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Award-Winning English Titles
GOVERNOR GENERAL’S LITERARY AWARD / CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
In Alphabeasts, we follow animals through an old Victorian house. Each animal is represented by an upper-case letter and is accompanied by text describing the animal’s action. "A is for Alligator, awake from a dream; B is for Bat, slurping ice cream." Each letter takes up one full page, helping children to recognize letters and inviting them to learn the alphabet. The surrealistic illustrations are appealing (an octopus hanging from a chandelier, for example), and readers will be delighted and fascinated by the vibrant watercolours and pencil drawings. Mr. Edwards has created a unique and magic world, creating visuals that are intriguing and rich in details: they don’t just mirror the text, but instead they carry the story to another level - as the cat peers into the mirror, we see a tiger. The reader will always find something new to discover and will anxiously turn the pages to see which animal will appear next and what it will be doing. Alphabeasts is a good book for language development, visual perception and memory skills. It is instructional as well entertaining, appealing to readers of all ages. AC HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
Afghanistan is still under the rule of the harsh Taliban regime. Young Parvana's father can no longer teach; he was wounded when a bomb destroyed the school where he was teaching, and her mother, three sisters and baby brother are confined to a one-room apartment. Every day, 10-year-old Parvana accompanies her father to the market, where he sits in a corner trying to earn enough money to support his family by reading letters for those who cannot read. When Parvana's father is beaten and jailed, the family is left with no means of survival. Their only hope is with Parvana - she is young enough to dress as a boy (girls are not allowed to go out in public) and knows how to read and write, which will enable her take her father's place in the market. Each day is filled with new dangers. When Parvana's mother and sisters try to go north to Mazar-e-sharif for Parvana's older sister's wedding, they are rounded up by the Taliban. Alone in Kabul, Parvana will need all her courage to survive. The Breadwinner has received international attention. The indomitable character and remarkable courage and determination of Parvana were inspired by personalities Deborah Ellis met while working in refugee camps in Pakistan. JP HACKMATACK CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
Do you know the difference between a jarl, a karl and a thrall? If not, this book is for you! Part of the Good Times Travel Agency Series, the Binkerton children are off on another adventure (their third, in fact). Twins Josh and Emma, along with their little sister Libby, once again stumble into the peculiar travel agency run by the mischievous Julian T. Pettigrew and travel back to the time of the Vikings. Historical facts are presented alongside a fictional storyline that carries the Binkertons through their latest adventure. The colourful illustrations are done in comic-book style, with humorous dialogue presented in the customary bubbles. Interesting and accurate information on the Vikings is provided in inserts on many of the pages, allowing readers to find out more without slowing down the action of the story. Topics covered include Viking houses, society, food, work, clothes, travel, feuds, entertainment, exploration, weapons and religion - a very entertaining way to learn about the Vikings. DS INFORMATION BOOK AWARD 2002
Linda Granfield’s latest book is a tribute to the triumphs and tragedies that enveloped society during and after the Great War. The author is not attempting to tell a history of the war, but rather provides snapshots of the variety of ways that it affected the populace, becoming part of day-to-day life as the conflict dragged on much longer than anyone had originally anticipated. Many had a relative or neighbour who was overseas, and almost everyone on the home front was involved in supporting the war effort, from rolling bandages to knitting socks. Each two-page folio of the book is liberally illustrated with period photographs, postcards and other images (most of which are from the author’s own collection), and each introduces a specific aspect of the conflict. These include the work of the nursing sisters, the propaganda machine, stories of boys who made it home, and those who did not. Readers will discover a wealth of information of interest to all age groups: the Canadian connection to Winnie-the-Pooh, ships painted in swirling patterns to confuse the enemy ("dazzle" ships), John McCrae’s famous poem, and the origins of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance. MMc MANITOBA YOUNG READER’S CHOICE AWARD
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 have no rights as a family. Phoebe has seen three of her siblings auctioned off, and her sister Rachel has run away to Canada on the Underground Railroad. 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 sold. They chart a path using clues taken from songs sung on the plantation as they make their way north to Canada. 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 MR. CHRISTIE’S BOOK AWARD 2002 Not available at time of production. MR. CHRISTIE’S BOOK AWARD 2002 Not available at time of production. MR. CHRISTIE’S BOOK AWARD 2002 Not available at time of production. MUNICIPAL CHAPTER OF TORONTO IODE BOOK AWARD
Through the busy streets and traffic, a "crazy man" wanders the city adorned in wild costumes made from trash while pushing a baby carriage full of junk. Charlie is the only person who likes the crazy man. One night, he leaves trash from his garage in the laneway for the man to use in his costumes. The next day, to Charlie’s great excitement, the man appears bedecked in everything that was left for him. A nasty remark by the class bully causes a skirmish and Charlie is knocked into the street, only to be rescued from the oncoming traffic by the crazy man, who promptly dashes away and disappears. Many years later, Charlie, now a costume designer, finds the man and discovers that his real name is Edward. Edward suffers from schizophrenia and is homeless. Having always wanted to repay the person who saved his life and inspired his career, Charlie gives Edward a job in his company designing costumes for a rock star. Although his co-workers are uncomfortable with Edward’s illness at first, they eventually recognize his talents and warm to him. The author’s colourful illustrations are playful and imaginative, a gentle reminder that "crazy" people are often the most creative. TC NATIONAL CHAPTER OF CANADA IODE VIOLET DOWNEY BOOK AWARD
(Sequel to: The Breadwinner) This is a graphic account of 13-year-old Parvana’s struggle to find her family in war-torn Afghanistan. In the first chapter, a solitary Parvana buries her father. Her mother, sisters and baby brother are somewhere in the chaos that used to be a country. The ruling Taliban don’t like women being seen in public, so Parvana dresses as a boy. Although in this country, it is also dangerous to be a child - dangerous because there are adults so desperate for food and money that they would sell boys and girls to the Taliban. Parvana meets other equally unfortunate children on her journey: an orphaned baby boy, whom Parvana names Hassan; the obnoxious Asif, who has only one leg, and a dreamy nine-year-old named Leila, who believes she is impervious to landmines. Clinging to one another for comfort, survival becomes their only priority as they attempt to find food and a safe place to sleep. Ellis interviewed women and children refugees from Afghanistan, whose stories inspired Parvana’s Journey, the sequel to The Breadwinner. All royalties from the sale of this book go to Women for Women, an organization that helps women in Afghanistan. LS NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION
He was pre-branding, pre-Aboriginal awareness, pre-Donovan Bailey. He didn’t sport a corporate decal, was Native and was once among the fastest men alive. Tom Longboat was a Canadian runner at the turn of the 20th century, at a time when running was the sport. And Longboat was the best of the lot. In 1907, he won the Boston Marathon, a major showcase for long distance runners. In 1908, he ran in the Olympics, and for years his races drew huge crowds in Canada. Longboat was an icon, as revered as the Gretzkys and Brassards of our generation. In spite of the adulation, newspapers and fans routinely labelled Longboat with pejoratives, such as "The Redskin" and "Heap Big Chief." He won a lot of prize money, but his winnings only deepened the pockets of his handlers, leaving Longboat a distant runner-up. In the end, after his remarkable career, Longboat was destitute and forgotten. In The Man Who Ran Faster than Everyone, author Jack Batten chronicles the life of the legendary runner, replete with glory and despair. Batten’s prose is both thrifty and detailed, offering a fine read about a stellar, world-class athlete. MSI
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This graphic of a star indicates an award-winning book with multiculturalism as its theme.
