The Information Book Award jury is pleased to announce the shortlist for the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s 2021 Information Book Award. This award is given annually to a book that arouses interest, stimulates curiosity, captures the imagination, and fosters concern for the world around us. The award’s aim is to recognize excellence in Canadian publishing of children’s nonfiction.
Congratulations to the following titles, authors, illustrators, and publishers on the 2021 Information Book Award shortlist (all titles published in 2020 and listed alphabetically):
Bird’s Eye View: Keeping Wild Birds in Flight. By Ann Eriksson. Published by Orca Book Publishers.
Bringing Back the Wolves. By Jude Isabella. Illustrated by Kim Smith. Published by Kids Can Press.
The Boreal Forest. By L. E. Carmichael. Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. Published by Kids Can Press
The Eagle Mother. By Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson). Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Published by Highwater Press.
In the Dark. By Lisa Deresti Betik. Illustrated by Josh Holinaty. Published by Kids Can Press.
Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean’s Biggest Secret. By Jess Keating. Illustrated by Katie Hickey. Published by Tundra Books.
Powwow: A Celebration through Song and Dance. By Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane. Published by Orca Book Publishers.
Terry Fox and Me. By Mary Beth Leatherdale. Illustrated by Milan Pavlovic. Published by Tundra Books.
(Information Book Award Jury: Sarah Fast, Brooklyn Cribdon, Sarah Bagshaw. Chair: Lauren Hathaway)
The winning and honour titles will be selected from the shortlist by the Information Book Award jury and announced in late fall at the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable’s Annual Illustrator’s Breakfast.
Thank you to all publishers who nominated titles for this year’s award. Although 2020 was full of challenges for the publishing industry (and the world) due to the pandemic, the jury still received an impressive number of submissions and were excited to see so many themes and topics explored in imaginative and engaging ways. The future is bright for the publishing of nonfiction children’s books in Canada!
For more information on the Information Book Award, including criteria and previous winners, visit https://www.vclr.ca/information-book-award-2/.