Amanda.West Lewis author page

Amanda West Lewis biography

Amanda West Lewis is a Canadian author, theatre artist, and calligrapher. She has written books for children and young adults, often exploring themes related to history and social justice. Lewis holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. In addition to her writing, she is the founder of The Ottawa Children’s Theatre, where she has worked extensively in arts education and theatre for young audiences.

Her published works include September 17: A Novel (Red Deer Press, 2013), which is based on the true story of the sinking of the City of Benares during World War II, and These Are Not the Words (Groundwood Books, 2022), a middle-grade novel set in 1960s New York City. Lewis has also authored The Pact (Red Deer Press, 2016), a novel inspired by the experiences of German youth during and after World War II.

Lewis’s work has been recognized in the Canadian children’s literature community. September 17 was a finalist for the 2014 Ontario Library Association’s Forest of Reading Red Maple Award.