Kids and Teen Awards

Awards news from Canada and around the world

2021 Winners of the CODE Burt Awards for Indigenous YA literature announced!

The CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is a Canadian literary award and readership initiative that recognizes excellence in Indigenous-authored literature for young adults.

Richard Van Camp won for Moccasin Square Gardens, a collection of humorous short fiction set in Denendeh, the land of the people north of the 60th parallel.

Michael Hutchinson's middle grade book The case for Windy Lake was named an Honour book in the English language category.

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award 2020

Book cover of In the key of Nira Ghani and picture of author

In the key of Nira Ghani by Natasha Deen Winner!
All our broken pieces by L.D Crichton
The candle and the flame by Nafiza Azad
Keep this to yourself by Tom Ryan (DAISY)
Keep this to yourself by Tom Ryan (ePub)
Love from A to Z by S.K Ali (DAISY)
Love from A to Z by S.K Ali (Braille & ePub)

First Nation Communities Read - YA/Adult Nominees 2020

Book cover of Chasing painted horses with photo of author Drew Hayden Taylor

Chasing painted horses by Drew Hayden Taylor Winner!
Crow winter by Karen McBride
If I go missing by Brianna Jonnie Check at your public library!
In my own moccasins by Helen Knott
A mind spread out on the ground by Alicia Elliott

Forest of Reading®

The Forest of Reading® is Canada's largest recreational reading program! This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers ten reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages. The Forest helps celebrate Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators. More than 270,000 readers participate annually from their school and/or public library. All Canadians are invited to participate via their local public library, school library, or individually.

Check out our dedicated Forest of Reading page, to get the scoop on accessible titles!

Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated 2019

Excerpt from Small in the city with cover of book. Text with illustration reads "I know what it's like to be small in the city."

Small in the city by Sydney Smith Winner!

On a snowy day in a big city, a little boy hops off a streetcar and walks through downtown, between office buildings, through parks and down busy streets. Along the way, he provides helpful tips about which alleys make good shortcuts, which trees to climb and where to find a friendly face. All the while, the boy searches for what he has lost …

Read Small in the City

Hackmatack Fiction Award Nominees 2021

The diamond mistake mystery by Sylvia McNicoll
My life as a diamond by Jenny Manzer
Mya’s strategy to save the world by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Nevers by Sara Cassidy
Jacques' escape by Anne C. Kelly
Pickles vs. the Zombies by Angela Misri
Shiny and new by Robert Chafe
Ghost collector by Allison Mills
No girls allowed by Natalie Corbett Sampson

Hackmatack Non-Fiction Award Nominees 2021

Book cover of Meet Elsie MacGill with excerpt of book page

Acting wild by Maria Birmingham
How to Become an Accidental Genius by Elizabeth MacLeod
Meet Elsie MacGill by Elizabeth MacLeod
Ramadan by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Sharing Our Truths/Tapwe by Henry Beaver
Why Don't Cars Run on Apple Juice? by Kira Vermond

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award 2020

Book cover of Birdsong and photo of author

Small in the city by Sydney Smith Winner!
Birdsong by Julie Flett
King mouse by Cary Fagan
My winter city by James Gladstone Check your public library!
The phone booth in Mr. Hirota's garden by Heather Smith
When I found grandma by Saumiya Salasubramaniam

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award 2020

Birdsong by Julie Flett Winner!
Broken strings by Eric Walters
It began with a page by Kyo Maclear
Small in the city by Sydney Smith (Printbraille)
Small in the city by Sydney Smith (DAISY)
Stand on the sky by Erin Bow

TD Summer Reading Club

TD Summer Reading Club is Canada’s biggest, bilingual summer reading program for kids of all ages, all interests, and all abilities. This free Club celebrates Canadian authors, illustrators and stories, and inspires kids to explore the fun of reading their way. This is key to building a lifelong love of reading.

The 2021 TD Summer Reading Club books are now available in alternative formats!

2021 Recommended reads