Canadian Library Association Honours List

We are happy to announce that the Canadian Library Association has included two of our titles as honour books during this year’s award. Congratulations to Charis and Susan!

CLA Book of the Year for Children Honour Book:

The SwallowThe Swallow
A Ghost Story

Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-591-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-593-7
“The novel alternates between Polly’s and Rose’s first-person points of view, and Cotter ably creates their two distinct voices, each of which is appealing in its own way. This is a novel about loneliness and friendship, feeling invisible, finding your voice, and long-buried secrets. But The Swallow is never heavy-handed, and, best of all, it’s genuinely spooky. Cotter builds suspense without artificially withholding information from the reader. And for bibliophiles, the author’s subtle hat tips to favourite books are a joy. Like all the best ghost stories, The Swallow tells us more about the living than the dead. It is a fantastic addition to Toronto literature, with all the makings of a classic.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

CLA Young Adult Book Award Honour Book:

The Voice Inside My HeadThe Voice inside My Head
Written by S.J. Laidlaw
Hardcover | 256 Pages | Ages 14+
ISBN: 978-1-77049-565-4
eBook: 978-1-77049-566-1
“With so much choice available on the Young Adult market, it’s refreshing to come across an engaging, authentic, and compelling first-person protagonist-and a male one at that. S.J. Laidlaw lays out a crisp, enticing, and realistic fictional piece of work with a grippingly vivid, unexpected ending. The beauty of the story here is one of the unfaltering friendship that can be found in siblings … the believable dialogue and dialect shines in The Voice inside My Head. This is quite simply a page-turner, and one that will leave voices inside your head for days after. Add it to your summer reading list, Central American island optional.” – Children’s Book Review

We are very excited for our colleagues at Penguin whose The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier won the Book of the Year for Children award. Congratulations to our honorees and all the other nominees!

The award will be presented during the CLA National Conference and Trade Show at the Shaw Conference Centre, Ottawa on Thursday, June 4th 2015 at the Book Awards Reception.

CLA’s 2015 Book of the Year for Children Award Shortlist

The Canadian Library Association is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2015 Book of the Year for Children Award. This respected award honours a book published in Canada in 2014 by a Canadian author that appeals to readers aged 12 and younger. The award is generously sponsored by Library Services Centre. Congratulations to Charis Cotter!

2015 Book of the Year for Children Award Shortlist

The SwallowThe Swallow
A Ghost Story

Written by Charis Cotter
Hardcover | 320 Pages | Ages 9-12
ISBN: 978-1-77049-591-3
eBook: 978-1-77049-593-7
“The novel alternates between Polly’s and Rose’s first-person points of view, and Cotter ably creates their two distinct voices, each of which is appealing in its own way. This is a novel about loneliness and friendship, feeling invisible, finding your voice, and long-buried secrets. But The Swallow is never heavy-handed, and, best of all, it’s genuinely spooky. Cotter builds suspense without artificially withholding information from the reader. And for bibliophiles, the author’s subtle hat tips to favourite books are a joy. Like all the best ghost stories, The Swallow tells us more about the living than the dead. It is a fantastic addition to Toronto literature, with all the makings of a classic.” – Starred Review, Quill & Quire

Congratulations to the other shortlisted authors!

  • Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
  • The Night Gardner by Jonathan Auxier
  • Walking Home by Eric Walters
  • The End of the Line by Sharon McKay
  • Lord and Lady Bunny Almost Royalty by Polly Horvath
  • Circus Dogs of Prague by Rachelle Delaney
  • It’s Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes by Jennifer Gardey
  • The Elevator Ghost by Glen Huser
  • Rain Shadow by Valerie Sherrard

Thank you to the jury members for their dedication and hard work! The winner of the award will be announced during the week of April 20th, 2015. The award will be presented during the CLA National Conference and Trade Show at the Shaw Conference Centre, Ottawa on Thursday, June 4th 2015 at the Book Awards Reception.

Tundra Book Group