Deborah Kerbel is the award-winning Canadian author of over twenty-five books for children of all ages. Her young adult and middle grade novels have been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association’s YA Book Award, the Diamond Willow Book Award, and the Red Cedar Book Award, among many others. Her debut graphic novel, Fred & Marjorie; a Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin, is an ALA Best Graphic Novel selection, a Junior Library Guild ‘Gold Standard’ selection, an NSTA & CBC ‘Outstanding Science Trade Book’ selection, and winner of the 2023 Forest of Reading Yellow Cedar Award and 2023 Red Cedar Award. Her debut picture book, Sun Dog, was a 2019 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Honour Book, the winner of the 2019 IODE Jean Throop Book Award, and finalist for the 2020 Snow Willow Book Award. She’s also the recipient of the City of Vaughan’s 2011 R.A.V.E. Award for her work as a Literary Arts Educator and Mentor. She’s been a guest speaker at both national and international literary festivals across Canada (Wordfest; Word on the Street; the Festival of Trees; Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, Telling Tales, Luminato), conferences (Packaging Your Imagination; Words, Words, Words) as well as judge and juror for provincial book awards and national youth writing competitions. Currently, Deborah has six more books scheduled for publication between 2023 - 2025.
In 1993, she graduated from the Western University with a degree in English literature. Born in London, England, Deborah currently lives and writes in Thornhill, Ontario with her husband, two teens, and a rescue schnoodle named Fred.