Events › Canadian Children's Book Week: Joshua Goudie

Hosted on Zoom 

Students! Enjoy "Shining a Light Through the Darkness: Creating Positive Social Change with Scary Stories with Joshua Goudie." It’s no secret that scary stories provide thrills. But when handled correctly, a terrifying tale can also be the best way to share messages of love, empathy, and inclusion. 

In this workshop, you will examine stories that pack a fright (but won’t keep you up all night). Drawing on Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique local folklore, this collection of fantastical tales features an underlying message of how life’s big problems (even the dark and scary ones) can be resolved without ever losing one’s sense of wonder.

This workshop will feature age-appropriate readings with keen attention paid to content and potential sensitivities. You will not be presented with stories that feature violence or life-threatening situations, but will instead focus on stories that are dark in tone (think: the works of Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein). You will be encouraged to think about the power of storytelling and how it can be used to exact positive change in the world.

Joshua Goudie’s first book, Jack and the Hurricane (Breakwater Books), was published in October 2014 with its sequel, Jack and the Magnificent Ugly Stick (Breakwater Books), following in October 2016. A collection of children’s narrative poetry, Where the Crooked Lighthouse Shines (Breakwater Books) was released in September 2022. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, and he has been shortlisted for the Cuffer Prize for Short Fiction on three separate occasions. In 2023, the short film, The Hag, based on a poem from Where the Crooked Lighthouse Shines will be produced through a partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Corporation. Joshua lives and writes in St. John’s, NL.

Check out all of our Book Week author events at the Library, runs April 30 - May 6.

For Grades 2-6

Canadian Children’s Book Week connects Canadian authors and illustrators with children and teens across Canada. The week of events is organized by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, a national, not-for-profit organization founded in 1976. 

How to participate 

Register 1 attendee per participant/class. You will be emailed an invitation link to Zoom and instructions prior to the day of the event.

Registration for this event ends at 9:00 AM on April 28

Tech Requirements 

All devices are accepted. 

New to Zoom? It’s easy. We’ll email you instructions ahead of time, and when you arrive we’ll be there to guide you.

Your privacy is important to us

No recordings, screenshots, or photographs will be permitted by hosts or participants.

Resources

• What You Need to Know: Online Events with Zoom
• Video Tutorial: Zoom Meetings