2026 Lane Anderson Award: Shortlists announced

The Lane Anderson Award, an award created and funded by the Fitzhenry Family Foundation, just announced the shortlists in its two categories, Young Reader and Adult Reader. These awards honour the very best in science writing in Canada today. Each of the winners will be awarded $10,000 at a ceremony to be held in Toronto in January, 2027.

Young reader shortlist:

The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators that Keep Our Planet Humming
Written by Kira Vermond 

Illustrated by June Steube 

Owlkids Books

The Gland Factory: A Tour of Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones
Written by Rachel Poliquin

Illustrated by Clayton Hanmer 

Greystone Kids

The Story and Science of Hope
Written by Andrea Curtis

Illustrated by Ana Suárez 

Groundwood Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• • • • • • • 

 

(While we don't promote adult books on CanLit for LittleCanadians, I thought you might be interested to see the Adult shortlist. Here it is:

The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink
Written by Greg Mercer 

Penguin Random House Canada / McClelland & Stewart

Meltdown: The Making and Breaking of a Field Scientist
Written by Sarah Boon 

University of Alberta Press

The Mind Mappers: Friendship, Betrayal and the Obsessive Quest to Chart the Brain
Written by Eric Andrew-Gee 

Penguin Random House Canada

 

 

 

 

 

• • • • • • •  

 

 

For more information about the Fitzhenry Family Foundation and the Lane Anderson Award, please visit their website at www.laneandersonaward.ca.

 

The Book of Jupiter

Written by Robin Stevenson

Kids Can Press

978-1525313028

220 pp.

Ages 10–14

June 2026 

 

Thirteen-year-old Ara lives with Father Jupiter, Mothers Io, Amalthea, Callisto, Elara, and Dia, and more than half a dozen Star Children at Jupiter Station. When three auspicious things happen, Father Jupiter takes it as a sign. First, it is Ara's birthday. Secondly, Mother Io becomes stardust, the first of their "family" to Ascend to Jupiter. Third, baby Nova is born to new member Dia, whom Father Jupiter had brought from the city. To honour this trifecta, Father Jupiter gives Ara baby Nova to care for. Ara takes this honour very seriously, believing that Father Jupiter is wise and wants to ensure they all Ascend.

 

But then Ara's brother Leo expresses Doubts—capitalized because of their significance—to her, remembering things before they came to Jupiter Station. And then Ara, who often skirts the outside of their rural property, meets a girl, Hazel, who is visiting her grandfather across the river. She knows she shouldn't engage with Hazel but, with Leo questioning their lives at Jupiter Station, Ara is ready to divulge all to Father Jupiter. But then they are told that Leo has Ascended. Leo was only 16. This raises more Questions for Ara, and Questions are verboten. 

 

When Ara finds a letter from Leo, she learns some uncomfortable truths. Now she must decide whether she should question Father Jupiter about his decisions and teachings from the Book of Jupiter, or whether she will continue to accept his words as truth and authority and remain within a community that may not be what it purports to be.

 

A story based in a cult has the potential to be disquieting at best or frightening at worst. But Robin Stevenson, who can tell any story with nuance—from YA stories of mental health (e.g., The World Without Us, 2015), to middle-grade stories of grief (e.g., Record Breaker, 2013), and even non-fiction about LGBTQ+ activism (e.g., Queer History A to Z: 100 Years of LGBTQ+ Activism, 2024)—tells the story of Jupiter Station with sensitivity. From Ara's perspective, Jupiter Station is home. It is where she lives with her brother, their father (and other fathers), mothers, and children, and she receives food and shelter. For many children, this would be more than enough. But perception is everything, and when Leo tells her stuff that they'd been cautioned to never speak of, and Ara has her own Questions and Doubts, her perspective is affected. For Ara, the story becomes a coming-of-age story, as she transitions from blind obedience to attentiveness and finally enlightenment. She begins to truly see. And Ara sees with a good heart, ensuring that she will protect others as she challenges what she is living.

 

The Book of Jupiter, currently a nominee for the Forest of Reading's Red Maple readers' choice book award, is a story about a girl who happily lives within a familial construct until she sees something different there. Her loyalty to her brother and her consideration of what she feels and see and hears give her the courage to face what was always there. Ara can't deal with the megalomaniac himself—nor should she—but she can step outside the familiar to do what is right for herself and others. As such, Robin Stevenson gives us a happy-enough ending, showing that Ara ascended in her own maturity and personal growth, far better than becoming stardust.

2027 Forest of Reading® nominees: Le prix Peuplier, Le prix Mélèze, Le prix Tamarac

This is the final listing of nominees for the 2027 Forest of Reading® book award programs of the Ontario Library Association. 

 

Listed below are the nominees for the French-language reading programs:

• Le prix Peuplier: French-language picture books, less text, simpler subject matters, perfect for read-alouds
• Le prix Mélèze: shorter French-language chapter books with maximum 100 pages or more mature picture books, larger text with pictures, simpler vocabulary and verb tenses
• Le prix Tamarac:  French-language chapter books from 100 to 250 pages, smaller text with little or no illustrations, more complicated verb tenses and vocabulary
  

Links for the other six reading programs (Blue Spruce, Silver Birch Express, Silver Birch Fiction, Yellow Cedar, Red Maple, and White Pine) follow.

LE PRIX PEUPLIER

10 faits étonnants sur les capybaras
Écrit et illustré par Mélanie Watt

Scholastic

 

AKI
Écrit par Valérie Richer O'Bomsawin

Illustré par Meky Ottawa

Éditions Hannenorak

Aujourd’hui, promis!
Écrit et illustré par Josée Bisaillon

Scholastic

Chi miigwech, grand merci
Écrit par astra márta 

Illustré par Jordan Stranger

Orca Book Publishers

 

D^re Rafistout
Écrit par Nicholas Aumais 

Illustré par Mélanie Albert

Bouton d’Or Acadie

Ensemble: Un livre sur la communauté
Écrit et illustré par Elise Gravel

Scholastic

Jules et Virgule, deux têtes de mule
Écrit par Andrée Poulin

Illustrée par Juliette Miron
Dominique et compagnie

Oui, allô? Le cri des animaux
Écrit et illustré par Amélie Legault

Éditions Les Malins

Le sandwich aux grenouilles
Écrit par Danielle Chaperon 

Illustré par Élodie Duhameau

Les 400 coups

Yassama et la calebasse aux cauris
Écrit par Lua Shayenne 

Illustré par Tiffany Ratongaranto

Prise de parole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LE PRIX MÉLÈZE

À l'enVerre
Écrit et illustré par Orbie
Les 400 coups

Le livre qui ne tenait qu’à un fil (La bibliothèque enchantée #2)
Écrit par Jocelyn Boisvert

Illustré par Julie Rocheleau

Éditions Michel Quintin

Les créatures de l'école
Écrit par Émilie Rivard

Illustré par Ianick Raymond

La courte échelle

Fémi et Lou et le trésor perdu
Écrit par Mireille Messier 

Illustrée par Catarina Oliveira
Orca Book Publishers

 

La folle journée de Wadarone
Écrit par Isabelle Picard 

Illustré par Meky Ottawa

Bayard Canada

Une girafe, ça sourit, oui!
Écrit par Andrée Poulin 

Illustré par Geneviève Després
Les 400 coups

L'écureuil qui marchait sur l'eau! (Kévin #2)
Écrit et illustré par Chloé Baillargeon

KATA 

Au royaume des chienpignons (Maple #1)
Écrit et illustré par Juliette Miron

Éditions Michel Quintin

Mission animal de compagnie! Lequel est fait pour toi?
Écrit par Joanie Lamoureux 

Illustré par Juliette Miron

Bayard Canada

Srirachat: Le voleur de Lamoumou
Écrit et illustré par Jean-Philippe Morasse

Éditions Les Malins

LE PRIX TAMARAC

L'agente 00-discrète
Écrit par Mathieu Fortin 

Illustré par Kuizin Studio Inc.

Bayard Canada

 

Les colibris
Écrit par Takwa Souissi

Les Éditions du Boréal

Comment convaincre un fantôme de déménager
Écrit par Maude Ménard-Dunn 

Illustré par Sophie Bédard

Québec Amérique

Crois-le ou non: Les jeux vidéo
Écrit par Gabrielle Anctil

Saint-Jean Éditeur

De l'or dans les fissures
Écrit et illustré par Katerine Martin

Éditions de l’Isatis

La quête des quatre (Énigme au collège #1)
Écrit par Véronique Villaggi

Éditions de Mortagne

Fuir le feu
Écrit par Micheline Marchand

Les Éditions David

Ma couronne
Écrit et illustré par Lidia-Ntombo Lulendo

Bayard Canada

Un roi sans couronne
Écrit par Uashteskun

Héritage jeunesse

Une vie tricotée d’avance
Écrit par Maryse Labbé

Héritage jeunesse

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Nominees for the other programs can be linked to from below:

Blue Spruce

Silver Birch Express

Silver Birch Fiction

Yellow Cedar

Red Maple

White Pine

 

2027 Forest of Reading® nominees: Yellow Cedar, Red Maple, White Pine

Here is the second grouping of nominated titles from the 2027 Forest of Reading® book awards of the Ontario Library Association:

• Yellow Cedar: non-fiction for Grades 4 to 8
  
• Red Maple: fiction for Grades 7 and 8
  
• White Pine: fiction for Grades 9 to 12
  

  

YELLOW CEDAR

Bat Planet: The Mysterious Life of the Creatures of the Night
Written by Neil Griffin

Orca Book Publishers

Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions
Written by Anjali Joshi
Illustrated by Kathleen Ng

Annick Press

Reviewed here 

The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators that Keep Our Planet Humming
Written by Kira Vermond
Illustrated by June Steube

Owlkids Books

The Cedar Mother (Mothers of Xsan, Book 8)
Written by Brett D. Huson (Hetxw’ms Gyetxw)
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan

HighWater Press

Reviewed here

Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets
Written by Rachel Kehoe
Illustrated by Meegan Lim

Orca Book Publishers

The Dream of an Education: How Phymean Noun Built a School

Written by Susan Hughes
Illustrated by Tida Kheav

Orca Book Publishers

Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness
Written by Maria Birmingham
Illustrated by Catherine Chan

Owlkids Books

Reviewed here

Soccerology: Unbelievable Facts and Stories About the Beautiful Game
Written and illustrated by Kevin Sylvester

Annick Press

Reviewed here

The Sustainable School: A Journey Through Time and Energy
Written by Erica Fyvie
Illustrated by Scot Ritchie

Kids Can Press

Reviewed here

What Is A Sculpture?
Written by Diane Borsato
Illustrated by Laura Carlin

Tundra Books

 

RED MAPLE™

 

Absolutely No Body Parts
Written by Valerie Sherrard

DCB Young Readers

Among Ghosts
Written by Rachel Hartman
Penguin Teen Canada

 

The Book of Jupiter

Written by Robin Stevenson

Kids Can Press

 

Go

Written by Deborah Ellis

Groundwood Books

Reviewed here

The Inbetweens 
Written and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

First Second Books

Lydia Cooper Is a Lie
Written by Meaghan McIsaac

Aladdin Books

 

Sam

Written by Eric Walters

DCB Young Readers

Reviewed here

Skygull Calamity 

Written by Bronwyn Fairchild

Annick Press 

 

Something's Up with Arlo 

Written by Matteo L. Cerilli

HarperCollins 

 

The Vanished Ones

Written by Chad Lucas

Amulet Books 

  

WHITE PINE™

Best of All Worlds
Written by Kenneth Oppel
Penguin Teen Canada

The Free Verse Society
Written by Delali Adjoa
Peachtree Teen

He's So Possessed with Me
Written by Corey Liu
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Our Little Secret
Written by Edward Kay and Mikhael Klassen-Kay
DCB Young Readers

Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions
Written by Ahmad Saber
Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

The Rebel Girls of Rome
Written by Jordyn Taylor
HarperCollins

Small Ceremonies
Written by Kyle Edwards
McClelland & Stewart

This Place Kills Me
Written by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Nicole Goux
Abrams

Thornbird
Written by E. Kennedy
Delacorte Press

The Vacation Shift
Written by Lily Chu
Quill Tree Books
 

 

 

 

 

 

•••••••••••••••••••

Nominees for the other programs can be linked to from below:

 

Blue Spruce

Silver Birch Express

Silver Birch Fiction

Le prix Peuplier

Le prix Mézèle

Le prix Tamarac