TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award
On October 28, 2004 the Canadian Children’s Book Centre and the TD Bank Group announced the establishment of a brand-new annual, children’s book award, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. The award recognizes excellence in Canadian children’s literature by awarding two cash prizes of $50,000 each to an English-language book and a French-language book which are deemed to have made a significant contribution to excellence in Canadian children’s literature. The celebration of diversity is an equally significant element to achieving excellence. A work of excellence in Canadian children’s literature should also be successful in making people feel a sense of belonging in their communities.
In addition to the winning prize, $10,000 will be divided among the honour book authors/illustrators. If the winning book or honour book(s) is a picture book or graphic novel, the prize is divided equally between the author and the illustrator. The publisher of the winning book receives $2,500 for promotion and publicity purposes.
Jury Details
The award-winning books are selected by an uneven number of judges, either three or five. The jury will include individuals from underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., Black, Indigenous and People of Colour; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Agender, Two-Spirited plus other identities; and those with different abilities). The lived experiences of the jurors will ensure that authenticity and balance will be achieved.
Criteria and Submission Information
Criteria:
The criteria for selecting the winning and shortlisted titles are viewed through each juror’s lens. In identifying excellence, the judges shall consider the following criteria:
- Quality of the text or storyline (in the case of a wordless book) and illustrations (if present).
- Interpretation of the theme or concept.
- Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity and organization.
- Appropriateness of style and presentation.
- Books should have notable qualities in all of the elements pertinent to it, such as interpretation of theme and concept.
- Books need to be self-contained and not dependent on other media for its enjoyment.
- To ensure accuracy and authenticity, works about underrepresented groups should be based on the creator’s lived experiences.
- Books should have been written for a child audience and should achieve excellence of presentation.
- Each book is to be considered as a contribution to literature.
- The popularity of a book and didactic intent are not to be considered.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Books must be published between January 1 and December 31, 2022.
- Both the author and illustrator (if applicable) must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
- Only books published in Canada are eligible for submission. Copyright page/CIP data must reflect this.
- New editions or re-issues of previously published books are not eligible for submission.
- First Canadian editions of books previously published or simultaneously published by non-Canadian publishers are eligible for submission provided they are published between January 1 and December 31, 2022. Copyright page/CIP data must reflect this.
- All genres of books (i.e., picture books, fiction, non-fiction and poetry), written for young people up to age 12, are eligible for consideration. Teen/young adult books are not eligible for submission. For teen fiction/YA, see Amy Mathers Teen Book Award. For teen/YA non-fiction, see Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction.
- Books must be in English.
- Translations are not eligible. Titles originally published in French should be submitted to the Prix TD during their eligible year. In the case where the English and French editions are published simultaneously and where the author has written both the English text and French text (i.e., there is no third-party translator), the publisher holding the original rights takes precedence over the other.
- Books being submitted for consideration must be original works.
- Books based on traditional stories will be considered if the book is the result of original research and the retelling and interpretation are the writer’s own.
- Short story collections by more than one author are not eligible.
- Books written as part of a series or published in serial form will be judged as separate entries and must function as a ‘stand-alone’ story.
- Books based on recorded songs are not eligible for submission.
- The award is only for books in the printed format, as distinct from digital (i.e., eBooks) and audio-visual formats.
- Books in manuscript form are not eligible.
- All books must have an ISBN.
- Self-published books are eligible for submission provided they have a valid ISBN.
Publisher and creator expectations prior to submission:
- Publishers agree to pay the $35 non-refundable submission fee per title per award.
- If a book is shortlisted, the publisher, author and illustrator may be asked to participate in a series of events highlighting and promoting the shortlisted author and illustrator, in addition to the award celebration.
- The CCBC is unable to assume the costs for travel and accommodation. It is our hope that publishers will assist the award winner(s) with providing the resources for attending the in-person awards ceremony (should we be able to hold an in-person event) or for creating an acceptance speech video of appropriate quality should the creator(s) be unable to attend an in-person event.
- Publishers agree to prepare and encourage their authors and illustrators to participate in all reasonable publicity associated with the award: interviews, readings, appearances, etc.
- The winning publisher agrees to use the $2,500 awarded to them to promote/advertise the winning title.
- Publishers agree to have the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award seal on copies of the shortlisted titles and the winning title. Seals will be provided to the publisher by the CCBC.
Submission Information:
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: January 20, 2023
SUBMISSION FEES:
There is a $35 non-refundable fee for each title submitted to each of the CCBC book awards. Therefore, if, for example, you have a title that is eligible for three of the awards and you would like it considered for all three awards, the submission fee for that particular title is $105 ($35 x 3). The fees will be used to offset administration costs, as well as costs associated with the presentation of the awards.
Submission fees are payable by cheque, credit card or online. If paying by cheque or credit card, please complete the submission fee form. To pay online, visit bookcentre.ca/submissionfees.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
You are required to complete an online title submission form for each title being submitted. Please follow up by emailing a final PDF of each title* by the January 20, 2023 deadline to meghan@bookcentre.ca.
If you are paying the submission fee(s) by cheque or credit card, please mail the completed submission fee form to the address at the bottom of the form. Alternatively, you can email the completed form to meghan@bookcentre.ca. Upon receipt of the submission(s), you will be sent instructions for where to send the physical books, as well as the quantity required. Please do not send any books to the CCBC’s office.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS
The title submission form includes a question about accessible formats. While these formats are not a requirement for submitting to the CCBC book awards, we would very much appreciate it if you could let us know if the title(s) is available in an accessible format and if so, which format(s).
* With the ongoing supply chain issues, we are requesting that PDFs of final titles be emailed to meghan@bookcentre.ca when title submission forms are submitted. The PDFs are not to replace the physical books. They are to be used in the event that publishers are experiencing any disruptions/delays with their supply and distribution channels caused by the pandemic.
General Inquiries:
If you have any questions regarding eligibility or the award in general, please contact Meghan Howe at 416.975.0010 ext. 3 or meghan@bookcentre.ca.
Award Recipients
For the full list of finalists and winners, please click here.
| Year | Detail | Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | English language | David A. Robertson. On the Trapline. Illustrated by Julie Flett. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2021. |
| 2022 | French language | Orbie. La fin des poux ? Montreal: Éditions Les 400 coups, 2021. |
| 2021 | English language | Eric Fan, Terry Fan and Devin Fan. The Barnabus Project. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2020. |
| 2021 | French language | Vigg. Ma maison-tête. Montreal: Éditions Fonfon, 2020. |
| 2020 | English language | Julie Flett. Birdsong. Vancouver: Greystone Kids, 2019. |
| 2020 | French language | Jacques Goldstyn. Les étoiles. Montreal: Éditions de la Pastèque, 2019. |
| 2019 | English language | Heather Smith. Ebb & Flow. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2018. |
| 2019 | French language | Stéphanie Boulay. Anatole qui ne séchait jamais. Illustrated by Agathe Bray-Bourret. Montreal: Éditions Fonfon, 2018. |
| 2018 | English language | Joanne Schwartz. Town Is by the Sea. Illustrated by Sydney Smith. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2017. |
| 2018 | French language | Marianne Dubuc. Le chemin de la montagne. Varennes, QC: Comme des géants, 2017. |
| 2017 | English language | Jan Thornhill. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2016. |
| 2017 | French language | Larry Tremblay. Même pas vrai. Illustrated by Guillaume Perreault. Montreal: Éditions de la Bagnole, 2016. |
| 2016 | English language | Melanie Florence. Missing Nimâmâ. Illustrated by François Thisdale. Aurora, ON: Clockwise Press, 2015. |
| 2016 | French language | Jacques Goldstyn. L’arbragan. Montreal: Éditions de la Pastèque, 2015. |
| 2015 | English language | Jonathan Auxier. The Night Gardener. Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2014. |
| 2015 | French language | Marianne Dubuc. L’autobus. Montreal: Comme des géants, 2014. |
| 2014 | English language | Kathy Stinson. The Man with the Violin. Illustrated by Dušan Petricic. Toronto: Annick Press, 2013. |
| 2014 | French language | Andrée Poulin. La plus grosse poutine du monde. Montreal: Bayard Canada, 2013. |
| 2013 | English language | Polly Horvath. One Year in Coal Harbour. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2012. |
| 2013 | French language | Michel Noël. À la recherche du bout du monde. Montreal: Éditions Hurtubise HMH, 2012. |
| 2012 | English Language | Trilby Kent. Stones for My Father. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2011. |
| 2012 | French Language | Mario Brassard. La saison des pluies. Illustrated by Suana Verelst. St-Lambert, QC: Soulières éditeur, 2011. |
| 2011 | English Language | Erin Bow. Plain Kate. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2010. |
| 2011 | French Language | Linda Amyot. La fille d’en face. Montreal: Leméac éditeur, 2010. |
| 2010 | English Language | Arthur Slade. The Hunchback Assignments. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. |
| 2010 | French Language | Mélanie Tellier. Le géranium. Illustrated by Melinda Josie. Montréal: Éditions Marchand de feuilles, 2009. |
| 2009 | English Language | Nicola I. Campbell. Shin-chi’s Canoe. Illustrated by Kim LaFave. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2008. |
| 2009 | French Language | Anne Villeneuve. Chère Traudi. Montreal: Éditions Les 400 coups, 2008. |
| 2008 | English Language | Christopher Paul Curtis. Elijah of Buxton. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2007. |
| 2008 | French Language | Gilles Vigneault. Un cadeau pour Sophie. Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch. Montreal: Éditions La montagne secrète, 2007. |
| 2007 | English Language | Sarah Ellis. Odd Man Out. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2006. |
| 2007 | French Language | André Leblanc. L’Envers de la chanson : des enfants au travail 1850-1950. Montreal: Les éditions Les 400 coups, 2006. |
| 2006 | English Language | Pamela Porter. The Crazy Man. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2005. |
| 2006 | French Language | François Gravel. David et le salon funéraire. Illustrated by Pierre Pratt. St-Lambert, QC: Dominique et compagnie, 2005. |
| 2005 | English Language | Marthe Jocelyn. Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2004. |
| 2005 | French Language | François Barcelo. Le nul et la chipie. Illustrated by Anne Villeneuve. St-Lambert, QC: Soulières Éditeur, 2004. |