Blue Spruce Award

Last updated

The Blue Spruce Award is an award in the Ontario Library Association (OLA) Forest of Reading Awards. The Blue Spruce Award celebrates English-language Canadian picture books for grades Kindergarten to grade 2 (ages 5-8) every year. [1] Out of ten nominated books in each category students must read a minimum of five to vote for their favourite. The winner is chosen by the most popular book in all participating libraries, schools, groups, etc. The Blue Spruce Award was established in 2002. [2] A French-language version of the Forest of Reading prize for picture books is Le prix Peuplier.

Contents

Award winners

2002-2009

Award winners and finalists, 2002-2009
YearAuthor(s)Illustrator(s)TitleResultRef.
2002 Valerie Coulman Rogé GirardWhen Pigs FlyWinner [2]
Linda Bailey Alan Daniel, Lea Daniel,
and Heather Collins
The Best Figure Skater in the Whole Wide WorldFinalist [2]
Paulette Bourgeois Stephane Jorisch Oma's Quilt
Sarah Ellis Kim LaFave Big Ben
Sheree Fitch Janet WilsonNo Two Snowflakes
Tomson Highway John RomboughCaribou Song
Jonathan London Paul Morin What the Animals Were Waiting For
Andrea Spalding Leslie Elizabeth WattsIt's Raining, It's Pouring
Margriet RuursBarbara SpurllEmma's Cold Day
Mike Ulmer Melanie Rose M is for Maple
2003 Matthew M. Napier Melanie Rose Z is for ZamboniWinner [3]
Wallace Edwards Alphabeasts Finalist [3]
Marie-Louise Gay Stella, Fairy of the Forest
Celia GodkinWhen the Giant Stirred
Troon HarrisonZhong-Yang HuangCourage to Fly
Robin MullerBadger's New House
Marilynn Reynolds Don KilbyThe Name of the Child
Joanne TaylorSusan TookeFull Moon Rising
Jan Thornhill The Rumor
Frieda Wishinsky Dean GriffithsGive Maggie a Chance
2004 Linda Bailey Bill SalvinStanley's PartyWinner [4]
Jane Barclay, Kathryn Cole [a] Janice DonatoHow Hot Was It?Finalist [4]
Karleen Bradford Leslie Elizabeth WattsYou Can't Rush a Cat
Anne Laurel Carter Rose CowlesThe F Team
Valerie CoulmanRogé [b] Sink or Swim
Phoebe Gilman Jillian Jiggs and the Great Big Snow
Shenaaz Nanji Chum McLeodAn Alien in My House
Susin Nielsen-Fernlund Louise-Andrée Laliberté Hank and Fergus
Barbara Reid The Subway Mouse
Vlasta van Kampen It Couldn't Be Worse
2005Robert HeidbrederBill Slavin & Esperanca MeloDrumheller Dinosaur DanceWinner [5]
Aubrey DavisDuesan PetriecicBagels from BennyFinalist [5]
Dorothy Joan Harris Kim LaFave A Very Unusual Dog
Hazel J. Hutchins Ruth OhiThe Sidewalk Rescue
Lynn ManuelKasia CharkiCamels Always Do
Sheryl McFarlane Chrissie WysotskiThis is the Dog
Gilles TiboBruno St-AubinToo Many Books!
Maxine Trottier & Brian DeinesOur Canadian Flag
Troy WilsonDean GriffithsPerfect Man
Chieri Uegaki Stéphane Jorisch Suki's Kimono
2006George ElliottAndrej KrystoforskiThe Boy Who Loved BananasWinner [6]
Sean Cassidy GummytoesFinalist [6]
Sarah Ellis Kim LaFave Ben Over Night
Marie-Louise Gay Stella, Princess of the Sky
Maureen Hull Leanne Franson Rainy Days with Bear
Hazel J. Hutchins Ruth OhiBeneath the Bridge
Laura LangstonLindsey GardinerMile-High Apple Pie
Stehpanie Simpson McLellanDianna BonderLeon's Song
Evan SolomonBill SlavinBigbeard's Hook
Sheri Radford Christine TrippPenelope and the Humongous Burp
2007 Mélanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel Winner [7]
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinStanley's Wild RideFinalist [7]
Lili Chartrand, Susan Ouriou [c] Rogé GirardTaming Horrible Harry
Don Gillmor Michael Martchenko Sophie and the Sea Monster
Susan Hughes Stephane Poulin Earth to Audrey
Ruth OhiClara and the Bossy
Sheri Radford Christine TrippPenelope and the Monsters
Margriet Ruurs Sean Cassidy Wake Up, Henry Rooster!
Colleen SydorPascale ConstantinCamilla Chameleon
Gilles TiboBruno St-AubinWhere's My Hockey Sweater?
2008 Melanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend Winner [8]
Barbara Reid Fox Walked AloneFinalist [8]
Jeremy TankardGrumpy Bird
Margriet RuursRon BrodaIn My Backyard
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinThe Farm Team
Kari-Lynn Winters Ben Hodson Jeffery and Sloth
Rebecca UpjohnRenne BenoitLily and the Paper Man
Hazel Hutchins Maria van LieshoutThe List
Frieda Wishinsky Marie-Louise Gay Please, Louise!
Debby WaldmanCindy RevellA Sack Full of Feathers
2009 Mélanie Watt ChesterWinner [9]
Carolyn Beck Andrea Beck Buttercup's Lovely DayFinalist [9]
Chris MizzoniClancy with the Puck
Anne Cottringer & Alex T. Smith Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero
Pamela HickmanGeraldo ValéroIt's Moving Day!
Rachna Gilmore Leslie Elizabeth WattsMaking Grizzie Grow
Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert Dusan Petricic Mattland
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinStanley At Sea
Cary Fagan Dusan Petricic My New Shirt
Dan Bar-elJohn MandersSuch a Prince

2010-2019

Award winners and finalists, 2010-2019
YearAuthor(s)Illustrator(s)TitleResultRef.
2010Jeremy TankardBoo Hoo BirdWinner [10]
Tim Beiser Rachel Berman Bradley McGogg Finalist [10]
Robert Heidbreder & Rae MateCrocodiles Play
Beth Cruikshank Lynn Johnston Farley Follows His Nose
Katarina Jovanovic Philippe Beha The King Has Goat Ears
Kenneth Oppel Steve Johnson & Lou FancherThe King's Taster
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinStanley's Beauty Contest
Valerie Sherrard David JardineThere's a Cow Under My Bed
Marie-Louise Gay When Stella Was Very, Very Small
Frieda Wishinsky & Kady MacDonald Denton You're Mean, Lily Jean
2011 Dave Whamond My Think-A-ma-JinkWinner [11]
Nicholas OldlandBig Bear HugFinalist [11]
Sharon Jennings Ashley Spires C'mere, Boy!
Mélanie Watt Have I Got a Book for You!
Andrew Larsen Irene Luxbacher The Imaginary Garden
Christina LeistJack the Bear
Barbara Reid & Ian CryslerPerfect Snow
Jane BarclayRenne BenoitProud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion
Tania Duprey StehlikVanja Vuleta JovanovicViolet
Lana ButtonTania HowellsWillow's Whispers
2012Rebecca BenderGiraffe and BirdWinner [12]
Sarah TsiangQin LengA Flock of ShoesFinalist [12]
Heather McLeodBrooke KerriganKiss Me! (I'm a Prince!)
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas & Wangari Maathai [d] The Little Hummingbird
Nicholas OldlandMaking the Moose Out of Life
Heather Hartt-Sussman Geneviève Côté Noni Says No
David Ward & Brian DeinesOne Hockey Night
Marie-Louise Gay Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth!
Ashley Spires Small Saul
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinStanley's Little Sister
2013Martin SpringettIsobel Springett [e] Kate and PippinWinner [13]
Nicholas OldlandThe Busy BeaverFinalist [13]
Rebecca BenderDon't Laugh at a Giraffe
Cary Fagan Geneviève Côté Ella May and the Wishing Stone
Heather Hartt-SussmanGeorgia GrahamHere Comes Hortense!
Jane BarclayEsperança MeloJoJo the Giant
Ashley Spires Larf
Émilie RivardAnne-Claire DelisleReally and Truly
Kevin Sylvester Splinters
Elin KelseySoyeon KimYou Are Stardust
2014 Dave Whamond OddreyWinner [14]
Alma FullertonKaren PatkauA Good TradeFinalist [14]
Helene Boudreau Serge BlochI Dare You Not to Yawn
Elly MacKayIf You Hold a Seed
Andrew Larsen Dusan Petricic In the Tree House
Cary Fagan Dusan Petricic Mr. Zinger's Hat
Peter H. Reynolds Sky Color
Jon Klassen This is Not My Hat
Wallace Edwards Uncle Wally's Old Brown Shoe
Lana ButtonTania HowellsWillow Finds a Way
2015Maureen FergusMike LoweryThe Day My Mom Came to KindergartenWinner [15]
Roy MacGregor Geneviève DesprésThe Highest Number in the WorldFinalist [15]
Ruth OhiKenta and the Big Wave
Anne Villenueve Loula is Leaving for Africa
Kathy Stinson Dusan Petricic The Man with the Violin
Christine Baldacchino Isabelle Malenfant Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Ashley Spires The Most Magnificent Thing
Jessica Young Catia Chien My Blue is Happy
Dave Whamond Oddrey and the New Kid
Frank VivaYoung Frank, Architect
2016 Linda Bailey David HuyckIf Kids Ruled the WorldWinner [16]
Elly MacKayButterfly ParkFinalist [16]
Michael MonizThe Cardinal and the Crow
Colleen SydorBrooke KerriganFishermen Through and Through
Sandra BradleySara PalaciosHenry Holton Takes the Ice
Alma FullertonBrian DeinesIn a Cloud of Dust
Sangeeta BhadraMarion ArbonaSam's Pet Temper
Heather TekavecPierre PrattStop, Thief!
Claudia DávilaSuper Red Riding Hood
Nancy Wilcox RichardsTom GoldsmithWe're All Friends Here
2017 Terry Fan & Eric Fan The Night GardenerWinner [17]
Shane Peacock Sophie CassonThe Artist and MeFinalist [17]
Kyo Maclear Marion ArbonaThe Good Little Book
Kathy Stinson Qin LengHarry and Walter
Vikki VanSickleCale AtkinsonIf I Had a Gryphon
Maureen Fergus Dusan Petricic InvisiBill
Hazel Hutchins Dusan Petricic Snap!
Danielle DanielSometimes I Feel Like a Fox
Linda Bailey Bill SlavinStanley at School
Willow Dawson The Wolf-Birds
2018Jess KeatingMarta Álvarez MiguénsShark LadyWinner [18]
Mireille Messier Pierre PrattThe BranchFinalist [18]
Chris Hadfield & Kate FillionThe Darkest Dark [19]
Shelly BeckerEda KabanEven Superheroes Have Bad Days [18]
Kari-Lynn Winters Francois ThisdaleFrench Toast
Lauri Holomis, Glen Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky [f] Kevin Sylvester Great
Carolyn Huizinga MillsBrooke KerriganLittle Boy Who Lived Down the Drain
Bree GalbraithJosee BisaillonMilo and Georgie
Roselynn AkulukjukThe Owl and the Lemming
Andrew LarsenMike LoweryA Squiggly Story
2019Pierre Collet-DerbyBarnaby Never ForgetsWinner [20]
Jessica Scott Kerrin Qin LengThe Better Tree FortFinalist [20]
Jean Little Joel WeissmannHarry's Hiccups
Belle DeMontSonja WimmerI Love My Purse
Leanne ShirtliffeLorenzo MontatoreI Love Sharks, Too!
Zachary Hyman Joe BluhmThe Magician's Secret
Deborah KerbelSuzanne Del RizzoSun Dog
Kari RustTricky
Aviaq Johnston Tim MackWhat's My Superpower?
Cale AtkinsonWhere Oliver Fits

2020-2025

Award winners and finalists, 2002-2009
YearAuthor(s)Illustrator(s)TitleResultRef.
2020 Andrée Poulin Félix GirardThat's Not Hockey!Winner [21]
Anne Renaud & Leanne Franson Emma's GemsFinalist [21] [22]
Rebecca BenderGiraffe and Bird Together Again
Kit Pearson & Katherine FarrisGabrielle GrimardThe Magic Boat
Heather SmithBrooke KerriganA Plan for Pops
Kerry Lyn Sparrow Guillaume Perreault Sheep, Sheep!
Andrew Larsen Anne Villeneuve Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden
Marie-Louise Gay Mustafa
Maureen FergusElina EllisThe Reptile Club
Helaine BeckerOrbieSloth at the Zoom
2021Mike BoldtBad DogWinner
Peter H. Reynolds Be You!Finalist [23] [24]
Kim SmithBoxitects
Heather O'Connor & Claudia DavilaFast Friends
Sherry J. LeeCharlene ChuaGoing Up!
Rina SinghEllen RooneyGrandmother School
Sennah YeeElaine ChenMy Day with Gong Gong
Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali [g] Hatem AlyThe Proudest Blue
Danny Ramadan Anna Bron Salma the Syrian Chef
Hazel Hutchins & Gail Herbert Dusan Petricic The Truth About Wind
2022Peggy CollinsHarley the HeroWinner [25]
Sara de WallErika Medina48 Grasshopper EstatesFinalist [25] [26]
Bonnie Sherr Klein Élisabeth Eudes-PascalBeep Beep Bubble
Nhung N. Tran-DaviesRavy PuthThe Doll
Bahram RahmanGabrielle GrimardThe Library Bus
Nadia L. Hohn Irene Luxbacher Malaika's Surprise
Alma FullertonNo More Plastic
Stephanie Simpson McLellanZoe SiThe Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe
Jeffrey Ansloos & Shezza AnsloosJoshua Mangeshig Pawis-SteckleyThunder and the Noise Storms
Monique Gray Smith Nicole NeidhardtWhen We Are Kind
2023Monica ArnaldoAre You a Cheeseburger?Winner [27]
Leonarda CarranzaRafael MayaniAbuelita and MeFinalist [27]
Leona Prince & Gabrielle PrinceCarla JosephBe a Good Ancestor
Mahak JainAnu ChouhanBharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes
Dane LiuLynn ScurfieldFriends Are Friends, Forever
Sadé SmithKen DaleyGranny's Kitchen
Tina AthaideÅsa GillandMeena's Mindful Moment
Nan ForlerYong Ling KangRodney Was a Tortoise
Bahram Rahman & Peggy CollinsA Sky-Blue Bench
Anoosha Syed That's Not My Name!
2024Sarabeth HoldenEmma PedersenBenny the Bananasaurus RexWinner [28]
Sandra BradleyGabrielle GrimardCocoa MagicFinalist [28]
Lindsay Zier-VogelCaroline Bonne-MullerDear Street
Esi Edugyan Amélie DuboisGarden of Lost Socks
Naseem HrabKelly CollierHow to Party Like a Snail
Ibtihaj Muhammad & S. K. AliHatem AlyThe Kindest Red
Shauntay Grant Kitt ThomasMy Fade is Fresh
Kuljinder Kaur BrarSamrath KaurMy Name is Saajin Singh
Maureen FergusDanesh MohiuddinPrincess Pru and the Ogre on the Hill
Jack Wong The Words We Share
2025Sakshi MangalAsha and the ToymakerFinalist [29]
Flo LeungThe Blue Bowl
Lisa WyzlicRebecca SyracuseHarold the Iceberg Melts Down
Bahram RahmanGabrielle GrimardIf You See a Bluebird
Yewande Daniel-AyoadeKen DaleyThe Little Regent
Anoosha Syed Lost Stick
Kuljinder Kaur BrarSamrath KaurMandeep's Cloudy Days
Roz MacLeanMore Than Words
Sylv ChiangMathias BallStill My Tessa
Brittany Luby Natasha Donovan When the Stars Came Home

Notes

  1. Editor.
  2. Also translator.
  3. Translator.
  4. Afterword
  5. Photographer
  6. Foreword
  7. As told to

References

  1. "About the Forest – Forest of Reading" . Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "Blue Spruce Nominees, 2002". Queen's University Library. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Blue Spruce Nominees, 2003". Queen's University Library. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Blue Spruce Nominees, 2004". Queen's University Library. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Blue Spruce Nominees, 2005". Queen's University Library. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Blue Spruce Nominees, 2006". Queen's University Library. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  7. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2007". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  8. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2008". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  9. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2009". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  10. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2010". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  11. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2011". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  12. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2012". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  13. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2013". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  14. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2014". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  15. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2015". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  16. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2016". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  17. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2017". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  18. 1 2 3 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2018". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  19. van Koeverden, Jane (2017-10-16). "Chris Hadfield, Gord Downie among Forest of Reading's 108 nominees for 2018 awards". CBC Books . Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  20. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2019". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  21. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2020". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  22. "Here are the Blue Spruce Award nominees: 10 great Canadian books for readers in". CBC Books . 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  23. Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2021". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  24. "Here are the 2021 Blue Spruce Award finalists: 10 great Canadian books for readers in kindergarten to Grade 2". CBC Books . 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  25. 1 2 Education Library Team. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2022". Queen's University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  26. "Here are the 2022 Blue Spruce Award finalists: 10 great Canadian books for readers in kindergarten to Grade 2". CBC Books . 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  27. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2023". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  28. 1 2 Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2024". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  29. Team, Education Library. "Research Guides: Forest of Reading®, K to 6 Programs: Blue Spruce Nominees, 2025". Queen’s University . Retrieved 2024-11-08.