Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

The Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, established in 2014, honours excellence in teen/young adult fiction. The prize is awarded annually with a cash prize of $5,000. To be eligible, the book must be an original work in English, aimed at readers aged 13-18 and written by a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.

About Amy Mathers

Inspired by Terry Fox’s and Rick Hansen’s Canadian journeys, Amy Mathers decided to honour her passion for reading Canadian teen literature, while working around her physical limitations, by completing a Marathon of Books.

In 2014, Amy read one Canadian teen fiction book a day throughout the entire year in an effort to raise funds for this award. She read books from every province and territory, exploring Canada and promoting Canadian authors and books along the way.

To contribute to the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, click here.

Submissions will open in January 2026.

Past Winners and Finalists

  • Age 16
    Age 16
    Written and illustrated by Rosena Fung
    Annick Press, 2024
    Winner
  • And Then There Was Us
    And Then There Was Us
    Written by Kern Carter
    Tundra Books, 2024
    Finalist
  • A Constellation of Minor Bears
    A Constellation of Minor Bears
    Written by Jen Ferguson
    Heartdrum, 2024
    Finalist
  • Fledgling
    Fledgling
    Written by S.K. Ali
    Kokila, 2024
    Finalist
  • For She Is Wrath
    For She Is Wrath
    Written by Emily Varga
    Wednesday Books, 2024
    Finalist
  • The Lightning Circle
    The Lightning Circle
    Written by Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Laura K. Watson
    Tundra Books, 2024
    Finalist
  • Only This Beautiful Moment
    2024
    Only This Beautiful Moment
    Written by Abdi Nazemian
    Balzer + Bray, 2023
    Winner
  • Brighter Than the Sun
    2024
    Brighter Than the Sun
    Written by Daniel Aleman
    Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023
    Finalist
  • Delicious Monsters
    2024
    Delicious Monsters
    Written by Liselle Sambury
    Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023
    Finalist
  • Something More
    2024
    Something More
    Written by Jackie Khalilieh
    Tundra Books, 2023
    Finalist
  • The Space Between Here & Now
    2024
    The Space Between Here & Now
    Written by Sarak Suk
    Quill Tree Books, 2023
    Finalist
  • As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow
    2023
    As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow
    Written by Zoulfa Katouh
    Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022
    Winner
  • The Red Palace
    2023
    The Red Palace
    Written by June Hur
    Feiwel and Friends, 2022
    Finalist
  • The Road to Lost
    2023
    The Road to Lost
    Written by Nafiza Azad
    Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2022
    Finalist
  • TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
    2023
    TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
    Written by Jesmeen Kaur Deo
    Viking Books for Young Readers, 2022
    Finalist
  • Wrong Side of the Court
    2023
    Wrong Side of the Court
    Written by H.N. Khan
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2022
    Finalist
  • Iron Widow
    2022
    Iron Widow
    Written by Xiran Jay Zhao
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2021
    Winner
  • Blood Like Magic
    2022
    Blood Like Magic
    Written by Liselle Sambury
    Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2021
    Finalist
  • If I Tell You the Truth
    2022
    If I Tell You the Truth
    Written by Jasmin Kaur
    HarperCollins Publishers, 2021
    Finalist
  • Misfit in Love
    2022
    Misfit in Love
    Written by S.K. Ali
    Salaam Reads, 2021
    Finalist
  • The Project
    2022
    The Project
    Written by Courtney Summers
    Wednesday Books, 2021
    Finalist
  • Facing the Sun
    2021
    Facing the Sun
    Written by Janice Lynn Mather
    Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020
    Winner
  • Charming as a Verb
    2021
    Charming as a Verb
    Written by Ben Philippe
    Balzer & Bray, 2020
    Finalist
  • Followers
    2021
    Followers
    Written by Raziel Reid
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2020
    Finalist
  • He Must Like You
    2021
    He Must Like You
    Written by Danielle Younge-Ullman
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2020
    Finalist
  • The Silence of Bones
    2021
    The Silence of Bones
    Written by June Hur
    Feiwel & Friends, 2020
    Finalist
  • In the Key of Nira Ghani
    2020
    In the Key of Nira Ghani
    Written by Natasha Deen
    Running Press Teens, 2019
    Winner
  • All Our Broken Pieces
    2020
    All Our Broken Pieces
    Written by L.D. Crichton
    Hyperion, 2019
    Finalist
  • The Candle and the Flame
    2020
    The Candle and the Flame
    Written by Nafiza Azad
    Scholastic Press, 2019
    Finalist
  • Keep This to Yourself
    2020
    Keep This to Yourself
    Written by Tom Ryan
    Albert Whitman & Company, 2019
    Finalist
  • Love from A to Z
    2020
    Love from A to Z
    Written by S.K. Ali
    Salaam Readers, 2019
    Finalist
  • The House of One Thousand Eyes
    2019
    The House of One Thousand Eyes
    Written by Michelle Barker
    Annick Press, 2018
    Winner
  • Aftermath
    2019
    Aftermath
    Written by Kelley Armstrong
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2018
    Finalist
  • Easy Prey
    2019
    Easy Prey
    Written by Catherine Lo
    Amulet Books, 2018
    Finalist
  • Girl Like That
    2019
    Girl Like That
    Written by Tanaz Bhathena
    Farrar, Straus & Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2018
    Finalist
  • Learning to Breathe
    2019
    Learning to Breathe
    Written by Janice Lynn Mather
    Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018
    Finalist
  • The Marrow Thieves
    2018
    The Marrow Thieves
    Written by Cherie Dimaline
    DCB Young Readers, 2017
    Winner
  • The Agony of Bun O'Keefe
    2018
    The Agony of Bun O'Keefe
    Written by Heather Smith
    Penguin Teen Canada, 2017
    Finalist
  • Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined
    2018
    Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined
    Written by Danielle Younge-Ullman
    Razorbill Canada, 2017
    Finalist
  • Munro vs. the Coyote
    2018
    Munro vs. the Coyote
    Written by Darren Groth
    Orca Book Publishers, 2017
    Finalist
  • The Way Back Home
    2018
    The Way Back Home
    Written by Allan Stratton
    Scholastic Canada, 2017
    Finalist
  • Exit, Pursued by a Bear
    2017
    Exit, Pursued by a Bear
    Written by E.K. Johnston
    Dutton Books, 2016
    Winner
  • Girl Mans Up
    2017
    Girl Mans Up
    Written by M-E Girard
    HarperCollins Publishers, 2016
    Finalist
  • Julia Vanishes
    2017
    Julia Vanishes
    Written by Catherine Egan
    Doubleday Canada, 2016
    Finalist
  • Shooter
    2017
    Shooter
    Written by Caroline Pignat
    Razorbill Canada, 2016
    Finalist
  • With Malice
    2017
    With Malice
    Written by Eileen Cook
    Houghlin Mifflin Harcourt, 2016
    Finalist
  • The Truth Commission
    2016
    The Truth Commission
    Written by Susan Juby
    Razorbill Canada, 2015
    Winner
  • 5 to 1
    2016
    5 to 1
    Written by Holly Bodger
    Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015
    Finalist
  • Scorpion Rules
    2016
    Scorpion Rules
    Written by Erin Bow
    Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2015
    Finalist
  • Trouble is a Friend of Mine
    2016
    Trouble is a Friend of Mine
    Written by Stephanie Tromly
    Kathy Dawson Books, 2015
    Finalist
  • Young Man With Camera
    2016
    Young Man With Camera
    Written by Emil Sher
    Arthur A. Levine Books, 2015
    Finalist
  • What We Hide
    2015
    What We Hide
    Written by Marthe Jocelyn
    Tundra Books, 2014
    Winner
  • The Art of Getting Stared At
    2015
    The Art of Getting Stared At
    Written by Laura Langston
    Razorbill Canada, 2014
    Finalist
  • Blues for Zoey
    2015
    Blues for Zoey
    Written by Robert Paul Weston
    Razorbill Canada, 2014
    Finalist
  • The Bodies We Wear
    2015
    The Bodies We Wear
    Written by Jeyn Roberts
    Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015
    Finalist
  • The Gospel Truth
    2015
    The Gospel Truth
    Written by Caroline Pignat
    Red Deer Press, 2014
    Finalist