Smiley: A Journey of Love by Stouffville, Ont. veterinary technician Joanne George was voted the English nonfiction winner of the annual Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award.

The children's literary prize annually invites Grades 4 to 6 students in Atlantic Canada to vote for their favourite books from shortlisted selections across four categories.

George's book tells the story of her golden retriever, Smiley, who was born in a puppy mill without eyes and with dwarfism. Rescued by George, Smiley went on to become a St. John Ambulance therapy dog and a favourite on social media.

The English fiction category was tied between The Painting by Charis Cotter and Camped Out by Daphne Greer.

Cotter's middle-grade novel tells the story of a young girl named Annie, who finds herself falling into a painting of a lighthouse after her mother's car accident. Cotter lives in Newfoundland.

Greer's middle-grade novel Camped Out is about a boy named Max who longs to go to summer camp and take a break from caring for his brother Duncan, who has autism. Max learns that his family can only afford to send him to camp if he goes as Duncan's escort. Greer is from Nova Scotia.

The two French-language award winners were Les Dragouilles en vacances! by Karin Gottot and Maxim Cyr in the nonfiction category and L'Acadie en baratte by Diane Carmel Léger in the fiction category.

The winners were announced May 31, 2019 at Halifax Central Library.