FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Toronto (November 10, 2010) ― The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is thrilled to announce the winners of the four major children’s book awards it administers. The winners were announced last night at a gala event at The Carlu in Toronto.
This year’s winning titles will captivate the hearts and imaginations of children and adults everywhere. Readers will be introduced to a hunchback child who has the ability to transform himself and who is a trained secret agent; to an alluring story of mystery, perception and friendship with a surprise ending; to an exquisite, informative and delightful account of the history of China’s famed Silk Road; and to a young Sherlock Holmes on the sinister streets of Victorian London.
These books exemplify some of the best work by Canadian authors and illustrators. The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is proud to share these titles with you. For a list of the honour books for each award, please click here.
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TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD ($25,000)
Sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group
The Hunchback Assignments
Written by Arthur Slade (Saskatoon, SK)
HarperCollins Publishers
for ages 11 and up
“Arthur Slade’s foray into the steampunk genre is of world-class quality and makes The Hunchback Assignments a fresh and unexpected addition to Canadian children’s literature… A mystery thriller, the novel’s tone is grippingly suspenseful… Literary allusions to characters and plots, from the Hunchback of Notre Dame to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, enrich the subtext of reality and illusion.”
JURY MEMBERS: Nancy Cohen, Children’s Librarian, Moncton Public Library; Dr. Dave Jenkinson, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba; Josiane Polidori, Head, Children’s Literature, Library and Archives Canada; Judith Saltman, Associate Professor, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, and Chair, Master of Arts in Children’s Literature Program, University of British Columbia; Dr. Michelle Superle, College Professor, Okanagan College, Department of Communications, and former Vice President of IBBY Canada.
As publisher of the winning book, HarperCollins Publishers receives $2,500 and an additional $10,000 is divided amongst the honour books.
The French-language TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award was presented on November 2nd in Montreal at the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Mélanie Tellier and Melinda Josie won for their book, Le géranium, published by Éditions Marchand de feuilles.
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MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD ($20,000)
Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie
Timmerman Was Here
Written by Colleen Sydor (Winnipeg, MB)
Illustrated by Nicolas Debon (Saint-Denis, France)
Tundra Books
for ages 4 – 8
“This is a sublimely humanistic and memorable story about the way we discover the difference between truth and appearances… Dramatic pictures equally involve the reader, while the artistic use of dark and light further affect our emotional response… This intriguing tale with a twist delves exceptionally well into values and perceptions, the rational and the irrational, achieving a conclusion that is profoundly self-affirming for the child… This emotionally rich and suspenseful story is capped by an uplifting ending that will stir hearts from 8 to 80… A perfect pairing of text and illustration.”
JURY MEMBERS: Mariella Bertelli, storyteller and Head Librarian, Spadina Branch, Toronto Public Library; Sheba Meland, Children’s Publishing and Editorial Consultant; Janis Nostbakken, Children’s Media Specialist.
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NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION ($10,000)
Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation
Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road
Written by Priscilla Galloway (Penetanguishene, ON) with Dawn Hunter (Toronto, ON)
Annick Press
for ages 10 and up“A gripping account of three remarkable historic journeys; cultural, spiritual and commercial, enable the reader to imagine this fabled ancient route taken by the adventurous of long, long ago. Galloway’s excellent research, clear text, stunning photographs, art and maps updates this history for our times. A wonderful resource for research and reports.”
JURY MEMBERS: Julia Beck, Research and Library Consultant; Mala Dayal, teacher-librarian, Peel District School Board; Wendy Mason Geoghegan, Children’s Specialist, Indigo Books; Rachel Seigel, Selection Manager, S&B Books; Frieda Wishinsky, author of Please, Louise!, winner of the 2008 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award.
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GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ($5,000)
Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund
Vanishing Girl
(The Boy Sherlock Holmes, Book 3)
Written by Shane Peacock (Baltimore, ON)
Tundra Books
for ages 9 and up“Peacock delves into the young mind of one of the best-known characters in literature, creating a story that is well-plotted, with plenty of action, adventure and plot twists… Beautifully written and fast-paced… Peacock’s writing has a distinctive voice and tone that is perfectly suited to the story being told.”
JURY MEMBERS: Merle Harris, storyteller and author; Christopher Moore, author; Kimberly Sutherland-Mills, Children’s and Teen Services Librarian, Kingston Frontenac Public Library; Gail de Vos (chair), storyteller and professor, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta.
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TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD
The TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award was established in 2005 to honour the most distinguished book of the year for children aged 1 to 12. Entries are judged on the quality of the text and illustrations and the book’s overall contribution to literature. All books for children, in any genre, written by a Canadian, are eligible for the award. The winning book receives $25,000 and an additional $10,000 is divided amongst the honour books. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for promotional purposes.
MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD
The Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format, for children aged 3 to 8. Charles Baillie, retired Chairman and CEO of TD Bank Financial Group, is delighted to give the prize in his wife Marilyn’s name. As an award-winning children’s book author and an early learning specialist, Marilyn is involved in and passionate about children’s literature. The winning book receives $20,000.
NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION
The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction was established by the Fleck Family Foundation in 1999 to recognize Canada’s exceptional non-fiction books for young people. The award honours Norma Fleck (1906-1998), who inspired a deep love of reading in her children and grandchildren. Dr. James Fleck, who initiated the award, is the son of Norma Fleck. The winning book receives $10,000.
GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The Geoffrey Bilson Award was established in 1988 in memory of the respected historian and children’s author, Geoffrey Bilson. The $5,000 prize is awarded annually to the Canadian author of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young people. In 2005, the Bilson Endowment Fund was created to support this award. If you wish to contribute to this fund, please contact the CCBC.
THE CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTRE
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in 1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Charlotte Teeple
Executive Director
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
40 Orchard View Blvd., Suite 101
Toronto, Ontario M4R 1B9
Tel: 416.975.0010 ext. 226
Fax: 416.975.8970
charlotte@bookcentre.ca
www.bookcentre.ca