TD Grade One Book Giveaway
This fall, Grade 1 children nation-wide will take home Malaika’s Costume, written by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher and published by Groundwood Books. Translated into French by Isabelle Allard, francophone Canadians and French immersion students across Canada will receive copies of Le costume de Malaika, published by Éditions Scholastic
Malaika’s Costume follows young Malaika as she gets ready to celebrate carnival in her hometown in the Caribbean, while her mother sets up their new life in Canada. Infused with bright colours and rich language, young readers will relate to Malaika’s vivid imagination and her determination to bring her dream carnival costume to reality. This title also depicts the strong bond between grandmother and granddaughter, while celebrating the diversity and breadth of family relationships. Community plays a key role in this beautiful picture book and, with many of us still isolated from our friends and loved ones because of COVID-19, community is more important to us now than it ever was before. It is our hope that, no matter what the world looks like in the fall, Malaika’s Costume will bring people together and connect readers all across Canada.
Since 2000, in cooperation with ministries of education, school boards and library organizations across Canada — the CCBC has given every Grade 1 child a free Canadian children’s book.
The book is to be taken home by each child to keep and to read with their parents. This far-reaching annual book giveaway program, which provides over 550,000 books to Grade 1 children across Canada, is fully funded by TD Bank Group. The program is intended to encourage literacy and reading for young children and supports the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s mandate of bringing great Canadian books to Canadian children and to promote a love of reading and a passion for books.
The coordination of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway is done by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. School boards and ministries of education in all provinces and territories will be contacted in spring 2021 for their 2021/2022 Grade 1 enrolment figures. If you have any questions regarding the 2021 program, please contact Meghan Howe at bookgiveaway@bookcentre.ca.
Previous giveaway books:
2020
Moira’s Birthday
written by Robert Munsch
illustrated by Michael Marchenko
Annick Press
2019
My Heart Fills With Happiness/sâkaskinêw nitêh miywêyihtamowin ohci
written by Monique Gray Smith
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
Orca Book Publishers
2018
Giraffe and Bird
written and illustrated by Rebecca Bender
Pajama Press
2017
Good Morning, Canada
written and illustrated by Andrea Lynn Beck
Scholastic Canada
2016
Small Saul
written and illustrated by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
2015
Mr. Zinger’s Hat
written by Cary Fagan
illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Tundra Books
2014
Doors in the Air
written David Weale
illustrated by Pierre Pratt
Orca Book Publishers
2013
Boy Soup
written Loris Lesynski
illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Annick Press
2012
I’ve Lost My Cat
written and illustrated by Philippe Béha
Éditions Imagine
2011
Gifts
written by Jo Ellen Bogart
illustrated by Barbara Reid
Scholastic Canada
2010
Caramba
written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Groundwood Books
2009
Let’s Go! The Story of Getting from There to Here
written by Lizann Flatt; illustrated by Scot Ritchie
Owlkids
2008
Too Many Books!
written by Gilles Tibo; illustrated by Bruno St-Aubin
Scholastic Canada
2007
The Zlooksh
written by Dominique Demers; illustrated by Fanny
Les 400 coups
2006
Franklin in the Dark
written by Paulette Bourgeois; illustrated by Brenda Clark
Kids Can Press
2005
Alligator Stew: Favourite Poems by Dennis Lee
written by Dennis Lee; illustrated by Rogé
Key Porter Books
2004
Omar On Ice
written and illustrated by Maryann Kovalski
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
2003
The Girl Who Hated Books
written by Manjusha Pawagi; illustrated by Leanne Franson
Second Story Press
2002
When Jeremiah Found Mrs. Ming
written by Sharon Jennings; illustrated by Mireille Levert
Annick Press
2001
Young Authors’ Day at Pokeweed Public School
written and illustrated by John Bianchi
Pokeweed Press
2000
Nicholas at the Library
written by Hazel Hutchins; illustrated by Ruth Ohi
Annick Press