2012 TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards' finalists announced

Having moved all the Canadian children's book award news to its own blog, CanLit for LittleCanadians: Awards at http://canlitforlittlecanadiansawards.blogspot.ca/, I really have no good excuse for posting the news here that the 2012 TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards' finalists have been announced (yesterday via the Canadian Children's Book Centre).   I have justified this (at least in my own mind) by emphasizing that these awards are:

• national;
• dedicated to children's and YA books;
• include both French and English and a variety of genres;
• selected by diverse juries of academics, authors, school or public librarians, book sellers and/or literacy advocates;
• generous with their cash prizes and recognition;
• supported by the Canadian Children's Book Centre, our nationally-recognized authority on all things related to youngCanLit; and
• announced at a gala whose invitations are always creative keepsakes.

So, I'm compelled to announce the finalists for the 2012 TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards here to ensure that the news reaches everyone (and I'll post a similar notice on my Awards blog as well.)

The seven major children's book awards which will be awarded at invitation-only galas in Toronto and Montreal in the fall include:

1. TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($25000) Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
2. Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($25000) Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
3. Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000) Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie;
4. Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction ($10,000) Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation;
5. Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000) Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund;
6. John Spray Mystery Award ($5,000) Sponsored by John Spray; and
7. Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy ($5,000)  Sponsored by HarperCollins Canada.

Here are the short lists for each award category, as announced by the Canadian Children's Book Centre yesterday:

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award

The Dragon Turn (The Boy Sherlock Holmes)
by Shane Peacock
Tundra Books
Ages 10+

My review

No Ordinary Day
by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books
Ages 9-12

My review

Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World
by Susan Hughes
Owlkids Books Inc.
Ages 9-13

Seal Song
by Andrea Spalding
Illustrated by Pascal Milelli
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 5-8

Stones for My Father
by Trilby Kent
Tundra Books
Ages 11-14

  Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse 

L'amélanchier: Conte de Jacques Ferron
Adapté pour la jeunesse par Denis Côté  Illustré par Anne Sol
Éditions Planète rebelled
Ages 10+

Lapin-Chagrin et les jours d'Elko
par Sylvie Nicolas
Illustré par Marion Arbona
Éditions du Phoenix (initialement éditions Trampoline)
Ages 6+

Le monde de Théo
par Louis Émond
Illustré par Philippe Béha
Éditions Hurtubise
Ages 5+

Mots doux pour endormir la nuit
par Jacques Pasquet
Illustré par Marion Arbona
Éditions Planète rebelle
Ages 3+

La saison des pluies
par Mario Brassard
Illustré par Suana Verelst
Soulières éditeur
Ages 7+

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

Cinnamon Baby
by Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by Janice Nadeau
Kids Can Press
Ages 3-7

Picture a Tree
by Barbara Reid
North Wind Press / Scholastic Canada
Ages 3-8

Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been?
by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by Rae Maté
Simply Read Books
Ages 3-6

Small Saul 
by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
Ages 3-7

My review

Without You 
by Geneviève Côté
Kids Can Press
Ages 3-6

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

Beyond Bullets: A Photo Journal of Afghanistan
by Rafal Gerszak  with Dawn Hunter
Photos by Rafal Gerszak
Annick Press
Ages 12+

Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature 
by Dora Lee
Illustrated by Margot Thompson
Kids Can Press
Ages 8-12

 

Loon
by Susan Vande Griek
by Karen Reczuch
Groundwood Books
Ages 4-7

Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World
by Susan Hughes
Owlkids Books Inc.
Ages 9-13

Scribbling Women: True Tales from Astonishing Lives
by Marthe Jocelyn
Tundra Books
Ages 12+

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction 
for Young People

The Hangman in the Mirror
by Kate Cayley
Annick Press
Ages 13+

I’ll Be Watching 
by Pamela Porter
Groundwood Books
Ages 14+

My review

Shot at Dawn: World War I (I Am Canada) 
by John Wilson
Scholastic Canada
Ages 9-12

This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein 
by Kenneth Oppel
HarperCollins Publishers
Ages 12+

My review

The Whole Truth 
by Kit Pearson
HarperCollins Publishers
Ages 8-12

My review

John Spray Mystery Award

The Case of the Missing Deed (Teaspoon Detectives)
by Ellen Schwartz
Tundra Books
Ages 10+

My review

Charlie’s Key
by Rob Mills
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 11+

My review

The Dragon Turn (The Boy Sherlock Holmes)
by Shane Peacock
Tundra Books
Ages 10+

My review

Held
by Edeet Ravel
Annick Press
Ages 13+

True Blue
by Deborah Ellis
Pajama Press
Ages 12+

My review

Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy

Dreamline
by Nicole Luiken
Great Plains Teen Fiction
Ages 14+

My review

Hunted
by Cheryl Rainfield
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Ages 13+

My review

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
by Jonathan Auxier
Puffin Canada
Ages 9-12

Tempestuous
by Lesley Livingston
HarperCollins Canada
Ages 13+

What Happened to Serenity?
by P.J. Sarah Collins
Red Deer Press
Ages 12+








We look forward to the gala ceremonies in the fall at which the winning titles will be announced.  In the meantime, I'll be catching up on all nominees which I have yet to review.