John F. Hayes

Who was John F. Hayes?

John Francis Hayes was an award-winning Canadian writer who was best known for his ten historical novels for young readers. His books A Land Divided and Rebels Ride at Night won the Governor General's Award in the Juvenile Fiction category. In 1959 The Dangerous Cove won the Canada Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award. He was the second recipient of the Vicky Metcalf Award, in 1964.

Hayes was educated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He took courses in advertising and writing and in 1930 entered the publishing business. By the mid-1950s he was Vice-President and General Manager of Southam Press Montreal, and Director of the Southam Company Limited.

In 1954 he was elected secretary of the Canadian Authors' Association.

His first nine historical novels were illustrated by Fred J. Finley; the last, On Loyalist Trails, was illustrated by J. Merle Smith. All were published by the Copp Clark Publishing Company.