2014 Libris Awards' shortlists: Canadian booksellers' awards

Each year, the Canadian Booksellers Association (CBA) presented the CBA Libris Awards, twelve awards for which each has a shortlist of nominees selected and announced in the spring.  Members of the Canadian Booksellers Association submitted their ballots in April for the announcement of the winners in June.  The Canadian Booksellers Association is now part of the Retail Council of Canada, though the Libris Awards are still voted on by members of the Canadian book publishing industry.

The twelve Libris Award categories, which all include a component related to the bookselling industry, include:

• Author of the Year
• Fiction Book of the Year
• Non-Fiction Book of the Year
• Campus Bookseller of the Year
• Bookseller of the Year
• Editor of the Year
• Sales Rep of the Year (n.b. the qualifying region rotates between BC, the Prairies, Central Canada and the Atlantic provinces)
• Distributor of the Year
• Small Press Publisher of the Year
• Publisher of the Year
• Children's Picture Book of the Year
• Young Readers' Book of the Year

Here are this year's nominees for the two awards specific to younger readers:

CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK of the Year NOMINEES

For a Canadian picture book from the previous year whose imaginative storyline and creative visuals engaged, entertained and delighted young children while generating customer attention and strong sales.

The Dark 

by Lemony Snicket

Illustrated by Jon Klassen 

HarperCollins Canada

The Night Before Christmas 

by Clement C. Moore

Illustrated by Barbara Reid 

Scholastic Canada

Lasso the Wind 

by George Elliott Clarke

Illustrated by Susan Tooke 

Nimbus Publishing

This Little Hamster 

by Kass Reich 

Orca Book Publishers

Warning: Do Not Open This Book! 

by Adam Lehrhaupt

Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe 

Simon & Schuster

YOUNG READERS' Book of the Year NOMINEES
For an outstanding Canadian literary work for young readers in the previous year that combines readability with strong sales—a book that captivated its intended reading audience with skillful, inventive and gripping storytelling.

Jane, the Fox and Me
by Fanny Britt
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Groundwood Books

A Taste of Heaven 

by Meg Tilly 

Puffin Canada

The Road to Afghanistan 

by Linda Granfield

Illustrated by Brian Deines 

North Winds Press

The Hypnotists 

by Gordon Korman 

Scholastic Press

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B 

by Teresa Toten 

Doubleday Canada

The winners will be announced on Monday, June 2, 2014 at the Retail Council of Canada’s annual Store Conference. 

More information about these awards can be found at the Libris 2014 announcement posting.