Governor General Award for English Language Children's Literature

or for a list of winners:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_General%27s_Award_for_English_language_children%27s_literature

Description:

The Governor General's Literary Award is perhaps Canada's most prestigious literary award. The Governor General Literary Award is an award that is given to the best French and English language books written in Canada. The awards are self-funded and each winner is given a monetary award of $25,000. The winners are chosen each year by a panel of "peers" that are other writers, literary critics, and other individuals involved in the literature field. The panel chooses the winners based according to "literary merit."

According to the GG webpage, Criteria For Eligibility:

1. All books must be at least 48 pages long, except for children's picture books which must have a minimum of 24 pages.

2. All books must have a print run of at least 350 copies.

3. All books must have an ISBN, be distributed in Canada and be available in Canadian bookstores.

4. English titles must be published and available on the market for 13 months.

5. Books may be published in Canada or abroad. Foreign publishers must provide a historical backround, a catalogue of their published titles and a list of Canadian distributors.

6. Books must be foreign or first Canadian edition trade books that have been written, translated, or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

What these books really seem to favor or have in common:

The categories among the Governor General award winning books are: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, children's literature, and translation. There seems to be an element of mystery or magic in every story. The authors seem to have some sort of supernatural element in their stories. It may not take center stage in the tales, but it is definitely there. The magic element is never scary or unpleasant, it seems as if it helps the protagonist of the story. Another thing that these books have in common is that they are all about fantasies, dreams and/or imaginary sights. Some examples of this are Ghost Train, Awake and Dreaming, and The Third Magic. The author makes the reader believe that the words in the text, actually comes true. The author also makes the reader feel as if there is a such place or person and makes the reader feel as if he/she is in the same setting. A common setting that is seen throughout the award winning novels are the many types of the Canadian landscape. Canadian Literature, whether written in French or English both reflect the Canadian perspective on nature or frontier life. Canada's ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected through its literature in some way or another. The authors that write these types of stories create the world for the reader and describe the Canadian landscape very well. Examples of this include Bad Boy, Lost in the Barrens, and Adam and Eve and Pinch Me. Governor General books are award winning books that have the essence of beauty through Canadian landscape, through magic and adventure.

Books that we read:

Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson

Premise: Theo is a sad and lonely young girl who wishes she was part of a real family. She gets her wish, but only for a time. Her dream is way to good to be real.

The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter

Premise:

Emaline is a young girl in the 1960's who's life has been turned upside down due to a tragic accident and the loss of her father. But she finds comfort and help in the most unexpected place.

Some of the Kinder Planets by Tim Wynne-Jones

Premise:

A collection of stories that feature science and science fiction. Each of the characters revels in their triumphs, but they are not without challenge.

Looking for X by Deborah Ellis

Premise: Khyber is a young girl who lives with her mom and autistic brothers. She goes on a search for her mysterious friend X and it turns into an epic adventure.

Airborne by Kenneth Oppel

Premise:

A young man named Matt who works as a cabin boy, comes upon a ruined hot air balloon with a unconscious man inside. The man claims to have seen beautiful objects in the air, so Matt travels up to find out for himself.

Pick-up Sticks by Sarah Ellis

Premise:

A young girl named Polly is upset that she and her mother have to move away from the home that she grew up in. Instead of leaving to a different place, Polly finds a way to escape.

Ghost Train by Paul Yee

Premise:

Choon-yi, a talented painter from China is devastated by her father's sudden death. Choon-yi's father keeps appearing in her dreams, and requests a painting from his daughter.

The Maestro by Tim Wynne-Jones

Premise:

A young boy named Burl runs away to Canada from his abusive father. Burl's former teacher offers him a place to stay, but doesn't realize that his enraged drunken father would come looking for him.

The Landing:by John Ibbitson

Premise: Working for his uncle on Lake Muskoka, at Cooks Landing, Ben wants to broaden his horizons and play the violin and not be stuck on the shores generating a living off of hard labor. Desperate to flee, Ben will do whatever it takes.

Adam & Eve & Pinch Me:by Julie Johnston

Premise: As a foster child, going from home to home, a sixteen- year- old Sarah Moone decides that breaking free of the foster home system is finding it hard to turn her back on the love she is receiving from the Huddlestons family.

Bad Boy:by Diana Wieler

Premise: When sixteen- year- old A.J. fulfills his childhood dream of making the triple A hockey team, his dream is soon shattered when A.J. unexpectedly discovers about his best friend's sexuality.

The Third Magic: by Welwyn Wilton Katz

Premise: While visiting England, fifteen-year-old Morgan Lefevre is mistaken for one of her ancestors and is caught in between two magic forces that are trying to get a hold of the ancient sword that controls the Third Magic.

Dust: by Arthur Slade

Premise: A child vanishes in a small town in Horeshoe by a stranger. All the town people are distort and worried execpt for Robert who is determined to find this child snatcher.

Stitches: by Glen Huser

Premise: Living in a tralier with his family, Travis always had a dream to become a professional puppeteer but never knew he would be the target for the schools' bully.

Lost in The Barrens: by Farley Mowat

Premise: With no food and no hope of rescue, two brothers are left stranded in the wilderness after their canoe was destroyed by the fierce rapids. Will they ever find a way back home?

The Hollow Tree: by Janet Lunn

Premise: Having to never be away from her small New Hampshire village, Phoebe finds herself in the middle of a war when trying to deliver a secret message from her cousin Gideon who was hanged as a British spy.