Thursday 2 April 2020

2020/2021 Willow Book Awards: Finalists announced

Okay, I am going to try to get ahead of the book awards game now and post the recently announced nominees for the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards, also known as the Willow Awards.

Congratulations to authors and illustrators and their publishers on these nominations.


For those books written for readers in Kindergarten to Gr. 3

The Shining Willow Finalists are:

Aw​รข​sis and the World-Famous Bannock ​
Written by Dallas Hunt
Illustrated by AmandaStrong
Highwater Press
Reviewed here

Boxitects ​
Written and illustrated by Kim Smith
HarperCollins
Reviewed here

Emma’s Gems ​
Written by Anne Renaud
Illustrated by Leanne Franson
Peanut Butter Press

How to Give Your Cat a Bath In Five Easy Steps ​
Written by Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by John Martz
Tundra Books

Karate Kakapo​
Written by Loredana Cunti
Illustrated by Stacy Curtis
Kids Can Press


Princess Puffybottom...and Darryl ​
Written by Susin Nielsen
Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
Tundra Books
Reviewed here

Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature
Written by Margriet Ruurs
Illustrated byRobert Bateman
Orca Book Publishers

Sergeant Billy: The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War
Written by Mireille Messier
Illustrated by Kass Reich
Tundra Books

The Silence Slips In ​
Written by Alison Hughes
Illustrated by Ninon Pelletier
Orca BookPublishers

Triceratops Stomp ​
Written and illustrated by Karen Patkau
Pajama Press
Reviewed here







For those books written for readers of Gr. 4 to 6

The Diamond Willow Finalists are:

Acting Wild: How We Behave Like Birds, Bugs and Beasts ​
Written by Maria Birmingham
Illustrated by Dave Whamond
Owlkids Books

Camp Average
Written ​by Craig Battle
Owlkids Books


The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster ​
Written by Cary Fagan
Tundra Books

Girl of the Southern Sea ​
Written by Michelle Kadarusman
Pajama Press
Reviewed here

Harvey Comes Home​
Written by Colleen Nelson
Pajama Press
Reviewed here
Missing Mike
Written by Shari Green
Pajama Press
Reviewed here

My Deal With the Universe
Written by Deborah Kerbel
Scholastic Canada
Reviewed here

A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying
Written by Kelley Armstrong
Puffin Canada

Tales Beyond the Brain​
Written by Jeff Szpirglas
Illustrated by Steven P. Hughes
Orca Book Publishers

Too Young to Escape: a Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family
Written ​by Van Ho and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Pajama Press
Reviewed here






For those books written for readers in Gr. 7 to 9

The Snow Willow Finalists are:

Broken Strings ​
Written by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer
Penguin Random House

The Center of the Universe​
Written by Ria Voros
Kids Can Press
Reviewed here







Don’t Tell the Nazis (also titled Don't Tell the Enemy)
Written by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Scholastic Canada 
Reviewed here
Funny You Don’t Look Autistic​
Written by Michael McCreary
Annick Press

The Journey of Little Charlie​
Written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Scholastic Canada
Reviewed here

The Justice Project​
Written by Michael Betcherman
Orca Book Publishers

Sadia​
Written by Colleen Nelson
Dundurn Press
Reviewed here

Safe Harbour​
Written by Christina Kilbourne
Dundurn Press

This Place: 150 Years Retold
Written by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm​, Sonny Assu, BrandonMitchell, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, David A. Robertson, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, Jen Storm, Richard Van Camp, Katherena Vermette and ​Chelsea Vowel​
HighWater Press
Illustrated by Scott B. Henderson, Kyle Charles, Natasha Donovan, GMB Chomichuk, Ryan Howe, Jen Storm, Tara Audibert and Andrew Lodwick
Reviewed here

Trail of Crumbs ​
Written by Lisa J. Lawrence
Orca Book Publishers








It may seem a long wait until voting begins next winter but it's a perfect time to start and with so many great reads here that I'm sure time will fly quickly!  

Congratulations to all nominees!

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