Silver Birch Award

Established in 1994, the Silver Birch Award is part of a reading program developed by the Ontario Library Association’s Libraries Advance Ontario Project. Originally the program was for Ontario children in grades 4, 5 and 6. However, in 2007 the Blue Spruce Award and the Silver Birch Award were realigned and the Grade category for the Silver Birch expanded to include Grade 3 students. In order to appeal to all of the readers from Grades 3 to 6, a third list was created, the Silver Birch Express. This list is a combination of fiction and non-fiction aimed at the Grade 3-4 reading level. Registered classes or groups read at least five books from the Official Selections lists of recent Canadian children’s fiction and non-fiction titles. Students cast their votes in the Spring. A non-fiction category was added in 1996. Winners are announced and honoured at an awards ceremony which program participants are invited to attend. The official sponsor of the Silver Birch Award reading program is Tinlids Inc.

DETAILS

Administered By
Ontario Library Association

Scope
national

Website
Link

Contact Us
Ontario Library Association
2 Toronto Street, 3rd Floor
Toronto, ON M5C 2B6
Email

Status
Active

Awards Recipients

Year Detail Recipient
1994 Carol Matas, Daniel’s Story. Richmond Hill, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1993.
1995 Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, Polar, the Titanic Bear. Illustrated by Laurie McGaw. Toronto: Little, Brown and Co., 1994.
1996 Fiction Sylvia McNicoll, Bringing Up Beauty. Toronto: Maxwell Macmillan Canada, 1994.
1996 Non-Fiction Annouchka Gravel Galouchko, Sho and the Demons of the Deep. Illustrated by Ken Marschall. Toronto: Annick Press, 1995.
1997 Fiction Eric Walters, Stars. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing 1996.
1997 Non-Fiction Shelley Tanaka, On Board the Titanic. Richmond Hill, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1996.
1998 Fiction Kenneth Oppel, Silverwing. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997.
1998 Non-Fiction Hugh Brewster, Anastasia's Album. Toronto: Madison Press/Penguin Books Canada, 1996.
1999 Fiction Eric Walters, Trapped In Ice. Toronto: Penguin, 1997.
1999 Non-Fiction Marg Meikle, Funny You Should Ask. Illustrated by Tina Holdcroft. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1998.
2000 Fiction Kathy Kacer, The Secret of Gabi’s Dresser. Toronto: Second Story Press, 1999.
2000 Non-Fiction Sheree Fitch, If You Could Wear My Sneakers! Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 1997.
2001 Fiction Bill Richardson, After Hamelin. Toronto: Annick Press, 2000
2001 Non-Fiction Linda Bailey, Adventures in the Middle Ages. Illustrated by Bill Slavin. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2000.
2002 Fiction Virginia Frances Schwartz, If I Just Had Two Wings. Toronto: Stoddart Kids, 2001.
2002 Non-Fiction Lyn Thomas, Ha! Ha! Ha! 1000+ Jokes, Riddles, Facts, and More. Toronto: Maple Tree Press/Owl Books, 2001.
2003 Fiction Eric Walters, Camp X. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada, 2002.
2003 Non-Fiction Karen Levine, Hana’s Suitcase. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2002.
2004 Fiction Michael McGowan, Newton and the Giant. Toronto: HarperCollins Canada, 2003.
2004 Non-Fiction Larry Verstraete, Survivors! True Death-Defying Escapes. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2003.
2005 Fiction Sharon Stewart, Raven Quest. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2003.
2005 Non-Fiction Marg Meikle, Ask Me Anything!: Strange But True Answers to 99 Wacky Questions. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2004.
2006 Fiction Edo van Belkom, Wolf Pack. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2004.
2006 Non-Fiction Helaine Becker, Boredom Blasters: Brain Bogglers, Awesome Activities, Cool Comics, Tasty Treats, and More…
2007 Express Nancy Shouse, Any Pet Will Do. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2005.
2007 Fiction L.M. Falcone, Walking with the Dead. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2006.
2007 Non-Fiction Kathy Kacer, Hiding Edith. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2006.
2008 Express Dan Bar-el, Things are Looking Grimm, Jill. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2006.
2008 Fiction Linda DeMeulemeester, The Secret of Grim Hill. Montreal: Lobster Press, 2007.
2008 Non-Fiction Helaine Becker, Secret Agent Y.O.U: The Official Guide to Secret Codes, Disguises, Surveillance and More. Illustrated by Dave Whamond. Toronto:
2009 Express Alan Cumyn, Dear Sylvia. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2008.
2009 Fiction Mahtab Narsimhan, The Third Eye. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007.
2009 Non-Fiction Kevin Sylvester, Gold Medal for Weird. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2007.
2010 Express Cyndi Sand-Eveland, Dear Toni. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2008.
2010 Fiction Robert Paul Weston , Zorgamazoo. New York: Razorbill, 2008.
2010 Non-Fiction Larry Verstraete , At the Edge: Daring Acts in Desperate Times. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2009.
2011 Express Ashley Spires, Binky the Space Cat. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2009.
2011 Fiction Kevin Sylvester, Neil Flambé and the Marco Polo Murders. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2010.
2011 Non-Fiction Valerie Wyatt, How to Build Your Own Country. Illustrated by Fred Rix. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2009.
2012 Express Jan Andrews
2012 Fiction David Skuy, Undergrounders. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2011.
2012 Non-Fiction Catherine Rondina
2013 Express Brit Trogen and Kari Trogen, Margaret and the Moth Tree. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2012.
2013 Fiction Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Making Bombs for Hitler. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2012.
2013 Non-Fiction Rob Laidlaw, No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs. Toronto: Pajama Press, 2011.
2014 Express Rebecca Upjohn, The Secret of the Village Fool. Illustrated by Renné Benoit. Toronto: Second Story Press, 2012.
2014 Fiction Robin Stevenson, Record Breaker. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2013.
2014 Non-Fiction Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way. Toronto: Pajama Press, 2012.
2015 Express Cyndi Marko, Let’s Get Cracking! New York: Scholastic Inc., 2014.
2015 Fiction Jonathan Auxier, The Night Gardener. Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2014.
2015 Non-Fiction Annaleise Carr with Deborah Ellis