AnnickPress

Marie Day grew up in Toronto, but she also lived in New York City and London, England. Because her father was the mayor of Toronto, Marie met many famous people when she was young; at just eight years old, she presented a bouquet of flowers to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who was visiting Toronto. Marie still has the dress she wore on that special day.

Marie's parents always gave her wonderful books to read; her favorites were The Water Babies and At the Back of the North Wind. She was encouraged to draw and began her career as an artist at the age of three. She went on to study at the Ontario College of Art and received an award for her work.

Before writing and illustrating children's books, Marie worked for many years as an award-winning costume and stage director for theaters all over North America, including the Canadian Opera Company and the Stratford Festival in Ontario. She won the prestigious Tyrone Guthrie Award for her costume designs.

The inspiration for Edward the Crazy Man came from a man who suffers from mental illness who Marie often sees on the streets in her neighborhood. He dresses up in crazy costumes he makes from bits and pieces of junk he finds all around, and his costumes are very creative and clever. The story of Charlie and Edward, however, is fictitious.

Marie likes walking in the rain and listening to opera. She doesn't like to play bridge or other card games. In the springtime, she looks forward to going up to her family's house on the Niagara Escarpment, outside of Toronto, where the stars are bright and the little frogs, called "peepers," fill the air with their song.

Marie is married to an artist and they have two grown daughters and one new granddaughter. When not writing and illustrating children's books, Marie spends a lot of time working with the Task Force to Bring Back the Don, and other environmental groups.