[1] Leatherdale received a bachelor's degree in visual arts from the University of Western Ontario, followed by a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.
[2] In 2018, Leatherdale was the International Board on Books for Young People Canada president, during which time she co-chaired a project to increase the number of children's books by Indigenous authors held in Canadian libraries.
[5] Kirkus Reviews[6] and Quill & Quire[7] included it on their list of the best books of 2017.
Chicago Public Library included Stormy Seas on their "Best Informational Books for Older Readers of 2017" list.
[13] Bank Street College of Education included it on their 2021 list of the best books published for children ages five to nine.