The Gravesavers

Sheree Fitch

Sheree Fitch is an educator, literacy activist and author of award winning poetry, picture books, nonfiction, plays and novels for all ages. Her first book Toes in My Nose, illustrated by Molly Lamb Bobak was launched in 1987. Twenty–three books, several plays and many writing projects have followed. Her work has garnered numerous awards including The Mr. Christie Award for There Were Monkeys in my Kitchen, The Anne Connor Brimer Award for Mable Murple.. If You Could Wear my Sneakers, a book on Children’s Rights commissioned by Unicef won both the Ontario Silver Birch Award and Atlantic Hackmatack award. She has won the Marianna Dempster Award for her contribution to Canadian literature and in 1998 was awarded the prestigious Vicky Metcalf award for a body of work inspirational to Canadian children. She has been goodwill ambassador for Unicef since 1994.

Her work as a poet and literacy educator has taken her to the Arctic as eight-time poet laureate for Peter Gzowski’s fundraisers for literacy and to Bhutan where she taught writing and participated in that country's first national reading week. Author readings have taken her to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Belize and Mexico.

She is also Honorary Spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Read to Me Program. This groundbreaking literacy program is a model of co-operation and success for education, health and community workers. It provides literacy information to new parents and books for newborns.

Her latest and most hands on venture in literacy includes being a writer in residence out on the land in Nunavut. This is an experiential learning program for Inuit women.

Spring 2005 saw the release of Fitch’s first novel for ages ten and up, The Gravesavers, which has received critical acclaim and several nominations. It is currently reaching across the ocean to forge a link between readers in the UK and Canada. If I Had A Million Onions, a collection of nonsense for all ages and Peek a Little Boo, an alphabet book for babies, were published in fall 2005. Both books are filled with her trademark “lipslippery” joy of language.

She lives with her husband, Gilles Plante and divides her time between Washington D.C. and River John, Nova Scotia. In demand as a visitng author, workshop leader and keynote speaker she is currently working on an adult novel. She holds a B.A. from St. Thomas and M.A. from Acadia University and honorary doctorates from both St. Mary’s and Acadia for her contribution to Canadian literature and education. She has two grown children.