Beautiful tile art outside the Doctor Sun Yat-Sen garden in downtown Vancouver, brought to you by A-Eye. #authorsEye #artistsEye #AEye #betterthanAI #humaneye #humancontent #JustTheWayIsawIt

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Kyo Maclear: “There are moments when what we need, what will benefit us most, is the power to style our own stories.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/11/06/w...

For those posting about #CanKidLit, pls consider including my newest solo picture book, I WANT TO READ *ALL* THE BOOKS? 🙏🏽📚🇨🇦 I also feature real-life Toronto libraries in my book, including one where I worked. I am Canadian & live in Toronto. Thank you so much! #KidLit #IReadCanadian

Finished the lightsaber prop for my son’s Halloween costume just in time. All hand made with recycled bits and bobs!

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Stephen King: “Wherever you write is supposed to be a little bit of a refuge, a place where you can get away from the world.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/10/30/w...

Thank you to attendees Liza for allowing me to share this photo of her notebook from my session, The Creative Storm, which I delivered at the BCTLA fall conference. I love this extremely human encapsulation of my presentation! #authoreye #artisteye #Aeye #humaneye #creativeeducation

A poisonish apple for you, my pretties. It’s a bit of #AEye (that’s “Author’s Eye”), befitting of Halloween week. My son and I found this apple on what we call the witch’s tree near our house. We will have to add it to the next version of the alternate-realm map of our neighborhood.

It’s the last week of the spooky season! This author’s eye brings you a menacing sunflower plant. It’s a nice friendly plant, honestly. That is until the light of a Halloween moon. Then all bets are off. #authorsEye #artistsEye #AEye #betterthanAI #humaneye #humancontent #JustTheWayIsawIt

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from ME: “Erasers are the enemies of ideas.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/w...

Excited to be a part of this magical crew of BC kidlit creators presenting at the BCTLA conference this week! Catch my morning session on creativity then join @cwillbc.bsky.social in the afternoon when we showcase exciting activities & resources for the classroom. 🇨🇦📚🦄 #bctla #bctlaconference

Excited to be a part of this magical crew of BC kidlit creators presenting at the BCTLA fall conference this week! 🇨🇦📚🦄 #bctla #bctlaconference2025 #ireadcanadian #readBc #creativehealth #creativeeducation

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Jeong Kwan: “All art is a work in progress.”

Led a project called “The Ugliest Doll Ever,” in my most recent creative writing project. Loved the result! Some dolls were cute, other ugly—some TERRIFYING! But one thing they all have in common? They have led to fantastic stories . . .

It’s going to be a fabulous conference! Looking forward to talking books and creativity.

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Rick Rubin: “All art is a work in progress.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/10/09/w...

It’s the spooky season, and this author’s eye brings you a beleaguered leaf that the seven-year-old and I found on the pavement while walking to the park. According to my son, it’s a sad skull with a hole in his head. His own AEye is coming along! #authorsEye #artistsEye #AEye #betterthanAI

Love this “Curse Against Book Stealers” in the Special Collections room of Dalhousie’s Killam Memorial Library in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 😂 #LibrarySky #Uplift

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Edgar Allen Poe: “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/10/02/w...

Excited to be presenting at the fall BCTLA conference on Oct 24. My topic: The Creative Storm: 9 things I’ve learned about creativity from writing for—& teaching it to—kids. I will be covering AI, the value of human process, classroom strategies, & the concept of creative health

Loved doing this podcast with James!

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Linus Pauling: “The way to get good ideas is to get lots of ideas.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/09/25/w...

This author’s eye brings you a one-legged letter A being greeted by a persistent plant. I found this scene in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia—nothing contrived about this photo! It’s just the way I saw it. #AEye #authorsEye #artistsEye #betterthanAI

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Lucy Liu: “I think it’s important to make a mess because sometimes that’s how creative things happen.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/w...

One of my favourite parts of my creative writing program for kids is when I get to hand out the finished books from the previous term! I love seeing my students’ reactions, and to see them swap copies, give autographs, and flip through the worlds they imagined. I am super proud of them.

Took this pic while touring the HMCS Sackville in Halifax. You might say this is an unremarkable bit of rope, but it caught my Author’s Eye. If you ask me, this tiny noose serves as a warning to any would-be pixie-pirates to not cause mischief . . . #AEye #authorsEye #artistsEye #betterthanAI

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from beloved Canadian Children’s author, Lucy Maud Montgomery: “How we all love to create! It is a little bit of the divine in us.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/09/11/w...

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from painter Henri Matisse: “Creativity takes courage.” More thoughts about this quote on my blog: kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2025/09/04/w...

For artists interested in illustrating #KidLit: Wondering how to develope an illustration style? Gaining confidence as an artist? How to get "good enough at art" to illustrate children's bks? See my #PictureBooks101 post: debbieohi.com/2025/09/pict... #KidLitArtist

Norma was such a kind and warm-hearted soul. I have many fond memories of her and she did so much to support both myself and the Canadian kid lit community. A real loss.

This Author’s Eye brings you a fractured doorknob on an old (but not forgotten) cottage door.

Great night on the Lunenburg Ghost Tour. We even got a glimpse at the crypt beneath the church. The Victorian architecture really evokes a spooky vibe.

This A-Eye (that’s Author’s Eye!) brings you the slow march of time and those of us who linger in the unseen spaces. #a-eye #authorseye #betterthanAI

I think it’s pretty well known across the webosphere that I love doors, that I take photos of them everywhere I go. Well, here’s a new one for the collection. Not only does it include a cool dragon, but my name is actually on it!

Time to fly back home after an amazing When Worlds Collide, where I got to talk about the things I love, hang out with funny, warm, and generous writers, and explore my own craft. It was my privilege to be a featured author! Thank you to The Alexandra Writers Centre and all the volunteers.

Celebrating the 2024-2025 Canada-Korea Year of Cultural Exchanges at the Embassy of Canada to Korea in Seoul with other Creative Writing for Children Society educators (& @cwillbc.bsky.social friends!) including @leefodi.bsky.social was such a highlight of our time there! 2 quick reminders (🧵1/2)

Love this fan art from The Secret of Zoone sent in by a reader—an animated segment of Ozzie and Salamanda approaching Master Nymm’s chambers! SO much fun. #kidlit #middlegradebooks

Heading out today for When Worlds Collide Literary Festival and looking forward to a fun weekend of events—delivering and attending! #wwc2025 #alexandrawriters #literaryfestival

When Words Collide happens this weekend, and one of the events I’m most excited for is the Hero-and-Villian pre-conference party. I put together a costume, cobbling together existing components from past costumes and creating some new pieces. Am I a hero or a villain? We’ll see…

When Words Collide happens this weekend, and I’m honoured to be a speaker at this event! Please stop by my sessions and bring me your ideas, questions, and creative energy! I’m here to connect, create, and build community—despite my innate introvert state.

Educators: Getting ready for the new school year? Check out my free print-ready classroom posters, activity sheets, and other resources: debbieohi.com/resources/re... #EduSky #PrimarySky #TeacherSky

The students at my recent camp in Korea made me this handmade booklet decorated with things I love (the colour orange, magic) and the things I do NOT love: eggs, ketchup, and glitter (in that order).

I’ll be teaching a master class on creativity at When Worlds Collide literary festival this weekend. My presentation is based on my 20+ years of experience writing for kids, teaching it to them, and being a parent.

Excited to lead a session on adding more personality to our settings at When Worlds Collide literary festival this weekend. I will be providing a few tips to help writers improve the settings of their stories. Come join the fun—and be sure to bring a pen! 🗺️🖊️

This author’s eye brings you meandering garden path on a beautiful summer’s morning. I’m reminded of adventure, wonder, and possibly Narnia! #AuthorEye #AEye #BetterThanAI

Recovering from jetlag after my long sojourn in Korea, where I presented at six libraries, delivered programs at two different schools and one academy, and led a summer camp for kids and teens—plus had an official visit at the Canadian embassy in Seoul. Whew! Must have met with close to 150 kids!

Dolhareubang Hanging out in Insadong. These “stone grandfathers” are traditionally found on Jejudo, so in my imagination they’re on vacation. #AuthorEye #AEye #BetterThanAI #insadong #seoul #korea

This author’s eye brings you a curious robot I found peering from a broken wall in Bukchang-dong. He might be friendly—though I suspect he will ultimately make mischief. #AuthorEye #AEye #BetterThanAI #bukchangdong #seoul #korea

Excited to be participating in #whenwordscollide Aug 15-17! If you haven’t secured your spot yet, come join us! Meet fellow writers, build your community, and find new creative spark!

Wrapped my library tour today in Korea, visiting six different branches during my time here. I had a lot of fun working with the kids, answering their questions about my books, and doing short activities with them, such as designing tags for keys that might open doors to other worlds.

We spread the good news of 🇨🇦kidlit, our terrifying (& awesome wildlife🫎), dinosaurs, & a K-Pop Demon Hunters crossover +proof authors shouldn’t play sports (in case there was ever any doubt)😆