2025 Sheree Fitch Prize for Teen Writers: Now open for submissions

Let's support young Canadian writers because they will be the published authors of our future. To that end, the Sheree Fitch Prize, a teen writing contest organized by the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick, encourages young people ages 13 to 18 who live in New Brunswick to submit a short story or poem  for this contest.

 

I may not live in New Brunswick but how did I not know about this writing contest for young people? A competition that encourages teens to write and submit their writing for judging by published authors is definitely a win-win. Here are the details, which are available via the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick website.

 

Who may enter?

• Only teens from 13-18 years of age who are residents of New Brunswick may enter

 

What to submit?

• A short story or poem written by the teen

• A short story may be up to 4000 words

• A poem may be up to 100 lines

• Only two submissions per person 

How to enter?

• Entry is free

• Email entries to info@wfnb.ca with the subject line "Sheree Fitch Prize" 

• The deadline for submission is Monday, March 31, 2025

Who will be the judge this year?

• Writer Jacqueline Halsey, author of Joe and the Wreck of the Tribune, Piper, and Peggy's Letters

 

What are the prizes?
• First Prize is $100

• Second Prize is $50

• Third Prize is a 1-year membership to the Writers' Federation of New Brunswick

Time to get writing! 

 

💻✏💻✏💻✏💻✏💻

 

For those who don't know of the incredible collection of works by writer Sheree Fitch, from picture books to poetry collections and YA novels, check out some of her most notable titles:

 

Toes in My Nose and Other Poems

EveryBody's Different on EveryBody Street 

There's a Mouse in My House

Summer Feet

Sing in the Spring!

If You Could Wear My Sneakers

Polly MacCauley's Finest, Divinest, Woolliest Gift of All

Mabel Murple

There Were Monkey's in My Kitchen

If I Had a Million Onions

The Gravesavers
One More Step

Rock

Written by Laurel Croza

Illustrated by Matt James

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-948-7

44 pp.

Ages 3-6

March 2025 

 

There is a rock on a beach. Spotting it, a seagull swoops down to claim it, hoping for a morsel of food. The gull is disappointed when he tries to snatch it and so begins a dialogue about the nature of the rock. In stark text with sweeping illustrations, Laurel Croza and Matt James, the collaboration who brought us the award-winning I Know Here and From There to Here, initiate a simple but profound examination of the concept of self.

 

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

 

The gull, chagrined that the rock is not what he expected, asks, "What do you think you are?" The only response he receives is, "I am a rock." To every query and claim, suggestion and threat that the gull makes, the rock stays true to itself and repeats, "I am a rock."

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

First the gull discounts the rock's claim and suggests it's more like a pebble or a stone. But then the seagull asserts that it really doesn't matter what it calls itself, it is vulnerable and trivial. The rock is threatened with being dropped in the water, and then eroding away to insignificance, or becoming just one of the multitudes of negligible rocks on the beach. 

I am telling you,

you are nothing

special.

Still the rock just says, "I am a rock."

From Rock, written by Laurel Croza, illustrated by Matt James

 

Throughout the exchange, a child has been on the beach playing. A final illustration suggests that the rock is a rock and one that is special in its own way. 

 

Laurel Croza may let the seagull do most of the talking in Rock but it is the rock's few words that are the most impactful. Just as in life, there are those who taunt and threaten, bully and ridicule and do so with bravado and nastiness. The gull thinks it's more powerful and significant, but it has no substance. It's all talk and bluster. Is it threatened by the quiet strength of the rock that will not cower or renounce its identity? Who knows. But what Laurel Croza makes clear is that self-confidence is not the same as exaggerated self-opinion. It can be a quiet acceptance of self and identity, knowing who you are, regardless of what others tell you or suggest to you. The rock has a foundation of strength that comes from the certainty of its identity.

 

While Laurel Croza's words are few–there are whole double-spreads without text–Matt James's artwork speaks volumes. Done in acrylic and ink on acetate, wood, masonite and cardboard, Matt James fills in the story. From the gull eyeing the rock and then the pain when he tries to grab it, to the gull's bravado while surrounded by other gulls, Matt James shows how the loud and obnoxious get all the attention, even when being nasty, while the stoic rock remains cool and resolute. On that expansive beach that stretches along a huge body of water and under an ever-changing sky, it is only the shadow of the rock that changes.

 

Rock is a powerful story of self-awareness and -confidence. It's about staying true to your identity regardless of those who question it or object to it. It's about being a rock when others want you to be wobbly jelly or melting ice cream, both of which I'm sure the gull would've preferred.

 

🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨

 

The official launch of Rock is taking place in Toronto on March 9th. Details are found below. 

Join author and illustrator

 

Laurel Croza and Matt James

 

for the launch of their newest picture book

 

Rock

 

on Sunday, March 9, 2025

 

at

 

1-3 PM

 

at

 

Queen Books

914 Queen St. East

Toronto, ON

416-788-5053

https://shop.queenbooks.ca/events

 

The book launch will include a story time reading and book signing.

 

🪨🪨🪨🪨🪨

Aaron's Hair (rev. ed.)

Written by Robert Munsch

Illustrated by Dave Whamond

Scholastic Canada

978-1-0397-0906-5

32 pp.

Ages 3-8

January 2025 

 

It's been 25 years since Robert Munsch first told the story of Aaron's runaway hair. Originally illustrated by Alan and Lea Daniel, Aaron's Hair is a timeless story of hating your hair–don't we all have bad hair days?–but like classic Munsch, the story takes an unexpected turn when Aaron's hair takes off to find an appreciative host. Now illustrated with the wacky art of Dave Whamond, Aaron's Hair has a new and updated sparkle of absurdity. 

From Aaron's Hair (rev. ed.), written by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Dave Whamond

Aaron is proud to have long hair like his dad but when his hair becomes uncooperative, Aaron shouts out that he hates it. Well, that hurts the hair's feelings, and it runs away, leaving Aaron bald. And so, the chase begins.

 

From Aaron's Hair (rev. ed.), written by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Dave Whamond

As Aaron's hair flits from the baby's head to the street, attaching itself first to a woman's tummy and then to man's behind, Aaron gives chase. The star-shaped hair continues to cause mayhem, especially when it covers a traffic policeman's face, resulting in a traffic jam of epic proportions. There are still a few more stops before both Aaron and his hair find their way back to each other and even find a way forward.

 

The absurdity of Robert Munsch's stories has always been in that germ of reality, here in the conflict between hair and bearer of said hair. It's that struggle to style it, tame it, keep it out of food, and more. But Robert Munsch makes that struggle into a crazy action adventure that will have kids rolling on the floor with laughter. With Dave Whamond's illustrations, the wackiness is heightened, giving more laughs as Aaron's hair misbehaves, as the boy panics at the potential for long-term baldness, and as the community becomes involved in the ensuing chaos. Follow the escape, the pursuit, and the confusion through expressive faces, topsy-turvy scenes, and the unexpected details including Dave Whamond's ubiquitous squirrel, bunny and bird from his popular character in his Reality Check syndicated comic.

From Aaron's Hair (rev. ed.), written by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Dave Whamond

Next time you're having a bad hair day, think about Aaron and his unruly hair, and thank goodness for an occasion split end, frizz or cowlick that reassures that you've still got hair on your head. After all, the alternative can be outrageously chaotic,  even if uproariously funny.

Hot Cross Buns for Everyone!

Written by Yolanda T. Marshall

Illustrated by Daria Lavrova

Chalkboard Publishing

978-1-771055901

32 pp.

Ages 3-8

2022

 

With Shrove Tuesday on the horizon–March 4 this year–and Christians anticipating Easter, it wouldn't be amiss to review a book I missed when it came out a few years ago. With its charming text and sweet artwork, Hot Cross Buns for Everyone! seems a timely treat of a read.

 

Jackson, a child who loves a yummy hot cross bun, decides to invite his friends to a party for Easter Sunday. With that invitation, all his friends begin their own hot cross bun prep, with adult supervision, of course.  

From Hot Cross Buns for Everyone!, written by Yolanda T. Marshall, illus. by Daria Lavrova

Jewel gets her mom to make a big one like her Nonna's cake. Liam's foster parents use his Scottish granda's spicy recipe. Dimitri's father adds the traditional Greek spice mahlepi as well as vanilla. Others add raisins, glaze them with sugar, sprinkle with rainbow colours, or make them dairy- and gluten-free. For some, the version looks a little different like the traditional Jamaican bun and cheese–a sweet loaf bracketing special cheese.

From Hot Cross Buns for Everyone!, written by Yolanda T. Marshall, illus. by Daria Lavrova

There are hot cross buns aplenty and more than enough for Jackson's invited guests and all the other school kids and their families. There is so much food to savour that he takes the extras to share with neighbours, a lovely offering for Easter.
 

Easter may not be until April this year but a tasty treat that is shared among friends is never limited to one day a year. And Jackson's love of the bun is a perfect foundation for giving and sharing with community. Yolanda T. Marshall, a well-established Guyanese-born Canadian writer whose books I've only recently discovered, seasons her story of hot cross buns with the flavours of diverse communities and cultures, even sharing a recipe for Spiced Hot Cross Buns–as well as some background information and teaching ideas–at the end of her story. Without overwhelming readers with the varieties of hot cross buns enjoyed across the world, Yolanda T. Marshall lets us see some of the ways they differ, whether through spices and ingredients included or the forms taken. Regardless of their flavours and their presentation, the buns are a source of delight and sweetness, bringing people together to share and appreciate.

From Hot Cross Buns for Everyone!, written by Yolanda T. Marshall, illus. by Daria Lavrova

Russian-born illustrator Daria Lavrova, who currently lives in Amsterdam, makes Jackson's Easter party of hot cross buns a joyous and colourful event. From the exuberance of all who bake and partake to the diversity of people and food, Hot Cross Buns for Everyone! becomes a celebration of colour and texture, with the zest that comes from good food shared with generous neighbours.

Everyone came

To eat, laugh, and play!

That's all they did

On Easter day.

No Purchase Necessary

Written by Maria Marianayagam

HarperCollins

978-1-4434-7261-6

256 pp.

Ages 9–12

January 2025 

 

Ajay Anthonipillai and his parents and sister Aarthi recently moved to Bridge Creek to be closer to some family and save money. It's now a three-hour commute for Appa to the city where he is studying for his master's in civil engineering, but the Tamil Sri Lankan family understands the sacrifices that must be made to succeed. While understanding that money is tight and that his parents have very high expectations for him, Ajay really wants to fit in. And so, when taunted by alpha classmate Jacob Underson to steal a Mercury chocolate bar in Scary Al's convenience store, Ajay does it. This one mistake changes everything for Ajay.

 

Jacob refuses the chocolate bar since Ajay hid it in his pants, so Ajay eats the chocolate himself. "It tasted like bliss and guilt." (p. 25) But there's more than candy in the package. There's also the message on the wrapper that tells him he's won Mercury's $1 million Grand Prize. He knows all the good that money would do his family, including helping his aunt's family in Sri Lanka but Ajay knows he doesn't deserve it. In fact, if he hadn't taken it, his classmate Mindy Yu would've won it, grabbing the next bar after him. 

What to do? He has learned much from karate about integrity and respect, as he had from attending Catholic Church with Father Freddie, so Ajay is torn about what to do. Return the wrapper to Scary Al? Give it to Mindy? Confess to his parents? Cash in the ticket? Even as Ajay vacillates between all his options–not unlike Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" for an assignment with which Ajay is struggling–he ends up working for Scary Al at the store, becoming friendly with Mindy who helps him with his English assignment, and fighting and then collaborating with his tormentor Jacob. 

But lies have a life of their own. Some lies beget other lies. Or the lies morph into something completely different. And they can always be exposed. Whether it's because someone lets something slip or the liar is overcome with guilt or because the truth was known all along, lies do unravel, and for Ajay, it's just a question of when and how, not if.

 

Maria Marianayagam, herself a Sri Lankan-Canadian, undoubtedly drew from her own cultural experiences to give life to Ajay and his family. The high regard for education and family and hard work are evident, all solid foundations for Ajay and Aarthi. But these same values are challenged when they intersect with the culture of their new home, in which kids defend themselves when bullied, do extracurricular activities, and try to fit in with their peers. The balancing act of being different people, one at home and both a peer and your parents' child at school is a precarious one and one that challenges Ajay. Maria Marianayagam does not make Ajay a perfect kid who handles it all. She makes him real, struggling with himself and others, trying to do what's right though it might make life harder, and wishing for a break occasionally to just be himself. When Ajay and Aarthi can finally unmask themselves to their parents, it's both refreshing for all and illuminating.

 

Winning a million dollars seems like a dream but for Ajay it becomes a nightmare of conflict between honour and want. Thankfully, the rules of his family and those of the dojo and his faith help guide him to make the best choice and ultimately to enrich his life in unforeseen ways.

2025 First Page Student Writing Challenge is on! (Deadline February 28, 2025)

Where do you think our world will be in 150 years? How will issues like climate action or human rights, sustainability or war and peace play out in the future? Tell us a story that explores one of those many issues by entering CBC Books' annual student writing challenge, The First Page. If you are or know a student enrolled in Grades 7 through 12, it's time to get writing and enter this fabulous writing opportunity.

From the CBC Books post,  here's what you need to know:

 

 

Partipants:

• All Canadian residents who are full-time students enrolled in Grades 7 to 12 are eligible. Entries will be judged in two age categories: Grades 7 to 9 and Grades 10 to 12. 

 

 • • •

Entries:

• Write the first page of a novel set 150 years from now, exploring how a modern day current affairs event or trend has played out. 

• Write between 300 and 400 words.

• Include a title (which is not counted in the word limit).

 

  • • •

 

Submission:

• Complete the online submission form via Submittable through CBC Books at 

https://cbcliteraryprizes.submittable.com/submit/319477/the-2025-first-page-student-writing-challenge

• If having difficulties, contact cbcbooks@cbc.ca for assistance.

 

 • • •

 

Deadline:

• February 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST 

 

 • • •

Judging and Prizes:

• A team of Canadian literary experts will first select the shortlist. Then writer S. K. Ali (author of books that include Saints and Misfits, Love from A to Z, and Fledgling) will select the winners of the two categories. 

• Winners will receive a one-year subscription to OwlCrate, which delivers monthly boxes of books and literary-related goodies. 

• The school library of each winner will also receive a donation of 50 books.

 

 

 

Check out previous winners and finalists from across Canada at https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-first-page-student-writing-challenge-past-winners-and-finalists-1.6262657.

  

Good luck to all participants!

 

2025 Forest of Reading® Kid Committee: Applications now being accepted (deadline April 1, 2025)

The Forest of Reading program releases summer reading lists that are put together every spring by young people on the Forest Kid and Teen Committees. If you are an avid reader in Grades 4 to 6 or Grades 7 to 8, there are two separate committees looking for participants in 2025 to share their opinions on Canadian books with their peers.

 

 

How to get on a committee:

• Any Canadian student (from any province or territory) in Grades 4 to 8 (including those homeschooled) can apply 

 

• Application are completed online HERE

        In addition to contact details, you will be asked about your favourite Canadian authors and books.

 

• The deadline for applications is Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

(Note: These committees will only move forward if there are significant applications for each program. )

 

 

What the committee will do:

• Committees will meet virtually in May via ZOOM (9 AM - 12:30 PM EST; times may be subject to change depending on locations of committee members) to discuss books.

Silver Birch Kid Committee (students in Grades 4-6) will meet on Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Red Maple Kid Committee (students in Grades 7 and 8) will meet on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

(Teen Committee is piloting an ambassador program this year. Details will follow.)

• Committee members will be sharing, recommending, and championing books written by Canadian authors from the last 2 years (and not previously included on Forest of Reading lists of nominees or on Forest Kid Committee summer reading lists). If you love books, specifically Canadian books, this is your chance to talk to other readers about what you love and help others find great books to read over the summer. You can include fiction, non-fiction, short story collections, graphic novels, etc. appropriate for the age group of your committee.

 

 

Full details, including past lists, are available at https://forestofreading.com/kid-teen-committees/

You can check out earlier reading lists at the links below:

• 2019
• 2020
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024

Apply before April 1^st, 2025

for your chance to be on 

this exciting and worthwhile committee