The Willow Awards 2013/2014 Nominees announced

Established in 2001, the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice (SYRCA) awards, the Willow Awards, encourage reading by nominating a variety of Canadian titles in three categories.  Young readers can participate in the reading programs through their schools and public libraries, selecting their favourite from one list.  The Willow Awards are truly conferred according the choices of Saskatchewan's young readers.

The nominees for the 2013/2014 reading programs were just announced although young readers will not be voting for their favourites until February 2014.

The nominated titles for the three Willow Awards i.e., Shining Willow, Diamond Willow and Snow Willow are detailed below.

For those books written for youngest readers, those in Kindergarten to Grade 3

The 2013/2014 Shining Willow nominees are:

Cinnamon Baby 
by Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by Janice Nadeau
Kids Can Press
2011
 




A Hen for Izzy Pippik
by Aubrey Davis
Illustrated by Marie Lafrance 
Kids Can Press
2012
 





Here Comes Hortense! 
by Heather Hartt-Sussman
Illustrated by Georgia Graham
Tundra Books
2012

Kate and Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story 
by Martin Springett
Illustrated by Isobel Springett 
Puffin Canada
2012

The Little Yellow Bottle
by Angèle Delaunois
Illustrated by Christine Delezenne
Second Story Press
2011
 




Lumpito and the Painter from Spain
by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by Dean Griffiths 
Pajama Press
2012

 


Oddrey 
by Dave Whamond
Owlkids
2012

 






Something's Fishy 
by Jeff Szpirglas and Danielle Saint-Onge
Illustrated by Dave Whamond.
Orca Book Publishers
2012

Toads on Toast 
by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Kids Can Press
2012

Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe 
by Wallace Edwards 
Orca Book Publishers
2012

For those books written for readers of Grades 4 to 6

The 2013/2014 Shining Willow nominees are:

Dragon Seer's Gift 
by Janet McNaughton 
Harper Trophy Canada
2011
 






Encore Edie 
by Annabel Lyon 
Puffin Canada
2011
 






Facing the Mountain 
by Wendy Orr 
Scholastic Canada
2011
 






The Gargoyle at the Gates
by Philippa Dowding
Dundurn
2012

Ice Storm
By Penny Draper
Coteau Books
2011

Morning Star 
by Judith Plaxton 
Second Story Press
2011
 

 




No Ordinary Day 
by Deborah Ellis 
Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
2011
 






Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes 
by Jonathan Auxier 
Puffin
2011
 






Racing Home 
by Adele Dueck 
Coteau Books
2011
 





A Tinfoil Sky 
by Cyndi Sand-Eveland 
Tundra Books
2012

For those books written for readers in Grades 7 to 9

The 2013/2014 Shining Willow nominees are:

 

 

crush. candy. corpse. 

by Sylvia McNicoll 

Lorimer

2012

Fly Boy 

by Eric Walters 

Puffin Canada

2011

Guilty 

by Norah McClintock 

Orca Book Publishers

2012

 

The Lynching of Louie Sam

by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press

2012

The Opposite of Tidy

by Carrie Mac
Razor/Penguin Group

2012

 

 

Redwing 

by Holly Bennett 

Orca Book Publishers

2012
 

 

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

by Susin Nielsen 

Tundra Books

2012

 

Shade & Sorceress 

by Catherine Egan 

Coteau Books

2012

 

The Tiffin

by Mahtab Narsimhan 

Dancing Cat Books

2011

 

Ungifted 

by Gordon Korman 

Scholastic Canada

2012

It may be a long...g...g...g way off, and we still have to see who wins this year's Willow Awards but we do look forward to the announcement of the winners at the end of next April (2014). Good luck to all nominees!