IBBY Canada (International Board on Books for Young People, Canadian section) has named A Pattern for Pepper (Tundra Books), written and illustrated by Julie Kraulis, the winner of the 2018 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award.

The jury called the Toronto author-illustrator’s fourth picture book “a delicate and delightful confection.” They found the story of a girl and her mother visiting a tailor shop to choose the right fabric for a dress “original,” “nostalgic,” and “endearing.”

The jury also named two Honour Books: Town Is by the Sea, illustrated by Sydney Smith (who won the award in 2016) and written by Joanne Schwartz (Groundwood Books), and When the Moon Comes, illustrated by Matt James and written by Paul Harbridge (Tundra Books).

The award, which was established in 1985 and honours one of Canada’s pre-eminent book illustrators, comes with a $1,000 prize.