2015 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature awarded

The prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, an annual $20,000 prize awarded to an outstanding author of a body of work in children's literature, was presented November 3, 2015 at the Writers' Trust Awards event at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto.

The Writers' Trust Awards honoured writers in six categories:

• Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize
• Writers’ Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize
• Writers’ Trust Engel/Findley Award
• Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life
• Writers’ Trust Distinguished Contribution Award, and
• Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.

Administered by the Writers' Trust of Canada since 2002 and sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Vicky Metcalf Award is the only one of the six that goes to a writer of children's literature.

Now I'm pleased to announce that

the 2015 winner 

of the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People

is

Jan Thornhill

whose non-fiction repertoire has entertained and educated children for almost thirty years.  Among her finest books are the following award-winning and -nominated titles, including her two most recent which I've reviewed on CanLit for LittleCanadians:

Kyle Goes Alone 
Owlkids
2015
Reviewed here

Winter’s Coming: A Story of Seasonal Change

Owlkids

2014

Reviewed here

Is This Panama? A Migration Story
Owlkids
2013

Who Wants Pizza?: The Kids' Guide to the History, Science and Culture of Food

Maple Tree Press
2010

This is My Planet: The Kids' Guide to Global Warming
Maple Tree Press
2007

I Found a Dead Bird: A Kids' Guide to the Cycle of Life and Death
Maple Tree Press
2006

Over in the Meadow 
Maple Tree Press
2004

The Rumor: A Jakata Tale from India
Owlkids
2005

Before & After: A Book of Nature Timescapes
National Geographic Children's Books
1997

Wild in the City 
Maple Tree Press
1995

Folktails: Animal Legends From Around the World
Maple Tree Press
1993

A Tree in the Forest 
Maple Tree Press
1991

The Wildlife 123: A Nature Counting Book
Owlkids
2012

The Wildlife ABC: A Nature Alphabet Book
Owlkids
2012

Check out Jan Thornhill's website at http://www.janthornhill.com  to read more about her books, life and other details.

2014 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature winner: Cary Fagan

The prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, an annual $20,000 prize awarded to an outstanding author of a body of work in children's literature, was presented recently at the Writers' Trust Awards event at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto.

Emceed by Jared Bland, books editor at The Globe & Mail, the Writers' Trust Awards honoured writers in six categories:

• Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize
• Writers’ Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize
• Writers’ Trust Engel/Findley Award
• Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life
• Writers’ Trust Distinguished Contribution Award, and
• Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.

Administered by the Writers' Trust of Canada since 2002 and sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Vicky Metcalf Award is the only one of the six that goes to a writer of children's literature.

Now I'm pleased to announce that

the 2014 winner 

of the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People

is  

Cary Fagan

whose impression collection of books for children include these favourite picture books and novels:

Picture Books

• My New Shirt
• Thing-Thing
• Book of Big Brothers
• Ella May and the Wishing Stone
• My Zinger's Hat
• Oy Feh So?
• I Wish I Could Draw

Novels

• The Fortress of Kaspar Snit
• Directed by Kaspar Snit
• Ten Lessons for Kaspar Snit
• Jacob Two-two on the High Seas
• The Big Swim
• Banjo of Destiny
• Danny Who Fell in a Hole

Check out Cary Fagan's website at  www.caryfagan.com/ to read more about his books, life and other details.

2013 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature winner announced

The prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, an annual $20,000 prize awarded to an outstanding author of a body of work in children's literature, was presented last night at the
Writers' Trust Awards event at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto.  Emceed by Jared Bland, books editor at The Globe & Mail, the Writers' Trust Awards honoured writers in six categories:

• Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize
• Writers’ Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize
• Writers’ Trust Engel/Findley Award
• Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life
• Writers’ Trust Distinguished Contribution Award, and
• Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.

Administered by the Writers' Trust of Canada since 2002 and sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Vicky Metcalf Award is the only one of the six that goes to a writer of children's literature.

Now I'm pleased to announce that

the 2013 winner 

of the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People

is  

Barbara Reid

Barbara Reid is known for her amazing plasticene illustrations which have adorned others' books as well as her own text. 

Check out Barbara Reid's website at  www.barbarareid.ca to read more details about her artwork and writing life, and for the full citation with regards to her award at the Writers' Trust of Canada website.

 

Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature: 2012

Created in 1963, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature was create to encourage writing for Canadian children.  Vicky Metcalf was passionate about storytelling, a published children's author herself, and the Metcalf Foundation's goal focused on building a "just, healthy and creative society." Administered by the Writers' Trust of Canada since 2002, the $20,000 prize is awarded to an outstanding author of a body of work in children's literature.

This year, sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation and judged by a jury composed of Deirdre Baker, Ronald Jobe, and Joanne Schwartz, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature was awarded on November 7, 2012 at the Writers' Trust Awards event which was emceed by Shelagh Rogers, host of CBC Radio One’s The Next Chapter.

The 2012 winner of 

the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature 

is  

Paul Yee

Born in Saskatchewan, grew up and studied in British Columbia, and now living in Toronto, Paul Yee's Chinese background and studies in Canadian History have provided him with the foundation for many (but not all) of his stories. His rich body of work has earned him the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Literature, the Sheila A. Egoff Prize, the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award and the City of Vancouver Book Award. Some of his award-winning children and young adult books include:

The Secret Keepers
Tradewind Books
133 pp.
Ages 12-15
2011

Blood and Iron: Building the Railway, Lee Heen-gwong, British Columbia, 1882
(I Am Canada series)
Scholastic Canada
234 pp.
Ages 10-15
2010

The Bone Collector's Son
Tradewind Books
175 pp.
Ages 10-14
2003

Ghost Train
Illustrated by Harvey Chan
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 8-12
1996

Money Boy
Groundwood Books
184 pp.
Ages 12+
2011

Roses Sing on New Snow: A Delicious Tale
Illustrated by Harvey Chan
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 5-8
1990

Shu-Li and Tamara
Illustrated by Shaoli Wang
Tradewind Books
71 pp.
Ages 7-9
2007

Tales from Gold Mountain
Illustrated by Simon Ng
Douglas & McIntyre
64 pp.
Ages 12+
1989




 
Check out Paul Yee's website at  www.paulyee.ca to read more details about his life and stories, and the full citation for this award at the Canadian Children's Book Centre.