2010 Short List Announced - Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards

TORONTO, April 27 /CNW/ - The 2010 short list for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards was revealed today. The winners of the 2010 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards will be announced at Huttonville Public School, 2322 Embleton Road in Brampton, at 1 p.m. on May 26, 2010.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

This year's shortlists represent some of Canada's best known children's books authors, and some newcomers. The books themselves focus on engaging themes, including memory, nature and identity.

    
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        CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK              YOUNG ADULT/MIDDLE READER
            AWARD CATEGORY                        AWARD CATEGORY
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    Perfect Snow                         Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock
    By Barbara Reid (Toronto, ON)         Holmes, His Third Case
    Illustrations by Barbara Reid        By Shane Peacock (Baltimore, ON)
    North Wind Press, an imprint of      Tundra Books
     Scholastic Canada
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    When Stella was Very, Very Small     The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy
    By Marie-Louise Gay (Outremont, QC)  By Jill MacLean (Bedford, NS)
    Illustrations by Marie-Louise Gay    Published in Canada by Fitzhenry
    Groundwood Books                      & Whiteside
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion  earthgirl
    By Jane Barclay (Pointe-Claire, QC)  By Jennifer Cowan (Toronto, ON)
    Illustrations by Renné Benoit        Groundwood Books
     (St.Thomas, ON)
    Tundra Books
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Scaredy Squirrel at Night            The Mealworm Diaries
    By Mélanie Watt (Laval, QC)          By Anna Kerz (Toronto, ON)
    Illustrations by Mélanie Watt        Orca Books Publishers
    Kids Can Press
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Imaginary Garden                 The Awakening
    By Andrew Larsen (Toronto, ON)       By Kelley Armstrong (Aylmer, ON)
    Illustrations by Irene Luxbacher     Doubleday Canada
    Kids Can Press
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

ABOUT THE AWARDS

    
    -   The two awards, of $6,000 each, recognize artistic excellence in
        writing and illustration in Canadian children's literature. They are
        awarded annually.
    -   The winners are selected by two juries of young readers. This year's
        jurors are students at Huttonville Public School in Brampton, ON.
    -   Five grade 3 and 4 students will choose the author and illustrator
        for the children's picture book award.
    -   Five students in grades 7 and 8 will select the recipient of the
        young adult/middle reader award.
    -   The two juries run in April, and the winners will be announced at an
        event to be held at Huttonville Public School on May 26, 2010.
    

John Degen, Literature Officer at the Ontario Arts Council states, "the Schwartz Awards encourage students to develop and refine their literacy skills with great Canadian books, and the jury process provides them a wonderful opportunity to debate ideas and have fun with their peers. I am always impressed with how seriously our young jurors take their responsibility to choose a winner."

Janet Stubbs, the Ontario Arts Foundation's Executive Director adds, "the Schwartz Awards give these young readers an appreciation of literature and an opportunity to engage in discussion about ideas and issues raised in the books."

LEARN MORE

    
    -   The Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards were established
        in 1976 by Sylvia Schwartz in memory of her sister, Ruth Schwartz, a
        respected Toronto bookseller. In 2004, their family renamed the
        awards to honour both sisters.

    -   The administration of these awards is shared by the Ontario Arts
        Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, which manages the jury process
        and the Ruth Schwartz Foundation which funds the awards. Candidates
        are nominated by the Canadian Booksellers Association and members of
        the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee also selects the short
        list for the student juries.
    

The Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) offers donors effective and creative opportunities for charitable giving - helping to build a foundation for the arts in Ontario. OAF works with donors to build lasting endowments in support of the arts - a gift for this generation and the next.

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is the province of Ontario's primary funding body for professional arts activity. Since 1963, the OAC has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts and artists for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians.

    
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For further information: MEDIA INQUIRIES: Geneviève Vallerand, Communications Coordinator, Ontario Arts Council, [phone], 1-800-387-0058 ext. 7434, [email protected]; ONTARIO ARTS FOUNDATION INQUIRIES: Janet Stubbs, Executive Director, [phone], [email protected]