Jon Klassen

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre has revealed the finalists for its annual literary awards, recognizing excellence in the country’s children’s publishing with six English-language and two French-language accolades.

The English shortlists are as follows:

TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award ($30,000)

• Jon-Erik Lappano and Kellen Hatanaka, ill., Tokyo Digs a Garden (Groundwood Books)
• Iain Lawrence, The Skeleton Tree (Tundra Books)
• Kit Pearson, A Day of Signs and Wonders (HarperTrophy)
• David Alexander Robertson and Julie Flett, ill., When We Were Alone (HighWater Press)
• Jan Thornhill, The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk (Groundwood)

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award ($20,000)

• Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer; Gillian Newland, ill., I Am Not a Number (Second Story Press)
• Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion; Eric Fan and Terry Fan, ills., The Darkest Dark (Tundra)
• Jon Klassen, We Found A Hat (Candlewick Press)
• Jennifer McGrath and Josée Bisaillon, ill., The Snow Knows (Nimbus Publishing)
• Shane Peacock and Sophie Casson, ill., The Artist and Me (Owlkids Books)

Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction ($10,000)

• Antonia Banyard and Paula Ayer; Belle Wuthrich, ill., Water Wow! And Infographic Exploration (Annick Press)
• Elizabeth MacLeod and Sydney Smith, ill., Canada Year by Year (Kids Can Press)
• Kristina Rutherford, Level the Playing Field: The Past, Present, and Future of Women’s Pro Sports (Owlkids)
• Laura Scandiffio, Fight to Learn: The Struggle to Go to School (Annick)
• Jan Thornhill, The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk (Groundwood)

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People ($5,000)

• Kenneth Oppel, Every Hidden Thing (HarperCollins)
• Kevin Sands, The Mark of the Plague (Blackthorn Key, Book 2) (Aladdin)
• Arushi Raina, When Morning Comes (Tradewind Books)
• Ellen Schwartz, Heart of a Champion (Tundra)
• Caroline Stellings, Freedom’s Just Another Word (Second Story)

John Spray Mystery Award ($5,000)

• Jonathan Auxier, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard (The Continuing Adventures of Peter Nimble, Book 2) (Puffin Canada)
• Casey Lyall, Howard Wallace, P.I. (Sterling Children’s Books)
• Shane Peacock, The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim, Book 1 (Tundra)
• Caroline Pignat, Shooter (Razorbill Canada)
• Moira Young, The Road to Ever After (Doubleday Canada)

Amy Mathers Teen Book Award ($5,000)

• Eileen Cook, With Malice (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Catherine Egan, Julia Vanishes (Witch’s Child series, Book 1) (Doubleday)
• M-E Girard, Girl Mans Up (HarperCollins)
• E.K. Johnston, Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Dutton Books for Young Readers)
• Caroline Pignat, Shooter (Razorbill)

The winners will be presented with their prizes at a gala at Toronto’s Carlu on Nov. 21, while the French-language recipients will be honoured at Montreal’s Le Windsor on Nov. 8.