Our friends at IBBY Canada, with the support of the IBBY Yamada Fund, have announced that submissions are now open for Celebrating Young Indigenous Voices: From Sea to Sea to Sea, a writing contest for Indigenous youth ages 8-12.
Celebrating Young Indigenous Voices contest co-chairs Amanda Robinson (Nlaka’pamux First Nations), Indigenous Initiatives Librarian at Yellowhead Regional Library, and Abigail Deck (Métis), Indigenous Intern at the University of Alberta Library and MLIS student, write:
“We hope this contest inspires participation and voices from many Indigenous youth from sea to sea to sea, and we look forward to sharing these voices at the 40th IBBY World Congress. We are grateful to the esteemed Indigenous writer-editors Nancy Cooper (Chippewas of Rama First Nation) and David A. Robertson (Norway House First Nation) for judging the contest and selecting the winner.”
The winner of the contest will be invited to read their work at the Celebrating Indigenous Voices evening at the Canadian Museum of History during the 40th IBBY World Congress. They will also receive all 175 books from the From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books collection for their local library or school. The works of a number of finalists, along with the winner, will be published in an anthology that will be shared online and with Congress attendees.
From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The project was initiated in 2016 in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 12, 13, and 63, and is in keeping with IBBY’s mission to support the right of every child to become a reader through access to high-quality books. The four catalogues feature 175 of the best Indigenous picture books published between 1993 and 2024, as selected by a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous librarians, educators, and authors.
For more information about the Celebrating Young Indigenous Voices: From Sea to Sea to Sea writing contest, please visit ibby-canada.org.