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Award-Winning English Titles MUNICIPAL CHAPTER OF TORONTO IODE BOOK AWARD
It seems every neighbourhood has a house shrouded in mystery - a house where eccentrics of some description live. It is in this type of house that the Clay Ladies live. Based on the lives of two real-life clay sculptors who lived in Toronto from the 1920s to the 1960s, Frances Loring and Florence Wylie, The Clay Ladies presents the fictional story of a young girl who meets the women at their unconventional house. The house is known to the neighbours as The Church, which is what it used to be, though it is no longer. The girl has secretly watched the house, and has seen children taking sick and injured pets there. When she rescues a fledgling robin, she knows that this is the place where she should take it. She walks past the woodpile, knocks on the door and is greeted by Miss Loring. Past the open door she sees clutter strewn everywhere: stacks of boxes, piles of papers and books, and half-finished sculptures, hung with damp sheets. Here, she is introduced to the magic of clay, and in her visits to watch her rescued bird develop its wings, she learns how to appreciate the world of artists and art, and how to work the clay into a little bird of her own. The brilliant paintings by Toronto artist Les Tait fill the book with colour, and present some of the works of Frances Loring and Florence Wylie. They also portray the wildness of The Church and its yard, and the creativity found within. NATIONAL CHAPTER OF CANADA IODE VIOLET DOWNEY BOOK AWARD
In her impressive debut novel, Katherine Holubitsky writes with a remarkable understanding of her main character, Pamela Collins. Pam grieves for her mother (who has commited suicide) in addition to growing through all the usual turmoil and conflicts of a 14-year-old. The narrative is beautiful in its simplicity, yet completely engaging. Through her journal, Pam reflects on her relationships with her friends, teachers, father and his new girlfriend. However, the story's focus remains on Pam's metamorphosis as she makes her way through unfamiliar and difficult situations, relying on her inner compass and the memories of her mother's wisdom to guide her. She is finally able to move past the pain of death towards acceptance and peace of mind and heart. Set near a well-known British Columbia landmark, the images that Holubitsky describes are vivid - the majestic mountain landscape, the river, and Ninety Foot - the canyon where Pam's mother took her life and where Pam so often sought solace. A subtle book, offering a powerful and compelling view of a real-life situation. NORMA FLECK AWARD
This book is a fascinating account of travel in the Far North with a long-distance trucker named Bill Rutherford. He is also also a modern day merchant adventurer, like Marco Polo. We are introduced to the geography, history, culture and challenges of the North. Bill loads his rig in Vancouver and the Okanagan Valley with fruit, vegetables and groceries, and travels north via highways and perilous Arctic ice roads, to sell his goods in Inuvik and Tuktoyuktuk. The round trip covers over 8000 kilometres! Many aspects of a long-distance trucker's day are explored, from the specialized cab of a large rig, to truck stops, to trucker support programs such as Trucker Buddy International, which links truckers to children around the world as pen pals. By Truck to the North reveals many Arctic facts through Bill's trip, and numerous informative sidebars and maps which chart his progress. The northern lights, ice roads and wolves are among the diverse topics covered. Colourful photographs, historical anecdotes, and black-and-white pictures give the reader a tantalizing glimpse of life in the Far North, past and present. R. ROSS ANNETT JUVENILE FICTION AWARD
The story of Willa begins in England in 1795. The bubonic plague is ravaging London and decimates Willa's entire family. At 15, she suddenly finds herself alone. Having lost everything, she is taken in by her uncle, who decides to rid himself of her by sending Willa off to Canada to work for the York factory, near Hudson's Bay. Now in northern Manitoba, Willa learns to survive in this new world, while trying to avoid the many dangers she encounters. Barbara Demers paints a portrait of a courageous young girl, who finds the inner strength to overcome adversity. In this wonderful book, readers will also discover some little known Canadian history: daily life in the 18th century in northern Manitoba. RED CEDAR BOOK AWARD
Working on the premise that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the author has taken two little bats and fashioned them into interesting and appealing characters in this remarkable animal fantasy. Together, Shade, a fledgling Silverwing bat, and Marina, a shimmering but resourceful Brightwing bat, cross oceans, mountains and cities, battle wind and snow, thunder and lightning and encounter formidable friends and foes (owls, pigeons, rats, and even other bats) in search of Shade's lost colony. Although tormented throughout their adventure with the knowledge that they are creatures of the night to whom the sun is forbidden, they ultimately find self-acceptance, concluding that they are "pretty happy" being bats. RED CEDAR BOOK AWARD
A grandmother explains the order of the paper cutout animals to her granddaughter. The cutouts are very well crafted, explains the grandmother, but there's a sequence in which they must be placed. And with this, she tells the tale of a race of animals as different as a pig and a monkey, over terrain as varied as the desert and the sea. The Great Race is a large picture book about an ancient time, when the Great Buddha summoned 11 animals and a dragon to invite them to participate in a race. The Great Buddha explained that the order in which they finished didn't signify strength or weakness, but that it confirmed the order in which they would complete the race and ultimately, the order in which all were to be inextricably linked. All part of the Chinese zodiac, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig raced and learned. Zhong-Yang Huang's paintings of the race pulsate with movement and rich colours. They are supported by author David Bouchard's vibrant narrative and thoughtful dialogue. The afterword, an explanation of the Chinese zodiac and the years represented by each animal (and dragon), will pique the interest of young and old. RED MAPLE AWARD
This is both a tender novel and a suspenseful mystery story. Anita Horrocks has successfully woven common teenage problems - and some not so common ones - into an intriguing and heartwarming tale. Fourteen-year-old Hannah was a typical teenager until the day of her school science fair. It seems as though a science project is the cause of Hannah's suddenly destructive behavior and terrible anger. To older sister Kelly, Hannah's unusual behavior is a mystery, one that she is determined to solve. Kelly must find out Hannah's secret before it's too late, even if it means snooping in her secret box! This is an insightful look at the challenges facing modern-day teenagers and their families. RUTH SCHWARTZ CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Stella and her younger brother, Sam, are spending the day at the seashore. Stella is confident and optimistic about the sea, exploring, swimming and floating on the surface. Sam is on his first visit to the sea, and is apprehensive. He asks the patient Stella about the variety of shells he has found, about sharks and about fish - all from the safety of the beach. Stella gives imaginative answers. Gay's watercolour pictures have a happy feeling, and are very detailed, especially Stella's underwater visit. Many pictures have side events taking place as well - a kite flown by a hidden child, the meeting of a dog and crab, children playing tag. Children reading this book will identify with the scariness of learning new activities. This is a book to tickle an early reader's funny bone. RUTH SCHWARTZ CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Following the multi-award winning novel Silverwing, Sunwing is the continuing story of Shade, a silverwing bat who undergoes many adventures. In Sunwing, Shade continues his search for his father after reuniting with his colony. He and his friend, Marina, are joined in their search by other members of the colony. They travel many wingbeats to the north and discover a strange building constructed by humans. The bats hope that they can find Shade's father as well as answers to the meaning of the silver bands, which humans have attached to some of their species. The building holds many surprises, more frightening than any of the bats ever imagined. Shade and Marina meet Goth, the evil vampire bat who tried to kill them previously. Which is the worse threat, humans or Goth? The bats escape, but they must find a way to stop Goth and his colony from destroying them. Shade uses all his wits to enlist the aid of the rats and the owls, enemies of the bats since the beginning of time. Goth and his colony live in the jungles in the south, and it is there that the bats and their group must make a stand. In the ancient pyramids of the jungle, which the vampire bats call home, a terrifying battle ensues. The northern bats must win the battle to save their species and way of life. This gripping story is written in great detail. The readers are pulled into the life of the bats, their quest for family, their journeys, fears and struggle to survive. THE SHEILA A. EGOFF CHILDREN'S PRIZE
In WOW, Canada! the reader embarks on a cross-Canada car trip, as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy named Guy, travelling with his parents and younger sister Rachel. In his journal, Guy recounts facts and stories about Canada, ranging from geography and history to wildlife and geology, in a humorous, kid-friendly tone. The layout presents a great amount of interesting facts, using sidebars with titles such as "According to Dad" and "Exceedingly Weird", to inform and entertain readers without overwhelming them. Illustrations take the form of colourful photographs, slides, stamps and souvenirs, as well as postcards, which document correspondence from Guy and Rachel to their friends back home. WOW, Canada! covers all of Canada's provinces and territories, including Nunavut, with a separate chapter devoted to each one, including information on tourist attractions, historical sites, and even "Food I Was Introduced to for My Own Good!" There is an excellent index, as well as a three-page synopsis of facts, covering flags, symbols, population, and government Web-page addresses for each province and territory. With its bounty of timely information, this book would be useful for school projects, as well as a very entertaining guide to take across Canada. | ||||||||||||||||||||
