UPCOMING EVENT: How To Write A Picture Book With Derek Mascarenhas

June 12, 2025 | 12:30 PM

Curious about writing books for young readers? Join children’s author Derek Mascarenhas for an engaging introduction to the world of picture books. In this session, we’ll explore the different types of picture books, the writer’s role, and the key ingredients of a great story—character, structure, plot, and more. You’ll also learn how to shape an idea, consider your audience, and navigate the path to publication.

Register here.

About the Presenter

Derek Mascarenhas is a graduate of the University of Toronto SCS Creative Writing Program, a finalist and runner up for the Penguin Random House of Canada Student Award for Fiction, and a nominee for the Marina Nemat Award. His linked short story collection, Coconut Dreams, was called a “stunning debut” in Quill and Quire’s starred review and The Globe and Mail named it one of the best reads from Canadian small presses. Derek’s first picture book, 100 Chapatis, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as “warm and reassuring,” and his second, The Mango Monster, was the CBC Books top pick for Canadian kids in Fall 2024. Derek is also working on a middle-grade and speculative novel, and currently teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto SCS.