Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature explained

The Governor General's Award for English-language children's writing is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a children's book written in English. It is one of four children's book awards among the Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, one each for writers and illustrators of English- and French-language books. The Governor General's Awards program is administered by the Canada Council.

In name, this award is part of the Governor General's Award program only from 1987 but there was a single award for "Juvenile" literature from 1949 to 1958, and the four present-day "Children's" awards were established in 1975 under a Canada Council name. In the event, the "Canada Council" and "Governor General's" awards have recognized writing in an English-language children's book every year from 1975.

Juvenile fiction

The oldest of now-14 annual Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were inaugurated in 1936. One award for a "juvenile" book was introduced in 1949, and conferred every year to 1958. Throughout those ten years, the juvenile literature award was one of five in the program, all for English-language books.

Author!width="50%"
Title
1949Franklin of the Arctic
1950
1951
1952Cargoes on the Great Lakes
1953Rebels Ride at Night
1954
1955
1956Lost in the Barrens
1957
1958Nkwala
Two of the Governor General's Award-winning writers also won the Canadian Library Association award for children's book writing, recognizing the same book: Richard Lambert in 1949 and Farley Mowat in 1958. The CLA Book of the Year for Children Award was conferred six times during these ten years.

Canada Council Children's Literature Prize

In 1975 the Canada Council established four annual prizes of $5000 for the year's best English- and French-language children's books by Canadian writers and illustrators. Those "Canada Council Children's Literature Prizes" were continued under the "Governor General's Awards" rubric from 1987, and continue today. Among them the English-language writing prize was awarded every year from 1975.

Author!width="50%"
Title
1975Shantymen of Cache Lake
1976
1977Listen for the Singing
1978Hold Fast
1979Days of Terror
1980, illus. by Douglas Tait
1981
1982Hunter in the Dark
1983
1984Sweetgrass
1985Julie
1986Shadow in Hawthorn Bay
Three of the CCCLP-winning English-language writers also won the annual Canadian Library Association award for children's book writing, recognizing the same book. Their CLA Book of the Year for Children Awards are dated one year later: Kevin Major 1979, Cora Taylor 1986, and Janet Lunn 1987. The CLA Book of the Year was inaugurated in 1947 and has been awarded every year since 1963.[1]

Two of the CCCLP-winning English-language writers also won the CLA Young Adult Book Award, recognizing the same book, namely Monica Hughes in 1983 and Janet Lunn in 1987.[2] That is, Janet Lunn and Shadow in Hawthorn Bay (1986) won both the CLA awards for children's and young-adult books.

According to one WorldCat library record The Trouble With Princesses (McClelland & Stewart, 1980) "retells stories about Northwest Coast princesses and compares them with similar Old World princesses", . For their collaboration Christie Harris won the CCCLP prize for English-language writing and Douglas Tait won the CLA award for children's book illustration, the 1981 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award.[3]

Children's literature (writing)

Four books listed below, winners of the English-language writing award under the "Governor General's" name, were also named CLA Book of the Year for Children: Bedard 1991, Wynne-Jones 1994, Porter 2006, and Nielsen 2013.[1] Four of them also won the CLA Young Adult Book Award: Wieler 1990, Johnston 1995, Wynne-Jones 1996, and Brooks 2003.

1980s

Author!width="50%"
TitleResult
1987Galahad Schwartz and the Cockroach ArmyWinner
False Face Finalist
Going to the Dogs
1988Winner
Paradise Café and Other Stories Finalist
Easy Avenue
Little by Little
1989Bad BoyWinner
Finalist
Circle of Light

1990s

Author!width="50%"
TitleResultRef.
1990RedworkWinner
Finalist
Covered Bridge
Whale Singer
1991Pick-Up SticksWinner
Two Moons in August Finalist
Stars Come Out Within
1992Hero of Lesser CausesWinner
My Mother's Ghost Finalist
1812: Jeremy and the General
Looking at the Moon
1993Some of the Kinder PlanetsWinner
Bryna Means CourageFinalist
Drifting Snow: An Arctic Search
Daniel's Story
My Name Is Seepeetza
1994Adam and Eve and Pinch-MeWinner
Out of the BlueFinalist
Josepha: A Prairie Boy's Story
Past Tense
1995Winner[4]
Mission Impossible Finalist
Tess
Out of the Dark
RanVan A Worthy Opponent
1996Ghost TrainWinner[5]
KeriFinalist
Bottom Drawer
Glory Days and Other Stories
1997Awake and DreamingWinner
One Thing That's TrueFinalist
Wish Me Luck
Dippers
1998Winner[6]
Janey's GirlFinalist
Make or Break Spring
Bat Summer
1999Winner
Finalist
Hate You
Each One Special

2000s

Author!width="50%"
TitleResultRef.
2000Looking for XWinner[7]
Being with HenryFinalist
Charlie Wilcox
Kalifax
2001DustWinner[8]
Mary Ann AliceFinalist
Before Wings
In Spite of Killer Bees
2002True Confessions of a Heartless GirlWinner
Finalist
Parvana's Journey
Hana's Suitcase
2003StitchesWinner
Finalist
Theories of Relativity
Ann and Seamus
2004AirbornWinner
Heck SuperheroFinalist[9]
Esther
Red Land, Yellow River: A Story from the Cultural Revolution
2005Winner[10]
AfterFinalist
Hannah Waters and the Daughter of Johann Sebastian Bach
Mella and the N'anga: An African Tale
Swimming in the Monsoon Sea
2006Pirate's PassageWinner
Ingrid and the WolfFinalist
Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen
Me and the Blondes
Friendships
2007Gemini SummerWinner
Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose: The Story of a PaintingFinalist[11]
Elijah of Buxton
Kanada
2008Winner
LibertadFinalist
Shimmerdogs
Child of Dandelions
Skim
2009Winner
Sister WifeFinalist[12]
Home Free

2010s

Author!width="50%"
TitleRef.
2010FishtailingWinner[13]
Me, Myself and Ike Finalist
Tyranny
Free as a Bird
Scars[14]
2011From Then to Now: A Short History of the WorldWinner
A Hare in the Elephant’s TrunkFinalist
No Ordinary Day
This Dark Endeavour
Blink & Caution
2012Winner[15] [16] [17] [18]
SeraphinaFinalist[19]
Under the Moon
2013Winner[20] [21] [22]
Finalist[23] [24]
Becoming Holmes
Once Upon a Northern Light
Counting Back from Nine
2014When Everything Feels Like the MoviesWinner[25] [26] [27] [28] [29]
Finalist[30]
Jeremy Stone
and Sean Qitsualik-TinsleySkraelings
This One Summer
2015Winner[31] [32]
Audrey (cow)Finalist
Are You Seeing Me?
We Are All Made of Molecules
Young Man with Camera
2016CalvinWinner[33]
Finalist
Once, in a Town Called Moth
2017Winner
Hit the Ground RunningFinalist
Those Who Run in the Sky
Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined
2018Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her MonsterWinner[34]
Finalist
Learning to Breathe
and Josh GreenhutWinnie's Great War
Ebb & Flow
2019Stand on the SkyWinner[35]
Break in Case of EmergencyFinalist
Cold White Sun
Girl of the Southern Sea

2020s

Author!width="50%"
TitleResultRef
2020Winner[36]
NeversFinalist[37]
Pine Island Home
and Tara AndersonHarvey Holds His Own
2021FireflyWinner[38]
Peter Lee's Notes from the FieldFinalist[39]
Unravel
Blood Like Magic
and Kevin Sylvester
2022Winner[40]
StepFinalist[41]
Sorry for Your Loss
Urchin
2023Sarah EverettThe Probability of EverythingWinner[42]
Michelle KadarusmanBeraniFinalist [43]
Zoulfa KatouhAs Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Iain LawrenceFire on Headless Mountain
Kim SpencerWeird Rules to Follow

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Book_of_the_Year_for_Children_Award&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2501 "Book of the Year for Children Award"
  2. http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Young_Adult_Canadian_Book_Award&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2504 "Young Adult Book Award"
  3. http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Amelia_Frances_Howard_Gibbon_Illustrator_s_Award&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2505 "Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award"
  4. Web site: October 30, 2000 . News Shorts . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194118/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20001030/26123-news-shorts.html . live .
  5. Web site: Jinje . Safa . 2012-11-08 . Tamas Dobozy among Writers’ Trust Award winners . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2023-02-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230205164211/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2012/11/08/tamas-dobozy-among-writers-trust-award-winners/ . live .
  6. Web site: July 3, 2017 . Obituary Note: Janet Lunn . 2022-10-13 . . 2023-02-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230207150631/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3035 . live .
  7. Web site: Atkinson . Nathalie . November 17, 2003 . A Timely Trilogy . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194108/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20031117/22797-a-timely-trilogy.html . live .
  8. Web site: Milliot . Jim . Eichler . Leah . February 15, 2002 . Sales, Earnings Rebound At HarperCollins . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194046/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20020218/20000-sales-earnings-rebound-at-harpercollins.html . live .
  9. Web site: December 16, 2015 . Book Brahmin: Martine Leavitt . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185731/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2655 . live .
  10. Web site: November 17, 2005 . Awards, Part 2: The Governor General's . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185408/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=95 . live .
  11. Vanessa Farquharson, "Heavyweights vie for fiction prize; Two Islanders in the running for Governor General's Literary Awards". Victoria Times-Colonist, October 17, 2007.
  12. Web site: November 9, 2009 . A Roster of Canadian Houses . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194107/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20091109/24932-a-roster-of-canadian-houses.html . live .
  13. Web site: November 18, 2010 . In Brief: November 18 . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194114/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/45211-in-brief-november-18.html . live .
  14. Web site: Sellers . John A. . July 21, 2011 . WestSide Books Up for Sale . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194119/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/48090-westside-books-up-for-sale.html . live .
  15. Web site: November 19, 2012 . Awards: Governor General's; Hilary Weston; New Mexico and Ariz. . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185406/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1874 . live .
  16. Web site: Beattie . Steven W. . 2012-11-13 . Linda Spalding, Ross King, and Julie Bruck winners at Governor General’s Literary Awards . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2021-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211022025340/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2012/11/13/linda-spalding-ross-king-and-julie-bruck-winners-at-governor-generals-literary-awards/ . live .
  17. Web site: 2012-11-14 . Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award Winners Named . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194056/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/54745-canadian-governor-general-s-literary-award-winners-named.html . live .
  18. Web site: December 10, 2013 . Rights Report: Week of December 9, 2013 . 2022-10-13 . . en . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194109/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/60323-rights-report-week-of-december-9-2013.html . live .
  19. Web site: Carter . Sue . 2012-10-02 . Dobozy, Spalding, Lam vie for GG award . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2021-08-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818204707/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2012/10/02/dobozy-spalding-lam-vie-for-gg-award/ . live .
  20. Web site: November 15, 2013 . Awards: Governor General's Literary; Goldsmiths . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013180548/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2129 . live .
  21. Web site: 2013-12-03 . Rights Report: Week of December 2, 2013 . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194115/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/60233-rights-report-week-of-december-2-2013.html . live .
  22. Web site: Cerny . Dory . 2014-05-20 . 2014 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award winners announced . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2023-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230318051055/https://quillandquire.com/childrens-publishing/2014/05/20/2014-ruth-and-sylvia-schwartz-award-winners-announced/ . live .
  23. Web site: Ahearn . Victoria . 2013-10-02 . Governor General Literary Award finalists announced (updated) . dead . https://archive.today/20131011171148/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Governor+General+Literary+Award+finalists+announced+updated/8987740/story.html . 2013-10-11 . 2023-05-14 . . en-CA.
  24. Web site: Carter . Sue . 2013-10-02 . Penguin Random House Canada fiction dominates GG awards . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2023-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230526172356/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2013/10/02/penguin-random-house-canada-fiction-dominates-gg-awards/ . live .
  25. Web site: November 21, 2014 . Awards: Governor General's Literary . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185404/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2392 . live .
  26. News: Medley . Mark . 2014-11-18 . Thomas King wins Governor-General’s Award for fiction . en-CA . . 2022-10-13 . 2019-04-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190406141537/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/thomas-king-wins-governor-generals-award-for-fiction/article21636001/ . live .
  27. Web site: February 4, 2015 . #Wi10 Buzz Books: Young Adult . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185733/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2436 . live .
  28. Web site: Godfrey . Laura . November 19, 2014 . King Wins Canada's Governor General’s Award . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194043/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/64798-king-wins-canada-s-governor-general-s-award.html . live .
  29. Web site: Cerny . Dory . 2014-11-18 . Thomas King and Michael Harris give HarperCollins Canada Governor General’s double win . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2023-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230318054103/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2014/11/18/thomas-king-and-michael-harris-give-harpercollins-canada-governor-generals-double-win/ . live .
  30. Web site: Godfrey . Laura . 2015-11-19 . Jonathan Auxier Wins Twice at TD Canadian Children's Lit Awards . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194115/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/68739-jonathan-auxier-wins-twice-at-td-canadian-children-s-lit-awards.html . live .
  31. Web site: October 29, 2015 . Awards: Governor General's Literary . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185359/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2623 . live .
  32. Web site: Robertson . Becky . 2015-10-28 . Guy Vanderhaeghe, Robyn Sarah, Sydney Smith among 2015 Governor General’s Literary Awards winners . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2023-03-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327035732/https://quillandquire.com/awards/2015/10/28/guy-vanderhaeghe-robyn-sarah-sydney-smith-among-2015-governor-generals-awards-winners/ . live .
  33. Web site: Godfrey . Laura . October 27, 2016 . News from the North: October 2016 . 2022-10-13 . . en . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013194113/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/71870-news-from-the-north-october-2016.html . live .
  34. Web site: October 31, 2018 . Awards: Governor General's Literary Winners . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185403/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3366 . live .
  35. Web site: October 30, 2019 . Awards: Governor General's Literary; Warwick Women in Translation . 2022-10-13 . . 2022-10-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013185406/https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=3610 . live .
  36. Web site: 2021-06-01 . Michelle Good says celebrating fiction win feels 'petty and selfish' after residential school discovery . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2021-06-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210603102034/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/michelle-good-says-celebrating-fiction-win-feels-petty-and-selfish-after-residential-school-discovery-1.5450932 . live .
  37. Web site: 2021-05-04 . Francesca Ekwuyasi, Billy-Ray Belcourt & Anne Carson among 2020 Governor General's Literary Awards finalists . 2023-06-01 . . 2021-05-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210504113137/https://www.cbc.ca/books/francesca-ekwuyasi-billy-ray-belcourt-anne-carson-among-2020-governor-general-s-literary-awards-finalists-1.6004149 . live .
  38. Web site: Bresge . Adina . 2021-11-17 . Inuk author Norma Dunning wins $25K Governor General's fiction prize - Coast Reporter . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211117161409/https://www.coastreporter.net/the-mix/inuk-author-norma-dunning-wins-25k-governor-generals-fiction-prize-4766110 . 2021-11-17 . 2023-06-02 . Coast Reporter.
  39. Web site: 2021-10-14 . Ivan Coyote, David A. Robertson & Julie Flett among finalists for $25K Governor General's Literary Awards . 2023-06-01 . . 2023-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230313223700/https://www.cbc.ca/books/ivan-coyote-david-a-robertson-julie-flett-among-finalists-for-25k-governor-general-s-literary-awards-1.6209298 . live .
  40. Web site: Dundas . Deborah . 2022-11-16 . Sheila Heti, Eli Baxter win 2022 Governor General’s Literary Awards for fiction and non-fiction . 2023-06-02 . . en . 2022-11-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221116133852/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2022/11/16/sheila-heti-eli-baxter-win-2022-governor-generals-literary-awards-for-fiction-and-non-fiction.html . live .
  41. Web site: 2022-10-12 . The finalists for the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — text . 2023-06-01 . . 2023-02-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230205173353/https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-finalists-for-the-2022-governor-general-s-literary-award-for-young-people-s-literature-text-1.6612916 . live .
  42. https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/anuja-varghese-wins-governor-generals-literary-award-for-fiction/article_1bb0f610-14e9-5ee7-9f19-68bcbfe555f8.html "Anuja Varghese wins Governor General's literary award for fiction"
  43. https://www.cbc.ca/books/suzette-mayr-iain-reid-among-finalists-for-25k-governor-general-s-literary-awards-1.7007194 "Suzette Mayr, Iain Reid among finalists for $25K Governor General's Literary Awards"

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