McFarlane was born in the Ottawa Valley, grew up in Arizona and has lived on the West Coast of Canada since 1974. A former teacher, McFarlane often visits schools and speaks at seminars across Canada on topics related to children's literature.

A graduate of the University of British Columbia, McFarlane received her B.Ed. in Science and Canadian Studies

Among her best selling children's books are Waiting for the Whales, A Pod of Orcas, Jessie's Island, This is the Dog and Eagle Dreams.

Her first young adult novel, The Smell of Paint, won a Moonbeam Award gold medal in the Young Adult category and was selected by the Canadian Children's Book Center as a 2007 best book of the year.

McFarlane lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Novels

• The Smell of Paint: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006.

Picture Books

• Island Santa: Orca Book Publishers, 2012
• This Is the Dog: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004
• A Pod of Orcas: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2003
• Going to the Fair: Orca Book Publishers, 1996
• Tides of Change: Orca Book Publishers, 1995
• Eagle Dreams: Orca Book Publishers, 1994
• Moonsnail Song: Orca Book Publishers, 1994
• Jessie’s Island: Orca Book Publishers, 1992
• Waiting For the Whales: Orca Book Publishers, 1991

Board Books

• What’s That Sound? By the Sea: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006
• What’s That Sound? At the Circus: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006
• What’s That Sound? On the Farm: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005
• What’s That Sound? In the City: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005

Waiting for the Whales edit

• Governor General's Award for Illustration
• IODE Award for Text
• Short-listed for Mr. Christie Award, BC Book Prize
• Recognized by Canadian Children's Book Centre, CBC Morningside Book Panel
• Canadian Library Notable Book

Eagle Dreams edit

• Recognized by CBC Morningside Book Panel

Tides of Change edit

• Recommended by the Royal British Columbia Museum

A Pod of Orcas edit

• Short-listed for the Chocolate Lily Award 2003/4
• BC Ministry of Education Ready Set Learn Title

This is the Dog edit

• Short-listed for the Blue Spruce Award,
• Short-listed for the Chocolate Lily Award 2004/5
• Short-listed for the Amelia Francis Howard-Gibbon Award
• Canadian Toy Council Recommended Title

What's That Sound? In the City in the City & What's That Sound? On the Farm edit

• Recognized by Today's Parent

What's That Sound? By the Sea edit

• 2008 Canadian Toy Testing Council Great Book Award
• 2007 Moonbeam Silver Medal Award in the Board Book Category (USA)

The Smell of Paint edit

• 2007 Moonbeam Gold Medal Award for Young Adult Fiction (USA)
• Victoria Butler Book Prize nominee

• Sheryl McFarlane at the Canadian Children's Book Center [1]
• Sheryl McFarlane at the Children's Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia [2]
• Sheryl McFarlane at the Authors' Booking Service [3]
• Sheryl McFarlane at DoDoLand.com [4]
• Sheryl McFarlane at the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers [5]
• The 2007 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards [6]

• Sheryl McFarlane Official Web Site
• Sheryl McFarlane at Fitzhenry & Whiteside
• Sheryl's Books at Chapters/Indigo