As part of a nomadic navy family, Leslie Gentile grew up singing and telling stories in the back seat of the car with her siblings, so it was only natural for her to become a musician and author. Leslie performed with two siblings as The White Sisters, and now performs with two of her adult children as The Leslie Gentile Band, and occasionally with author/musician sister Karen Lee White as The Half White Sisters. She has been a musician, concert promoter, bookkeeper, education assistant, antique restoration assistant, geoduck-shucker and riding instructor.
Leslie’s debut middle grade novel Elvis, Me and The Lemonade Stand Summer won the 2021 Victoria Children’s Book Prize, and 2022 The Jean Little First-Novel Award. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Rocky Mountain Book Awards and Silver Birch Award, The 2023 Hackmatack Award, MYRA Award, The Diamond Willow Award, the Red Cedar Award, and the Geoffrey Bilson Historical Fiction Award. Her second novel, Shamus The Urban Rez Dog, P.I. was released in September 2023.
Leslie is an engaging speaker who very comfortable working with children of all ages. As a musician, she has written songs to accompany each of her books and performs these songs with her readings.
Gentile lives in Brentwood Bay with her husband Dan and her German Shepherd puppy. Leslie is of northern Salish, Tuscarora and Scottish heritage and lives on the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ people.
My novel Elvis, Me and The Lemonade Stand Summer is a perfect reading choice to prepare your class for Pink Shirt Day. In person or online, I can give readings from the novel and perform songs for a dynamic and lively presentation. I will lead a discussion on being kind and unkind, and use examples from the novel to show the impact that bullying and racism can have. We will discuss how the characters who are kind are happy, and the characters who are bullies are unhappy.
I am happy to let the students lead the discussion and even veer off topic and see where their questions take us!
I am comfortable with large groups, and have performed for over 400 students on numerous occasions.
Meet Shamus, the Urban Rez Dog, the fun-lovin, cat chasing loveable mutt who can't stay out of trouble while he learns to navigate life in an urban setting with his new family.
Life is great - until Mom is falsely accused of stealing from the jewelry store she's worked at for years. Shamus steps in to help his kids, twins Rainey and Cole, catch the real thief, he discovers some hilarious clues - including a false wall, a lucky bowling ball, and a vicious poodle named Hepzibah!
I've written music to accompany this novel, so I can offer a dynamic and exciting presentation with readings interspersed with songs such as 'A Dog's Life' and 'Bad Dawg Blues'. I believe that it's so important for children to experience live music, so I have written these songs on both acoustic and slide guitar.
Meet Shamus, the Urban Rez Dog, the fun-lovin, cat chasing loveable mutt who can't stay out of trouble while he learns to navigate life in an urban setting with his new family.
Life is great - until Mom is falsely accused of stealing from the jewelry store she's worked at for years. Shamus steps in to help his kids, twins Rainey and Cole, catch the real thief, he discovers some hilarious clues - including a false wall, a lucky bowling ball, and a vicious poodle named Hepzibah!
I've written music to accompany this novel, so I can offer a dynamic and exciting presentation with readings interspersed with songs such as 'A Dog's Life' and 'Bad Dawg Blues'. I believe that it's so important for children to experience live music, so I have written these songs on both acoustic and slide guitar.
