The Three Brothers (Groundwood Books) by Marie-Louise Gay has won the 2020 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, IBBY Canada announced on March 6. Gay was awarded $1,000 for the quiet nature adventure, which was selected from 122 submissions.

The jury, comprised of librarians Josiane Polidori, Heather Doepner, and Pamela Mountain, commented:

In The Three Brothers, Finn and his brothers Leo and Ooley are inspired by the adventure stories they read every night. They embark one morning on a winter adventure that will spark their imagination. Marie-Louise Gay shows how, through the eyes of a child, a walk in the nearby woods can become a marvellous adventure with secret hiding places, shadows of animals lurking behind trees, and a feeling of discovery and wonder. The jury was delighted to see how Marie-Louise Gay used exquisite detail and colourful watercolour and pen illustrations to create a masterful ode to creativity, to brotherly connection, and to the joy of winter. Young readers will be enchanted by this gentle story that will spark their curiosity for adventure and the power of imagination.

The Paper Boat by Thao Lam and At the Pond by Geraldo Valério were also selected as honour books.