10 books shortlisted for 2021 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards
Vicky Qiao | | Posted: June 14, 2021 8:17 PM | Last Updated: June 14, 2021
Ten Canadian children's books have been shortlisted for the 2021 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards.
The awards are presented annually to recognize artistic excellence in writing and illustration in English-language Canadian children's literature. There is an award for picture books and an award for young adult and middle-grade books.
The winners in each category are selected by juries comprised of young readers, and will each receive $6,000.
The five finalists for picture book award are:
- Fast Friends by Heather M. O'Connor, illustrated by Claudia Dávila
- Golden Threads by Suzanne Del Rizzo, illustrated by Miki Sato
- A Last Goodbye by Elin Kelsey, illustrated by Soyeon Kim
- My Ocean is Blue by Darren Lebeuf, illustrated by Ashley Barron
- Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Carmen Mok
The five finalists for young adult and middle-grade award are:
- I Will See You Again by Lisa Boivin
- The King of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters
- Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
- My Long List of Impossible Things by Michelle Barker
- Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King
This year's student juries are from Admiral Collingwood Elementary School in Collingwood, Ont.
The picture book winner will be selected by five students in Grade 4, and the winner of the young adult and middle-grade award will be selected by five Grade 8 students.
The Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards were established in 1976 by Sylvia Schwartz in memory of her sister, Ruth, a respected Toronto bookseller.
In 2004, the family renamed the awards to honour both sisters.
The winning books will be announced later in June 2021.