Promote Canadian!

My first presentation of the Canadian Library Association's Book of the Year for Children Award in 2009 ended with this very purple slide.  Its purpose was to acknowledge the contributions of so many to the wealth of exceptional literature for Canadian children and young adult readers.  They are so fortunate!  But who knows this?  The authors and illustrators who create their works?  The publishers?  The librarians, both public and school, who purchase them? Yes, yes and yes.  But it's not enough.

As a voracious reader of children's literature, for my own pleasure as well as for award selection committees, I know that it's not always the best books to which young people are drawn - it's the ones with the most media coverage, or the movie tie-in, or the controversy, or the gimmick.  We know that writing and publishing are no longer the singular tasks of putting thoughts to words and words to paper.  Usually the more money put behind a text and author, the more likely it is to succeed.

Consider this blog my small part in helping great Canadian children's literature succeed in reaching our young readers.