Previous Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction Winners and Finalists

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

2022

Winner:

Christian Allaire. The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures. Illustrated by Jacqueline Li. Toronto: Annick Press, 2021.

Finalists:

Robbie Waisman with Susan McClelland. Boy from Buchenwald: The True Story of a Holocaust Survivor. New York: Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2021.

Kathy Stinson. The Girl Who Loved Giraffes and Became the World’s First Giraffologist. Illustrated by François Thisdale. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2021.

Dr. Lindsay Herriot and Kate Fry (ed.). Growing Up Trans: In Our Own Words. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2021.

Erica Fyvie. Mad for Ads: How Advertising Gets (and Stays) in Our Heads. Illustrated by Ian Turner. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2021.

2021

Winner:

Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane. Powwow: A Celebration Through Song and Dance. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2020.

Finalists:

Rina Singh. 111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl. Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2020.

Kyla Vanderklugt. Crows: Genius Birds. New York: First Second, 2020.

Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson). The Eagle Mother. Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Winnipeg: HighWater Press, 2020.

Tanya Lloyd Kyi. This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science is Tackling Unconscious Bias. Illustrated by Drew Shannon. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2020.

2020

Winner:

Serah-Marie McMahon and Alison Matthews David. Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, & Murdered Through History. Illustrated by Gillian Wilson. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2019.

Finalists:

Rachel Poliquin. Beastly Puzzles: A Brain-Boggling Animal Guessing Game. Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2019.

Carolyn Fisher. Cells: An Owner’s Handbook. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2019.

Ashley Spires. Fairy Science. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2019.

Carey Newman and Kirstie Hudson. Picking Up the Pieces: Residential School Memories and the Making of the Witness Blanket. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2019.

2019

Winner:

James Gladstone. Turtle Pond. Illustrated by Karen Reczuch. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2018.

Finalists:

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox. After Life: Ways We Think About Death. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2018.

Rob Laidlaw. Bat Citizen: Defending the Ninjas of the Night. Toronto: Pajama Press, 2018.

Wab Kinew. Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes. Illustrated by Joe Morse. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2018.

Erica Fyvie. Trash Revolution: Breaking the Waste Cycle. Illustrated by Bill Slavin. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2018.

2018

Winner:

Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale. #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women. Toronto: Annick Press, 2017.

Finalists:

Sarah Elton. Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eat. Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2017.

Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson). The Sockeye Mother. Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Winnipeg: HighWater Press, 2017.

Jane Drake and Ann Love. Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance. Toronto: Annick Press, 2017.

James Gladstone. When Planet Earth Was New. Illustrated by Katherine Diemert. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2017.

2017

Winner:

Elizabeth MacLeod. Canada Year by Year. Illustrated by Sydney Smith. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2016.

Finalists:
Laura Scandiffio. Fight to Learn: The Struggle to Go to School. Toronto: Annick Press, 2016.

Kristina Rutherford. Level the Playing Field: The Past, Present, a Future of Women’s Pro Sports. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2016.

Jan Thornhill. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2016.

Antonia Banyard and Paula Ayer. Water Wow! An Infographic Exploration. Illustrated by Belle Wuthrich. Toronto: Annick Press, 2016.

2016

Winner:

Cory Silverberg. Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book About Bodies, Feelings, and You. Illustrated by Fiona Smyth. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2015.

Finalists:

Edward Keenan. The Art of the Possible: An Everyday Guide to Politics. Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2015.

Maria Birmingham. A Beginner’s Guide to Immortality: From Alchemy to Avatars. Illustrated by Josh Holinaty. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2015.

Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine. Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War. Illustrated by Claudia Dávila. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2015.

Paula Ayer. Foodprints: The Story of What We Eat. Toronto: Annick Press, 2015.

2015

Winner:

Kira Vermond. Why We Live Where We Live. Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2014.

Finalists:

Hugh Brewster. From Vimy to Victory: Canada’s Fight to the Finish in World War I. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2014.

David J. Smith. If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers. Illustrated by Steve Adams. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2014.

Larry Loyie with Wayne K. Spear and Constance Brissenden. Residential Schools, With the Words and Images of Survivors: A National History. Brantford, ON: Indigenous Education Press, 2014.

Sarah Elton. Starting from Scratch: What You Should Know about Food and Cooking. Illustrated by Jeff Kulak. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2014.

2014

Winner:

Rona Arato. The Last Train: A Holocaust Story. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2013.

Finalists:

Ken Setterington. Branded by the Pink Triangle. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2013.

Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky. A History of Just About Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World. Illustrated by Qin Leng. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2013.

Deborah Ellis. Looks Like Daylight: Voices of Indigenous Kids. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2013.

Eric Walters. My Name Is Blessing. Illustrated Eugenie Fernandes. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2013.

2013

Winner:

Deborah Ellis. Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2012.

Finalists:

Monica Kulling. Going Up! Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top. Illustrated by David Parkins. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2012.

Martin Springett. Kate & Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story. Photography by Isobel Springett. Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2012.

Bill Swan. Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death – The Story of Steven Truscott. Toronto: James Lorimer, 2012.

Deborah Hodge. Rescuing the Children: The Story of the Kindertransport. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2012.

2012

Winner:

Susan Vande Griek. Loon. Illustrated by Karen Reczuch. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2011.

Finalists:

Rafal Gerszak with Dawn Hunter. Beyond Bullets: A Photo Journal of Afghanistan. Photos by Rafal Gerszak. Toronto: Annick Press, 2011.

Dora Lee. Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature. Illustrated by Margot Thompson. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2011.

Susan Hughes. Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World. Toronto: Owlkids Books Inc., 2011.

Marthe Jocelyn. Scribbling Women: True Tales from Astonishing Lives. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2011.

2011

Winner:

Susan Hughes. Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science. Illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2010.

Finalists:

Daniel Loxton. Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2010.

Elin Kelsey. Not Your Typical Book About the Environment. Illustrated by Clayton Hanmer. Toronto: Owlkids, 2010.

Jody Nyasha Warner. Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged. Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2010.

Hadley Dyer. Watch This Space: Designing, Defending and Sharing Public Spaces. Illustrated by Marc Ngui. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2010.

2010

Winner:

Priscilla Galloway with Dawn Hunter. Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road. Toronto: Annick Press, 2009.

Finalists:

Charis Cotter. Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors. Toronto: Annick Press, 2009.

Scot Ritchie. Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2009.

William Gilkerson. A Thousand Years of Pirates. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2009.

Kathy Kacer and Sharon E. McKay. Whispers from the Ghettos. Toronto: Puffin Canada 2009.

2009

Winner:

Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland. The Bite of the Mango. Toronto: Annick Press, 2008.

Finalists:

Mary Wallace. Inuksuk Journey: An Artist at the Top of the World. Toronto: Maple Tree Press, 2008.

Susan Hughes. No Girls Allowed: Tales of Daring Women Dressed As Men for Love, Freedom and Adventure. Illustrated by Willow Dawson. Toronto: Annick Press, 2008.

Katie Smith Milway. One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference. Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2008.

Elizabeth MacLeod. Royal Murder: The Deadly Intrigue of Ten Sovereigns. Toronto: Annick Press, 2008.

2008

Winner:

Hugh Brewster. At Vimy Ridge: Canada’s Greatest World War I Victory. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2006.

Finalists:

Robert Bateman with Nancy Kovacs. Birds of Prey: An Introduction. Illustrated by Robert Bateman. Toronto: Scholastic Canada/Madison Press, 2007.

Sue Ann Alderson. The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer. Illustrated by Millie Ballance. Vancouver: Tradewind Books, 2007.

Jan Thornhill. This Is My Planet: The Kids’ Guide to Global Warming. Toronto: Maple Tree Press, 2007.

Kate Evans. Weird Weather: Everything You Didn’t Want to Know About Climate Change but Probably Should Find Out. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2007.

2007

Winner:

Jan Thornhill. I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death. Toronto: Maple Tree Press, 2006.

Finalists:

Barbara Greenwood. Factory Girl. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2007.

Celia Godkin. Fire! The Renewal of a Forest. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2006.

Jane Springer. Genocide. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2006.

Herb Shoveller. Ryan and Jimmy: And the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2006.

2006

Winner:

Bill Slavin with Jim Slavin. Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made. Illustrated by Bill Slavin. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2005.

Finalists:

Susan Hughes. Coming to Canada: Building a Life in a New Land. Toronto: Maple Tree Press, 2005.

Kathy Kacer. Hiding Edith: A True Story. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2005.

Nadja Halilbegovich. My Childhood Under Fire: A Sarajevo Diary. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2005.

Deborah Ellis. Our Stories, Our Songs: African Children Talk About AIDS. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2005.

2005

Winner:

Shari Graydon. In Your Face: The Culture of Beauty and You. Toronto: Annick Press, 2004.

Finalists:

Marthe Jocelyn. A Home for Foundlings. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2004.

Ange Zhang. Red Land, Yellow River: A Story from the Cultural Revolution. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2004.

Hazel Hutchins. A Second Is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Markham, ON: North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada, 2004.

Kathy Kacer. The Underground Reporters. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2004.

2004

Winner:

Val Ross. The Road to There: Mapmakers and Their Stories. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2003.

Finalists:

Anne Dublin. Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2004.

John Wilson. Discovering the Arctic: The Story of John Rae. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing, 2003.

Nicolas Debon. Four Pictures by Emily Carr. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2003.

Reva Marin. Oscar: The Life and Music of Oscar Peterson. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2003.

2003

Winner:

Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden. As Long As the Rivers Flow. Illustrated by Heather D. Holmlund. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2002.

Finalists:

Chan Hon Goh with Cary Fagan. Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina’s Life. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2002.

Kathy Conlan. Under the Ice. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2002.

Roderick Stewart. Wilfrid Laurier: A Pledge for Canada. Montreal: XYZ Publishing, 2002.

Candace Savage. Wizards: An Amazing Journey through the Last Great Age of Magic. Vancouver: Greystone Books, 2002.

2002

Winner:

Jack Batten. The Man Who Ran Faster Than Everyone: The Story of Tom Longboat. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2002.

Finalists:

Karen Levine. Hana’s Suitcase. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2002.

Susan Musgrave (editor). Nerves Out Loud: Critical Moments in the Lives of Seven Teen Girls. Toronto: Annick Press, 2001.

John Wilson. Righting Wrongs: The Story of Norman Bethune. Toronto: Napoleon Publishing, 2001.

Jane Pavanel. The Sex Book: An Alphabet of Smarter Love. Montreal: Lobster Press, 2001.

2001

Winner:

Gena K. Gorrell. Heart and Soul: The Story of Florence Nightingale. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2000.

Finalists

Candace Savage. Born to be a Cowgirl: A Spirited Ride Through the Old West. Vancouver: Greystone Books, 2001.

Ann Love and Jane Drake. The Kids Book of the Far North. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2000.

Ronald Orenstein. New Animal Discoveries. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2001.

Linda Granfield. Pier 21: Gateway of Hope. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2000.

2000

Winner:

Simon Tookoome with Sheldon Oberman. The Shaman’s Nephew: A Life in the Far North. Illustrated by Simon Tookoome. Toronto: Stoddart Kids, 1999.

Finalists

Linda Maybarduk. The Dancer Who Flew: A Memoir of Rudolf Nureyev. Toronto: Tundra Books, 1999.

Irene Morck. Five Pennies: A Prairie Boy’s Story. Calgary: Fifth House Publishers, 1999.

Sarah Ellis. The Young Writer’s Companion. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1999.

1999

Winner:

Andy Turnball and Debora Pearson. By Truck to the North: My Arctic Adventure. Toronto: Annick Press, 1999.

Finalists:

Larry Verstraete. Accidental Discoveries: From Laughing Gas to Dynamite. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1999.

Gena K. Gorrell. Catching Fire: The Story of Firefighting. Toronto: Tundra Books, 1999.

Mary Wallace. The Inuksuk Book. Toronto: Owl Books, 1999.

Barbara Greenwood. The Last Safehouse: A Story of the Underground Railroad. Illustrated by Heather Collins. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 1998.