Music graduate releases "Bird Child"

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Bird Child book cover
Music graduate Nan Forler (’87) has many fond memories of master classes and piano and vocal lessons at Grebel. In fact, she ended up marrying Kevin Coates who sat next to her in Peter Hatch’s music theory class in 1985. Those memories prompted Nan to choose the Great Hall at Grebel as the ideal place to launch her new book, Bird Child.

Bird Child is the story of a small, bird-like girl who stands up for a little girl who has been bullied.

Nan said:

I feel that it is important for children to learn to speak up when they witness a situation that is unfair. The book empowers children to make a difference in the life of a child in the schoolyard, so that later they can stand up for injustice in the global community.

Nan has found that many of the stories she writes revolve around the theme of social justice.

Publisher Tundra Books writes that Bird Child is

lyrical and eloquent yet realistic and down to earth. Nan Forler’s text is complemented beautifully with François Thisdale’s haunting images. This is a book for every child, every classroom, and every library.

Nan Forler in her book-signing event
Nan and Kevin have two children, Dillon (11), and Maia (8), who love to act, play violin and piano, dance, and listen to music. Kevin teaches music and performs regularly. After graduating from Waterloo, Nan taught in Mississauga for 15 years. She is now teaching kindergarten and primary arts in Elmira. Nan has been writing for 15 years and has

many stories completed and many more swirling around inside my head.

She says that her next story

has a very special Grebel connection.

Bird Child is available in most bookstores as well as online. For more information, visit Nan Forler's website. Nan would love to hear from old friends!