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Award-winning French Titles
GRAND PRIX DU LIVRE DE LA MONTÉRÉGIE
For some time now, Carl's dog, Chausson, has been a changed animal. He is in love with a neighbourhood German shepherd. Carl and Gary, aided by their respective parents (Nicole, Carl's mother, and Roger, Gary's father), will stop at nothing to find Chausson's beloved. In the process, Carl and Gary notice that love is in the air: not only is Chausson in love, but so too are Nicole and Roger. Both the boys' parents are widowed and get along very well. All in all, Gary and Carl think it is a good idea -- they make a great team with Nicole and Roger. The two boys think of each other as brothers anyway, and Chausson knows them both well, having spent time in each of their homes. On Chausson's birthday, they tell Nicole and Roger that the parents no longer have to hide it; their secret has been discovered. As in other titles in this series, the characters are engaging and the subjects dealt with focus on family. The text is easy to read and the illustrations in black ink will please young readers. MLG HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
Maurice Monette, alias Momo, receives a call from Simon. He asks Momo to take his place on the hockey team the Chandeliers. It's tempting; Momo has always dreamed of playing on a real hockey team. But Momo only knows how to skate on roller skates, not on ice skates, and he has no equipment. Simon ends up convincing him. Momo regrets having given in to Simon's request; he has trouble slowing down and keeps falling. His only fan, Mr. Pacossi, calls out "Keep going, Momo, don't give up!" every time he makes a mistake. Momo is mortified; the Chandeliers are going to lose because of him. Determined, Momo gives his all and leads the team to victory. Momo is a likeable character; his thoughts are realistic and could be those of any child in a similar situation. The story is simple, fun and positive. It shows that with courage and determination we can face life's challenges. AC PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L'IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2000-2001
Benjamin, a cute little turtle, injures his shell playing soccer with his friends. Worried, his mother takes him to see Dr. Ours. In examining him more closely, she detects a thin fracture. Benjamin will have to undergo an operation so it can be surgically stapled. He will have to be hospitalized for the first time in his life, putting his courage to the test. Even though all his friends and the medical staff tell him he is courageous and brave, Benjamin is still a bit scared. But with the right words from Dr. Ours, Benjamin will overcome his worries and recover quickly. The happy colour illustrations will help children better familiarize themselves with the hospital environment so that when their turn comes they will know how to be courageous and tenacious like Benjamin. CM PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L'IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2000-2001
The children are happy to see Miss Charlotte again. After having been a schoolteacher, then a librarian, Miss Charlotte becomes the letter carrier for the small village of Saint-Machinchouin. As the letter carrier, she is not content to just deliver the mail to the mailbox. Miss Charlotte knocks on every door to meet the recipients of the letters. She tells stories to the children, eats a piece of pumpkin pie with a neighbour and continues her rounds. But oh, is she curious! So curious, in fact, that she starts opening envelopes to make sure that she is only delivering good news! If she feels the news contained in the letters is not good enough, she intervenes. With the assistance of an accomplice, Léonie, she puts ads in the newspapers, replaces an improper letter with a nicer one and even goes as far as to fall in love! Her actions lead to disastrous consequences throughout the village, and Miss Charlotte finds herself behind bars. Everyone wants to help her, and on the day when three citizens come to meet the chief of police to pay her fine, they find an empty cell! Miss Charlotte has escaped, but she has not forgotten them: she has left letters for her dear friends. She is headed for a new adventure. This humorous story shows how the written word can be important in our lives. Miss Charlotte is true to herself, fanciful and colourful; she tries to bring happiness to those around her. MLG PALMARÈS COMMUNICATION-JEUNESSE DES LIVRES PRÉFÉRÉS DES JEUNES DE L'IMPRIMERIE TRANSCONTINENTAL 2000-2001
Tasha is a young 15-year-old girl who must contend with two horrible events: the discovery of the body of her mother, whom she thought had abandoned her, and her father's arrest for the murder of his wife. Not willing to accept that her father killed her mother, Tasha decides with her friend Mike to conduct her own investigation to discover the true circumstances surrounding her mother's murder. Recipient of the Arthur Ellis Award for best juvenile novel, this story by Norah McClintock offers intrigue worthy of an Agatha Christie whodunit. The clues do not reveal the guilty party right away, encouraging readers to continue to the very end to find out who committed the crime. The author uses the crime novel format brilliantly. Teenagers and adults will find this story of love, hate, mystery and a good father-daughter relationship interesting. It is important to believe strongly in something to succeed despite the obstacles. The book was successfully translated by Claudine Vivier, a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for translation. LL PRIX ALVINE-BÉLISLE
"I think that people, generally speaking, are afraid of death. I'm not quite sure why; I like death." These are the words of Christophe, a young child with a very sick heart, the hero of this story. Christophe is not yet 10, but he is already no stranger to death: he watched his mother die; Mr. Simoneau, his neighbour, has also passed on; he has many sick friends in the hospital; and his heart is so weak that only a transplant will save him. Despite everything, Christophe is happy. He is spirited, loves life and does not fear death in the least. Because what is it really? He feels his mother near him all the time; he smells her perfume before waking in the morning or before falling asleep at night. Mr. Simoneau still waters his plants, although now he does it while flying, since dead people learn how to fly so they can keep an eye on those they love from above. And very soon it will be his turn. No. It is his turn now. "I'm coming Mom. I'm going to die today. Life has decided to leave me today." Christophe has no fear of death. "They did not find a dead child's heart for me in time… Instead, people brought lots of gifts to help say goodbye." Those are the final words of the story. This novel is a true-life lesson, a lesson on happiness, on hope. The emotion throughout the story emanates from this uncommon and triumphant view on life. The adult reader will find it touching and younger readers who have been affected by the death of a loved one will find solace. The illustrations, soft and gentle, help the reader feel the truth of the text's message: "Death cannot stop life when we are happy." DSH PRIX CÉCILE-GAGNON
Blanche spends countless hours looking at clouds in the Phoenix sky. She believes that the clouds are talking to her. Lupianne, her older sister, finds the idea absurd. If she can show her that the cloud figures are only random occurrences, Blanche will finally stop looking at them. But the opposite happens. Lupianne, concerned with the output of the air generators, discovers a link between the clouds and the deteriorating climate: the temperature continues to climb in Phoenix. Sabian, a non-conformist painter, also believes the clouds are trying to tell them something. Will Blanche, Lupianne and Sabian succeed in convincing the authorities that the colony is in danger and that the city must be evacuated? The characters in Les Nuages de Phoenix are likeable and well developed. It is a captivating story with plenty of twists and turns; the suspense continues to the very end. AC PRIX DU LIVRE M. CHRISTIE 2000
One day, Vieux Thomas comes upon a very tiny girl lying on the beach, still and unconscious. Touched by the sight, he picks her up in the palm of his hand and brings her home. He takes care of her as best he can and when she regains her strength, she becomes a wonderful companion. She transforms the life of the ageing hermit to such an extent that he finds himself reconciling with humans and the world. Despite their respective sizes, each one protects the other. Dominique Demers' poetic work, which exudes a remarkable softness and fluidity, combines with realistic satin-finished illustrations in colours reminiscent of Stéphane Poulin to create a book that will please all those who like a bit of fantasy in their lives. This touching story reminds us that size is not important and that love and friendship can transform life and the world. PB PRIX DU LIVRE M. CHRISTIE 2001
One day, little Calvino asks his father, Italo, to get him the moon! Both father and son are quite unreasonable: "The boy wants everything. The father can't refuse his son anything." Thus begins a beautiful story of the love between a father and his son. Calvino and his father will learn through their quest that there is more than one way to reach the moon. This small, shared secret will allow them to finally express how much they love each other. Mylène Pratt has illustrated Décroche-Moi La Lune with marvellous full-page illustrations in warm and vibrant colours, accentuating the feeling of happiness and joy and giving this lovely fable a timeless quality. DSH 
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This graphic of a wand indicates an award-winning book with magic as its theme.
