The First Nation Communities READ 2025-2026 program has announced the 2025-2026 winners in both their children's and young adult/adult categories. Chosen by a jury of librarians from First Nation Public libraries across Ontario, these titles represent the very best of Indigenous literature and have been awarded the PMC Indigenous Literature Award. The winning titles—listed below—will be recognized online during First Nation Public Library Week on October 9, 2025 at 11 am EST.
Children’s
Boozhoo! / Hello! by Mangeshig Pawis Steckley (Groundwood Books)
Young Adult/Adult
The Baby Train, written by Stella Shepard (Acorn Press)
Both authors will receive a $5,000 cash prize, generously sponsored by the Periodical Marketers of Canada.
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The Periodical Marketers of Canada PMC Indigenous Literature Award is inspired by the goals of the First Nation Communities READ program. It provides each of the authors of the First Nation Communities READ title selections with a cash prize. This is the 12th year the Periodical Marketers of Canada has presented the PMC Indigenous Literature Award.
First Nation Communities READ was launched in 2003 by the First Nations Public Library Community in Ontario, with support from the Ontario Library Service, to promote a community-based approach to reading. FNCR celebrates and promotes the importance of Indigenous literature across Canada. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling as well and intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit writing, illustration, and publishing.
For more information about, please contact:
Nancy Cooper, First Nation Consultant
Ontario Library Service
647-264-7342 | ncooper@olservice.ca