Trillium Book Award winners Maurice Vellekoop and Jake Byrne.

Maurice Vellekoop and poet Jake Byrne have been named the winners of the 2025 Trillium Book Awards.

Vellekoop was named the winner for his graphic memoir I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together (Random House Canada/Penguin Random House Canada). Byrne was named the winner of the Trillium Book Award for Poetry for his collection DADDY (Brick Books).

Aristote Kavungu won the Prix trillium littéraire for the novel Céline au Congo (Les Éditions du Boréal) and Mireille Messier was named the winner of the Prix du livre jeunesse Trillium for Le bonnet magique (Comme des géants).

The winning titles were selected from 16 shortlisted books announced last month.

Now in their 38th year, the Trillium prizes recognize literary excellence in Ontario writers who work in both French and English. Winning authors of the Trillium Book Award and Prix Trillium receive $20,000, while winning poets of the Trillium Book Award for Poetry receive $10,000. Winning authors of the French-language prize for best children’s book receive $10,000. Publishers of the winning titles receive support to promote and market the winning books.

The prizes are administered by Ontario Creates.

The winners were announced at an event in Toronto on June 18.

The award is the second for Vellekoop, whose memoir won the 2024 Toronto Book Award.