2013 TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards: Winners announced!

Tonight, the Canadian Children's Book Centre and TD Bank Group presented the 2013 CANADIAN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AWARDS at the Carlu in Toronto. A spectacular reception preceded the awards ceremony at which six awards were presented. (Le Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse will be presented next week  in Montreal.)
 

Hosted by CBC's Shelagh Rogers, the program began with addresses by Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair of TD Bank Group and Todd Kyle, President of the Canadian Children's Book Centre and an announcement of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway.

Boy Soup
by Loris Lesynski
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Annick Press

Annually, TD sponsors a Canadian picture book giveaway for all children in Grade One in Canada.  This year the selection that will be distributed to fortunate children in Canada will be Boy Soup by author Loris Lesynski and illustrator Michael Martchenko. 

Then the following book award winners were announced:

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

• $30,000 Award
• Sponsored by TD Bank Group 
• Presented by Tim Hockey, President and CEO of TD Canada Trust

Winner

One Year in Coal Harbour
Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books
Ages 9-13

     Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award   

• $20,000 Award
• Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie
• Presented by Marilyn Baillie

Winner

 

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Tundra Books
Ages 4-8

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

• $10,000 Award
• Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation
• Presented by Quinn Fleck and David Fleck

 

 

Winner

Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
Written by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books
Ages 11+

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People

• $5,000 Award
• Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund
• Presented by  Todd Kylie

Winner

 

The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press
Ages 12+

John Spray Mystery Award

• $5,000 Award 
• Sponsored by John Spray, President, Mantis Investigation Agency
• Presented by John Spray

Winner

The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press
Ages 12+

Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy

• $5,000 Award  
• Sponsored by HarperCollins Canada
• Presented by Adrienne Hughes

Winner

 

Seraphina

Written by Rachel Hartman

Doubleday Canada

Ages 14+

***********************

New this year:

The TD Canadian Children's Literature Fan Choice Award 

was presented by fan Annaka Leib from Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan to 

Winner

One Year in Coal Harbour
Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books
Ages 9-13

Congratulations to these winners and all the finalists for having their youngCanLit recognized as the exceptional reads that they are.

The celebration began with hors-d'oeuvres, drink, chatting, introductions, and ended with champagne, desserts, and congratulations, all to the accompaniment of magical company.  Amongst the hundreds of guests I spoke to, recognized, or remembered were the following authors and/or illustrators: Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Elizabeth Stewart, Rachel Hartman, Monica Kulling, Bill Swan, Jennifer Lanthier, Dušan Petričić, Stephanie McLellan, Tara Anderson, Gillian Chan, Loris Lesynski, Michael Martchenko, Rebecca Bender, Richard Scrimger, Kevin Sylvester, Natalie Hyde, Shane Peacock, Ken Setterington, Catherine Rondina, Mahtab Narsimhan, Hugh Brewster, Nancy Hartry,  Rona Arato, Jocelyn Shipley, Karen Krossing, Evan Munday, Nancy Runstedler, Vikki VanSickle, Deborah Kerbel, and Barbara Reid.  And it was delightful to meet and chat with so many Canadians passionate about youngCanLit, including publishers, publicists, editors, book sellers, teachers, librarians, literacy specialists and children's lit advocates.  The TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards Celebration is an event I always enjoy, with its richness of words, conversation, appreciation, camaraderie, and encouragement.  

Thanks to the TD Bank Group and the Canadian Children's Book Centre for hosting such a wonderful Canadian event.

2014 Chocolate Lily Book Awards: Short lists announced

The shortlists of nominated titles for the 2014 Chocolate Lily Awards, books by British Columbia authors and/or illustrators for young readers in Kindergarten to Grades 6, were announced on September 7, 2013.

Here are the shortlists for the two categories for which young readers will vote next spring:

In the Picture Book Category (K - Gr. 3)

Gift Days 

Written by Kari-Lynn Winters

Illustrated by Stephen Taylor
Fitzhenry& Whiteside

What’s Up, Bear?

Written by Frieda Wishinsky
Illustrated by Sean L. Moore
Owlkids

 
Rainbow Crow: Nagweyaabi-Aandeg

Written by David Bouchard

Illustrated by David Jean

Red Deer Press

Toads on Toast

Written by Linda Bailey

Illustrated by Colin Jack

Kids Can Press

 
Maggie’s Chopsticks

Written by Alan Woo

Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant
Kids Can Press

Big City Bees

Written by Maggie de Vries
Illustrated by Renne Benoit
Greystone Books

In the Chapter Book Category (Grades 4-6)

The Paper House
Written by Lois Peterson
Orca Book Publishers

Seeing Orange

Written by Sara Cassidy

Orca Book Publishers

A Tinfoil Sky

Written by Cyndi Sand-Eveland

Tundra Books

I'll Be Home Soon

Written by Luanne Armstrong

Ronsdale Press

One Year in Coal Harbour

Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

Written by Susin Nielsen

Tundra Books

Seraphina

Written by Rachel Hartman

Doubleday Canada

Middle of Nowhere

Written by Caroline Adderson

Groundwood Books

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, 2014.

2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards' finalists announced

Today, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, our nationally-renowned authority on all things related to youngCanLit, announced the finalists for the 2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards.

The seven major children's book awards, which will be awarded at two invitation-only galas in October, include:

1. TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($30,000) Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
2. Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($30,000) Sponsored by TD Bank Group;
3. Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000) Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie;
4. Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction ($10,000) Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation;
5. Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000) Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund;
6. John Spray Mystery Award ($5,000) Sponsored by John Spray; and
7. Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy ($5,000)  Sponsored by HarperCollins Canada.

Here are the short lists for each award category, as announced by the Canadian Children's Book Centre today:

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award

Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
Written by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books
Ages 11+

One Year in Coal Harbour
Written by Polly Horvath

Groundwood Books
Ages 9-13

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Tundra Books
Ages 11+

The Stamp Collector
Written by Jennifer Lanthier

Illustrated by François Thisdale

Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Ages 8+

Virginia Wolf
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Kids Can Press
Ages 5-10

  Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse 

À la recherche du bout du monde
Written by Michel Noël
Éditions Hurtubise HMH
Ages 11+

 
La clé à molette
Written and illustrated by Élise Gravel

Éditions La courte échelle
Ages 7+

Jane, le renard & moi
Written by Fanny Britt
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Éditions La Pastèque
Ages 11+

Mingan, mon village
Poems by Inuit schoolchildren
Illustrated by Rogé
Éditions de la Bagnole
Ages 9+

Tu me prends en photo
Written by Marie-Francine Hébert
Illustrated by Jean-Luc Trudel
Éditions Les 400 coups
Ages 10+

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

Mr. King’s Things
Written and illustrated by Geneviève Côté
Kids Can Press
Ages 3-7

Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Written by Cary Fagan

Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Tundra Books
Ages 4-8

The Stamp Collector
Written by Jennifer Lanthier
Illustrated by François Thisdale
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Ages 8+

Uncle Wally’s Old Brown Shoe

Written and illustrated by Wallace Edwards 

Orca Book Publishers 

Ages 4-8

Virginia Wolf
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Kids Can Press
Ages 5-10

Norma Fleck Award For Canadian Children's Non-Fiction

Going Up! Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top

(Great Idea)
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Tundra Books
Ages 6-10

Kate & Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story
Written by Martin Springett
Photographs by Isobel Springett
Puffin Canada
Ages 5-8

Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
Written by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books
Ages 11+

Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death – The Story of Steven Truscott
(Real Justice)
Written by Bill Swan
James Lorimer 

Ages 13+

Rescuing the Children: The Story of the Kindertransport
Written by Deborah Hodge
Tundra Books
Ages 10+

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction 
for Young People

A Call to Battle: The War of 1812, Alexander MacKay, Upper Canada, 1812

(I Am Canada)
Written by Gillian Chan
Scholastic Canada
Ages 10-14

 

 
The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press
Ages 12+

Making Bombs for Hitler
Written by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Scholastic Canada
Ages 9-14

Violins of Autumn
Written by Amy McAuley
Walker Publishing Company, Inc.
Ages 12+

Yesterday’s Dead
Written by Pat Bourke
Second Story Press
Ages 10-14

John Spray Mystery Award

Becoming Holmes  

(The Boy Sherlock Holmes) 

Written by Shane Peacock

Tundra Books 

Ages 11-14

Breakaway
Written by Michael Betcherman
Razorbill / Penguin Group
Ages 13+

Devil’s Pass 

(Seven the series)
Written by Sigmund Brouwer
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 12-14

The Lynching of Louie Sam
Written by Elizabeth Stewart
Annick Press

Ages 12+

Neil Flambé and the Tokyo Treasure
(The Neil Flambé Capers)
Written and illustrated by Kevin Sylvester
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Ages 8-13

Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Girl With Borrowed Wings
Written by Rinsai Rossetti 

Dial Books
Ages 14+

Island of Doom

(The Hunchback Assignments IV)
Written by Arthur Slade
HarperCollins Publishers
Ages 11-14

Rebel Heart
(Dustlands)
Written by Moira Young
Doubleday Canada
Ages 14+

Seraphina
Written by Rachel Hartman
Doubleday Canada
Ages 14+

Shadows Cast by Stars
Written by Catherine Knutsson
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Ages 12+

Hosted by the Canadian Children's Book Centre and TD Bank Group, the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards will celebrate great Canadian children's books and present the winners of the awards on the evenings of October 22 and October 29 2013 in Toronto and Montreal, respectively.