2021 Governor General's Literary Awards: Winners announced

Today, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the winners for the highly prestigious Governor General's Literary Awards.

Books were awarded in seven categories, both in French and English, and I'm so pleased to announce the winners of those books for young readers.

Congratulations to these winners!

 

• • • • •

English-language: Young People's Literature (Text)

 WINNER

Firefly

Written by Philippa Dowding

DCB

Reviewed here

 

English-language: Young People's Literature (Illustration)

WINNER

On the Trapline

Written by David A. Robertson

Illustrated by Julie Flett

Tundra

 

French-language: Young People's Literature (Text)

 

WINNER

Les avenues
Written by Jean-François Sénéchal
Leméac Éditeur

French-language: Young People's Literature (Illustration)

WINNER

À qui appartiennent les nuages?
Written by Mario Brassard
Illustrated by Gérard DuBois
Les Éditions de la Pastèque

Congratulations to this year's finalists

and these four stellar winners  

of books for young people

👏👏👏

2021 Canadian Children's Book Centre Book Awards: Winners announced

 

On October 28 and 29, 2021, the Canadian Children's Book Centre announced the winners for the 2021 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards. (Finalists were announced in September.) These awards were presented at virtual events (streamed for all to attend) in partnership with the Toronto International Festival of Authors as well as Communication-Jeunesse.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's eight major children's book awards:

• TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($50,000), Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
• Le Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($50,000), Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
• Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000), Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie;
• Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction ($10,000), Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation;
• Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000), Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund;
• Amy Mathers Teen Book Award ($5,000), Sponsored by Amy Mathers' Marathon of Books;
• Le Prix Harry Black de l’album jeunesse ($5,000), Sponsored by Mary Macchiusi; and
• Jean Little First-Novel Award ($5,000).
  

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

WINNER

The Barnabus Project

Written and illustrated by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan 

Tundra Books

Le Prix TD de littérature pour l'enfance et la jeunesse canadienne

WINNER

Ma maison-tête
Written and illustrated by Vigg
Éditions Fonfon

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

WINNER

Our Little Kitchen
Written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Groundwoods Books

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

 

WINNER

Powwow: A Celebration Through Song and Dance
Written by Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane
Orca Book Publishers

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People 

WINNER

The Paper Girl of Paris

Written by Jordyn Taylor

HarperTeen

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

WINNER

Facing the Sun
Written by Janice Lynn Mather
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Le Prix Harry Black de l'album jeunesse

WINNER

Ma maison-tête
Written and illustrated by Vigg
Éditions Fonfon

 

Jean Little First-Novel Award

WINNER

No Vacancy
Written by Tziporah Cohen
Groundwood Books

 

 

Vancouver Writers Fest (October 18-24, 2021)

The Vancouver Writers Fest is again presenting a stellar list of authors in dozens of virtual, in-person and hybrid events. While many BC readers have been able to partake in the VWF over its 30+ years, virtual events have now opened up possibilities for young readers across Canada to enjoy these same events.  I encourage teachers and parents to check out the plethora of author events at this year's VWF, to be held from October 18-24, knowing that there is something for everyone here.

 

To help get you interested, let me tell you about the events featuring Canadian authors of books for young readers. Then you can head to the festival website, check out this year's Program Guide, look into all their youth events, or book a visiting author as part of their Writers in the Classroom.

 

 

Scheduled Events  

(of Canadian authors for youth)

Monday, October 18, 2021

 

9:30 AM

Caroline Adderson

Sunny Days Inside and Other Stories

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson

When You Get the Chance

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:00 PM

Wab Kinew

Walking in Two Worlds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

 

9:30 AM

David A. Robertson

On the Trapline

Illustrated by Julie Flett 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Jen Sookfong Lee

Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees

 

 

 

and 

Lois Peterson

Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

9:30 AM

Ashley Spires

Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite!

Reviewed here

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Sarah Raughley

The Bones of Ruin

 

 

and

Xiran Jay Zhao

Iron Widow

Thursday, October 21, 2021

9:30 AM

David A. Robertson

The Great Bear (The Misewa Saga, Book 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11:00 AM

Susin Nielsen

Tremendous Things

and 

Peyton Thomas

Both Sides Now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:00 PM

Gordon Korman

Linked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writers in the Classroom

 

The Vancouver Writers Fest also organizes a program called Writers in the Classroom which provides opportunities for young readers to connect with authors. This year, sixteen authors offer virtual presentations for classes from Grades 1-12. Deadline to apply for an author visit is September 30, 2021 and are booked on a first come, first serve basis, so teachers are encouraged not to delay. Details may be found at https://writersfest.bc.ca/youth#writers-in-the-classroom.

 

Hope young readers get to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to listen to some Canadian authors of books for young people read and speak about their books. 

It's sure to be a great author event.

 

The 2021 Canadian Children's Book Centre Book Awards: Shortlists announced

This week, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, our nationally-renowned authority on all things related to youngCanLit, announced the finalists for the 2021 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards. (See their website announcement here with pdf here and video of shortlists here.)

The eight major children's book awards, which will be awarded later this fall, include:

• TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($50,000), Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
• Le Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($50,000), Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
• Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000), Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie;
• Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction ($10,000), Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation;
• Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000), Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund;
• Amy Mathers Teen Book Award ($5,000), Sponsored by Amy Mathers' Marathon of Books;
• Le Prix Harry Black de l’album jeunesse ($5,000), Sponsored by Mary Macchiusi; and
• Jean Little First-Novel Award ($5,000).
  

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

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

The Barnabus Project

Written and illustrated by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan 

Tundra Books

The Barren Grounds
(The Misewa Saga, Book 1)
Written by David A. Robertson
Puffin Canada

A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye
Written by Melanie Mosher
Nimbus Publishing

Bloom
(The Overthrow, Book 1)
Written by Kenneth Oppel
HarperCollins Publishers

When Emily Was Small
Written and illustrated by Lauren Soloy
Tundra Books

Le Prix TD de littérature pour l'enfance et la jeunesse canadienne

Aurore et le pays invisible
Written by Christiane Duchesne
Éditions Québec Amérique

C’est quoi l’amour ?
Written by Lucile de Pesloüan
Illustrated by Geneviève Darling
Éditions de l'Isatis

Colle-moi
Written by Véronique Grénier
Groupe d’édition la courte échelle

Ma maison-tête
Written and illustrated by Vigg
Éditions Fonfon

Pokko et le tambour
Written and illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
Translated by Nadine Robert
Comme des géants

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

 

The Barnabus Project
Written and illustrated by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan
Tundra Books

 

Golden Threads
Written by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Illustrated by Miki Sato
Owlkids Books

Our Little Kitchen
Written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Groundwoods Books

Swift Fox All Along
Written by Rebecca Thomas
Illustrated by Maya McKibbin
Annick Press

Weekend Dad
Written by Naseem Hrab
Illustrated by Frank Viva
Groundwood Books

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl
Written by Rina Singh
Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer
Kids Can Press

Crows: Genius Birds
(Science Comics)
Written and illustrated by Kyla Vanderklugt
First Second

The Eagle Mother
(Mothers of Xsan, Book 3)
Written by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
HighWater Press

Powwow: A Celebration Through Song and Dance
Written by Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane
Orca Book Publishers

This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science is Tackling Unconscious Bias
Written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Illustrated by Drew Shannon
Kids Can Press

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People

Barry Squires, Full Tilt
Written by Heather Smith
Penguin Teen Canada

The Brushmaker's Daughter
Written by Kathy Kacer
Second Story Press

Journal of a Travelling Girl
Written by Nadine Neema
Illustrated by Archie Beaverho
Wandering Fox Books

 

The Paper Girl of Paris

Written by Jordyn Taylor

HarperTeen

Under Amelia's Wing
(The Ginny Ross Series, Book 2)
Written by Heather Stemp
Nimbus Publishing

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

Charming as a Verb
Written by Ben Philippe
Balzer & Bray

Facing the Sun
Written by Janice Lynn Mather
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Followers
Written by Raziel Reid
Penguin Teen Canada

 

He Must Like You

Written by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Penguin Teen Canada

The Silence of Bones

Written by June Hur

Fiewel & Friends

Prix Harry Black de l'album jeunesse

Albertine Petit-Brindamour déteste les choux de Bruxelles

Written by Anne Renaud
Illustrated by Élodie Duhameau
Groupe d’édition la courte échelle

 

Le grand méchant loup dans ma maison
Written by Valérie Fontaine
Illustrated by Nathalie Dion
Éditions les 400 coups 

 

L’horoscope
Written by François Blais
Illustrated by Valérie Boivin
Éditions les 400 coups 

 

Ma maison-tête
Written and illustrated by Vigg
Éditions Fonfon

Le tricot
Written and illustrated by Jacques Goldstyn
Éditions de la Pastèque

 

Jean Little First-Novel Award

Journal of a Travelling Girl
Written by Nadine Neema
Illustrated by Archie Beaverho
Wandering Fox Books

My Name is Konisola
Written by Alisa Siegel
Second Story Press

No Vacancy
Written by Tziporah Cohen
Groundwood Books

 

 

 

 📚📚📚

The winners of the English-language awards will be announced at a virtual event (streamed for all to attend) on October 29, 2021 presented in partnership with the Toronto International Festival of Authors.

The winners of the French-language awards will be announced similarly on October 28, 2021 in partnership with Communication-Jeunesse and featured as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors.