FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Montreal (November 19, 2018) — The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is thrilled to announce the winner of the 14th annual Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse, for the most distinguished French-language book of the year, and the 2^nd annual Prix Harry Black de l’album jeunesse, for the best French-language picture book.

The announcement was made at a gala event tonight at Scena, where Quebec children’s literary elite were on hand to celebrate the nominees. Once again, the CCBC and TD Bank Group worked with Radio-Canada to present the Choix du public pour la littérature de jeunesse. Young readers were asked to pick their favourite book from the shortlisted Prix TD titles in an online poll.

Now a two-time winner of the Prix TD, Marianne Dubuc stole the show, taking home the grand prize for all three awards: the Prix TD ($50,000), the Prix Harry Black ($5,000) and the Choix du public pour la littérature de jeunesse ($5,000) for her picture book Le chemin de la montagne. In addition to the $60,000 awarded to Dubuc, her publisher, Comme des géants, will be awarded $2,500, courtesy of TD Bank Group, to promote the winning book. The remaining four finalists of the Prix TD will share a $10,000 prize. This year marks the first in the award’s history that the winner of the Prix TD has received $50,000 in prize monies, thanks to a generous sponsorship from TD Bank Group.

“We are grateful for TD Bank Group’s continuous support of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards and the TD gala event,” says Charlotte Teeple, the Executive Director of the CCBC. “The chance for us to celebrate renowned Canadian works for young people is the highlight of the year for us at the CCBC. This year we are especially grateful for the prize increase to the TD Award, allowing Le chemin de montagne to receive a $50,000 prize.”

“It is by awakening the imagination of young readers and by making them discover the pleasure of reading that children’s books contribute positively to the development and literacy of our Quebec youth,” says Sylvie Demers, Chair, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group. “That’s why, since 2004, TD has been promoting these rich works and celebrating the great talent of local children’s book authors and illustrators.”

On October 29, the CCBC’s six English-language book awards were presented in Toronto. The winners and honour books are listed below.

In total, $72,500 was awarded, and an additional $112,500 was awarded at a gala event in Toronto last month. Below is the full list of prizes presented, with comments from the jurors. Click here to see the shortlists and find the list of all 2018 winners here.

Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists!

Emma Hunter
Marketing and Website Coordinator
Canadian Children’s Book Centre
416.975.0010 ext. 221
emma@bookcentre.ca

Mathieu Beaudoin
Directeur des affaires publiques
Groupe Banque TD
Tél.: 514-289-1670
mathieu.beaudoin@td.com

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Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($50,000)
Sponsored by TD Bank Group

Le chemin de la montagne
Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc
Comme des géants
for ages 4 and up
“A sweet allegory of intergenerational friendship and an ode to the happiness of simple things… Lulu’s perception of the world is transformed by her relationship with Madame Blaireau… and she learns to appreciate the beauties of the world… The tenderness of the subject is echoed in the illustrations.”

The Honour Books listed below will share $10,000.

• ABCMTL, written by Jeanne Painchaud, photos by Bruno Ricca (Éditions Les 400 coups)
• Bleu, written and illustrated by Philippe Béha (Éditions de l’Isatis)
• Gilles, written and illustrated by Mathieu Lavoie (Comme des géants)
• Pow Pow, t’es mort!, written by Marie-Francine Hébert, illustrated by Jean-Luc Trudel (Éditions Les 400 coups)

JURY MEMBERS: Noë Crospal, facilitator of children’s literature; Joël-Vincent Cyr, librarian; Marie-France Genest, librarian; Sophie Kurler, librarian; Sophie Michaud, lecturer, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

Prix Harry Black de l’album jeunesse ($5,000)
Sponsored by Mary Macchiusi

Le chemin de la montagne
Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc
Comme des géants
for ages 4 and up
“A story of friendship, life’s lessons and perseverance… Beautifully told through narration and dialogue, Dubuc invites us into the heart of the protagonists’ thoughts… Her illustrations give us a splendid view of the setting and the beauty of the relationship between the characters… A work of great sensitivity!”

JURY MEMBERS: Danièle Courchesne, teacher; e, Editor-in-Chief, Le Pollen; Pascale Grenier, librarian, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.

The English-language winners and honour books presented on October 29th include:

• Town Is By the Sea, written by Joanne Schwartz and illustrated by Sydney Smith, won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($50,000)

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award honour books include:

• Dragonfly Song, written by Wendy Orr (Pajama Press)
• Picture the Sky, written and illustrated by Barbara Reid (North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada)
• Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation, written by Monique Gray Smith (Orca Book Publishers)
• When the Moon Comes, written by Paul Harbridge and illustrated by Matt James (Tundra Books)

The complete list of winners for the English awards are:

• When the Moon Comes, written by Paul Harbridge and illustrated by Matt James, won the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000)
• #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women, edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale, won the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction ($10,000)
• The Assassins Curse by Kevin Sands won the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction For Young People ($5,000)
• The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook won the John Spray Mystery Award ($5,000)
• The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline won the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award ($5,000)

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