Canada's nominees for the 2016 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award announced

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (named for the beloved author of Pippi Longstocking) recognizes creators of literature including authors, illustrators, storytellers, and persons and organisations who work to promote literacy.  It is the world's largest prize (SEK 5 million; well over $750 000 US)  for children's and young adult literature.  Even more mind-boggling is the fact that the Swedish government fully funds this award which is administered by the Swedish Arts Council.

On October 15, 2015, the 215 nominees from 59 countries were announced at the International Frankfurt Book Fair.  The 2016 Award recipient(s) will be announced on April 5, 2016 at Vimmerby, Sweden (birthplace of Lindgren) and broadcast at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and at www.alma.se

The three 2016 nominees from Canada, made by IBBY Canada, are:

Canadian Children's Book Centre

The Canadian Children's Book Centre website is located at http://www.bookcentre.ca.

The CCBC describes itself as "a national, not-for-profit organization, founded in 1976. We are dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting the reading, writing, illustrating and publishing of Canadian books for young readers. With book collections and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. Our programs, publications, and resources help teachers, librarians, booksellers and parents select the very best for young readers." (Retrieved from http://www.bookcentre.ca on October 26, 2015).

Sarah Ellis

Her website is at http://www.sarahellis.ca/ 

I can't possibly do justice to Sarah Ellis' wealth of writing, so do check out her website which is far more informative than anything I can present here. But here is a very brief listing of some of her more recent books for young people.

Picture Books:

• Ben Says Goodbye (Pajama Press, 2015) Reviewed here
• A+ for Big Ben (Pajama Press, 2015) Reviewed here
• The Queen's Feet (Red Deer Press, 2006)
• Ben Over Night (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005)
• Salmon Forest (Greystone Books, 2003)
• Big Ben (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2001) 

Novels:

• Outside In (Groundwood Books, 2014) Reviewed here
• That Fatal Night: The Titanic Diary of Dorothy Wilton, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1912 (Scholastic Canada, 2011) Reviewed here
• Odd Man Out (Groundwood, 2006)
• Several Lives of Orphan Jack (Groundwood, 2003)

Marie-Francine Hébert

Learn more of Marie-Francine Hébert at the website of her publisher, Québec Amerique, at http://www.quebec-amerique.com/auteurs/marie-francine-hebert.html

Some of her award-winning writing includes:

• Sauve qui peut l’amour (La Courte Échelle, 2005)
• Nul poisson où aller (Les 400 Coups, 2003)
• Le ciel Tombe à côté (Québec Amerique, 2003)
• Mon rayon de soleil (Dominique et compagnie, 2002)
• Décroche-moi la lune (Dominique et compagnie, 2001)
• Je t’aime, je te hais (La Courte Échelle, 1991)
• Le cœur en bataille (La Courte Échelle, 1990)
• Un monstre dans les céréales (La Courte Échelle, 1988)

We look forward to the announcement in April though we know that these nominations already make the Canadian Children's Book Centre, Sarah Ellis and Marie-Francine Hébert winners in the youngCanLit world.  

Congratulations on your nominations!