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Award-winning English Titles
AMELIA FRANCES HOWARD-GIBBON AWARD
This picture book will delight children as they acquaint themselves with the author's home. Frances Wolfe introduces us to a world of sparkling sunbeams, gliding gulls and boats, both large and small. She entices her young readers with afternoons spent gazing up at clouds and of picking blueberries. We are lured closer to her home by the promise of finding treasures on sandy beaches, and by the comfort of stories, firelight and being lulled to sleep near the seashore. The illustrations are bright and panoramic, spanning two pages. The first letter of each of the two-line verses that accompany the images in this skilfully crafted picture book spell out the answer to where the author lives: SEASIDE. ACM ANN CONNOR-BRIMER AWARD
This picture book will delight children as they acquaint themselves with the author's home. Frances Wolfe introduces us to a world of sparkling sunbeams, gliding gulls and boats, both large and small. She entices her young readers with afternoons spent gazing up at clouds and of picking blueberries. We are lured closer to her home by the promise of finding treasures on sandy beaches, and by the comfort of stories, firelight and being lulled to sleep near the seashore. The illustrations are bright and panoramic, spanning two pages. The first letter of each of the two-line verses that accompany the images in this skilfully crafted picture book spell out the answer to where the author lives: SEASIDE. ACM ARTHUR ELLIS AWARDS
When Tessa shows up at Chloe's front door looking frightened and nervous, Chloe doesn't know what to make of it. Two days later, Tessa is found dead. To make matters worse, one of Chloe's friends, Ross, is under suspicion for murder. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Chloe sets out to discover who killed Tessa and why. Scared to Death is a suspenseful story that keeps the reader transfixed. AC BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR CHILDREN AWARD
Written in the style of a diary, Orphan at My Door is the story of Victoria, a young girl from Guelph, Ontario, who, in 1897, receives a diary for her 11th birthday. Through Victoria's diary, we are introduced to the members of her family: her father, Dr. Alastair Cope, her poised and elegant mother, Lilias, her two brothers and Snortle, her puppy. Daily household chores are described, as are favourite recipes such as burnt leather cake. School routine is somewhat different from what children experience nowadays, and Victoria writes about her friends, her teacher, the daily family prayers and her homework. The main event in Victoria's life is her father's decision to have a "Bernardo girl" come to help Victoria's mother, who is expecting a baby. Victoria discovers that Mary, the 13-year-old "Bernardo girl" is not an orphan as previously thought; she has a younger brother named Jasper living with another family somewhere in Canada and a baby sister adopted elsewhere. Both girls try to find Jasper, whom they believe is being mistreated by a farmer who is using him as slave labour. Orphan at My Door presents an interesting approach to learning about a nearly forgotten aspect of Canadian history. Descendants of "Bernardo children" are suing the Bernardo organization for ill treatment; some Canadian families used children who were to be adopted as a source of child labour. The book also contains period photographs and historical information. JP ELIZABETH MRAZIK-CLEAVER CANADIAN PICTURE BOOK AWARD
Available in French under the title: Stella, reine des neiges. (Saint-Lambert, Que.: Dominique et compagnie, 1999) Stella introduces her little brother Sacha to the joys and mysteries of winter. As for Sacha, an alert and curious child, he interrogates his sister tirelessly on the nature of snow, ice, on the little clouds that come out of your mouth when it's cold as well as on various winter activities. A keen observer, he demands detailed explanations, which his sister gives him in a poetic and childlike language that leaves much to the imagination. Stella, who has the answer to everything, will enthral young readers. Through the charming illustrations, characters with colourful clothing that contrasts with the white snow, Stella's smile, and Sacha's serious expression, the joys of winter are available to be experienced in the comfort of an armchair or bed. GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
This is the story of Phoebe and her dream of finding freedom. Born on a plantation in Alabama, 13-year-old Phoebe has known nothing but the life of a slave in a kitchen or on a plantation, picking cotton. She lives with her parents in a house that used to be full of joy and children. Now she is all that is left of their family of seven. Slaves not only do not own their own land, they also do not own their own family. Phoebe has seen three of her siblings auctioned off. Her sister Rachel has run away to Canada, on the Underground Railroad, without even saying good-bye. Phoebe dreams of the day she will be free. One day, she meets Liney and, along with her two children, they flee the plantation the week before Phoebe is to be auctioned off. They chart a path using clues taken from songs sung on the plantation, finding safe houses as they make their way north to Canada. On their journey, they must evade slave catchers and spies who are ready to turn them in for a reward. It is an almost impossible undertaking, filled with enemies, danger, passwords, cold and hunger, but it is one that they must risk in order to attain the freedom they so desperately seek. In her first novel, Virginia Frances Schwartz brings to life Phoebe's courage and faith as she risks her life for freedom. ACM GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD / CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
In the early 1930s in Saskatchewan, times are tough. Not only is the depression in full swing, but there has also been a large-scale drought. Robert, aged 11, lives on a farm outside the town of Horshoe. When a stranger abducts his younger brother, Matthew, the town rallies to find him, but to no avail. Bizarre things start to happen: the chickens lay bloody eggs, and people begin to have strange dreams. At this point, a sinister man named Abram Harsich arrives in town. With smoke and mirrors, he mesmerizes the usually sceptical townsfolk, convincing them that he can build a rainmaking machine. No one seems concerned when more children begin to disappear; even Robert's parents seem to have forgotten about Matthew. Only Robert seems immune to the enchantment. He sets out alone to visit the Harsich farm in hope of discovering the fate of the missing children. MF GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD / CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
An Island in the Soup has young Victor of the Noodle, grand knight of the Order of the Macaroni, set out on an imaginary adventure in a bowl of fish soup he would rather not eat. Armed with a wooden sword (which also serves as a paddle), wearing an inverted colander for head protection and using his soup spoon as a boat, Victor makes it across the "bubbling, cheesy swamp full of huge, stinky fish" to a crouton island where he is faced with many more dangers such as a barrage of flying peas and carrots, a pepper dragon and Bad Fairy Zoop. The queen of the woods (his mother) rescues him, and the two find themselves in the idyllic surroundings of the castle garden where two large pieces of cake await them. The promise of dessert suddenly makes Victor realize his fantastic voyage has brought on his appetite and he tucks into his soup with gusto. Mireille Levert's deep, vibrantly hued illustrations effectively convey the message that we must be in touch with our own childhood to relate well to children. RM HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
Charlie Wilcox is a young boy from Newfoundland who dreams of following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather and becoming a sealer. Charlie's father, however, is hoping to offer his son a better future. A misunderstanding over a comment made by his father makes Charlie more determined than ever to go out on the ice and prove himself. He tries to hide on a sealing vessel but ends up a stowaway on a military ship heading to the trenches of World War I. Waiting to be sent back home, Charlie looks for the Newfoundland Regiment where he finds Mac, a nurse who had previously cared for him in St. John's Hospital. Surrounded by wounded young soldiers from home, he proves to be a courageous and dedicated young orderly. Charlie Wilcox is an historical novel set during World War I that weaves together adventure, attention to historical detail and believable characters with endearing qualities. HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
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, who is travelling with his parents and younger sister, Rachel. In his journal, Guy recounts facts and stories about Canada, ranging from places and history to wildlife and geology, in a humorous, kid-friendly tone. The layout presents a great number 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 that 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. The chapters include 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 may be useful for school projects, as well as being a very entertaining guide to take on a trip across Canada. 
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This graphic of a wand indicates an award-winning book with magic as its theme.
