FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2014 – The winners of the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award 2014 were announced at a ceremony on Friday, May 30 the Confederation Centre for the Arts in Charlottetown, PEI.
Ashley Spires, the author of Binky Takes Charge, was the winner in the English fiction category. Rob Laidlaw, received the English non-fiction award for his book No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs. The winner of the French fiction category was Dominique Demers for Le secret des dragons. Elise Gravel received the award in French non-fiction for her book La mouche.
Binky Takes Charge is part of a popular graphic novel series that follows the adventures Binky, a “space cat” with an active imagination. Ashley Spires lives in Ladner, BC with a plethora of pets who serve as inspiration for her stories and illustrations. This is her second Hackmatack award.
No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs explores the canine world of companion dogs and homeless, free ranging dogs. It provides amazing dog facts and explains what dogs are, how they are mistreated and exploited, and how they live.
Rob Laidlaw is an award-winning author and animal activist.
Le secret des dragons is a book about a rock. That’s the gift Lili got from her godfather. At least that’s what she thinks it is until the rock hatches and the adventure starts. Dominique Demers has written over 50 books for children, teens and adults. She has also worked as a journalist, a literary critic, a storyteller and a scriptwriter.
La mouche is a book about flies. Using her quirky sense of humour the author illustrates and describes the life of flies. Elise Gravel is an award-winning illustrator and an author who is inspired by social causes and is turned on by projects which can handle a good dose of eccentricity.
The Hackmatack Award ceremony was the culmination of this year’s award week, during which 10 of the nominated Canadian authors visited participating schools and libraries in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Prince Edward Island. Thousands of children from grades four to six participated this year by reading the forty nominated books. To see the new nominated books for the 2014/2015 Hackmatack Award and to get more information about the award program, check out our website at www.hackmatack.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Kate Watson, Project Coordinator
Tel: 902-719-1780