Diane Swanson

Swanson was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta. As a child, she and her terrier Sammy would spend summers looking for ladybugs and spiders outside.

She graduated from the University of Alberta with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in the social sciences.

She taught in the West Indies for two years. She researched water resources for the Canadian government while living in Ottawa.

Swanson's first book was published when she was 18. She wrote over 70 books and 450 magazine articles.

Swanson lived in Victoria, British Columbia. Her hobbies were hiking, piano-playing, and reading. She was married with two children.

The Toronto Globe and Mail described Swanson's A Crash of Rhinos, A Party of Jays as providing "a cheerfully educational vantage point from which to view the natural world and its denizens". Booklist called it "part science and part English lesson", deeming it "great for individual or classroom consumption".

The Globe and Mail called The Wonder in Water a "well-laid-out and attractively illustrated book".

Nzong Xiong, writing for The Fresno Bee, described The Dentist & You as an "easy-to-read" book designed to help make dentist visits for children ages 4 to 7 "easier and less fearful". Resource Links found it to be useful for "parents wanting to prepare their children for their first visit to the dentist" or teachers, but found the book "a bit too long and detailed" for the target audience. School Library Journal, however, tagged it as "excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject".

Buffalo Sunrise was called "a full-bodied photo essay" and an "exemplary book" that "ably" recounts the history of the American buffalo by the San Francisco Chronicle. Booklist called it "a useful resource for middle-graders".

Reviewing Alligators and Crocodiles, Frogs and Toads and Penguins from the Welcome to the World of Animals series for the School Library Journal, Arwen Marshall of the Minneapolis Public Library criticized the narrow scope of the books, saying "These serviceable overviews might be useful for brief reports, but they don't cover any new ground." Resource Links found the series to provide "enough information to satisfy [students'] curiosity while also meeting their research needs", recommending the books "for any elementary school library".

Authored

class="wikitable sortable"
Title	Published Date	Illustrator/Photographer	Publisher	ISBN
Technology for the Home	1987		British Columbia Ministry of Education
A Toothy Tongue and One Long Foot: Nature Activities for Kids	1992		Whitecap Books	1-55110-022-3
The Emerald Sea: Exploring the Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska	1993	Dale Sanders	Alaska Northwest Books	0-88240-450-4
Safari Beneath the Sea: The Wonder World of the North Pacific Coast	1994		Demco Media	0-60608-861-X
Sky Dancers: The Amazing World of Canadian Birds	1995	Doug Penhale	Whitecap Books	1-55110-306-0
Buffalo Sunrise: The Story of a North American Giant	1996		Whitecap Books	1-55110-378-8
Bug Bites: Insects Hunting Insects ... and More	1997		Whitecap Books	1-55285-169-9
Animals Eat the Weirdest Things	1998	Terry Smith	Henry Holt and Company (BYR)	0-80505-846-X
The Doctor and You	2001		Annick Press	1-55037-672-1
Nibbling on Einstein's Brain: The Good, the Bad and the Bogus in Science	2001	Warren Clark	Annick Press	1-55037-686-1
The Dentist & You	2002	Rose Cowles	Annick Press	1-55037-729-9
The Balloon Sailors	2003	Krystyna Lipka-Sztarballo	Annick Press	1-55037-809-0
Turn It Loose: The Scientist in Absolutely Everybody	2004	Warren Clark	Annick Press	1-55037-850-3
The Wonder in Water	2005		Annick Press	1-55037-936-4
A Crash of Rhinos, a Party of Jays: The Wacky Ways We Name Animal Groups	2006	Mariko Ando Spencer	Annick Press	1-55451-048-1
Bugs Up Close	2007	Paul Davidson	Kids Can Press	1-55453-138-1
Cheetah Cubs and Beetle Grubs: The Wacky Ways We Name Young Animals	2007	Mariko Ando Spencer	Annick Press	1-55451-083-X
You Are Weird: Your Body's Peculiar Parts and Funny Functions	2009	Kathy Boake	Kids Can Press	1-55453-282-5
Animals Aha!: Thrilling Discoveries in Wildlife Science	2009		Annick Press	1-55451-164-X

Co-authored

class="wikitable sortable"
Title	Published Date	Co-author	Illustrator/Photographer	Publisher	ISBN
Exploring Canada: Learning from the Past	1985	Vivien Bowers		Pgw	0–88894–87
More than Meets the Eye	1989	Vivien Bowers		Pacific Educational Press	0-88865-065-5
Why Seals Blow Their Noses: North American Wildlife in Fact and Fiction	1992	Douglas Penhale	Douglas Penhale	Whitecap Books	1-55110-038-X
Squirts and Snails and Skinny Green Tails : Seashore Nature Activities for Kids	1993	Warren Clark	Warren Clark	Whitecap Books	1-55110-062-2
Coyotes in the Crosswalk: Canadian Wildlife in the City	1994	Douglas Penhale	Douglas Penhale	Whitecap Books	1-55110-140-8
The Day of the Twelve Story Wave: Grinding Glaciers, Howling Hurricanes, Spewing Volcanoes, and Other Awesome Forces of Nature	1995	Laura Cook	Laura Cook	Longstreet Press	1-56352-260-8

Swanson was recipient of the following awards:{{cite web |url=https://abcbookworld.com/writer/swanson-diane/ |title=Swanson, Diane |author= |website=abcbookworld.com |access-date=2025-04-09}}

class="wikitable sortable"
Year !Book !Award !Result
1993 |rowspan="3"|The Emerald Sea |Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
rowspan="2"|1994 |Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award |Short-listed
B.C. Book Prizes |Short-listed
rowspan="5"|1995 |Why Seals Blow Their Noses |Mid-America Publishers Association Awards |Winner - Best Illustrated Book, one Color
Safari Beneath the Sea |Orbis Pictus Award{{cite magazine |date=2007–2008 |author= |title=Welcome to the world of spirit bears |magazine=BC Books for BC Schools|location=Vancouver, Canada |publisher=Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia |page=7}} |Winner - Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
Coyotes in the Crosswalk |Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
rowspan="3"|Safari Beneath the Sea |Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children{{cite web |url=https://ncte.org/app/uploads/2017/06/OP_Winners_1990-2000.pdf |title=NCTE ORBIS PICTUS AWARD |author= |website=ncte.org|access-date=2025-04-08}} |Winner
Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
1995-96 |Utah Children's Informational Book Award{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/1995/3/21/19165353/lit-group-posts-reading-lists-for-kids/ |title=LIT GROUP POSTS READING LISTS FOR KIDS |author=Marilou Sorensen |website=deseret.com |date= 1995-03-21 |access-date=2025-04-09}} |Short-listed
1996 |Coyotes in the Crosswalk |Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
rowspan="2"|1997 |Buffalo Sunrise |Silver Birch Award{{cite web |url=https://www.canadianauthors.net/awards/ola/silver_birch_award/silver_birch_1997/ |title=Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Award |author= |website=www.canadianauthors.net |access-date=2025-04-08}} |Short-listed
Safari Beneath the Sea |Garden State (New Jersey) Children's Book Award |Short-listed
1997-98 |Sky Dancers |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award |Short-listed
rowspan="5"|1998 |Buffalo Sunrise |International Reading Association's Young Adult Choice Award |Short-listed
rowspan="2"|Bug Bites |Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
Ontario Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
Welcome to the World of Bears |Parents' Choice Award, US |Winner
Welcome to the World of Otters |Parents' Choice Award, US |Winner
rowspan="3"|1999 |rowspan="3"|Animals Eat the Weirdest Things |Mr. Christie's Book Award{{cite web |url=https://www.biblio.com/book/balloon-sailors-swanson-diane/d/826327807?srsltid=AfmBOopfBi64S3uDiCty4zlMkCzHn40lnXly1TO0AH-I5jhsakPsUpaK |title=The Balloon Sailors |author= |website=www.biblio.com |access-date=2025-04-08}} |Short-listed
Ontario Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
1999-2000 |Bug Bites |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award |Short-listed
rowspan="4"|2000 |Welcome to the World of Moose |rowspan="4"|B.C. 2000 Book Award |
Welcome to the World of Beavers |
Welcome to the World of Skunks |
Welcome to the World of Porcupines |
2000-01 |rowspan="2"|Animals Eat the Weirdest Things |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award{{cite magazine |date=2020 |author= |title=Red Cedar Book Award |magazine=School Libraries in Canada |location=insert |edition=Vol. 20 No. 3 |publisher=Canadian School Libraries Association |page=21}} |Short-listed
rowspan="2"|2001 |Rocky Mountain Book Award |Short-listed
White Raven |Los Angeles' 100 Best Books |
rowspan="5"|2002 |White Raven |Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), American Library Association |Non-fiction honor list
rowspan="2"|Hm? |Ontario Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
Informal Education Product of the Year Award for Linguistic Intelligence |Winner
Burp! |Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award |Short-listed
White Raven |Science in Society Award |Short-listed
rowspan="3"|2002-03 |Burp! |Rocky Mountain Award |Short-listed
Burp! |Atlantic Provinces Hackmatack Award{{cite web |url=https://hackmatack.ca/downloads/shortlists/2002-03HackmatackShortlist.pdf |title=2003 Hackmatack Award |author= |website=hackmatack.ca |access-date=2025-04-08}} |Short-listed
Hm? |Ontario Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
rowspan="3"|2003-04 |Hm? |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award |Short-listed
Up Close: Skin That Slimes and Scares |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award |Short-listed
Nibbling on Einstein's Brain |B.C. Red Cedar Book Award |Short-listed
2004-05 |Tunnels! True stories from the edge |Hackmatack Award{{cite web |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/read-up-on-it/015020-054014-e.html |title=English awards |author= |website=www.collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2025-04-08}} |Winner
rowspan="2"|2006-07 |The Wonder in Water |Silver Birch Award |Short-listed
Turn It Loose |Red Cedar Award |Short-listed
rowspan="2"|2008 |Bugs Up Close |Silver Birch Express Award |Finalist
Bugs Up Close |Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award{{cite web |url=https://www.vclr.ca/information-book-award-2/information-book-award-archives/ |title=VANCOUVER CHILDREN'S LITERATURE ROUNDTABLE |author= |website=www.vclr.ca |access-date=2025-04-08}} |Finalist

CWILL B.C.

Canadian Children's Book Centre

{{Reflist|25em|refs=

{{cite web

| url = http://www.kidscanpress.com/creators/diane-swanson/208

| title = Diane Swanson – Author

| publisher = Kids Can Press (kidscanpress.com)

| accessdate = 2015-03-19

| at = Biography

}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.kidscanpress.com/creators/diane-swanson/208

| title = Diane Swanson – Author

| publisher = Kids Can Press (kidscanpress.com)

| accessdate = 2015-03-19

| at = Q & A

}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.bcpl.gov.bc.ca/src/src_1998/kids/swanson.html

| title = Author of the Week—Diane Swanson

| work = 1998 Summer Reading Club

| publisher = British Columbia Library Association

| accessdate = 2011-06-07

| year = 1998

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121130135305/http://www.bcpl.gov.bc.ca/src/src_1998/kids/swanson.html

| archive-date = 2012-11-30

| url-status = dead

}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.annickpress.com/authors/swanson.asp?author=294

| title = Diane Swanson

| work = Annick Press

| accessdate = 2011-06-07

}}

{{cite news

| title = Children's Books

| newspaper = Globe and Mail

| location = Toronto

| date = 2006-10-21

| page = D26

| last = Perren

| first = Susan

| publisher = Bell Globemedia

}}

{{cite news

| title = Children's Books

| newspaper = Globe and Mail

| location = Toronto

| date = 2005-10-22

| page = D22

| last = Perren

| first = Susan

| publisher = Bell Globemedia

}}

{{cite news

| title = Brush kids' fears away

| last = Xiong

| first = Nzong

| newspaper = The Freson Bee

| date = 2002-06-03

| location = Fresno, CA

| page = E1

}}

{{cite news

| title = How the West was Run

| newspaper = San Francisco Chronicle

| location = San Francisco

| last = Faust

| first = Susan

| date = 1996-04-28

| page = 14

}}

{{cite journal

| title = A Crash of Rhinos, A Party of Jays: The Wacky Ways We Name Animal Groups

| last = Zvirin

| first = Stephanie

| journal = Booklist

| volume = 103

| issue = 9–10

| date = 2007-01-01

| page = 112

| publisher = American Library Association

}}

{{cite journal

| title = Swanson, Diane. Alligators and Crocodiles

| last = Marshall

| first = Arwen

| journal = School Library Journal

| volume = 50

| number = 9

|date=September 2004

| page = 194

}}

{{cite journal

| title = The Dentist and You. (Non-Fiction: Preschool–Grade 6)

| last = Cohen

| first = Nancy

| journal = Resource Links

|date=October 2002

| volume = 8

| issue = 1

| page = 23

}}

{{Cite journal

| title = Swanson, Diane. The Dentist & You

| last = Moesch

| first = Christine A.

| journal = School Library Journal

| volume = 48

| issue = 6

|date=June 2002

| page = 126

}}

{{Cite journal

| title = Welcome to the world series—raccoons

| last = Jollimore

| first = Karen

| journal = Resource Links

|date=December 1998

| volume = 4

| issue = 2

| pages = 11–12

}}

{{Cite journal

| title = Whales

| journal = Resource Links

|date=February 1997

| volume = 2

| issue = 3

| page = 122

}}

{{cite journal

| title = Buffalo Sunrise: The story of a North American giant

| last = Sherman

| first = Chris

| journal = Booklist

| date = 1996-05-01

| volume = 92

| issue = 17

| page = 1504

| publisher = American Library Association

}}

}}

{{Portal|Children's literature}}

• [http://www.jacketflap.com/persondetail.asp?person=38815 About Diane Swanson] at JacketFlap
• {{LCAuth|n89623125|Diane Swanson|43|ue}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swanson, Diane}}

Category:1944 births

Category:Canadian children's writers

Category:Canadian nature writers

Category:Canadian women non-fiction writers

Category:Children's non-fiction writers

Category:Writers from Lethbridge

Category:Writers from Victoria, British Columbia

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian women children's writers

Category:Women science writers