The Victoria Book Prize Society announced the winners of the City of Victoria Book Prize at an awards ceremony on Nov. 18.

Melanie Siebert was named the first winner of the DC Reid Poetry Book Prize for her collection Signal Infinities, published by McClelland & Stewart. The $5,000 prize is awarded to the best book of poetry published in the previous year. The prize was endowed by writer and poet DC Reid, who has become a significant benefactor to Canadian poets, earlier this year.

Barbara Black won the City of Victoria Book Prize for her short-story collection Little Fortified Stories published by Caitlin Press.

Uma Krishnaswami won the City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize for Birds on the Brain, published by Groundwood Books.

Shortlists for the prizes were announced in September. Each winner receives $5,000.