2020 Willow Awards

The Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards aims to promote reading and celebrate Canadian literature each year. We would like to congratulate Kelley Armstrong whose Aftermath won the Snow Willow Award and Cale Atkinson whose Sir Simon: Super Scarer won the Shining Willow Award.

Aftermath
By Kelley Armstrong
384 Pages | Ages 12+| Paperback
ISBN 9780385686471 | Penguin Teen Canada
Three years ago, Skye’s brother Luka died in a mass shooting at the local high school. But there’s no sympathy for Skye and her family because Luka wasn’t a victim – he was a shooter. Now, Skye returns to the small town she had fled to start anew. But the scars of the past don’t heal easily. And there’s one person Skye dreads seeing most: Jesse Matin. Her childhood crush and former best friend until the massacre tore them apart. Told in alternating points of view, Skye and Jesse wade into the mystery of what took place that fateful day. But someone clearly doesn’t want Skye back in town, and when she and Jesse uncover new evidence that could clear Luka’s name, it becomes obvious that someone wants the past to stay buried. In the aftermath of violence, someone has to pay. Blood for blood.

Sir Simon: Super Scarer
By Cale Atkinson
48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781101919095 | Tundra Books
Meet Sir Simon, Super Scarer. He’s a professional ghost who has been transferred to his first house. And to top it off, this house is occupied by an old lady – they’re the easiest to haunt! But things don’t go as planned when it turns out a KID comes with this old lady. Chester spots Simon immediately and peppers him with questions. Simon is exasperated. . . until he realizes he can trick Chester into doing his ghost chores. After a long night of haunting, it seems that maybe Chester isn’t cut out to be a ghost, so Simon decides to help with Chester’s human chores. Turns out Simon isn’t cut out for human chores either. But maybe they’re both cut out to be friends . . .

The 2013 Snow Willow Award Winner

The Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice’s Willow Awards promote reading by granting a Willow Award to the Canadian books voted by students to be the best of those nominated in three categories: Shining Willow, Diamond Willow, and Snow Willow. The 2013 Willow Awards winners were announced at the SaskEnergy Willow Awards Gala on May 7, 2014 in Swift Current at The Lyric Theatre.

And the winning authors and illustrators are…
Martin Springett, Isobel Springett, Jonathan Auxier, and Susin Nielsen! Congratulations to all!

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K LarsenThe Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 pages
HC ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
TR ISBN: 978-1-77049-654-5
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
“…With fully developed adult and child characters and a solid sense of middle school humor, the author has crafted an insightful and nuanced novel about bullying and suicide, and familial love and resilience.” – Starred Review, School Library Journal

PS: Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen was the winner of the 2010 Snow Willow Award and Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom was the winner of the 2011 Snow Willow Award!

2013 Willow Award Nominations

The Willow AwardsThe Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award (SYRCA) has three awards-the Shining Willow Award, kindergarten to grade 3; the Diamond Willow Award, grades 4 to 6; and the Snow Willow Award, grades 7 to 9. Ten books written by Canadian authors are nominated at each level. We are happy to announce the following Tundra nominations for the 2013 Willow Awards:

Shining Willow:
Here Comes Hortense!Here Comes Hortense!
Written by Heather Hartt-Sussman
Illustrated by Georgia Graham
Hardcover | 32 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-221-9
What could be more fun for a six-year-old than having your nana and her new husband take you to a theme park? But Nana and Bob announce that they’ve planned a surprise: they are going to be joined by Bob’s granddaughter, Hortense. It turns out to be the worst surprise ever.

Diamond Willow:
A Tinfoil SkyA Tinfoil Sky
Written by Cyndi Sand-Eveland
Hardcover | 224 Pages
Pub Date: January 2012
ISBN: 978-1-77049-277-6
eBook: 978-1-77049-294-3
Twelve-year-old Mel and her mother Cecily live in poverty, and eventually end up homeless. When Cecily is jailed, Mel must live with her grandmother Gladys, who is very distrustful. Mel is determined to beat incredible odds and steer her own destiny, but she has some tough decisions to make.

Snow Willow:
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K LarsenThe Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larson
Written by Susin Nielsen
Hardcover | 256 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-77049-372-8
eBook: 978-1-77049-373-5
Henry’s family is trying to put back the pieces of their lives, after the worst-case bully scenario leaves them each shattered in their own way. Henry tries to keep his past a secret, and his new group of oddball friends help him navigate the waters of life after “IT”.

Congratulations to our authors!

In 2011, over 13,000 children and young adults throughout the province voted for their favourite book. That same year, Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen won the Snow Willow Award.

Students are still in the process of voting for the 2012 awards. Award winners will be announced in April at the annual Gala. Tundra’s 2012 Shining Willow nominees include Ella May and the Wishing Stone by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Geneviève Côté and In the Bag! by Monica Kulling, illustrated by David Parkins.

For more information, please visit www.willowawards.ca.

The 2011 Snow Willow Award Winner

The Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice’s Willow Awards promote reading by granting a Willow Award to the Canadian books voted by students to be the best of those nominated in three categories: Shining Willow (K-3), Diamond Willow (4-6) and Snow Willow (7-9). The 2011 Willow Awards winners were announced at the SaskEnergy Willow Awards Gala 2012 on April 27, 2012 at the Heritage Inn, Moose Jaw hosted by Holy Trinity School Division.

And the winning authors are…
Kenneth Oppel, L.M. Falcone, and Susin Nielsen! Congratulations to all!

Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom
By Susin Nielsen
Ages 11-14 | 240 pages
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-88776-977-1
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-77049-295-0
eBook ISBN:978-0-88776-978-8
“…This isn’t a book filled with gorgeous, perfect characters who always say and do gorgeous, perfect things. Oh, no. Violet, her family and their friends are awkward, imperfect and so realistic. She’s a kid who acts like a kid. Kinda refreshing, no? … Dear George Clooney Please Marry My Mom made me happy. It put a smile on my face and made me sigh blissfully. And the George Clooney parts made me snort, for real. Funny stuff. Hell, the whole book was filled with funny stuff, another reason why I love it so freaking much.” – Lavender Lines

“…If you’ve been looking for a novel that is funny, poignant, and demonstrates a love of reading, then you’ll love this novel.” – YA Book Shelf

PS: Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen was the winner of the 2010 Snow Willow Award.

Tundra Book Group