• Age: 10 to 18
• Grade: 5 to 12

Shortlisted for the 2005-2006 Red Cedar Book Award, Nonfiction

Selected as Honour Book by the Children's Literature Roundtable Information Book of the Year

The brilliant artist Emily Carr lived at the edge. When she was born, in 1871, Victoria, British Columbia was a small, insular place. She was at the edge of a society that expected well-bred young ladies to marry. For years, she was at the edge of the world of artists she longed to join.

Emily Carr’s life was not an easy one. She struggled against a family that did not approve of her art and against poor health. She found her pleasures in her many pets – a Javanese monkey named Woo, parrots, and many beloved dogs. Later, she would meet the artists of the Group of Seven and among them find her soul mates.

When illness put a stop to her painting, she found expression and comfort in her writing. Her book Klee Wyck received Canada’s highest literary honor – the Governor General’s Award.

Emily Carr: At the Edge of the World is an introduction to this remarkable artist and her paintings.

Jo Ellen Bogart was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in several Texas cities, but for the last 32 years, she has lived in Guelph, Ontario AKA Children's Author Central. She really enjoys running into writers and artists at the grocery store.
Jo Ellen has always been an animal lover and pet keeper, but her current pet list is down to two dogs, two frogs, and a ton of fish, most of which vacation in the backyard pond and winter in the Bogart basement, supervising the laundry.
Part of the fun Jo Ellen has in writing books for children is venturing into many different kinds of writing, from poetry and picture books to biography, non-fiction, and early readers. She has also written lots of song lyrics for kids, and is trying her hand at painting. Jo Ellen really likes to take digital pictures and play around with them on the computer.
Jo Ellen has a teaching degree from the University of Texas and has worked as a supply teacher. Though she no longer teaches, she really enjoys meeting her young readers and seeing what they have to say. Her own two kids are grown but she has a new baby grandson and is amassing stacks of books for the future reader.

Jo Ellen Bogart's profile page

Maxwell Newhouse's profile page

“With an excellent-quality, full-color reproduction of Carr’s work facing every page of text, this is a gorgeous look at the Canadian artist’s life…”
–School Library Journal

“This beautiful biography…will interest a wide variety of readers…. The finely detailed line drawings…by folk artist Maxwell Newhouse capture the very essence of Emily’s appearance, her charming pets and her vigorous creativity. The text is thoughtful, sensitive and respectful…. Jo Ellen Bogart is able to give the reader a glimpse into the creative heart of an artist and let readers know about the person in a very accessible and readable book… Highly Recommended.”
–CM Magazine
“…a crisply written biography, filled with well-chosen detail…. Folk artist Maxwell Newhouse supplies airy, whimsical pen-and-ink line drawings that provide a nice contrast to the brooding intensity of Carr’s oils.”
–Quill & Quire
“…excellent…. Illustrator Maxwell Newhouse has complemented the full-color reproductions of Carr’s work with folksy drawings featuring scenes of her life.”
–Toronto Sun
“…an accessible biography of an extraordinary artist, enhanced by lovely reproductions of her paintings, and by Maxwell Newhouse’s appealing folk art sketches…. [A] fascinating account…”
–BookLoons Reviews