Alison Lohans of Regina writes:
I was pleased to see the Leader-Post’s generous recognition of the passing of British children’s author, Michael Bond, creator of the unforgettable Paddington Bear.
However, I’ve not been able to find any coverage of the passing of the much-loved, multi-award winning Canadian children’s author, Janet Lunn, who also passed away on June 27. Not even in the July 1 article “A Sense of Place: Many Canadian authors evoke a particular locale in their writing” was Lunn mentioned, although her novel Shadow in Hawthorne Bay richly evoked Prince Edward County, Ont., during the war which set Canada decisively on a separate path from the U.S., and her nonfiction book on Canada, co-authored with Christopher Moore, has long been a staple in schools and children’s libraries.
But there’s far more to this story. Janet Lunn served as writer-in-residence at Regina Public Library in 1982-83, and generously mentored many Canadian writers who are now decades into their careers. Lunn also served as chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada, and was a stalwart and eloquent spokesperson for the arts, particularly for Canadian literature and the unique voices of creators in this nation.
I’m saddened to see one of our own Canadian heroes left out during the celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.
