They Called Me Red

Christina Kilbourne is from Zephyr, Ontario

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Christina Kilbournewas born in Southwestern, Ontario, and spent her elementary and high school years in Muskoka, a resort area two hours north of Toronto. She received her master's degree in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Windsor, Ontario, and now lives in Zephyr, Ontario. In 2007 Christina turned two personal passions - child welfare and activism - into a groundbreaking novel for tweens entitled Dear Jo: The story of losing Leah ... and searching for hope (Lobster Press). This riveting drama about internet safety won the 2009 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award and the "Get the Lead Out" Literary Award for Best Novel (2007), and was shortlisted for the 2010 New York State Reading Association's Charlotte Award and the 2009 Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Snow Willow Award. Dear Jo was also a starred selection in the 2008 Canadian Children’s Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens and was selected for both the 2007 Ontario Library Association's “Best Bets for 2007” and Resource Links : "The Year's Best." Christina followed up Dear Jo with the critically acclaimed young adult novel They Called Me Red (Lobster Press, 2008), which Booklist called "An exposé of human cruelty, courage, desperation, and resilience ... that may lead teens to a better understanding of global issues and human rights." She is also the author of the young adult novel Where Lives Take Root, the adult literary fiction novel Day of the Dog-tooth Violets , and it's sequel, The Roads of Go Home Lake (published by BookLand Press).