BC Book Prizes: 2017 finalists announced

On March 7th, the West Coast Book Prize Society announced the finalists for the 2017 BC Book Prizes. Prizes will be awarded in the following seven categories:

• Fiction 
• Non-Fiction 
• Poetry 
• Regional 
• Children's Literature 
• Illustrated Children's Literature 
• Booksellers' Choice 

There is also the 

• Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence. 

Nominees for all the awards can be found at http://www.bcbookprizes.ca/winners/2017

The nominees for the 2 children's awards are provided here:

 Sheila A. Egoff 

 Children’s Literature Prize 

A Day of Signs and Wonders 
by Kit Pearson
HarperCollins Publishers

Everyday Hero 
by Kathleen Cherry
Orca Book Publishers
Review here

Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community 
by Robin Stevenson
Orca Book Publishers

The Rahtrum Chronicles: The Dream 
by R.K. McLay
Fifth House Publishers

The Skeleton Tree 
by Iain Lawrence
Tundra Books

 Christie Harris Illustrated 

 Children’s Literature Prize 

Deep Roots: How Trees Sustain Our Planet 
by Nikki Tate
Orca Book Publishers

My Heart Fills with Happiness 
by Monique Gray Smith
Illustrated by Julie Flett
Orca Book Publishers

Peace Dancer 
by Roy Henry Vickers, Robert Budd
Illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers
Harbour Publishing

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey 
by Margriet Ruurs
Illustrated by Nizar Ali Badr
Orca Book Publishers
Review here

Today 
by Julie Morstad
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Simply Read Books









The winners will be announced on April 4, 2017.

2016 BC Book Prizes finalists announced

On March 9th, the West Coast Book Prize Society announced the finalists for the 2016 BC Book Prizes. Prizes will be awarded in the following seven categories:

• Fiction 
• Non-Fiction 
• Poetry 
• Regional 
• Children's Literature 
• Illustrated Children's Literature 
• Booksellers' Choice 

There is also the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence which will be announced separately and later this month.

Nominees for all the awards can be found at http://www.bcbookprizes.ca/winners/2016

The nominees for the 2 children's awards are provided here:

 Sheila A. Egoff 

 Children’s Literature Prize 

Are You Seeing Me? 
by Darren Groth 
Orca Book Publishers

The Case of the Missing Moonstone (The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, Book 1) 
by Jordan Stratford 
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Reviewed here

Seven Dead Pirates 
by Linda Bailey 
Tundra Books

The Truth Commission 
by Susan Juby 
Razorbill

Reviewed here

We Are All Made of Molecules 
by Susin Nielsen 
Tundra Books

Reviewed here

 Christie Harris Illustrated 

 Children’s Literature Prize 

Orca Chief 
by Roy Henry Vickers, Robert Budd 
Illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers
Harbour Publishing

Peace is an Offering 
by Annette LeBox 
Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin 
Dial Books

The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle 
by Jude Isabella 
Illustrated by Simone Shin
Kids Can Press

Song for a Summer Night: A Lullaby 
by Robert Heidbreder 
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Groundwood Books

Reviewed here

This is Sadie 
by Sara O'Leary 
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Tundra Books

The winners will be announced on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

2015/2016 Stellar Book Award: British Columbia's Teen Readers' Choice Award nominees

From this month on until April, BC teens (ages 13-19) will reading, reviewing and discussing their reading at school and public libraries, all with the aim of selecting a winner of the Stellar Book Award. The Stellar Award is British Columbia's Teen Readers' Choice Award.

Here are this year's outstanding set of nominees:

Blue Gold
by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press

The Death of Us
by Alice Kuipers
HarperTrophy Canada

Reviewed here

Don't Even Think About it
by Sarah Mlynowski
Random House

Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices
ed. by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Annick Press

The Mirk and Midnight Hour
by Jane Nickerson
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Moon at Nine
by Deborah Ellis
Pajama Press

Reviewed here

Rabbit Ears
by Maggie DeVries
HarperCollins Canada

Reviewed here

The Rule of Three
by Eric Walters
Razorbill

Reviewed here

Straight Punch
by Monique Polak
Orca Book Publishers

Stupid
by Kim Firmston
Lorimer

To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful
by Shane Koyczan
Annick Press

Reviewed here

Unspeakable
by Caroline Pignat
Razorbill









Voting will take place online between April 18 and 22, 2016.

Nominated titles for 2015/2016 Chocolate Lily Awards

The shortlists of nominated titles for the 2015/6 Chocolate Lily Awards, books by British Columbia authors and/or illustrators for young readers in Kindergarten to Grades 8, were announced at the beginning of June.  These are the titles for which young readers will vote in three categories next spring.

In the Picture Book Category:

Norman, Speak!
by Caroline Adderson
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Groundwood Books

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
by Linda Bailey
Illustrated by Colin Jack
Tundra

The Yoga Game by the Sea
by Kathy Beliveau
Illustrated by Denise Holmes
Simply Read

Not My Girl
by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard
Annick

A Giraffe Called Geranium
by Ainslie Manson
Illustrated by Mary Baker
Red Diamond

Dipnetting with Dad
by Willie Sellars
Illustrated by Kevin Easthope
Caitlin Press

The Most Magnificent Thing
by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press

Cloudwalker
by Roy Henry Vickers & Robert Budd
Harbour

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin
by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Kids Can Press










In the Chapter Book/Easy Reader Category:

Jasper John Dooley, Not in Love
by Caroline Adderson
Illustrated by Ben Clanton
Kids Can Press

Misty
by Christine Dencer
Illustrated by Jessica Meserve
Simply Read

The Elevator Ghost
by Glen Huser
Groundwood Books

Kung Pow Chicken: Let’s Get Cracking!
by Cyndi Marko
Scholastic Canada

Not Just Another Princess Story
by Sheri Radford
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Simply Read

Bagels Come Home!
by Joan Stuchner
Illustrated by Dave Whamond
Orca Book Publishers













In the Novel Category:

Shack Island Summer
by Penny Chamberlain
Sono Nis Press

Finding Grace
by Becky Citra
Second Story Press

Red River Raging
by Penny Draper
Coteau Books

Outside In
by Sarah Ellis
Groundwood Books

The Moment
by Kristie Hammond
Sono Nis Press

A Year in the Life of a Total and Complete Genius
by Stacey Matson
Scholastic

Finding Ruby Starling
by Karen Rivers
Scholastic

The Lost Diary
by Julie White
Sono Nis Press










We'll be checking back on these short lists when young readers in B.C. begin their reading and voting and ultimately when the winners are announced in May, 2016.