Toronto, June 23, 2020 – The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) and the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) are pleased to announce the shortlists for the 2020 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards. The Schwartz Awards are the only Canadian literary award where student juries work together to choose the winning books.
The 2020 winners are being chosen by two student juries from Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto, who will debate and come to a consensus by video conference. The winners will be announced in July 2020.
ABOUT THIS YEAR’S SHORTLIST
This year’s shortlist features Canadian authors and illustrators from diverse backgrounds working in a variety of literary and artistic styles. The Children’s Picture Book category features several books combining scientific inquiry and artistic exploration. Other themes include the importance of family and staying true to oneself. The Young Adult / Middle Reader shortlist features stories of young people transformed into leaders, transported through music – and sometimes, just having fun.
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CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK AWARD CATEGORY |
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Fairy Science |
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In My Anaana’s Amautik |
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Lili Macaroni |
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My Forest is Green |
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The Pencil |
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YOUNG ADULT / MIDDLE READER |
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Broken Strings |
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Camp Average |
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Operatic |
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A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying |
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Stand on the Sky |
ABOUT THE RUTH AND SYLVIA SCHWARTZ CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS
The two awards, of $6,000 each are presented annually to recognize artistic excellence in writing and illustration in English-language Canadian children’s literature. The winners are selected by two juries of young readers, which this year are students at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto. Five students in grades 6 will select the recipient(s) of the Children’s Picture Book Award. Five students in grades 8 will select the recipient of the Young Adult / Middle Reader Award.
QUOTES
“In these unfamiliar times, books offer a powerful way to transcend physical and social distance and reconnect with the world around us – particularly for young readers. My heartfelt congratulations go to all of the nominated authors and illustrators, as well as this year’s student jurors, the first ever to select the Schwartz Awards laureates virtually!”
Carolyn Vesely, CEO, OAC
“Literature has always held a prominent place in enriching our lives. This is all the more apparent during moments of crisis, like the current COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulations to this year’s nominated authors and illustrators and for the student jurors coming together this year under different circumstances to choose the winning books. It is heartening to see that even in the most troubled times, we can still appreciate the tremendous value of a good book.”
Alan Walker, Executive Director, OAF
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, the family renamed the awards to honour both sisters. The Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) administers the awards with the support of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), which manages the nomination and jury process. These awards are funded through the Ruth Schwartz Foundation.
The nomination committee that chose this year’s shortlist consisted of Carmen Condotta (teacher-librarian, Dufferin Peel Catholic School Board, Mississauga), Nora Elliott-Coutts (Head of Children’s Services, North Bay Public Library, North Bay), and Stephanie Minett (co-owner, The Bookshelf Bookstore, Guelph).
Click here to see the full list.
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MEDIA INQUIRIES
Shoshana Wasser, Senior Communications Coordinator, OAC
swasser@arts.on.ca
ONTARIO ARTS FOUNDATION INQUIRIES
Alan Walker, Executive Director, OAF
awalker@oafdn.ca
The Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2019-2020, the OAF paid over $4.25 million in endowment income and $270,000 in awards and scholarships.
For more than 55 years, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. In 2018-2019, the OAC invested $61.1 million in 228 communities across Ontario through 2,252 grants to individual artists and 1,424 grants to organizations.
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