Meet the finalists of the 2022 Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Montreal (October 26, 2022)—Communication-Jeunesse (CJ) and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2022 Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse. The winning title will receive $50,000.

The nominated titles represent the remarkable quality of work by Canadian creators. Each nominated title has made a valuable contribution to French-language Canadian children’s literature.

Thank you to Canada’s authors and illustrators for their exceptional creativity,” says Stéphane Masquida, Executive Director of Communication-Jeunesse. Thank you to the publishers for taking a chance in publishing these books and for submitting them to the Prix TD. Thank you to the members of the jury for their incredible wisdom and to the five finalists for proudly representing the diversity and quality of Canada’s French-language literature for youth.

Communication-Jeunesse warmly thanks TD Bank Group for offering the largest prize to creators of French-language Canadian children’s literature.

“Once again, what a great year for English- and French-language children’s literature in Canada! Congratulations to the finalists of the Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse” says Sylvie Demers, President, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group. “As part of the TD Ready Commitment, we are proud to have celebrated the talent and passion of Canadian creators for nearly 20 years by presenting the Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse. We believe that by investing in literature for our youth, we are helping to build a more inclusive future for them, one that is built on a strong foundation.

Sarah Sahagian, Executive Director of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, also highlighted the quality of the selected titles: “Congratulations to all the finalists! In your own way, you have entertained, educated and inspired young people with your books. We wholeheartedly admire your hard work and great talent!”

The 2022 Prix TD winner will be announced at a short virtual ceremony on Communication-Jeunesse’s Facebook page on Tuesday, November 15, at 12 noon ET.

Communication-Jeunesse and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre are proud to share the 2022 finalists for the Prix TD. Download the PDF of this press release.

For more information, please contact:

Prix TD — Francophone component (communications)

Sandrine Gagné
Consultant
Morin Relations Publiques
sandrine@morinrp.com
Cell: 438-873-2909
morinrp.com

Prix TD — Francophone component (organization)

Stéphane Masquida
Executive Director
Communication-Jeunesse
s.masquida@cjqc.ca
Cell: 514-823-0702
communication-jeunesse.qc.ca

Prix TD — Anglophone component (organization)

Carol-Ann Hoyte
Program and Events Coordinator
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
carol-ann@bookcentre.ca
Tel: 416-975-0010 ext. 4
bookcentre.ca


Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse ($50,000)
Sponsored by TD Bank Group

Dans  mon garde-robe
Written by Aimée Verret (Montreal, QC)
Groupe d’édition la courte échelle
for ages 11 and up

“We enter the poetic universe of a young girl trying to find her bearings in her new reality as a teenager. What do you do when you want to grow up but not bear witness to your changing body? This short poetry collection is a testament to childhood nostalgia.”


Les devoirs d’Edmond
Written by Hugo Léger (Saint-Lambert, QC)
Illustrated by Julie Rocheleau (Montreal, QC)
Éditions Les 400 coups
for ages 7 and up

“ʻMy mom is dead. I say it as it happened, suddenly. A few minutes before the sea swallowed her, we were both having fun.’ A poignant, difficult subject handled with delicate accuracy by the simplicity of Hugo Léger’s words and the gentle naivety of Julie Rocheleau’s illustrations.”


La fin des poux ?
Written and illustrated by Orbie (Cap d’Espoir, QC)
Éditions Les 400 coups
for ages 5 and up

“It was that summer when the children couldn’t play together like before. On Annette’s head, a family of lice is growing and starting to feel cramped… With lots of humour and talent, author and illustrator Orbie recounts the fate of the family of lice during the pandemic.”


La guerre des bébés
Written by Carole Tremblay (Montreal, QC)
Illustrated by Élodie Duhameau (Montreal, QC)
Groupe d’édition la courte échelle
for ages 5 and up

“Violette embarks on an investigation to find out where babies come from. Some children from the neighbourhood, born under different circumstances, offer her answers based on their personal experiences. A must-read picture book to understand different types of diversity in a very amusing context.”


Papier bulle
Written by Simon Boulerice (Montreal, QC)
Illustrated by Eve Patenaude (Verdun, QC)
Éditions XYZ
for ages 10 and up

Papier bulle is a deeply moving story that shows that great strength can be drawn from what initially seems like a weakness. A lesson in resilience, the manga-inspired illustrations are a perfect match for the subject.”


JURY MEMBERS: Alex-Anne Flambert, teacher and blog creater, La Bibliomaniaque; Fatima Khlifi, pedagogical consultant, Conseil scolaire Viamonde; Julien Leclerc, pedagogical consultant, Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) and blog contributor, J’enseigne avec la littérature jeunesse; Marjolaine Séguin, school librarian and co-founder, Prix Espiègle; Mylène Viens, author and Project Manager, Réseau des arts de la parole et des arts et initiatives littéraires (RAPAIL).


About the Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse
The Prix TD is the most generous prize offered each year to creators of Canadian children’s literature. It recognizes excellence in Canadian children’s literature by awarding a $50,000 cash prize to a French-language book deemed to have made a significant contribution to excellence in Canadian children’s literature. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for promotion and publicity. An additional $10,000 is shared amongst the creators of the four remaining finalists for their contribution to Canadian children’s literature.

About the Canadian Children’s Book Centre
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is a national, not‐for‐profit organization founded in 1976. We are dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers. Our programs, publications, and resources help teachers, librarians, booksellers and parents select the very best for young readers. For more information, please visit bookcentre.ca.

About Communication-Jeunesse
Communication-Jeunesse is a national non-profit cultural organization that was founded in 1971 to promote and appreciate Quebec and Franco-Canadian literature aimed at young people age 0 to 17. The vitality of the organization is largely based on the quality of its associative life and the commitment of its members has been at the heart of its operations since its creation. The members of Communication-Jeunesse enrich its actions and promote its development with as much rigor as energy. For more information, please visit communication-jeunesse.qc.ca.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship
TD has a long‐standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow—Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment, TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident—not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.