Helaine becker biography

Can Write: Meeting Canadian Writers and Illustrators of Children’s Books
What inspires the writers of the books your students read? How does an illustrator decide what to draw? Is it true that most authors and illustrators don’t know each other? This column features a different Canadian children’s book creator in each issue and shows you the story beyond the covers.

Meet Canadian author Helaine Becker

I see Helaine Becker’s books everywhere. They include funny picture books, fascinating non-fiction, biographies, poetry… Who is this eclectic writer?

Margriet: If I’m an eclectic reader, then you must be an eclectic writer: so many vastly different titles. How do ideas come and how do you decide if one makes a good story?

Helaine: Ideas are everywhere. I get ideas from walking down the street, watching people, birds, dogs… From books, magazine articles. I get ideas from people. My skill has been learning to “catch” ideas—noticing them when they flit through my head, not let them sweep in and out without registering. Once I am aw

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