A project of the Ontario Library Association, the Forest of Reading® is Canada’s largest recreational reading program offering 10 reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages. More than 270,000 readers participate annually from their school and/or public library. From May 13-15, the winners and honour books in the six English-language and three French-language youth categories were announced. The winner of the Evergreen Award, for adult audiences, will be announced at a later date. The winners and honour books in the youth categories are listed below.
Blue Spruce Award
WINNER
Lost Stick, written and illustrated by Anoosha Syed (Viking Books for Young Readers)
HONOUR BOOKS
Harold the Iceberg Melts Down, written by Lisa Wyzlic, illustrated by Rebecca Syracuse (
Mandeep's Cloudy Days, written by Kuljinder Kaur Brar, illustrated by Samrath Kaur (Annick Press)
Silver Birth Express Award
WINNER
Lost & Found, written and illustrated by Mei Yu (Union Square Kids)
HONOUR BOOKS
Dragon on the Loose, written by Marty Chan, illustrated by Grace Chen (Orca Book Publishers)
Ghost Girl, written by Brooke Carter, illustrated by Alyssa Waterbury (Orca Book Publishers)
Silver Birch Fiction Award
WINNER
The Legendary Mo Seto, written by A.Y. Chan (Aladdin)
HONOUR BOOKS
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams, written and illustrated by Graham Annable (First Second)
Iggy Included, written by Deborah Kerbel (Scholastic Canada)
Yellow Cedar Award
WINNER
Haunted Canada: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Hannah Barrett, David Bishop, Matt Salisbury and Jenn Woodall (Scholastic Canada)
HONOUR BOOKS
The Halifax Explosion: 6 December 1917, at 9:05 in the Morning, written by Afua Cooper, illustrated by Rebecca Bender (Plumleaf Press)
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey, written by Chad Soon and George Chiang, illustrated by Amy Qi (Orca Book Publishers)
Red Maple Award
WINNER
40 Days in Hicksville, written by Christina Kilbourne (DCB Young Readers)
HONOUR BOOKS
The Cricket War, written by Thọ Phạm and Sandra McTavish (Kids Can Press)
Tig, written by Heather Smith (Tundra Books)
White Pine Award
WINNER
The Space Between Here & Now, written by Sarah Suk (Quill Tree Books)
HONOUR BOOKS
Sweetness in the Skin, written by Ishi Robinson (HarperCollins Publishers)
Where the Dark Stands Still, written by A.B. Poranek (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Prix Peuplier
WINNER
Hugo, written and illustrated by Catherine Braun-Grenier (Éditions Fonfon)
HONOUR BOOKS
Si j’avais su, written and illustrated by Geneviève Després (Éditions Les 400 coups)
Dernière heure : la déconfiture du lièvre, written by Robert Soulières, illustrated by Sans Cravate (Éditions Fonfon)
Prix Mélèze
WINNER
Le Cumulus Machinus, written by Ugo Monticone, illustrasted by Orbie (La courte échelle)
HONOUR BOOKS
Blanche comme un drap, written by Chloé Varin, illustrated by Rémi Allen (Éditions Fonfon)
Ntangu, written by Malika Tirolien, illustrated by Kiara Thompson (Éditions Fonfon)
Prix Tamarac
WINNER
L’homme aux araignées, written by Jocelyn Boisvert (La courte échelle)
HONOUR BOOKS
Lili Jade : Pro des animaux, written by Audrée Archambault, illustrated by Simone Duchesne (Éditions de la Bagnole)
Le manoir Hillcrest, written by Sandra Dussault, illustrated by Martin Côté (La courte échelle)
To see all of the nominated lists, click here.