1 April, 2019. (No, it’s not a joke. Really!)
Oy Vey! The Joan Betty Stuchner — Oy Vey! — Funniest Children’s Book Award committee has finally stopped laughing long enough to release this hilarious news. We have a shortlist! We received 60 very funny books, but these kept our jury the most “buckled over with guffaws, incapacitated with giggles, and/or rib-ticklingly, side-splittingly, thigh-slappingly entertained.”
The shortlisted books in the picture or board book category are:
You Can Read, written by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Mark Hoffmann (Orca)
Sterling, Best Dog Ever, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux)
Mr. Crum’s Potato Predicament, written by Anne Renaud, illustrated by Felicita Sala (Kids Can)
The shortlisted books in the chapter book category are:
Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney (Puffin)
Mort Ziff Is Not Dead by Cary Fagan (Puffin)
Dog Night at the Story Zoo by Dan Bar-El, illustrated by Vicky Nerino (Tundra)
Congratulations! The $752.81 x 2 award will be announced 19 June, 2019, at a special, giggle-filled celebration at Slickety Jim’s Chat ‘n’ Chew in Vancouver, 7-9 pm, 3475 Main Street.
BONUS TEACHER LIBRARIAN BOOK DRAWS: Attend for a chance to win a collection of 1) all the Oy Vey submissions, and 2) a $500 collection of books by BC authors and illustrators, which is part of the BC Book Prizes “Adopt a Library” program.
About Joan Betty Stuchner:
Joan Betty Stuchner, beloved children’s author and teacher, passed away unexpectedly in 2014. Joan was many things — brave, gracious, warm, generous, kind and absolutely hilarious to boot. (“Oy vey!” she’s probably saying now…) With this award we honour Joan’s life-affirming humour and encourage other children’s writers to laugh it up on the page the way she did.