Canadian Kobzar Visits Toronto Schools

By Olena Wawryshyn

The morning after co-winning the inaugural Kobzar Literary Award for her novel Lesia’s Dream, writer Laura Langston had another victory. For one whole hour, the Vancouver, B.C. writer managed to keep a gym full of 7th and 8th graders captivated.

On March 3, Langston, who was in Toronto for the Kobzar Award dinner and gala, visited St. Sofia Ukrainian Catholic School in Mississauga where she spoke to students about her novel and the process of fiction writing.

“Langston expressed an interest in meeting with students of Ukrainian origin,” said educator Valentina Kuryliw, one of the co-chairs of the Kobzar Award committee who organized the author’s visit to St. Sofia and subsequent ones to three other schools: Tsiopa Palijiw Saturday school, Cardinal Slipyj Catholic School and St. Demetrius Catholic School.

In total, Langston addressed more than 500 Ukrainian-Canadian students in the Toronto area says Kuryliw.

“She is a true Canadian Kobzar,” says Kuryliw of Langston because like the kobzars in Ukraine, she is recounting the stories of her nation.

Langston’s novel, Lesia’s Dream is especially relevant to young Ukrainian-Canadian readers as it tells the story of 15-year-old Lesia whose Ukrainian family leaves the village of Shuparka, for Canada, hoping to find wealth, security and respect.  Before they depart, Lesia’s Baba tells her: “Just remember the flower is not always open. But if your effort is true, your rewards will be sweet.” Lesia treasures these words, but in Canada her family faces discrimination and many disappointments. Clearing their homestead requires more work than they imagined. Then, when the First World War breaks out, her father and brother Ivan are imprisoned as part of Canada’s internment operations.

During her presentation, Langston whose husband’s grandparents emigrated from Ukraine, explained that she got the idea for the book’s theme after first learned about that era of Canadian history from an individual whose Ukrainian grandparents were interned.

Langston also shared many practical tips and encouraged budding novelists. She explained how a plot is developed (by having a character with a “goal”, how she approaches researching and writing (“it’s better to write something than to have a blank page”) and the stages of the editing and publishing processes.

In speaking to students, Langston took an interactive approach. She peppered the students with questions and showed them interesting materials, including archival documents and photos of interned Ukrainians, a manuscript with editors’ comments, and a selection of draft illustrations for the front cover of Lesia’s Dream.

The presentation was concluded with a book-signing session, during which time students and staff could purchase a copy of Lesia’s Dream.

Langston, who has also worked as a journalist and CBC broadcaster, is no novice when it comes to communicating with young people. She is the author of several books for young readers: No Such Thing as Far Away, which was a Children’s Choice pick by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre; The Fox’s Kettle, and Pay Dirt!, a non-fiction book nominated for the Red Cedar and Silver Birch Awards.

Proof that Langston successfully connected with her audience at St. Sofia was the students’ attention and the many probing questions they asked her.  Among them: “When did she start writing?” “Have her books been translated?” and “Is she writing a sequel to Lesia’s Dream?” 

In answer to the last question, Langston said she has considered it. Anyone who has read the award-winning Lesia’s Dream is no doubt eagerly anticipating this possibility.