“How inspiring it is to see the spark lit in our students after their visit with Emily Seo. One week later, they are still talking about how cool Science is and how neat it was to have Science as part of her story. Having Emily visit our school and engage with our students was a truly amazing experience. She ignited a sense of wonder that has students actively involved in their learning. They are asking to read more stories by Emily, to write more about things they like and to learn more about Science. I love that they are asking so many questions and really taking their learning into their own hands. I can’t stress enough how special this experience was to our students.”
Michelle Valdecantos, Teacher Librarian at Sir Sandford Fleming Elementary School
“We had the absolute pleasure to work alongside Emily as our elementary school's Writer-In-Residence this year. The kids love her, they love her books, and many said it was the highlight of their year! We especially loved her focused-writing workshops with video prompts Emily recorded for us each week. Our library purchased a class set of "Science for Boys", and we haven't seen it on the shelf for even one moment - back-to-back checkouts! Emily is amazing!”
Kelly Johnson, Former Teacher-Librarian at Garden City Elementary School
Current Coordinator for Libraries and Information Services
“Emily Seo is not only a very talented author and wordsmith, she is a scientist that stands out from her peers. When Emily looks at a chemical equation she sees a story, and that story creates a deeper layer of meaning that sticks with the reader. The two times that we have had Emily at the Lyceum, she has wowed her audience and commanded such engagement that the evenings undulated between rapt silence and unbridled giggles. If you are lucky enough to secure Emily Seo for a speaking engagement with young writers and readers you will be thanked tenfold.”
Christianne Hayward
Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art
Emily Seo delivered four different presentations for our school of 10 divisions. She engaged all of our students with her stories and readings. The children explored the Japanese culture and learned about the writing process. Several students stayed after to ask questions and Emily made time for all our kids. Her presentations were engaging and hands on. The teachers all want her back as an author in residence. The students are clamoring to read her books, so I've had to purchase additional copies. It was a wonderful experience and we can't wait to have her back.
Noella Lau
Teacher Librarian at Kingswood Elementary
“ I had the pleasure to see Emily present a number of times, during Canadian Children's Book Week and at the annual Young Authors Conference in Kamloops, BC. On these occasions I was so impressed with Emily's ability to pivot the way she presented in order to meet the needs of the audience. She also encourages students to participate and engages them to use their senses to generate ideas. Students enjoyed hands-on activities such as origami folding and smelling scents to evoke memories. Emily's background in science and passion for storytelling makes for a fun cross-curricular literacy rich experience for all.”
Andrea Wallin
Library Learning Commons Coordinator, Kamloops School District No. 73
“We had the honour of welcoming Emily Seo several times between January to March 2025. Emily met with all our students from kindergarten to Grade 7 and shared her books and experiences. Her presentations were impactful and inspiring. It was evident from the questions asked by our students that they connected with her stories and were inspired by Emily’s journey to becoming an author. Many students expressed newfound respect for the writing process, as they had not realized how much time and effort goes into creating a book. They also conveyed that the idea of becoming an author felt more attainable and exciting after meeting Emily.
What truly made Emily’s visits exceptional were the editing workshops she conducted with one of our Grade 6/7 classes. As our temporary writer-in-residence, Ms. Seo collaborated with us on a Library Learning Commons grant to help improve our students’ writing skills. Students were thrilled to learn editing techniques for revising their writing more effectively and efficiently. They also appreciated the rare opportunity to have a real author review their work and provide personalized feedback, which boosted their confidence and enthusiasm for writing. Overall, Emily Seo provided memorable and enriching experiences that helped us foster a deeper love of reading and writing among our students. We look forward to welcoming her back in the future!
Wan-Chih Yang
Teacher-Librarian at R.C. Talmey Elementary
