Understanding how to help solve problems, not just in our own lives but in our larger society, is a necessary and fulfilling part of growing up. In this varied, in-depth, and accessible hour, three knowledgeable authors share deep-dives into issues that are foundational to our lives. In What Do We Eat?, Megan Clendenan offers a delicious perspective on how we’ve fed ourselves for thousands of years—and what may be next. In Walls, CBC host Gregor Craigie shares the long history of human barriers… and why we build them. And, in Alone Together, Petti Fong speaks to the growing epidemic of loneliness. She helps us understand how being alone can ultimately bring us closer. Together, these three authors will guide students to better navigate our complex world. Grades 4–7.
Themes: Social science, food, architecture, mental health, society
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies 6-8, Physical and Health Education 4-5
More information about the Festival:
Box Office | Accessibility | Venue Map
Event Participants:
MEGAN CLENDENAN enjoys learning about how people ate throughout history and hopes that the foods of the future will be more sustainable and just. She is the author of Cities and the Green Earth Award winner Fresh Air, Clean Water. She is also a co-author of Design Like Nature. Megan lives near Vancouver with her family, where she likes growing vegetables in her backyard.
GREGOR CRAIGIE has been a journalist for more than 25 years at the BBC World Service, CBC Radio, CBS Radio and Public Radio International. He has hosted On The Island on CBC Radio One in Victoria, BC, since 2007. His first book, On Borrowed Time: North America’s Next Big Quake, was a finalist for both the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and the City of Victoria Book Prize, and was a Globe and Mail Top 100 book in 2021. His first novel, Radio Jet Lag, was published in 2023.
PETTI FONG is a journalist, educator and author. During the pandemic she created a podcast with interviews from experts around the world on the topic of isolation and loneliness. The podcast, Alone Together, has been downloaded by hundreds of thousands of listeners and heard in more than 30 countries. Petti lives in Vancouver.
