Toronto, March 25, 2003 ó The finalists for the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award were announced today. This national award ó one for a children’s picture book and one for a young adult/middle reader book ó recognizes authors and illustrators from across Canada who demonstrate artistic excellence in children’s literature.
Two juries of schoolchildren from Rose Avenue Public School in Toronto, Ontario, will adjudicate and announce the winners at 1:30 p.m. on May 7, 2003 at the school. This year the prize money has been doubled from $5,000 to $10,000.
The young adult/middle reader book category will be judged by students in grades 6. Grade 4 students will award the children’s picture book prize, which is split between the author and illustrator. If the winning picture book is authored and illustrated by two creators, they will share $6,000 ($3,000 each) and the young adult/middle book author will be awarded $4,000. If the creator of the picture book is both author and illustrator, the two categories will have equal awards of $5,000.
The Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award was established in 1976 by Sylvia Schwartz in honour of her sister, the late Ruth Schwartz, a respected Toronto bookseller. The administration of this award is shared by the Ontario Arts Council, which selects the juries, the Ontario Arts Council Foundation, and the Canadian Booksellers Association, whose members select the short list of books.
Short List For The 2003 Ruth Schwartz Award For Excellence In Canadian Children’s Literature
Picture Books
Alphabeasts written and illustrated by Wallace Edwards
Kids Can PressDragonfly Kites written by Tomson Highway, illustrated by Brian Deines HarperCollins Canada Ltd.
Garbage Delight: Another Helping written by Dennis Lee, illustrated by Maryann Kovalski Key Porter Books
Stella, Fairy of the Forest written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Groundwood BooksThe Night Walker written by Richard Thompson, illustrated by Martin Springett Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Young Adult/Middle Reader Books
A Company of Fools by Deborah Ellis Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Parvana’s Journey by Deborah Ellis Groundwood Books
Search of the Moon King’s Daughter by Linda Holeman Tundra Books
The Secret Life of Owen Skye by Alan Cumyn Groundwood Books
True Confessions of a Heartless Girl by Martha Brooks Groundwood Books
OAC Media Contact: Kirsten Gunter, Manager of Communications
Tel: (416) 969-7403. Toll-free outside of Toronto: 1-800-387-0058, ext. 7403.
E-mail: kgunter@arts.on.ca