Eric Walters

Eric Walters Member of the Order of Canada (born March 3, 1957) is one of Canada's most prolific and celebrated authors of children's and young adult fiction, dedicated humanitarian, and former clinical social worker. Raised in Toronto, he earned his Master of Social Work at York University and practiced in crisis and child welfare before pivoting to elementary education. In 1993, while teaching a Grade 5 class of reluctant readers at Vista Heights Public School in Mississauga, he began writing customized daily stories set in their school to inspire them—a creative experiment that became his 1993 bestselling debut novel, Stand Your Ground. Since then, Walters has authored over 130 critically acclaimed books, including We All Fall Down, The King of Jam Sandwiches (which won the 2020 Governor General's Literary Award), and Elephant Secret. His fast-paced narratives frequently blend immersive research with urgent social commentary, drawing from his personal adventures like trekking the Sahara Desert and playing with tigers. Deeply committed to philanthropy, Walters and his wife founded The Creation of Hope, a grassroots charity providing shelter, education, and essential care to hundreds of orphans and impoverished children in Kenya's Mbooni District.