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Canadian Author Visits ASIJ
French Canadian author Bertrand Gauthier visited French classes at ASIJ to talk about his books and his career as a writer. Students also had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Gauthier at a reception in the HS Library.
Canada's Cultural Program – Literary Arts
On September 23, the Canada Pavilion hosted Bertrand
Gauthier,
award-winning children’s author from Montréal, Québec, as part of
Canada’s cultural program at Expo 2005. As
an author, editor and publisher, Bertrand Gauthier has long been a
passionate advocate of quality literature for young people. He is a
major influence in the world of children’s literature, especially as
the president and founder of one of the first francophone publishing
houses dedicated to children’s literature in Canada. Mr. Gauthier
holds a Master’s degree in Literature from Montréal’s prestigious
McGill University and worked for many years as a high school teacher,
and for the Québec Department of Éducation.
In 1977, after his realization that most of the children’s
materials he was using in Quebec were coming from France, Gauthier
founded La Courte Échelle, a publishing house specializing in
books for readers aged 2-16. Since its founding, La Courte Échelle has
published over 200 titles (including 21 penned by Gauthier himself),
always aspiring to provide young readers with a literature all their own
that mirrors their emotions and stimulates their imaginations. La Courte
Échelle's books are sent to countries all over the world, have been
translated into 15 languages and can be found on children's bookshelves
everywhere, including Japan. As
an author, Mr. Gauthier has created some of francophone children’s
literature’s most beloved characters, including Ani Croche, who is
adored by young people in Japan and Greece, Zunik, the Bulle twins (Les
jumeaux Bulle) and many others. His stories have inspired the
children’s television series Les aventures de la courte échelle.
Young readers and critics alike appreciate his work. He has received
several literary awards, including the Prix Fleury-Mesplet, the prix
Alvine-Bélisle and an award for youth literature from the Canada
Council for the Arts. In 2002, Gauthier was honoured to receive the
Claude Aubry Award, presented
biennially to an individual for distinguished service
within the field of children’s literature by the International
Board on Books for Young People Canada (IBBY). Mr. Gauthier read in the Manulife VIP Lounge at the Canada Pavilion . During his time in Japan, he also read with fellow Canadian author Marie-Francine Hébert at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, Yokohama International School, the RBR Centre for the Creative Arts, Christian Academy and at the American School in Japan. Bertrand Gauthier is just one of the dozens of Canadian artists who appeared at Expo 2005 as part of Canada's Cultural Program, which is divided into three branches: literary arts, performing arts and visual arts. These authors, playwrights, poets, visual artists, musicians and singers were selected from hundreds of applicants in collaboration with OYE! Canada. While some, like Alanis Morissette and Ann-Marie MacDonald, are established artists, many are rising stars. For most of them, Expo 2005 represented their first opportunity to perform before a Japanese public.
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September 2005
