The finalists for the 2018 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — text
CBC Books | Posted: October 3, 2018 11:00 AM | Last Updated: October 3, 2018
Here are the finalists for the 2018 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — text.
The Governor General's Literary Awards are one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious prizes. The awards, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, are given in seven English-language categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young people's literature — text, young people's literature — illustration, drama and translation. Seven French-language awards are also given out in the same categories.
Each winner receives $25,000. The winners will be announced on Oct. 30, 2018.
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
Sweep is the latest YA novel by author Jonathan Auxier. Set in Victorian London, Sweep revolves around a young orphan girl named Nan who sweeps chimneys for a thankless and hardscrabble living. Nan nearly perishes in a deadly fire but is saved after a fateful encounter with a mysterious golem-like creature. Together, the two embark on an epic adventure that touches on themes of hope, friendship and perseverance. Auxier won the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award in 2015 for The Night Gardener.
The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Journey of Little Charlie follows a 12-year-old boy who agrees to track down thieves in order to settle his debts with a cruel man named Cap'n Buck. But when Charlie discovers the thieves he's hunting are people who escaped from slavery, his conscience intervenes. The Journey of Little Charlie is also longlisted for the U.S. National Book Award for young people's literature.
Learning to Breathe by Janice Lynn Mather
Learning to Breathe, Janice Lynn Mather's debut novel, is a coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old girl named Indira who, burdened by her mother's reputation within her family and community, attempts to forge her own path. When Indy is sent to live with relatives in Nassau, Bahamas, troubles emerge, including an unwanted pregnancy that she must hide from her aunt. The novel follows Indy as she searches for a place to call home.
Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
After winning the 2015 Caldecott Medal for their picture book Finding Winnie, Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall have added Josh Greenhut to their team for a middle-grade novel on the story of the Canadian black bear that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Winnie was purchased by Canadian veterinarian Captain Harry Colebourn, who brought her to Europe during the First World War. Colebourn donated her to the London Zoo where she became the favourite of a boy named Christopher Robin and his father, children's writer A.A. Milne. This book is narrated by a descendent of Colebourn, who is telling the story to Colebourn's great-great-grandson.
Ebb & Flow by Heather Smith
Told in free verse vignette, Heather Smith's Ebb & Flow is the tale of a pre-teen child named Jett who is seeking a fresh start in a new town with his mother after his father is incarcerated. But a series of poor decisions on Jett's part turns into a summer of lies and betrayal. Ebb & Flow is a story of courage, hope and empathy through the eyes of an 11-year-old.