READ, Nicholas 1956-

PERSONAL:

Born December 19, 1956, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; son of Anthony Mark (a doctor) and Nina (a teacher; maiden name, Kusnetzov) Read. Education: University of British Columbia, B.S.; Langara College, journalism degree. Politics: Green. Religion: Russian Orthodox. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, hiking, art, music, boxing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—122-2255 West 8th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia V6K 2A6, Canada. Office—Vancouver Sun, Suite 1, 200 Granville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V66 3N3, Canada. E-mail—nicholasr@axion.net.

CAREER:

Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, journalist and editor.

AWARDS, HONORS:

International Media Award, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Genesis Award.

WRITINGS:

One in a Million, Polestar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), 1996.

Saving Emily, illustrated by Ellen Klem, Prometheus Books (Amherst, NY), 2001.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

A third novel for young adults.

SIDELIGHTS:

Nicholas Read's books for young adults, including One in a Million and Saving Emily, are intended to teach children about cruelty towards animals in a way that makes the reader empathize with the animal—a dog in One in a Million and a cow in Saving Emily. Joey, the German shepherd puppy at the center of One in a Million, is part of an unwanted litter that is brought to an animal shelter. Joey's friends, fellow dogs Mick, Blackie, and Dumpster and human shelter worker Marjorie, teach him about the hardships that unwanted dogs face in life and that the most important thing is to find a family to love him. Deborah Dowson, writing in Canadian Book Review Annual, praised the book for its "excellent descriptive prose" and "deep understanding of animal behavior."

Saving Emily is told from two perspectives, that of Emily, a beef cow with a human personality, and Chris, a boy whose newly remarried mother has moved him from his native city to a small ranching town where he does not feel like he fits in. "Chris's role as newcomer gives Read the opportunity to teach readers about ranching realities like tagging, branding, castration, rodeos, feedlots, auction, and transport operations," Cora Lee explained in Canadian Materials. As Chris discovers these things and becomes friends with his school's free spirit, Gina, he joins her and others in trying to save Emily from the slaughterhouse. The book "contains a clear vegetarian message," Debra Probert wrote on the Vancouver Humane Society Web site, but "no one, regardless of his or her opinion on the ethics of eating meat, could ever question its validity as a straightforward children's story."

Read told CA: "I write books with animal themes. I've always had a passion for animals and this is my way of expressing it. I enjoy the feedback I get from young readers who are touched by what I've written and want to share their animal stories with me. I'm also pleased by the number of adults who read my books.

"I believe it's the storyteller's first duty to tell a good story. I try to do that. But I also believe there should be something behind the story, something to give it resonance and substance. I hope I achieve that."