

*'Sketches (Penguin 2007) – Sometimes things are just so bad that the streets seems like the only place a kid can run. A gritty story about trying to survive.

*'House Party (Orca 2007) - Parents are away for the weekend. What could go wrong with inviting a few friends over for a small party? The answer is hundreds of people.

*'Boot Camp (Orca 2007) – The newest in the basketball series with Nick and Kia going to Washington to attend a basketball camp run by Jerome Junk Yard Williams.

*'Bifocal (Fitzhenry & Whiteside 2007) - Co-written with Deborah Ellis. This is two different sides of the same story told through the eyes of two different high men, reacting to the arrest of a fellow student on suspicion of terrorism.

*'Safe As Houses (Doubleday 2007) - Historical fiction about Hurricane Hazel and the struggle of three young people to escape from the raging flood waters
*'Tiger Trap (2007) - The 4th in the Tiger series – Nick and Sarah, along with Mr. McCurdy and Vladimir become involved in an international ‘sting’ to capture people trying to trade in endangered animals.

*'Shattered (Penguin 2006) – Ian’s life is pretty safe and soft and comfortable until he starts to do his community service hours at The Club – a soup kitchen in downtown Toronto. Here he meets the people who live on the streets, including one very proud man who was a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces. Through this man’s stories he becomes aware of the Rwanda genocide and how this inhumanity affects and infects us all, and how one person can maybe make a difference.

*'We All Fall Down (DoubleDay 2006) – It was just supposed to a boring ‘You’re your Kid To Work Day’ at a boring job, in a boring building. The place is the 84th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. The date is September 11.

*'Fool’s Gold - Camp X (Penguin 2006) - The third in the Camp X series. Jack and George are thrown into another adventure when gangsters force the boys into helping them break into the camp to steal gold stored on the property.

*'Stuffed (Orca 2006) - A group of students watch a documentary called ‘Stuffed’ which outlines the terrible things Frankie’s Fast Food can do to those who dine there. They organize a boycott of a fast food chain through the internet – a boycott which Frankie’s tries to head off in whatever means are necessary.

*'Elixir (Penguin 2005) Ages 9 Twelve-year-old Ruth must spend her summer at the University of Toronto, where her mother is hired to clean at the research building. There the lonely girl is befriended by Dr. Banting and Mr. Best who are in the search for a cure for diabetes. But to Ruth’s dismay the research they are doing involves testing on animals. She is approached by animal rights protestors who try to draw her into their plan to rescue the animals and in doing so, destroy the research and the hope of curing diabetes.
*'Triple Threat (Orca 2005) Ages 7 –The 8th in the basketball series. Nick and Kia get kicked off the court at the rec center by a group of older bullies. But revenge is sweet when they find the perfect team mate for a tough game of three-on-three - Jerome ’Junk Yard Dog’ Williams of the NBA. This book is co-written with Jerome Williams.
*'Juice (Orca 2005) Ages 9 – Michael is the star on his high school football team and a candidate for a university scholarship and maybe more. His new coach tells him he needs even more - and the way to get there is by turning to steroids. Michael has to make choices, between loyalty to his team and what he thinks is right and wrong.

*'The True Story of Santa Claus (Chestnut 2005) A picture book co-written by my daughter Christina, Ages 4 -Santa gets all the glory, but who’s really the power behind the sleigh? This book is about the women who really does the work (gee, like that’s unusual) and her efforts to get Santa off his chair, away from the TV, and back in the workshop.
*'Camp 30 (Penguin 2004) Ages 9 -In this sequel to Camp X, Jack and George, are once again thrust into the dangerous world of espionage. The novel is set in Bowmanville, Ontario, and is based on the real Camp 30.

*'I’ve Got An Idea (HarperCollins) Ages 9 - Alex and his friend Sam have been called a lot of things at school, including ‘brainers’ and ‘geekoids.’ But when Twilight Stevens, the new sixth-grader with the brilliant red hair calls the boys ‘dangerous’, Alex can’t believe it. It’s true that Sam’s ideas often get them into trouble, but nothing serious. That changes when they have the idea to sneak away to New York City to see a rock concert, and have to flee from street thugs.
*'Overdrive (Orca) Ages 9 -It’s Jake’s first day with his new license and his older brother lends him his car - his souped up car. Jake, in a thoughtless moment, races away from a light, competing with another car, with tragic results. Can Jake do the right thing?
*'Grind (Orca) Ages 9 - Philip lives for skateboarding. When he and his best friend, Wally, meet a pro boarder they start video-taping their tricks and create a website to highlight their skills. The site becomes a hit, but they find themselves compelled to do more and more dangerous stunts.
*'Death By Exposure (Beach Holme) Ages 9 – 13 This book, which defies category, is a combination short story, photographic, mystery, story-starter, code-breaking, geography, internet, Canadian adventure. It all starts when Ben and Julia go tobogganing where they shouldn’t, a remote glacier, and discover two feet sticking out of the ice.
*'Underdog (Orca) Ages 7 -The seventh in the Nick and Kia basketball series. It’s a new season and Nick and Kia once again try out for the rep team. One new player has the skill and ability to make the team, however, he has to learn how friendship and team play are more important than individual ability.
*'Run (Penguin 2003) Ages 9 - Winston has had a rough time adjusting to the separation of his parents. In trouble, his mother asks if he can stay with his father for a few days. His father, a newspaper reporter is going on assignment to cover a story about a one-legged kid trying to run across Canada. Winston meets this runner, Terry Fox, and watches him run, hears him speak, rides in the van with him, shares meals, and gets to know Terry and be a witness to The Marathon of Hope.
*'Royal Ransom (Penguin 2003) Ages 9 - Jamie Ransom, a 13 year old Cree boy is surprised when his cousin asks him to help escort some people on a wilderness trip. His surprise turns to astonishment when he discovers that the group includes the young Prince Andrew and his sister, Victoria, who are next in line for the British Throne. This adventure turns deadly when kidnappers strike and attempt to abduct the Royal children.

*'Season (Orca 2003) Ages 7 - Basketball season may be over, but Nick and Kia are about to experience the adventure of a lifetime when they visit Nick’s cousin Ned during their summer vacation. Spending time with Ned and his family in the mountains is different - and it becomes deadly when a forest fire erupts all around them.

*'Ricky (HarperCollins, 2002) Ages 9 Ricky has always been more comfortable with animals than people. Sharing his house with 29 creatures, including a dog, cats, squirrels and an alligator, this eighth grader is lucky to have Mr. Johnston as his science teacher, who incredibly has even more animals in the class. Bogart the boa constrictor is one of Ricky’s favourites. That’s why it’s completely shocking when vandals break into the school and destroy many animals, including Bogart. Ricky and his best friend, Augie Levy, devise a plan to raise money to replace Bogart and make up for what had been done.
*'Tiger Town (Beach Holme, 2002) Ages 9 - In this follow up Tiger By The Tail and Tiger in Trouble, Sarah and Nick are back home and helping Mr. McCurdy and Vladimir transform Mr. McCurdy’s farm to a zoo for Boo Boo the bear, Peanuts the elephant, Kushna the tiger, and other assorted exotic animals. The local paper, the mayor and an overzealous inspector combine with animal-rights protestors to make this job harder than anybody had ever expected.
*'Road Trip (Orca , 2002) Ages 7 - In this fifth book in the basketball series Nick and Kia and their teammates are on the road, heading to an elite hoops tournament. They are feeling overmatched by many of the high-profile teams that have been invited from all over the world. The teammates are looking forward to playing some ball, but also having a good time. However, their coach thinks that nothing will be good enough but winning it all.
*'Camp X (Penguin) Ages 9 - It’s 1943 and 12 year-old George, and his older brother Jack, stumble into a military camp located on the edge of Whitby, Ontario. Their curiosity gets the better of them and they are swept up into the mystery and intrigue of Camp X - Canada’s top-secret spy camp. In the most exciting summer of their lives, they are enlisted in the fight against the Axis powers and learn that in war everybody is under suspicion - including themselves. http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol8/no20/x.html
*'Long Shot (Orca), 2001) Ages 7 - The fourth in the basketball series. Nick and Kia try out for their rep team but are met by a new coach. Suddenly all their assumptions are thrown out the window as they discover that this coach expects perfection from everybody.

*'Northern Exposures (HarperCollins, 2001) Ages 9 -6 As a joke Kevin enters the ‘Capture Mississauga’ photo contest. Shockingly his picture wins and his prizes include a trip to Churchill Manitoba to photograph polar bears. His polar bear close-ups become too close in the adventure of his life time.

*'Tiger in Trouble (Beach Holme, 2001) Ages 9 -1 In this sequel to Tiger By The Tail, Sarah and Nick set off for a week at ‘zoo camp’. They discover the camp is run down, badly run and the owner has sinister plans for Kushna the tiger. Sarah and Nick must act to save the tiger in trouble.

*'Hoop Crazy! (Orca, 2001) Ages 7- Nick and Kia compete as part of a three-on-three team in an NBA sanctioned tournament. Can they team up to win against the best players in the whole city?
*'Full Court Press (Orca, 2000) Ages 7 - In the sequel to Three-on-Three, Nick and Kia and their pals are back. Now it’s time for tryouts for the school team. The question is, will grade three students Nick and Kia have any chance of making a school team which is always made up of older kids?

*'Rebound (Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2000) Ages 10 - Sean vows that this year will be different and he’ll stay out of trouble and make the school basketball team. David needs a new start too after a car crash leaves him confined to a wheelchair and horribly bitter about his life. Forced together the boys learn to like each other and their friendship helps draw them both back into the game.
*'Caged Eagles (Orca, 2000) Ages 10 - In this sequel to War of the Eagles, Tadashi and his family are forced to journey away from their home as they are declared ‘enemy aliens’ and must relocate to the cattle stalls of Hastings Park. This saga details one of the greatest injustices of Canadian history.
*'The Bully Boys (Penguin, 2000) Ages 10 - The War of 1812 is raging and American troops invade Canada. Tom Roberts becomes involved with Lt. James FitzGibbons and his Bully Boys and becomes part of the Canadian effort to defend our country and repel the invaders.
*'The Money Pit Mystery (HarperCollins, 2000) Ages 9 - Mystery, magic, and buried treasure all combine to lead Sam, his sister Beth, and buddy, Buzz, into a treasure hunt that almost costs them their lives. Set on Oak Island, Nova Scotia and based on the real Money Pit and the unsolved mystery that still surrounds it.
*'Three-On-Three (Orca, 1999) Ages 7 -X Nick and Kia are eager to sign up for the school’s 3 on 3 contest. To have a chance to win they convince Marcus, two years older and the best player in the school, to become the third member of their team. Will that be enough to win?
*'Visions (HarperCollins, 1999) Ages 10 - 15 Twins, Mark and Rob, accompany their mother to an Arctic island so she can study muskox. They find themselves part of nightmarish stories told by an old Inuit man who appears out of nowhere, and are forced to repay a favor before they can leave.

*'The Hydrofoil Mystery (Penguin, 1999) Ages 9 - It is 1915 and Canada is embroiled in WW I. William, a troubled 15 year old is sent to spend the summer on the estate of famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell. William becomes involved with the construction of the hydrofoil and a mystery to die for.

*'War of The Eagles (Orca, 1998) Ages 10 -1 While Jed’s father is away fighting in WW II, he and his mother move to the home of his grandmother. With the declaration of war against Japan, Jed’s best friend and his family are forced to leave their home. A story about growing up in a less than ideal world. http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol5/no7/waroftheeagles.html
*'Stranded (HarperCollins, 1998) Ages 9 - Gord is new to the school, struggling with his parents’ divorce and trying to make friends and fit in. A week long school trip to a remote island school helps him to establish these friendships while dealing with the life and death issues of a stranded pod of whales.
*'Diamonds in the Rough (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1998) Ages 10-15 After the sudden death of Sky’s mother, she wants nothing more than to keep herself and her three younger sisters together. The solution may lie with a newly discovered Uncle - but this Uncle is hardly ideal and is struggling to escape his own past.
*'Trapped In Ice (Penguin, 1997) Ages 9 - 14 13 year old Helen accompanies her mother and brother on a ship headed to the Arctic. When the ship becomes trapped in the ice the Captain, Robert Bartlett, must use all his skills to keep them alive and try to save the members of the expedition. http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol4/no16/trappedinice.html
*'S.T.A.R.S. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1996) Ages 10 - 16 Joseph is caught stealing cars and is sent to a special program in Northern Ontario to help him learn a new way of looking at life. Stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of ‘losers’ and social workers he discovers things about himself that he didn’t know were possible. http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol3/no3/stars.html
*'Stand Your Ground (Fitzhenry &Whiteside, 1994) Ages 10 - 15 Life was pretty exciting for Jonathan when he lived with his con-artist father. But now he has to stay with his grandparents while his Dad hides from some angry customers. It’s hard to make friends when you’re scamming them. It’s also hard to gain the trust of wary grandparents, and hard to decide to leave or stand his ground for a new and better life.

External links

* [http://www.ericwalters.net/ Eric Walters' Website]
* [http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/profiles/walters.html Interview with Eric Walters]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVVe83Ac15M Trailer created by a fan of Money Pit Mystery]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-7als34lgc Trailer created by a fan of Safe as Houses]