TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
Eligibility, Guidelines & Fees
Criteria
The criteria for selecting the winning and shortlisted titles are viewed through each juror’s lens. In identifying excellence, the judges shall consider the following criteria:
- Quality of the text or storyline (in the case of a wordless book) and illustrations (if present).
- Interpretation of the theme or concept.
- Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity and organization.
- Appropriateness of style and presentation.
- Books should have notable qualities in all of the elements pertinent to it, such as interpretation of theme and concept.
- Books need to be self-contained and not dependent on other media for its enjoyment.
- To ensure accuracy and authenticity, works about underrepresented groups should be based on the creator’s lived experiences.
- Books should have been written for a child audience and should achieve excellence of presentation.
- Each book is to be considered as a contribution to literature.
- The popularity of a book and didactic intent are not to be considered.
Eligibility Requirements
- Books must be published between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
- Both the author and illustrator (if applicable) must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
- Only books published in Canada are eligible for submission. Copyright page/CIP data must reflect this.
- New editions or re-issues of previously published books are not eligible for submission.
- First Canadian editions of books previously published or simultaneously published by non-Canadian publishers are eligible for submission provided they are published between January 1 and December 31, 2023. Copyright page/CIP data must reflect this.
- All genres of books (i.e., picture books, fiction, non-fiction and poetry), written for young people up to age 12, are eligible for consideration. Teen/young adult books are not eligible for submission. For teen fiction/YA, see Amy Mathers Teen Book Award.
- Books must be in English.
- Translations are not eligible. Titles originally published in French should be submitted to the Prix TD during their eligible year. In the case where the English and French editions are published simultaneously and where the author has written both the English text and French text (i.e., there is no third-party translator), the publisher holding the original rights takes precedence over the other.
- Books being submitted for consideration must be original works.
- Books based on traditional stories will be considered if the book is the result of original research and the retelling and interpretation are the writer’s own.
- Short story collections by more than one author are not eligible.
- Books written as part of a series or published in serial form will be judged as separate entries and must function as a ‘stand-alone’ story.
- Books based on recorded songs are not eligible for submission.
- The award is only for books in the printed format, as distinct from digital (i.e., ebooks) and audio-visual formats.
- Books in manuscript form are not eligible.
- All books must have an ISBN.
- Self-published books are eligible for submission provided they have a valid ISBN.
Publisher and Creator Expectations
- Publishers agree to pay the $35 non-refundable submission fee per title per award.
- If a book is shortlisted, the publisher, author and illustrator may be asked to participate in a series of events highlighting and promoting the shortlisted author and illustrator, in addition to the award celebration.
- The CCBC is unable to assume the costs for travel and accommodation. It is our hope that publishers will assist the award winner(s) with providing the resources for attending the in-person awards ceremony (should we be able to hold an in-person event) or for creating an acceptance speech video of appropriate quality should the creator(s) be unable to attend an in-person event.
- Publishers agree to prepare and encourage their authors and illustrators to participate in all reasonable publicity associated with the award: interviews, readings, appearances, etc.
- The winning publisher agrees to use the $2,500 awarded to them to promote/advertise the winning title.
- Publishers agree to have the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award seal on copies of the shortlisted titles and the winning title. Seals will be provided to the publisher by the CCBC.
Submission Fees
There is a $35 non-refundable fee for each title submitted to each of the CCBC book awards. Therefore, if, for example, you have a title that is eligible for three of the awards and you would like it considered for all three awards, the submission fee for that particular title is $105 ($35 x 3). The fees will be used to offset administration costs, as well as costs associated with the presentation of the awards.