Children’s book author inspired by young Saskatchewan writers
A Western Canadian author, inspired by Meadow Lake writers among others across the province, features them in her latest children’s book.
Carol MacKay, who was born in Alberta but now lives in B.C., got her start writing as a member of the Young Cooperators (YC) club. The former section of the Western Producer featured the writings of young women from the ages of eight to 21. Youth from across Canada would send in riddles, stories, poems to the Saskatoon-based agriculture newspaper.
Her picture and story book, called Lily in the Loft, tells the tale of an eager young writer waiting to see her words in print.
“The club was such a huge part of young people’s lives,” she said. “So many writers from Saskatchewan had their first words published in those pages. The book is really based on the collective experience of members of the club.”