2019/2020 Willow Awards: Winners announced

 

Here are the winners of the 2019 Willow Awards, also known as the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards. The finalists were announced in the spring of 2019 and young readers selected their favourites this year.  

And the winners, as chosen by young readers in Saskatchewan, are....drum roll, please.... 

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

 Sir Simon: Super Scarer
Written and illustrated by Cale Atkinson
Tundra Books

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

The House Next Door
Written by Joel A. Sutherland
Scholastic Canada

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

Aftermath 

Written by Kelley Armstrong

Penguin Random House

Congratulations to the winners!

2018/2019 Willow Awards: Nominees and Winners

 

Here are the nominees and the winners of the 2018 Willow Awards, also known as the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards. Announced in the spring of 2018, young readers read and then selected their favourites the following year. 

The Branch
Written by Mireille Messier
Illustrated by Pierre Pratt
Kids Can Press

Underneath the Sidewalk 
Written by Claire Eamer
Illustrated by Thomas Gibault
North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

Carson Crosses Canada 
Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Kass Reich
Tundra

When Planet Earth Was New
Written by James Gladstone
Illustrated by Katherine Diemert
Owlkids

Heartwood Hotel: A True Home 
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
HarperCollins

When the Trees Crackle with Cold: a Cree Calendar
Written by Bernice Johnson-Laxdal and Miriam Körner
Illustrated by Miriam Körner
Your Nickel's Worth

A Horse Named Steve 
Written and illustrated by Kelly Collier
Kids Can Press

When We Were Alone 
Written by David A. Robertson
Illustrated by Julie Flett
HighWater Press

Malaika’s Costume  
Written by Nadia L. Hohn
Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
Groundwood

Where Will I Live? 
Written by Rosemary McCarney
Second Story Press

And the winner is....

 Underneath the Sidewalk

Written by Claire Eamer 

Illustrated by Thomas Gibault 

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

Adventure on Whalebone Island 
Written by M.A. Wilson
Rainy Bay Press

Laura Monster Crusher 
Written by Wesley King
Puffin Canada

The Bonaventure Adventures 
Written by Rachelle Delaney
Puffin Canada

Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess 
Written by Shari Green
Pajama Press

Half-truths and Brazen Lies: An Honest Look at Lying 
Written by Kira Vermond
Illustrated by Clayton Hanmer
Owlkids

Mary Anning’s Curiosity 
Written by Monica Kulling
Groundwood 

Hannah and the Magic Eye 
Written by Tyler Enfield
Yellow Dog (Great Plains)

The Theory of Hummingbirds
Written by Michelle Kadarusman
Pajama Press

Kings of the Court 
Written by Alison Hughes
Orca

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk
Written and illustrated by Jan Thornhill
Groundwood

And the winner is....

 Laura Monster Crusher

Written by Wesley King 

Puffin Canada

Dominion
Written by Shane Arbuthnott
Orca

The Skeleton Tree 
Written by Iain Lawrence
Tundra

Ghost Boys
Written by Shenaaz Nanji
Mawenzi House Publishers

Summer’s End 
Written by Joel A. Sutherland
Scholastic Canada

Hit the Ground Running 
Written by Alison Hughes
Orca

The Valiant 
Written by Lesley Livingston
HarperCollins

Optimists Die First 
Written by Susin Nielsen
Tundra

The Winnowing 
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Scholastic Canada

Short for Chameleon 
Written by Vicki Grant
HarperTrophy Canada

Yellow Dog
Written by Miriam Körner
Red Deer Press

And the winner is....

Yellow Dog 

Written by Miriam Körner 
Red Deer Press

2017/2018 Willow Awards: Finalists and Winners

The Willow Awards are the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards. Each spring, short-lists are announced and young readers vote for their favouries the following year. Hence, I dated this group the 2017/2018 Willow Award. Because I didn't get this list out on time, I'm going to also post the winners.

The Shining Willow Finalists were:

The Darkest Dark
Written by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion
Illustrated by Terry and Eric Fan
Tundra Books

Frank and Laverne
Written by Dave Whamond and Jennifer Stokes
Illustrated by Dave Whamond
Owlkids Books

French Toast
Written by Kari-Lynn Winters
Illustrated by Francois Thisdale
Pajama Press

Haggis and Tank Unleashed: Digging for Dinos
Written by Jessica Young
llustrated by James Burks
Scholastic

If I Had A Gryphon
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Illustrated by Cale Atkinson
Tundra Books

In the Red Canoe
Written by Leslie A. Davidson
Illustrated by Laura Bifano
Orca

Ocean Animals from Head to Tail
Written by Stacey Roderick
Illustrated by Kwanchai Moriya
Kids Can Press

The Owl and the Lemming
Written by Roselynn Akulukjuk
Illustrated by Amanda Sandland
Inhabit Media

Sky Pig
Written by Jan L. Coates
Illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Pajama Press

Who Broke the Teapot?!
Written and illustrated by Bill Slavin
Tundra

THE WINNER IS

Frank and Laverne

Written by Dave Whamond and Jennifer Stokes
Illustrated by Dave Whamond
Owlkids Books

The Diamond Willow Finalists were:

Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard
Written by Jonathan Auxier
Penguin Group Canada

Worms for Breakfast: How to Feed a Zoo
Written by Helaine Becker
OwlKids

A Boy Named Queen
Written by Sara Cassidy
Groundwood Books

Myles and the Monster Outside
Written by Philippa Dowding
Dundurn

I Am Not a Number
Written by Jenny Dupuis and Kathy Kacer
Illustrated by Gillian Newland
Second Story Press

Hand in Hand
Written by Jean Little
Scholastic Canada

Bittersweet
Written by Winnie Mack
Scholastic Canada

Tank & Fizz: The Case of the Slime Stampede
Written by Liam O’Donnell
Illustrated by Mike Deas
Orca Book Publishers

Pandas on the Eastside
Written by Gabrielle Prendergast
Orca Book Publishers

Heart of a Champion
Written by Ellen Schwartz
Tundra Books

THE WINNER IS

I Am Not a Number

Written by Jenny Dupuis and Kathy Kacer

Illustrated by Gillian Newland

Second Story Press

The Snow Willow Finalists were:

The Hill
Written by Karen Bass
Pajama Press

Transferral
Written by Kate Blair
Dancing Cat Books

Icarus Down
Written by James Bow
Scholastic Canada

Julia Vanishes
Written by Catherine Egan
Doubleday Canada

The Pain Eater
Written by Beth Goobie
Second Story Press

In the Swish
Written by Dawn Green
Red Deer Press

Rodent
Written by Lisa J. Lawrence
Orca Book Publishers

The Pact
Written by Amanda West Lewis
Red Deer Press

Movers
Written by Meaghan McIsaac
Tundra Books

Lucky Jonah
Written by Richard Scrimger
HarperTrophy Canada

THE WINNER IS

The Pain Eater

Written by Beth Goobie

Second Story Press

Congratulations to all nominees and winners!

2015 Willow Award winners

  

Congratulations to the winners of 2015/2016 Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards!

___________________________________________

The winner of the 2015

for those books written for youngest readers (K to Grade 3)

is

If Kids Ruled the World

Written by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by David Huyck

Tundra Books

___________________________________________

The winner of the 2015

for those books written for readers of Grades 4 to 6

is

The Last Train: A Holocaust Story

Written by Rona Arato
Owlkids

___________________________________________

The winner of the 2015

for those books written for readers in Grades 7 to 9

is

 The Rule of Three

by Eric Walters
Razorbill

___________________________________________

Well done, young readers of Saskatchewan, on your wonderful selections!  

2015 Saskatchewan Book Award winners announced

Of the nine Saskatchewan Book Awards (SBA) for Writing, only the SaskEnergy award is specific to children's literature.  As such, I'd like to announce that award winner here.

The winner of 

 the 2015 SaskEnergy Young Adult Literature Award 

is  

Camp Outlook 

by Brenda Baker

 Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2012 

2014 Willow Awards: Winners announced

The winners of the Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice (SYRCA) awards, the Willow Awards, were announced on May 14, 2015 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.  From the nominees announced last March, young readers have voted for their favourites and the results tallied.

Congratulations 

to the 

winners 

of  2014 Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards,

the Willow Awards!

___________________________________________

The winner of this year's

for those books written for youngest readers (K to Grade 3)

is

When I Get Older: The Story behind "Wavin' Flag" 

by K'NAAN and Sol Guy 

Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez 

Tundra Books 

2013

___________________________________________

The winner of this year's

for those books written for readers of Grades 4 to 6

is

Ultra

by David Carroll 

Scholastic Canada

2013

Reviewed here

___________________________________________

The winner of this year's

for those books written for readers in Grades 7 to 9

is

Live to Tell

by Lisa Harrington

Dancing Cat Books

2012

Reviewed here

___________________________________________

Well done, young readers of Saskatchewan, 

on your wonderful selections!  

2015 shortlists for Saskatchewan Book Awards announced

On February 13, 2015, the shortlists for the annual Saskatchewan Book Awards were announced at the University of Regina.

Saskatchewan is the only province in Canada that has a provincially-focused book award program i.e., one representing Saskatchewan's writing and publishing contributions. With an impressive community of over 300 authors and 75 book publishers, Saskatchewan has much to celebrate and promote.

Established in 1993 by the joint efforts of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, the Saskatchewan Publishers Group and the Saskatchewan Library Association, the Awards have grown from four to fourteen, although the specific awards vary year to year.

This year, the Saskatchewan Book Awards announced its short lists in fourteen award categories:

• University of Regina Book of the Year
• City of Regina Fiction Award
• University of Saskatchewan President's Office Non-Fiction Award
• Rasmussen, Rasmussen & Charowsky Aboriginal Peoples' Writing Award
• O'Reilly Insurance Ltd., The Co-operators' First Book Award
• Saskatchewan Arts Board Poetry Award
• SaskEnergy Young Adult Literature Award
• City of Saskatoon and Public Library Saskatoon Book Award
• Drs. Morris and Jacqui Shumiatcher Regina Book Award
• Luther College and University of Regina Arts Award for Scholarly Writing
• Prix du livre français
• Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport Publishing Award
• University of Regina Faculty of Education and Campion College Award for Publishing in Education
• First Nations University of Canada Aboriginal Peoples' Publishing Award

Congratulations to all nominees.  As we are CanLit for LittleCanadians, we'd like to honour those youngCanLit titles nominated.


City of Regina Book Award


Camp Outlook
by Brenda Baker
Second Story Press









SaskEnergy Young Adult Literature Award

Camp Outlook
by Brenda Baker
Second Story Press

Masks
by E. C. Blake
DAW Books

Living with the Hawk
by Robert Currie
Thistledown

The Death of Us
by Alice Kuipers
HarperCollins










Drs. Morris and Jacqui Shumiatcher Regina Book Award

Masks
by E. C. Blake
DAW Books





 


University of Regina Faculty of Education and Campion College Award for Publishing in Education

Coteau Books
The Comic Book War
by Jacqueline Guest

Gabriel Dumont Institute
My First Métis Lobstick
by Leah Marie Dorion

Manny's Memories
by Ken Caron with Angela Caron








First Nations University of Canada Aboriginal Peoples' Publishing Award

Gabriel Dumont Institute
My First Métis Lobstick
by Leah Marie Dorion





The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at the Conexus Arts Centre, 200 Lakeshore Drive in Regina.  Tickets will be on sale until noon on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.