The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB) has announced the shortlisted titles for the 2024-25 New Brunswick Book Awards. The awards are presented to books published in the 2024 calendar year in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and, for the first time, young readers categories.

Traditionally published and self-published authors who have lived in New Brunswick for three of the last five years, including the award year, are eligible.

The finalists are:

Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction

• Mark Blagrave for Felt (Cormorant Books)
• Nelson Keane for Nachzehrer (Galleon)
• Vanessa C. Hawkins, A Child to Cry Over (CSG Publishing House)

Books for Young Readers Award

• Bea Waters for Project Human (Almandel Entertainment)
• Valerie Sherrard for An Unbalanced Force (DCB/Cormorant Books)
• Odette Barr, Colleen Landry and Beth Weatherbee for Follow the Goose Butt to Prince Edward Island (Acorn Press)

The Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize

• Matthew Gwathmey, Family Band (Gordon Hill Press/Porcupine’s Quill)
• Gerald Arthur Moore, Flak Jacket (Now or Never Publishing)
• Michael Pacey, Van Gogh’s Grasshopper (Pottersfield Press)

Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Nonfiction Award

• C. Ted Behne, James W. Wheaton, Keith Helmuth, Daryl Hunter, Nicholas N. Smith for Tappan Adney: From Birchbark Canoes to Indigenous Rights (Goose Lane Editions and Chapel Street Editions)
• Margaret Augustine and Lauren Beck for Mitji – Let’s Eat! Mi’kmaq Recipes from Sikniktuk (Nimbus Publishing)
• Donald J. Savoie for Speaking Truth to Canadians About Their Public Service (McGill-Queens University Press)

Judges for this year’s awards are: novelist Michelle Butler Hallett for the fiction award; novelist Inessa Sage for the young readers award; poet Margo Wheaton for The Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize; and nonfiction writer, journalist, poet, and editor Mark Abley for the nonfiction award.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on May 31, in conjunction with WFNB’s annual WordSpring writing festival in Fredericton.