About Peggy
Biography
Margaret Louise (Peggy) Dymond was born in Toronto, Ontario, the second in a family of five children. Shortly after her birth, her father joined the Canadian military, and as a result of his frequent postings over the years, the children were raised in numerous towns and cities in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. The longest posting was in Winnipeg for four years.
Peggy has enjoyed writing all her life. Her earliest pieces appeared regularly on the back page of “Canadian Girl” in the 1950s – a Sunday School paper published by the United Church. It was in Trenton, Ontario that Peggy was finally able to put down roots. She and her husband Wayne have raised three children and are the proud grandparents of eight.
As well as being the bookkeeper for her husband’s business, Peggy worked for nearly 17 years as a part time librarian for the County of Prince Edward Public Library. After her children were all in school, Peggy started writing freelance for the newspaper in Trenton. She has also had published poems, stories and articles for both adults and children and has helped research and write three books of local history. Her own book of non-fiction, “The Movie Years,” the story of Trenton’s early film industry was published by Mika Publishing in 1989.
Bibliography
Short Stories, Poems, etc.
Up, Up and Away. Toronto: The United Church Observer. October, 2006.
Grandpa’s War. Toronto: The United Church Observer. November, 2005.
Just Like Me. Owen Sound: Buzz, April, 1987
Wilbur Wilson’s Woolly Winter. Owen Sound: Buzz, Nov. 1986
Only a Stable (short play). Toronto: Dept. of Stewardship Services, United Church of Canada, Dec. 1985
A House for Tina. U.S.A.: The Friend, April 1982
Marcy McEwan Has Red Hair. U.S.A.: The Friend, Nov. 1978
Night Canoe (poem). U.S.A.: Guide Magazine, March 1978
Books
Molly Brant. Toronto: Dundurn, 2015
Laura Secord. Toronto: Dundurn, 2012
Mary Pickford. Toronto: Dundurn, 2011
Growing Up Ivy. Toronto: Dundurn, 2010
Trouble at Turtle Narrows. Toronto: Napoleon, 2008
Treasure at Turtle Lake. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing., 2007
The Path Through the Trees. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 2005
The Deep End Gang. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 2003
Finding My Own Way. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 2001
Sky Lake Summer. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 1999
A Circle in Time. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 1997
Help Wanted: Wednesdays Only. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing Inc., 1994
The Movie Years. Belleville: Mika Publishing, 1989
Anthologies
Hill Spirits. Cobourg: Blue Denim Press, 2012
Hill Spirits II. Cobourg: Blue Denim Press, 2015
Hill Spirits III. Cobourg: Blue Denim Press, 2017
Awards & Honours
2013. Speaker’s Book Award Finalist for Laura Secord, Heroine of the War of 1812. An annual award presented by the Speaker of the Ontario Legislature.
2011. Starred selection for Growing Up Ivy in Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s “Best Books for Kids & Teens 2011”.
2007. Nominated for Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award for The Path through the Trees.
2007. Nominated for Silver Birch Award for The Path through the Trees.
2005. Awarded Honourable Mention by Associated Church Press (North America), children’s page department, for “Grandpa’s War”, United Church Observer, November, 2005.
2004. Awarded Honour Book Award (Silver Birch fiction finalist) for The Deep End Gang.
2004. Nominated for Silver Birch Award for The Deep End Gang.
2004. Nominated for Arthur Ellis Crime Writers’ Award (juvenile fiction) for The Deep End Gang.
2004. Nominated for Tiny Torgi Award –CNIB award for audio-tape version of Sky Lake Summer.
2000. Nominated for Canadian Library Association’s Book of the Year for Children Award for Sky Lake Summer.
2000. Nominated for Silver Birch Award for Sky Lake Summer.
2000. Nominated for Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award for Sky Lake Summer.
Five novels selected as Our Choice by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.