Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards

Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards
Awarded forChildren's literature
CountryCanada
Presented byOntario Arts Foundation and Ontario Arts Council
RewardCA$6,000
First award1976
Most winsKenneth Oppel
Websitehttps://oafdn.ca/programs/awards/ruth-sylvia-schwartz-childrens-book-awards/

The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards, established in 1976 as the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Awards, is a Canadian literary award for children's books. From 1976 until 1993, a single award was presented annually. Beginning in 1994, two awards were presented: one for children's picture book (C) and one for young adult and middle-grade novel (YA/MG). In 2008, the prize increased from CA$5,000 to CA$6,000.[1]

The award was established by Sylvia Schwartz in honour of her sister, Ruth, a Toronto bookseller. The award was renamed in 2004 to honour both Ruth and Sylvia.[2] Recipients are nominated by a committee consisting of a bookseller, a librarian and a children's book reviewer, with winners selected among the nominees by juries of young readers from an Ontario public school.[3] The Ontario Arts Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council facilitate award administration.[3]

Recipients

1976-1999

Award winners[4] and finalists
Year Category Author Title Publisher Result Ref.
1976 N/A Mordecai Richler Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang McClelland & Stewart Winner [5]
1977 N/A Robert Thomas Allen The Violin McGraw-Hill Ryerson Winner
1978 N/A Dennis Lee, illus. by Frank Newfield Garbage Delight MacMillan Winner
1979 N/A Kevin Major Hold Fast Stoddart Winner
1980 N/A Barbara Smucker Days of Terror Penguin Books Canada Winner
1981 N/A Suzanne Martel The King's Daughter Groundwood Books Winner
1982 N/A Claire Mackay, illus. by Marsha Hewitt One Proud Summer Women's Press Winner
1983 N/A Jan Truss Jasmin Groundwood Books Winner
1984 N/A Tim Wynne-Jones, illus. by Ken Nutt Zoom at Sea Groundwood Books Winner
1985 N/A Jean Little Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird Penguin Books Canada Winner
1986 N/A Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko Thomas' Snowsuit Annick Press Winner
1987 N/A Barbara Reid Have You Seen Birds? Scholastic Canada . Winner
1988 N/A Cora Taylor The Doll Western Producer Winner
1989 N/A Janet Lunn, illus. by Kim LaFave Amos's Sweater Groundwood Books Winner
1990 N/A Diana Wieler Bad Boy Groundwood Books Winner
1991 N/A William Bell Forbidden City Doubleday Winner [6]
1992 N/A Paul Yee, illus. by Harvey Chan Roses Sing on New Snow Groundwood Books Winner
1993 N/A Phoebe Gilman Something from Nothing Doubleday Winner
1994 C Michael Kusugak, illus. by Vladyana Kyrkorka Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails Annick Press Winner
YA/MG O. R. Mellin The Hunter's Moon HarperCollins Canada Winner
1995 C Barbara Greenwood, illus. by Heather Collins A Pioneer Story Kids Can Press . Winner
YA/MG Julie Johnston Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me Lester Publishing Winner
1996 C Geoff Butler The Killick: A Newfoundland Story Tundra Books Winner
YA/MG Welwyn Wilton Katz Out of the Dark Groundwood Books Winner
1997 C Paul Yee, illus. by Harvey Chan Ghost Train Groundwood Books Winner
YA/MG Kit Pearson Awake and Dreaming Penguin Books Canada Winner
1998 C Jo Ellen Bogart, illus. by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson Jeremiah Learns to Read Scholastic Canada . Winner
YA/MG Martha Brooks Bone Dance Groundwood Books Winner
1999 C Celia Barker Lottridge, illus. by Harvey Chan Music for the Tsar of the Sea Groundwood Books Winner
YA/MG Eric Walters War of the Eagles Orca Book Publishers Winner

2000s

Award winners[4] and finalists
Year Category Author Title Publisher Result Ref.
2000 C Marie-Louise Gay Stella, Star of the Sea Groundwood Books Winner
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel Sunwing HarperCollins Canada Winner
2001 C Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Sean Cassidy The Chicken Cat Fitzhenry & Whiteside . Winner
YA/MG Janet McNaughton The Secret Under My Skin HarperCollins Canada Winner
2002 C Paulette Bourgeois, illus. by Stéphane Jorisch Oma's Quilt Kids Can Press . Winner
YA/MG Mary C. Sheppard Seven for a Secret Groundwood Books Winner
2003 C Richard Thomson, illus. by Martin Springett The Night Walker Fitzhenry & Whiteside Winner
YA/MG Deborah Ellis Parvana's Journey Groundwood Books Winner
2004 C Barbara Reid The Subway Mouse North Winds Press / Scholastic Canada Winner
YA/MG Brian Doyle Boy O'Boy Groundwood Books Winner
2005 C Wallace Edwards Monkey Business Kids Can Press Winner
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel Airborn HarperCollins Canada Winner
2006 C Marie-Louise Gay Caramba Groundwood Books Winner
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel Skybreaker HarperCollins Canada Winner
2007 C Mélanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel Kids Can Press Winner
YA/MG Deborah Ellis I Am A Taxi Groundwood Books Winner
2008 C Duncan Weller The Boy from the Sun Sim 1 Read Books Winner [7]
Bill Richardson, illus. by Cynthia Nugent The Aunts Come Marching Finalist [1]
Jeremy Tankard Grumpy Bird Finalist [1]
Wallace Edwards The Painted Circus: P.T. Vermin Presents a Mesmerizing Menagerie of Trickery and Illusion Guaranteed to Beguile and Bamboozle the Beholder Finalist [1]
Mélanie Watt Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend Finalist [1]
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel Darkwing HarperCollins Canada Winner [7]
Jean Little Dancing Through the Snow Finalist [1]
Christopher Paul Curtis Elijah of Buxton Finalist [1]
Kit Pearson A Perfect Gentle Knight Finalist [1]
Tim Wynne-Jones Rex Zero, King of Nothing Finalist [1]
2009 C Mélanie Watt Chester's Back! Kids Can Press Winner
YA/MG Alma Fullerton Libertad Fitzhenry & Whiteside Winner

2010s

Award winners[4] and finalists
Year Category Author Title Publisher Result Ref.
2010 C Jane Barclay, illus. by Renné Benoit Proud as a Peacock, Brave as a Lion Tundra Books Winner
YA/MG Shane Peacock Vanishing Girl: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Third Case Tundra Books Winner
2011 C Mélanie Watt Chester's Masterpiece Kids Can Press Winner
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel Half-Brother HarperColIins Canada Winner
2012 C Susan Vande Griek, illus. by Karen Reczuch Loon House of Anansi / Groundwood Books Winner [8][9]
YA/MG Kit Pearson The Whole Truth HarperColIins Canada Winner [8][9]
2013 C Aubrey Davis, illus. by Marie Lafrance A Hen for Izzy Pippik Kids Can Press Winner [10]
YA/MG Susin Nielsen The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen Tundra Books Winner [10]
2014 C Anne Villeneuve Loula is Leaving for Africa Kids Can Press Winner
K. Jane Watt, illus. by Richard Cole The Boy Who Paints Finalist [11]
Kathy Stinson, illus. by Dušan Petričić The Man with the Violin Finalist [11]
Jean E. Pendziwol, illus. by Isabelle Arsenault Once Upon a Northern Night Finalist [11]
Marie-Louise Gay Read Me a Story, Stella Finalist [11]
YA/MG Teresa Toten The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B Doubleday Canada Winner
Julie Johnston Little Red Lies Finalist [11]
David Carroll Ultra Finalist [11]
Fanny Britt, illus. by Isabelle Arsenault Jane, the Fox and Me Finalist [11]
Erin Bow Sorrow's Knot Finalist [11]
2015 C Kathy Kacer, illus. by Gillian Newland The Magician of Auschwitz Second Story Press Winner [12]
Margriet Ruurs and Katherine Gibson A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison Pajama Press Finalist [13]
Ashley Spires The Most Magnificent Thing Kids Can Press Finalist [13]
Cybèle Young Nancy Knows by Tundra Books Finalist [13]
Geneviève Côté Starring Me and You Kids Can Press Finalist [13]
YA/MG Kenneth Oppel The Boundless HarperColIins Canada Winner [12]
Dan Bar-el, illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss Audrey (Cow) Tundra Finalist [13]
William Bell Julian Doubleday Canada Finalist [6][13]
Polly Horvath Lord and Lady Bunny: Almost Royalty! Groundwood Books Finalist [13]
Deborah Ellis Moon at Nine Pajama Press Finalist [13]
2016 C Marianne Dubuc Mr. Postmouse's Rounds Kids Can Press Winner [14]
YA/MG Susin Nielsen We Are All Made of Molecules Tundra Books Winner [14]
2017 C The Fan Brothers The Night Gardener Simon & Schuster Winner
Chris Hadfield, illus. by The Fan Brothers The Darkest Dark Tundra Books Finalist [15]
Sara O'Leary, illus. by Qin Leng A Family is a Family is a Family Groundwood Books Finalist [15]
Kathy Stinson, illus. by Qin Leng Harry and Walter Annick Press Finalist [15]
Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Cale Atkinson If I Had a Gryphon Tundra Books Finalist [15]
YA/MG Wesley King OCDaniel Paula Wiseman Books Winner
Sara Cassidy A Boy Named Queen Groundwood Books Finalist [15]
Lisa Moore Flannery Groundwood Books Finalist [15]
Richard Scrimger Lucky Jonah HarperCollins Canada Finalist [15]
Frank Viva Sea Change Tundra Books Finalist [15]
2018 C Melanie Florence, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard Stolen Words Second St. Press Winner
YA/MG Heather Smith The Agony of Bun O'Keefe Penguin Teen Winner
2019 C Wab Kinew, illus. by Joe Morse Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes Tundra Books Winner
Shauntay Grant, illus. by Eva Campbell Africville Groundwood Books Finalist [16]
Marie-Louise Gay Mustafa Groundwood Books Finalist [16]
Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt, illus. by Lenny Lishchenko The Origin of Day and Night Inhabit Media Finalist [16]
Sheryl McFarlane, illus. by Leslie Redhead Island in the Salish Sea Orca Book Publishers Finalist [16]
YA/MG Colleen Nelson Sadia Dundurn Press Winner
Adam Garnet Jones Fire Song Annick Press Finalist [16]
Susin Nielsen No Fixed Address Tundra Finalist [16]
Monique Polak Planet Grief Orca Finalist [16]
Polly Horvath Very Rich Puffin Canada Finalist [16]

2020s

Award winners[4]
Year Category Author Title Publisher Result Ref.
2020 C Nicole Testa, illus. by Annie Boulanger Lili Macaroni Pajama Press Winner
YA/MG Kelley Armstrong A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying Puffin Canada Winner
2021 C Heather M. O'Connor, illus. by Claudia Dávila Fast Friends Scholastic Canada . Winner
YA/MG Wesley King Sara and the Search for Normal Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books Winner
2022 C Brittany Luby, illus. by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know Groundwood Press Winner [17]
Bree Galbraith, illus. by Lynn Scurfield Hold That Thought! Owlkids Books Finalist [18]
Sara O'Leary, illus. by Qin Leng A Kid is a Kid is a Kid Groundwood Books Finalist [18]
David A. Robertson, illus. by Julie Flett On the Trapline Penguin Random House Finalist [18]
Paul Harbridge, illus. by Josée Bisaillon Out into the Big Wide Lake Tundra Books Finalist [18]
YA/MG Philippa Dowding Firefly DCB Winner [17]
Kevin Sands Children of the Fox Tundra Books Finalist [18]
Heather Fawcett The School Between Winter and Fairyland HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray Finalist [18]
Caroline Adderson Sunny Days Inside and Other Stories Groundwood Books Finalist [18]
Susin Nielsen Tremendous Things Penguin Random House Finalist [18]
2023 C Jen Lynn Bailey, illus. by Maggie Zeng This is the Boat That Ben Built Pajama Press Winner [19][20]
Leona Prince and Gabrielle Prince, illus. by Carla Joseph Be a Good Ancestor Orca Books Finalist [21]
Shazia Afzal, illus. by Aliya Ghare Journey of the Midnight Sun Orca Book Publishers Finalist [21]
Elise Gravel and Mykaell Blais, illus. by Elise Gravel Pink, Blue, and You!: Questions for Kids about Gender Stereotypes Anne Schwartz Books Finalist [21]
Ashley Spires The Most Magnificent Idea Kids Can Press Finalist [21]
YA/MG Nafiza Azad Road of the Lost Margaret K. McElderry Books / Simon & Schuster Winner [19][20]
Marthe Jocelyn Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Seaside Corpse Tundra Books Finalist [21]
Teresa Toten Eight Days Scholastic Canada . Finalist [21]
Danielle Daniel Forever Birchwood HarperCollins Publishers Finalist [21]
Joel A. Sutherland Haunted Canada: The Third Terrifying Collection Scholastic Canada Finalist [21]
2024 C Melissa Mollen Dupuis, illus. by Elise Gravel Nutshimit: In the Woods Scholastic Canada . Winner [2][22]
YA/MG Kevin Sands The Raven's Revenge Simon & Schuster Winner [2][22]
2025 C Yewande Daniel-Ayoade, illus. by Ken Daley The Little Regent Owlkids Books Winner [2][23][24]
Leonarda Carranza, illus. by Erika Medina Fighting Words Annick Press Finalist [25][26]
Debbie Ridpath Ohi I Want to Read All the Books Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Finalist [25][26]
Tasha Hilderman, illus. by Risa Hugo Métis Like Me Tundra Books/Penguin Random House Canada Finalist [25][26]
Thao Lam One Giant Leap Owlkids Books Finalist [25][26]
YA/MG Cassandra Calin The New Girl Scholastic Canada . Winner [2][23][24]
S. K. Ali Fledgling: The Keeper's Records of Revolution Kokila/Penguin Random House Finalist [25][26]
Kern Carter Is There a Boy Like Me? Scholastic Canada Finalist [25][26]
Sarah Everett The Shape of Lost Things HarperCollins Finalist [25][26]
Jael Richardson (editor) Today I Am: 10 Stories of Belonging Scholastic Canada Finalist [25][26]
2026 C Jennifer Maruno, illus. by Miki Sato Chidori: A Story of One Thousand Birds Pajama Press Winner [27]
Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Nicole Neidhardt Dreaming Alongside Orca Book Publishers Finalist [25]
Susan Avingaq, illus. by Maren Vsetula Grandma Can Make Anything Inhabit Media Finalist [25]
Howie Shia Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! Annick Press Finalist [25]
Tamara Levine, illus. by Ellie Arscott The Warmest Blanket in the World Second Story Press Finalist [25]
YA/MG Kate Blair We Bury Nothing DCB Young Readers / Cormorant Books Winner [27]
Kenneth Oppel Best of All Worlds Penguin Teen Canada Finalist [25]
Kim Spencer I Won't Feel This Way Forever Orca Book Publishers Finalist [25]
Cary Fagan Robot Island Tundra Books/Penguin Random House Canada Finalist [25]
Aviaq Johnston, illus. by Athena Gubbe The Haunted Blizzard Inhabit Media Finalist [25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Familiar names shortlisted for Schwartz kids' book awards". CBC Books. April 17, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cassandra Calin, Yewande Daniel-Ayoade and Ken Daley win 2025 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". CBC Books. June 17, 2025. Archived from the original on November 16, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". Ontario Arts Foundation. Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards Award Recipients 1976 – 2026" (PDF). Ontario Arts Foundation. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Canadian Awards: First Novel; BC Book; Schwartz Shortlist". Shelf Awareness . April 30, 2010. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Packet, Orillia (April 24, 2015). "Local author won Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children?s Book Award 20 years ago". Simcoe.com. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Oppel's Darkwing wins Schwartz award for children's literature". CBC Arts. May 6, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Awards: Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book". Shelf Awareness. June 4, 2012. Archived from the original on January 17, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Carter, Sue (May 31, 2012). "Kit Pearson and Susan Vande Griek win Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on April 23, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Reason, Cynthia (June 7, 2013). "North Kipling Junior Middle School students choose winners for the annual Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". Toronto.com. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Awards: Schwartz Children's Book Shortlists; Lammy Honorees". Shelf Awareness. April 22, 2014. Archived from the original on April 15, 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Cerny, Dory (May 19, 2015). "Kathy Kacer, Gillian Newland, Kenneth Oppel win 2015 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Awards". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on July 10, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cerny, Dory (April 22, 2015). "2015 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Awards shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Robertson, Becky (June 22, 2016). "Awards: Marianne Dubuc and Susin Nielsen win Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Book Awards". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on October 14, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cerny, Dory (April 12, 2017). "2017 Schwartz Award shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on April 21, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Carter, Sue (May 9, 2019). "Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  17. 1 2 Deogun, Inderjit (June 23, 2022). "Winners of the 2022 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards announced". Quill & Quire. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Deogun, Inderjit (April 26, 2022). "2022 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  19. 1 2 Deogun, Inderjit (May 26, 2023). "Winners of the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards announced". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Raymundo, Bridget (May 30, 2023). "Canadian YA author Nafiza Azad among winners of the 2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". CBC Books. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Deogun, Inderjit (May 3, 2023). "2023 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Melissa Mollen Dupuis, Elise Gravel, Kevin Sands win 2024 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards". CBC Books. June 17, 2024. Archived from the original on September 5, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "Winners of the 2025 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards an". Canadian Children's Book Centre. June 13, 2025. Archived from the original on October 6, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  24. 1 2 Deogun, Inderjit (June 16, 2025). "Winners of the 2025 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Awards announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Berki, Attila (May 15, 2025). "Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award 2025 shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Shortlists announced for the 2025 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's". Canadian Children's Book Centre. May 21, 2025. Archived from the original on October 13, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  27. 1 2 Deogun, Inderjit (May 26, 2026). "Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award 2026 shortlists announced". Quill and Quire. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
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