The Forest of Reading—Canada’s largest recreational reading program—has announced the English- and French-language nominees for their 2026 awards program. The Forest of Reading’s mission is to instill the love of reading in people of all ages, while supporting programming in schools and libraries and celebrating Canadian authors, illustrators, and literature.
There are 10 programs distinguished by age group and reading level, each with 10 nominated titles, selected by committees of library practitioners. The English school-aged programs are Blue Spruce, Silver Birch (Express and Fiction), Yellow Cedar, Red Maple, and White Pine. French school-aged literature is celebrated through the Peuplier, Mélèze, and Tamarac programs. In addition to the school-aged programs, the Forest of Reading has an adult program, Evergreen, which celebrates excellence in Canadian literature as a book club. Nominees for Evergreen will be announced at the end of October. The 2026 nominees for the school-aged programs are listed below.
Blue Spruce Award (JK-2)
Bannock in a Hammock, written by Masiana Kelly, illustrated by Amiel Sandland (Inhabit Media)
The Beat of the Dragon Boat, written by Christina Matula, illustrated by Nicole Wong (Sleeping Bear Press)
Fox and the Mystery Letter, written and illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths (Frances Lincoln Children's Books)
The Friendship Blanket, written by Leonarda Carranza, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina (Scholastic Canada)
The Girl Who Loved Poutine, written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi (Sleeping Bear Press)
The Great Dinosaur Sleepover, written by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Joe Bluhm (Tundra Books)
It's Okay, Just Ask, written by Monique Leonardo Carlos, illustrated by Salini Perera (Owlkids Books)
The Most Magnificent Team, written and illustrated by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
Patty Dreams, written by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Sahle Robinson (Owlkids Books)
The Weedflower, written by Elizabeth Davaze, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer (Owlkids Books)
Silver Birch Express Award (Grades 3-4)
Barefoot Skateboarders, written by Rina Singh, illustrated by Sophie Casson (Orca Book Publishers)
The Big Splash, written by Angela Ahn, illustrated by Julie Kim (Tundra Books)
Chomp-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Eat, written by Maria Birmingham, illustrated by Kyle Reed (Owlkids Books)
Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses, written by Stephanie Gibeault, illustrated by Bambi Edlund (Owlkids Books)
Every Little Bit Olive Tran, written by Phuong Truong, illustrated by Christine Wei (Second Story Press)
The League of Littles, written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Sara Faber (Greenwillow Books)
Plant Attack! The Fascinating Ways Flora Defends Itself, written by Erin Silver, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (Orca Book Publishers)
Purranormal Activity, written and illustrated by Alina Tysoe (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Salma Speaks Up, written by Danny Ramandan, illustrated by Anna Bron (Annick Press)
This Is How a Ball Rolls: The Science of Wobbling, Bouncing, Spinning Balls, written by Heather Tekavec, illustrated by Suharu Ogawa (Kids Can Press)
Silver Birch Fiction Award (Grades 5-6)
The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt, written by Gabrielle Prendergast (Orca Book Publishers)
Bea Mullins Takes a Shot, written by Emily Deibert (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Benny on the Case, written by Wesley King, illustrated by Maike Plenzke (Simon & Schuster Canada)
The City of Lost Cats, written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Tundra Books)
Comic Shift, written by Ted Staunton (Scholastic Canada)
Death by Whoopee Cushion, written by Vicki Grant (Tundra Books)
Ghosts of Gastown, written by Jessica Renwick (Yellow Dog)
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents, wirtten by Nicki Pau Preto (Viking Books for Young Readers)
Spirit Service, written by Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Taxi Ghost, written and illustrated by Sophie Escabasse (RH Graphic)
Yellow Cedar Award (Grades 4-8)
Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes From Around the World, written by Charlene Smith, illustrated by Natalya Tariq (Orca Book Publishers)
How to Know a Crow: The Biography of a Brainy Bird, written by Candace Savage, illustrated by Rachel Hudson (Greystone Kids)
The Land Knows Me: A Nature Walk Exploring Indigenous Wisdom, written by Leigh Joseph, illustrated by Natalie Schnitter (becker&mayer! kids)
Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep, written by Mark Leiren-Young (Orca Book Publishers)
Salt, Pepper, Season, Spice: All the Flavors of the World, written by Jacques Pasquet, translated by Ann Marie Boulanger, illustrated by Claire Anghinolfi (Orca Book Publishers)
A Sick History of Medicine: A Warts-And-All Book Full of Fun Facts and Disgusting Discoveries, written by Jelena Poleksic, illustrated by Ella Kasperowicz (Neon Squid)
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet, written by Geo Rutherford (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History, written by Ann Richards, illustrated by Arden Taylor (Orca Book Publishers)
Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains, written by Anita Yasuda, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (Clarion Books)
Zoom in on Zombies, written by Kari-Lynn Winters and Catherine Rondina (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
Red Maple Award (Grades 7-8)
The Dark Won't Wait, written by David Poulsen (Red Deer Press)
The Discovery of Finnegan Wilde, written by Caroline Pignat (Thistledown Press)
The Factory, written by Catherine Egan (Scholastic Inc.)
Finding Harmony, written by Eric Walters (Orca Book Publishers)
If We Tell You, written by Nicola Dahlin (Kids Can Press)
Is There a Boy Like Me?, written by Kern Carter (Scholastic Canada)
No Purchase Necessary, written by Maria Marianayagam (HarperCollins Publishers)
Old School, written by Gordon Korman (Scholastic Canada)
The Time Keeper, written by Meagan Mahoney (DCB Young Readers)
Unsinkable Cayenne, written by Jessica Vitalis (Greenwillow Books)
White Pine Award (Grades 9-12)
Beast, written by Richard Van Camp (Douglas & McIntyre)
A Drop in the Ocean, written by Léa Taranto (Arsenal Pulp Press)
For She Is Wrath, written by Emily Varga (Wednesday Books)
The History of Everything, written and illustrated by Victoria Evans (HarperAlley)
Messy Perfect, written by Tanya Boteju (Quill Tree Books)
Recommended Reading, written by Paul Coccia (Zando Young Readers)
Songs for Ghosts, written by Claire Kumagai (Penguin Teen Canada)
Titan of the Stars, written by E.K. Johnston (Tundra Books)
The Unfinished, written by Cheryl Isaacs (Heartdrum)
The Unweaving, written by Cheryl Parisien (Tidewater Press)
Prix Peuplier
Alexis trouve sa voix, written by Anne Renaud, illustrated by François Thisdale (Bouton d'or acadie)
Comme toi et moi, written by Priska Poirier, illustrated by Sabrina Gendrone (Éditiosn Druide)
Les drôles de passe-temps de Nathan, written by Geneviève Simard, illustrated by Élodie Duhameau (Gründ Québec)
La grenouille qui rêve les yeux ouverts, written by Chloé Varin, illustrated by Laia Roca Trullols (Éditions Michel Quintin)
Le gros méchant Mwa-Mwa-Mwa, written by Geneviève Jannelle, illustrated by Jasmine Mirra Turcotte (Québec Amérique)
Les mal-aimés, written and illustrated by Magalie Element (Éditions Alaska)
Mon papa punk, written by Iris Boudreau, illustrated by Pascal Girard (Fonfon)
Mon pire cauchemar: c'est elle / c'est lui, written by Emilie Ouellette, illustrated by MIKA (Éditions Alaska)
Un monstre vit dans ma tête, written by Émilie Côté-Roy, illustrated by Zoë Robertson (Gründ Québec)
Nora et Luce, les super mamans de Marcus, written by Renee Wilkin, illustrated by Catherine Petit (Boomerang Éditeur jeunesse)
Prix Mélèze
La bibliothèque enchantée 01 Le livre aspirateur, written by Jocelyn Boisvert, illustrated by Enzo (Éditions Michel Quintin)
Chasse aux indices, written by Martine Latulippe, illustrated by François Samson Dunlop (Bayard Canada Livres)
Comment sauver des chevaux sauvages, written by Andrée Poulin, illustrated by Caroline Lavergne (Bayard Canada Livres)
Croki, written and illustrated by Jacques Goldstyn (Éditions de la Pastèque)
Ma langue fleurie, written by Simon Boulerice, illustrated by Marianne Ferrer (Fonfon)
Ma vie de zombie : Le champion du cimetière, written and illustrated by Éric Péladeau (Bayard Canada Livres)
Oui, non, peut-être ?, written by Lou Beauchesne, illustrated by Agathe Bray-Bourret (la courte échelle)
Prisonnier d'une nuit, written by Amy Lachapelle (Les Éditions Z’ailées)
La revanche du moisi, written by Karine Gottot, illustrated by Marina Léon (Bayard Canada Livres)
Rose de Noël, written by Marie Potvin (Édition les Malins)
Prix Tamarac
L'affaire Buddy Bussières, written by Francois-Martine Bergeron-Mercier (la courte échelle)
Camp de jour 01 : L'éveil du kraken, written by Annie Bacon, illustrated by Camille Maestracci (Éditions de la Bagnole)
Ce que j'aimerais trouver sur la plage, written by Rhéa Dufresne, illustrated by Jasmine Sarzo Alfaro (Bayard Canada Livres)
La chose 01: Pied-de-poule mouillée, written by Elizabeth Baril-Lessard (Édition les Malins)
GO Gadget! 01 Norbert contre la factrice timbrée, written by Mélodie Heuser (Édition les Malins)
Mlle Bottine, written by Sonia Sarfati, illustrated by Dominic James (Québec Amérique)
L'Oracle, written by Julie Champagne, illustrated by Olivia Hamza (la courte échelle)
Quand ils sont venus, written by Andrée Poulin, illustrated by Sophie Casson (Éditions Isatis)
#Skate, written by Caroline Auger, illustrated by Audrey Jadaud (Bayard Canada Livres)
Sur le spectre 01 Agathe et Victor, written by Catherine Bourgault (Édition les Malins)
For more information or to register for the 2026 program, visit forestofreading.com.