Shortlist for the 2007 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards

Authors and illustrators nominated to the shortlist for the 2007 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards were announced today (see list below). The authors and illustrators come from all over Canada including Edmonton, Saskatoon, St. John’s, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montréal, Simcoe, Peterborough, Perth and Millbrook.

The Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards recognize Canadian writers and illustrators who demonstrate artistic excellence in children’s literature. Winning books are selected from two categories — children’s picture books and young adult/middle reader books. The award recipient in each category receives a $5,000 prize.

Two juries of schoolchildren from Parkdale Junior and Senior Public School in Toronto, Ontario will review the books and announce the winners on June 1, 2007.

Students in grades 7 and 8 will evaluate books in the young adult/middle reader category to select the winning author. Grade 3 and 4 students will choose the recipient(s) of the children’s picture book prize, which is shared between the author and illustrator.

Sylvia Schwartz established these awards in 1976 in memory of her sister, the late Ruth Schwartz, a respected Toronto bookseller. Sylvia was a well-known Toronto photographer from the 1940s to the early 1960s who had a great love of children. In 2004, the family decided to honour Sylvia by renaming the awards the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards.

The administration of these awards is shared annually by the Ontario Arts Council, which selects the school and the juries, the Ontario Arts Foundation, the Ruth Schwartz Foundation and the Canadian Booksellers Association, whose members select the shortlist of books.

Children’s Picture Books

Click on thumbnail to enlarge image

	Ancient Thunder Written and illustrated by Leo Yerxa Groundwood Books
	The Farm Team Written by Linda Bailey and illustrated by Bill Slavin Kids Can Press
	Fox Walked Alone Written and illustrated by Barbara Reid North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada Ltd.
	Scaredy Squirrel Written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt Kids Can Press
	Snow Written by Joan Clark and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton Groundwood Books

Young Adult/Middle Reader Books

	I Am a Taxi by Deborah Ellis Groundwood Books
	Megiddo's Shadow By Arthur Slade HarperCollins Canada Ltd.
	Odd Man Out by Sarah Ellis Groundwood Books
	Rex Zero and the End of the World by Tim Wynne-Jones Groundwood Books
	Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen by Glen Huser Groundwood Books

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For more information, please contact:

Ann Boyd, Associate Director, Ontario Arts Foundation, 416-969-7411 or toll-free in Ontario at 1-800-387-0058 ext.7411 or email aboyd@arts.on.ca

Daphnée Nostrome, Communications Coordinator, Ontario Arts Council, 416-969-7446 or toll-free in Ontario at 1-800-387-0058 ext.7446 or email dnostrome@arts.on.ca

The Ontario Arts Foundation is a public, non-government foundation established in 1991 to encourage and facilitate private giving to the arts in Ontario.