Today’s the day! The short list for the BC Book Prizes has finally been announced. Here’s the short list for the two prizes for children’s/teen literature.
Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize
Supported by the BC Library Association
Judges: Glen Huser, Sheryl McFarlane, Pam Withers
Middle of Nowhere
by Caroline Adderson
Publisher: Groundwood Books
When his mother doesn’t return from her all-night job at the local gas bar, Curtis must keep her absence a secret and look after himself and his five-year old brother, Artie. He knows exactly what will happen if any of the teachers find out the truth. He remembers his last foster home all too clearly. But when it all becomes too much for him to handle, Curtis and Artie befriend Mrs. Burt, the cranky, lonely old lady across the street. When the authorities start to investigate, Mrs. Burt and the boys abscond to her remote cabin by the lake. At the lake, the boys’ days are filled with wood-chopping, outhouse-building, fishing, swimming and Mrs. Burt’s wonderful cooking. But then the weather grows colder, and Mrs. Burt seems to be preparing to spend the winter at the cabin. Have they really all just absconded to the lake for a summer holiday? Or have the two boys been kidnapped? Caroline Adderson is the author of several award-winning books for adults and children. She lives in Vancouver, BC. More
Mimi Power and the I-Don’t-Know-What
by Victoria Miles
Publisher: Tradewind Books
Artist, animal lover and would-be swimming sensation Mimi Power knows what it’s like to live under the tyranny of a three-year-old sister. Things have never been the same in the Power house since “The Waby” arrived. Finding creative space in all the chaos is getting harder by the minute for Mimi. But with the school art show looming and a prize too-good-to-give-up-on at stake, Mimi comes up with a plan that’s three-year-old foolproof. Or is it? To know for sure, Mimi will have to tap into her big sister power and find her own little piece of the sky. Award-winning author Victoria Miles lives in North Vancouver, BC, with her husband, photographer David Nunuk, and two daughters—Emily and Daphne—otherwise known as Waby. More
The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls
by John Lekich
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Henry Holloway’s mother died when he was nine, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Andy and his friends, all amiable small-time crooks. When Uncle Andy is sent to prison, Henry must escape the notice of Social Services. Fortunately, Henry possesses all the skills it takes to be a successful house burglar. Henry is an unusually resourceful and considerate burglar – until he’s caught. He is sent to live with the Wingates, a strange family in a small town called Snowflake Falls. Henry is just getting used to his temporary family when the newly liberated Uncle Andy and his criminal friends draw him into a plan to rob the citizens of Snowflake Falls. Will Henry be loyal to his uncle or will he break with the past and do the right thing? John Lekich is a Vancouver-based author and freelance writer whose work has appeared in such publications as Reader’s Digest, the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter. More
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
by Susin Nielsen
Publisher: Tundra Books
Thirteen-year-old Henry’s ordinary life ends when his brother picks up their father’s hunting rifle and leaves the house before the family wakes up. What follows shatters their family, forcing them to resume their lives in Vancouver, where no one knows their past. When Henry’s therapist suggests he keep a journal, he resists, but soon confides in it at all hours. Henry eventually befriends a number of oddballs who help him navigate life after “IT.” Susin Nielsen got her start writing a spec script for Degrassi Junior High. She wrote 16 episodes and four Degrassi books. She also wrote award-winning novel Word Nerd and critically acclaimed Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom. She lives in Vancouver, BC. More
Seraphina
by Rachel Hartman
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high. Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered. While a sinister plot to destroy the peace is uncovered, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. Seraphina’s tortuous journey to self-acceptance will make a magical, indelible impression on its readers. Seraphina is Rachel Hartman‘s debut novel. She lives in Vancouver. More
Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
Supported by Ampersand Inc. and Kate Walker
Judges: Dianna Bonder, Marguerite Ruurs, Yukiko Tosa
Gift Days
by Kari-Lynn Winters
Illustrated by Stephen Taylor
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Young Nassali longs to read and write like her brother, but since her mother’s death, Nassali is responsible for looking after her younger siblings and running the household. There is no time for books and learning. Then one day, she wakes up to discover that her chores have been taken care of. It is her first gift day. From that day on, once a week, her brother gives Nassali the gift of time so that she can pursue her dream of an education, just as her mother would have wanted. Kari-Lynn Winters is an author, poet, and performer. She is Assistant Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Brock University in St Catharines, Ontario, where she teaches drama-in- education. Stephen Taylor has illustrated numerous children’s books, including educational publishings over a span of 20 years. Taylor was born in Dulwich, England and currently resides in Toronto, Canada with his wife and son. More
Hey Canada!
by Vivien Bowers
Illustrated by Milan Pavlovic
Publisher: Tundra Books
Gran has decided that she is taking nine-year-old Alice and eight-year-old Cal on a road trip across Canada “before she’s old and creaky.” With a sparkling combination of poems, silly songs, tweets and blogs, the trio records the trip for readers everywhere to share. Starting in St. John’s Newfoundland, where they have a “find-it” list that includes a moose and an iceberg and going all the way to the Pacific Ocean, the gang in Hey Canada! offers a delightful way to learn about vast, varied, and surprising Canada. Vivien Bowers has been a freelance writer for more than twenty-five years, writing elementary and secondary school materials, as well as non-fiction books and magazine articles for both adults and children. Bowers has two grown sons and lives at the base of the mountains outside Nelson, BC. Milan Pavlovic is an illustrator, graphic artist and educator. He currently teaches at OCAD University and lives in Toronto with his family. More
Maggie’s Chopsticks
by Alan Woo
Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Poor Maggie struggles to master her chopsticks — it seems nearly everyone around the dinner table has something to say about the “right” way to hold them! But when Father reminds her not to worry about everyone else, Maggie finally gets a grip on an important lesson. Alan Woo was born in England and grew up in Vancouver. His work has been published in RicePapermagazine and Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine. Isabelle Malenfant lives and works in Montréal with her family. She loves the creation of characters and sensitive stories, which are sometimes funny, sometimes dark. More
Rainbow Shoes
by Tiffany Stone
Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki
Publisher: Tradewind Books
What to wear? What to choose? Pick a pair of rainbow shoes. Or purple pants from aunts in France that make you want to strut and prance. Pink pj’s for pirate naps with pockets to hide treasure maps. Red rubber boots, the robot kind. All these and more are clothes you’ll find in this colour-full book of wearable rhymes. Tiffany Stone is a children’s poet and vegetarian who loves all animals, even the really bad ones. She lives in BC with her husband and three children, who are very, very good—most of the time. Stefan Czernecki was born in a refugee camp in Germany and now lives in a small glass apartment one hundred and fifty feet above the ground. For inspiration he travels to faraway places like Tokyo, Mexico City, New York and Marrakesh. Sometimes he just takes a walk around the block. More
What’s Up, Bear?: A Book About Opposites
by Frieda Wishinsky
Illustrated by Sean L. Moore
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Sophie can’t wait to see New York, while Bear would much rather they just stay home. Sophie loves speeding around in a taxi cab, but Bear wishes the driver would slow down. Up and down, stop and go, tall and short, and many more opposite pairs are illustrated using iconic New York experiences, buildings, and landmarks. Then, when Sophie spies a window full of new bears in a toy store, Bear begins to worry he is too plain and old to compete with all the city has to offer. He’s proven right temporarily when Sophie forgets him in the toy store, but a helpful young boy and his mother find Bear and return him to Sophie at her hotel. The reunion is a happy one, and Sophie and Bear realize they love each other — no matter where they are! Frieda Wishinsky has written many beloved and best-selling books for children. Originally from New York, she now lives in Toronto. Sean L. Moore has written and illustrated several books for children. He lives with his dog, Zeke, in Vancouver. More
Sheryl McFarlane 