Rhea Tregebov


Rhea Tregebov is a Canadian poet, novelist and children's writer who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. In her work as teacher and editor, she has mentored and inspired generations of Canadian poets. Her poetry is characterized by a strong poetic voice, intellectual honesty, and a compassionate engagement with the extraordinary lived experience of "ordinary" life. An early influence was Pablo Neruda: "And it was at that age … Poetry arrived/in search of me. there I was without a face/and it touched me".. Tregebov is also the author of two novels, Rue des Rosiers and The Knife-Sharpener’s Bell, as well as five popular children's picture books. From 2021 to 2023 she was Chair of The Writers' Union of Canada.

Background

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tregebov attended the University of Manitoba, Cornell, and Boston universities. She lived in Toronto, working as a freelance writer, editor, and Creative Writing Instructor. She taught Continuing Education for Ryerson University and was on faculty at the Banff Centre for the Arts. In January 2005 she has hired by the Creative Writing Program at the University of British Columbia, where she was promoted to associate professor in 2012. At UBC she specialized in poetry, writing for children, and translation. In June 2017, she retired from UBC; she currently is an Associate Professor Emerita.

Poetry

Children's books

  • The Extraordinary Ordinary Everything Room – 1991,
  • The Big Storm – 1992,
  • Sasha and the Wiggly Tooth – 1993,
  • Sasha and the Wind – 1996,
  • What-If Sara – 1999,

Novels

  • The Knife Sharpener's Bell – 2009,
  • Rue des Rosiers – 2019,