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stories for the
young

and young
at heart

Bio

Jane Baird Warren writes for kids, and adults like her, who still read Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction— Harry Potter was a game-changer, wasn't it? 

In her fiction and in real life,  Jane is fascinated by people — the good ones, the bad ones, and the ones who are ugly inside — but what she values most in both worlds is kindness and courage. She is currently obsessed with the notion of family secrets and how uncovering the truth changes how kids (adults, too!) see and define themselves. She has ridiculous memory for trivia, which she'd always believed was the most useless superpower a girl could have. Until she started writing.

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How to Be a Goldfish

Featured on CBC'smiddle-grade books to watch for

by jane baird warren

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Included
in the Canadian
Children’s Book Centre's

2023 Best Books for Kids & Teens

David and Lizzie are chalk and cheese. He’s a Star Wars-obsessed city boy, and she spends all her free time on her neighbor’s farm. But when they learn of plans to force an old man from his land, the two become allies, uncovering long-buried secrets that could save the old man’s home.

 

But sharing family secrets has a cost too! Can they trust themselves — and each other — to find the way forward together? 

How to Be a Goldfish is a gripping story about lost and found family, fierce friendship, warm griddle cakes, and finding the courage to be who you were always meant to be.

Cover art by Julie McLaughlin

Awards

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SHORTLISTED MYRCA
2024 NORTHERN LIGHTS  Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards

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FINALIST, 2023
JEAN LITTLE FIRST NOVEL AWARD
Canadian Children's Book Centre

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FINALIST, 2023
GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION
Canadian Children's Book Centre

BOOK REVIEWS

​He’s a Star Wars-obsessed city boy, and she’s a small-town girl. But together, they’re going to change everything!

How To Be A Goldfish

2022/2023

Canadian Children’s Book News

Winter 2022/23 Vol.45 No.4

“Adventure and mystery grip the reader as a story of love, acceptance, and the true definition of family unfolds.”

CanLit for Little Canadians 

July 2022

“How to Be a Goldfish reminds us that, in the right environment and with people in our corners, we can flourish and be and do better.”

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Calgary Herald

March 2023

“As middle-grade and young adult readers are introduced to some serious topics, they will become immersed in a heartwarming tale of bullying, alternative families, and acceptance.”

Canadian Review of Materials

Highly Recommended

“Warren leaves readers with a memorable message about the power of 

empathy and kindness to change lives. Lizzie tells David, “Being a goldfish has nothing to do with how you look…. It’s about how you are. It’s about heart.”

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