The Atlantic Book Awards Society has announced the full shortlist for the eight different book prizes comprising the 2015 Atlantic Book Awards. The twenty-four books up for awards represent a wide range of books from Atlantic Canada — everything from illustrated cookbooks to evocative novels. The full shortlist is available at www.atlanticbookawards.ca. Below are the nominees for the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature and the Lillian Shepherd Award for Excellence in Illustration.

Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature

Jack, the King of Ashes
By Andy Jones
Publisher: Running Goat Books & Broadsides

Flame and Ashes: The Great Fire Diary of Triffie Winsor (Dear Canada series)
By Janet McNaughton
Publisher: Scholastic Canada Ltd.

The End of the Line
By Sharon E. McKay
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.

Lillian Shepherd Award for Excellence in Illustration

Illustrator: Sydney Smith (nominee)
Music is for Everyone
(Written by Jill Barber)
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing

Illustrator: Michael Pittman (nominee)
Wow Wow and Haw Haw
(Written by George Murray)
Publisher: Breakwater Books

Illustrator: Nancy Rose (nominee)
The Secret Life of Squirrels
(Written by Nancy Rose)
Publisher: Penguin Canada

The 2015 Atlantic Book Awards and Festival runs May 7-14 with free literary events in all four provinces. Winners of the 2015 Atlantic Book Awards will be announced at a special awards show on the last night of the weeklong festival, Thursday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Alderney Landing Theatre in Dartmouth, and tickets will on sale by April 15 at Ticketpro.ca.

Media contact: Peggy Walt – peggy@culturalaffairs.ca (902) 422-5403