Marthe Jocelyn

{{Short description|Canadian writer}}

{{Infobox author

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}}

| spouse = Tom Slaughter

| children = 2

| birth_place = Toronto, Canada

| awards = {{plainlist}}

{{endplainlist}}

| website = {{URL|marthejocelyn.com}}

}}

Marthe Jocelyn (born 1956){{Cite web |title=Jocelyn, Marthe 1956- |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/jocelyn-marthe-1956 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Encyclopedia.com |archive-date=2022-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717150329/https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/jocelyn-marthe-1956 |url-status=live }} is a Canadian writer of over forty children's books.{{Cite web |title=Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/14548/marthe-jocelyn |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Penguin Random House |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810113535/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/14548/marthe-jocelyn |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.writerstrust.com/authors/marthe-jocelyn/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Writers' Trust of Canada |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319162620/https://www.writerstrust.com/authors/marthe-jocelyn/ |url-status=live }} In 2009, she received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, an honour bestowed by the Writers' Trust of Canada to a writer or illustrator whose body of work has been "inspirational to Canadian youth".{{Cite web |last=Hopkins |first=Amanda |date=2014-04-28 |title=Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vicky-metcalf-award-for-childrens-literature |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318051506/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vicky-metcalf-award-for-childrens-literature |archive-date=2023-03-18 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia}}{{Cite web |title=Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature Archives |url=https://bookcentre.ca/awards/vicky-metcalf-award-childrens-literature |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512022808/http://bookcentre.ca/awards/vicky-metcalf-award-childrens-literature |archive-date=2023-05-12 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Canadian Children's Book Centre |language=en-US}}

Biography

Jocelyn was born in 1956 in Toronto and was raised in Stratford, Ontario. As a teenager, she attended a boarding school in Great Britain. After living in various areas, she settled in New York City, where she lived for thirty years before returning to Stratford.{{Cite web |title=Life |url=https://www.marthejocelyn.com/bio.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Marthe Jocelyn |archive-date=2022-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528032848/https://www.marthejocelyn.com/bio.htm |url-status=live }}

She is married to Tom Slaughter and has two daughters: Hannah and Nell. Tom and Nell have contributed illustrations to a number of her children's books.

Aside from writing, Jocelyn owned Jesse Design, a "toy and clothing design firm", for fifteen years.

Awards and honors

In 2009, Jocelyn received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People,{{Cite web |title=2009 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature Recipient: Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2009_vicky_metcalf_award_for_childrens_literature_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Canadian Children's Book Centre |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129191543/http://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2009_vicky_metcalf_award_for_childrens_literature_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |url-status=live }} an honour bestowed by the Writers' Trust of Canada to a writer or illustrator whose body of work has been "inspirational to Canadian youth".

Five of Jocelyn's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Earthly Astonishments (2000),{{Cite web |title=Earthly Astonishments by Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780525462637J&name=Earthly_Astonishments |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Junior Library Guild}} Mable Riley (2004),{{Cite web |title=Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance by Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780763621209J&name=Mable_Riley |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Junior Library Guild}} Folly (2010),{{Cite web |title=Folly by Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780385907316J&name=Folly |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2020-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930225450/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780385907316J&name=Folly |url-status=live }} The Body under the Piano (2020),{{Cite web |title=Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780735265462J&name=Body_Under_the_Piano |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811214415/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780735265462J&name=Body_Under_the_Piano |url-status=live }} and Peril at Owl Park (2021).{{Cite web |title=Peril at Owl Park: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen by Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780735265493J&name=Peril_at_Owl_Park |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815095607/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780735265493J&name=Peril_at_Owl_Park |url-status=live }} Two of her books have been included on USBBY's Outstanding International Books List: Would You (2009){{Cite web |last=Angus |first=Carolyn |date=2009-02-01 |title=World Class: USBBY |url=https://www.slj.com/story/world-class-usbbys-outstanding-international-books-for-young-people |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=School Library Journal}} and Sam Sorts (2018).{{Cite web |last=Walke |first=Martha M. |date=2018-02-09 |title=Presenting 38 must-have titles {{!}} USBBY |url=https://www.slj.com/story/presenting-38-must-titles-usbbys-2018-outstanding-international-books-list |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=School Library Journal}}

In 2007, the Toronto Public Library included Eats on their "list of the top 10 books of 2007 for children under the age of five".{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Scott |date=2007-11-23 |title=Best of 2007 for the under-five set |url=https://quillandquire.com/industry-news/2007/11/23/best-of-2007-for-the-under-five-set/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en}} The same year, School Library Journal named How It Happened in Peach Hill one of the best children's books of the year.{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Trevelyn |last2=Toth |first2=Luann |last3=Grabarek |first3=Daryl |last4=Charnizon |first4=Marlene |last5=Fleishhacker |first5=Joy |date=2007-12-01 |title=SLJ's Best Books of 2007 |url=https://www.slj.com/story/sljs-best-books-of-2007 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=School Library Journal}}

Folly was named one of the Kirkus Reviews' best books for teens in 2010, and Bank Street College of Education included it on their 2011 list of the best Historical Fiction for Children Ages 14+.

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"

|+Awards for Jocelyn's writing

!Year

!Title

!Award

!Result

!Ref.

2000

|Hannah's Collections

|Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration

|Finalist

|

rowspan="2" |2005

| rowspan="2" |Mable Riley

|ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

|Selection

|{{Cite web |date=2010-04-01 |title=Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance {{!}} Awards & Grants |url=https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/mable-riley-reliable-record-humdrum-peril-and-romance-0 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=American Library Association |archive-date=2021-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821024044/https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/content/mable-riley-reliable-record-humdrum-peril-and-romance-0 |url-status=live }}

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

|Winner

|{{Cite web |date= |title=TD Canadian Children's Literature Award |url=http://www.bookcentre.ca/awards/td_canadian_childrens_literature_award |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321150901/http://www.bookcentre.ca/awards/td_canadian_childrens_literature_award |archive-date=2011-03-21 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Canadian Children's Book Centre}}{{Cite web |date=2005-11-02 |title=Jocelyn Wins Canadian Children's Award |url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=84 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Shelf Awareness |archive-date=2016-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811064606/http://shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=84 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=2005 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Recipient: Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2005_td_canadian_childrens_literature_award_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Canadian Children's Book Centre |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321011051/http://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2005_td_canadian_childrens_literature_award_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |url-status=live }}

rowspan="2" |2008

| rowspan="2" |How It Happened in Peach Hill

|ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

|Selection

|{{Cite web |date=2010-03-04 |title=How It Happened in Peach Hill {{!}} Awards & Grants |url=https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/node/8013 |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=American Library Association |archive-date=2022-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129174245/https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/node/8013 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |date=2008-01-15 |title=Best Books for Young Adults 2008 |url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklists/bestbooksya/08bbya |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231213437/https://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklists/bestbooksya/08bbya |url-status=live }}

ALSC Notable Children's Books

|Selection

|{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2008-03-01 |title=ALA Book Picks 2008 |url=https://www.slj.com/story/ala-book-picks-2008 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=School Library Journal}}

2010

|Which Way?

|INDIES Award for Picture Books (Children's)

|Finalist

|{{Cite web |title="Which Way?" is a 2010 Foreword INDIES Finalist |url=https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/which-way/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Foreword Reviews |language=en}}

2011

| rowspan="2" |Scribbling Women

|INDIES Award for Young Adult Nonfiction (Children's)

|Finalist

|{{Cite web |title=""Scribbling Women"" is a 2011 Foreword INDIES Finalist |url=https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/scribbling-women/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Foreword Reviews |language=en |archive-date=2021-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016215024/https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/scribbling-women/ |url-status=live }}

2012

|Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-fiction

|Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Sue |date=2012-06-21 |title=Canadian Children's Book Centre releases award shortlists |url=https://quillandquire.com/awards/2012/06/21/canadian-childrens-book-centre-releases-award-shortlists/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=2015-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922005705/http://www.quillandquire.com/awards/2012/06/21/canadian-childrens-book-centre-releases-award-shortlists/ |url-status=live }}

2014

|Where Do You Look?

|Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

|Finalist

|{{Cite web |last=Cerny |first=Dory |date=2014-09-03 |title=Finalists announced for Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards |url=https://quillandquire.com/childrens-publishing/2014/09/03/finalists-announced-for-canadian-childrens-book-centre-awards/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128123943/https://quillandquire.com/childrens-publishing/2014/09/03/finalists-announced-for-canadian-childrens-book-centre-awards/ |url-status=live }}

2015

|What We Hide

|Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Cerny |first=Dory |date=2015-11-19 |title=Jonathan Auxier wins big at CCBC Book Awards |url=https://quillandquire.com/book-news/2015/11/18/jonathan-auxier-wins-big-at-ccbc-book-awards/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=2023-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318051054/https://quillandquire.com/book-news/2015/11/18/jonathan-auxier-wins-big-at-ccbc-book-awards/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=2015 Amy Mathers Teen Book Award Recipient: Marthe Jocelyn |url=https://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2015_amy_mathers_teen_book_award_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Canadian Children's Book Centre |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205131920/http://bookcentre.ca/book-review/2015_amy_mathers_teen_book_award_recipient_marthe_jocelyn |url-status=live }}

2022

|{{Sort|Dead Man in the Garden|The Dead Man in the Garden}}

|Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile

|Finalist

|{{Cite web |title=MWA Announces the 2022 Edgar Award Nominations |url=https://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announce-the-2022-edgar-award-nominations/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Mystery Writers of America |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222120152/https://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announce-the-2022-edgar-award-nominations/ |url-status=live }}

rowspan="2" |2023

| rowspan="2" |{{Sort|Seaside Corpse|The Seaside Corpse}}

|Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence for Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime Book

|Shortlist

|{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=Crime Writers of Canada announces awards shortlists |url=https://quillandquire.com/omni/crime-writers-of-canada-announces-awards-shortlists/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426124339/https://quillandquire.com/omni/crime-writers-of-canada-announces-awards-shortlists/ |url-status=live }}

Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile

|Winner

|{{Cite web |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=2023-04-28 |title=Edgar Award Winners Are Revealed |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/edgar-award-winners-are-revealed/ |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430164733/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/edgar-award-winners-are-revealed/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-04-28 |title=Awards: Edgar Winners |url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=4469 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Shelf Awareness |archive-date=2023-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505055625/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=4469 |url-status=live }}

Selected texts

= Standalone books =

  • Earthly Astonishments (2000)
  • Hannah's Collections (2000)
  • A Day with Nellie (2002)
  • Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance (2004)
  • One Some Many, illustrated by Tom Slaughter (2004)
  • Over Under, illustrated by Tom Slaughter (2005)
  • ABC x 3, illustrated by Tom Slaughter (2005)
  • How It Happened in Peach Hill (2007)
  • Eats, illustrated by Tom Slaughter (2007)
  • Ready for Summer (2008)
  • Would You (2008)
  • Same Same, illustrated by Tom Slaughter (2009)
  • Folly (2010)
  • Scribbling Women (2011)
  • Ones and Twos, illustrated by Nell Jocelyn (2011)
  • What We Hide (2014)
  • Viminy Crowe's Comic Book, with Richard Scrimger, illustrated by Claudia Dávila (2014)

= Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series =

The Aggie Morton books are illustrated by Isabelle Follath.

  • The Body Under the Piano (2020)
  • Peril at Owl Park (2020)
  • The Dead Man in the Garden (2021)
  • The Seaside Corpse (2022)

References