Best Books Selections Committees

Expert committees of educators, booksellers and school and public librarians from across Canada have handpicked the materials featured in Best Books for Kids & Teens. Committees look for excellence in writing and illustration. Most importantly, these committees focus on selecting materials that will appeal to children and young adults.

We thank these committee members for generously donating their time and expertise.

 

BEGINNING READERS, EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS, MIDDLE YEARS HI-LO, TEEN HI-LO

Gigi Nadeau (Chair) (she/her/elle)
Librarian (Retired)
Riverside School Board
Saint-Hubert, QC

Kristie Bridges (she/her/elle)
Teacher
Riverside School Board
Saint-Hubert, QC

Kathleen Largy-Nadeau (she/her)
Coordinator, Practice Teaching
Faculty of Education
Bishop’s University
Sherbrooke, QC

Amanda Webster (she/her)
Librarian
Eastern Townships School Board
Sherbrooke, QC



GRAPHIC NOVELS

Scott Robins (Chair) (he/him)
Children's Services Specialist
Don Mills District Branch, Toronto Public Library
Toronto, ON

Fatma Faraj (she/her)
Junior School Teacher-Librarian
Branksome Hall
Toronto, ON

Linda Ludke (she/her)
Collections Management Librarian
London Public Library
London, ON

Rebecca Roach (she/her)
Itinerant Resource Teacher
Alternative Schools (West)
Toronto District School Board
Member, White Pine Selection Committee
Toronto, ON



JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE FICTION #1

Gail Hamilton (Chair)
Teacher-Librarian (Retired)
East St. Paul, MB


Dr. Dave Jenkinson
Professor Emeritus
Faculty of Education
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB

Tamara Opar
Youth Services Librarian (Retired)
Winnipeg, MB



Harriet Zaidman
Children's and freelance writer
Teacher-Librarian (Retired)
Children’s Book Columnist
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg, MB



JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE FICTION #2


Charlotte Big Canoe (Co-Chair) (she/they)
Manager, Family Engagement
Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, ON






Ashley Pamenter (Chair) (she/her)
Manager, Programs
Girl Guides of Canada
Co-Chair, Red Maple Steering Committee
Member, White Pine and Yellow Cedar Steering Committees
Toronto, ON


Alexandra Byers (she/her)
Public Service Associate
Cobourg Public Library
Bookseller
Furby House Books
Port Hope, ON






Larysa Essex (she/her)
Children’s Services Coordinator
Midland Public Library
Member, Silver Birch Fiction
Steering Committee
Chair, OLA Child & Youth Services Committee
Victoria Harbour, ON

Faith Shergold (she/her)
Manager, Programming and Engagement
Midland Public Library
Co-Chair, Red Maple Steering Committee
Tiny, ON





NON-FICTION #1

Kathleen Martin (Chair) 
Writer
Halifax, NS



Lisa Doucet (she/her)
Manager
Woozles
Halifax, NS




Dr. Vivian Howard (she/her)
Associate Professor (Retired)
School of Information Management
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS

Sandy Seth (she/her)
Teacher
Halifax Independent School
Halifax, NS



NON-FICTION #2

Clare Gorman (Chair) (she/her)
Teacher-Librarian (Retired)
Toronto, ON








Dr. Cristina Guerrero (she/her/ella)
Professor
Bachelor of Child and Youth Care Program
Faculty of Social and Community Services
Humber Polytechnic
Toronto, ON


Rabia Khokhar (she/her)
Teacher
Toronto District School Board
Co-Chair, Blue Spruce Selection Committee
PhD Candidate 
Toronto, ON

 



Dr. Christine Monson (she/her)
Teacher-Librarian
Toronto District School Board
Toronto, ON






PICTURE BOOKS

Sandra Stockall (Chair)
Resource Support for Classroom Teachers 
Subject Coordinator (Retired)
Anglophone East School District
Moncton, NB

Samantha Coates 
Grade 4/5 French Immersion
Anglophone East School District
Moncton, NB




Barbara Gebuhr
Teacher and Principal (Retired)
Anglophone East School District
Canadian International School of Beijing
Midway, NB


Bryna Dickson Roper
District Education Support Teacher, EAL
Anglophone East School
  District
Moncton, NB

 



YOUNG ADULT FICTION #1

Madison Cumbaa (Chair) (she/her)
Teacher-Librarian
Position of Responsibility (Equity) 
Toronto District School Board
Member, Prix Peuplier Selection Committee
Toronto, ON
Elizabeth Coats (she/her)
Library Technician
Halton Catholic District
School Board
Chair, White Pine Steering Committee
Milton, ON


Adeline Koon (she/her)
Teacher-Librarian
Toronto District School Board
Toronto, ON





Ben Yanchyshyn (he/him/il)
French Immersion Teacher
Toronto District School Board
Toronto, ON







YOUNG ADULT FICTION #2

Rachel Seigel (Chair)
Author
Book Reviewer
Sales & Distribution Manager
Page Two Publishing
Toronto, ON





Sara Chan (she/her)
Teacher
Toronto District School Board
Toronto, ON








Wendy Burch Jones (she/her)
Teacher-Librarian
Toronto District School Board
Past President
Ontario School Library Association
Co-Chair, Yellow Cedar Selection Committee
Toronto, ON


Colleen Nelson (she/her)
Author
Teacher
Pembina Trails School Division
Winnipeg, MB