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!

2014 Crystal Kite Award winners for Canada announced

The Crystal Kite Awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) each year to recognize great books from 15 regional SCBWI divisions around the world. Astonishingly, the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards are the only peer-awarded recognition in children's publishing world-wide.  It is a highly respected award, the winners having been chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators.

Congratulations
to

 

this year's tied winners for Canada

I Dare You NOT To Yawn

by Hélène Boudreau
Illustrated by Serge Bloch
Candlewick Press (Random House Canada)
32 pp.
Ages 4-7
2013


and

Skink on the Brink

by Lisa Dalrymple

Illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

2013

2013 CBA Libris Award Winners of youngCanLit

On Monday, June 3, 2013, the Canadian Booksellers Association (CBA) presented its Libris Awards at the CBA Libris Gala held at the Toronto Congress Centre.  Winners were selected by members of the Canadian Booksellers Association who submitted their ballots in APril, voting for one of three nominees in twelve award categories. 

The twelve CBA 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

Congratulations 
to the winners of these two awards,
 specific to younger readers!



The Winner of the

CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK of the Year

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

is

This is Not My Hat

by Jon Klassen

Candlewick/Random House

 

The Winner of the

YOUNG READERS' Book of the Year
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

is
 

Such Wicked Intent

The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Book 2

by Kenneth Oppel 

Simon & Schuster

More information about these awards can be found at the Canadian Booksellers Association website