Canada Council announces the winners of the 2009 Governor General’s Literary Awards

Montreal, November 17, 2009 – The names of winners of the 2009 Governor General’s Literary Awards were announced today by the Canada Council for the Arts. The seven English and seven French awards are given to authors, illustrators and translators and in the categories of fiction, poetry, drama, non fiction, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation.

For the first time in the history of the Awards one book wins in both categories of children’s literature (text and illustration): Harvey by author Hervé Bouchard and illustrator Janice Nadeau, a three-time Award-winner. Children’s literature was also the focus in the English-language translation category, with Susan Ouriou winning for her translation of a young adult novel, Pieces of Me, a translation of La liberté? Connais pas… by Charlotte Gingras.

Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the 2009 Literary Awards on Thursday, November 26 at 6 p.m., at Rideau Hall. Media representatives wishing to cover the awards presentation should contact Julie Rocheleau at the Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-998-7280 or jrocheleau@gg.ca.

The Canada Council funds, administers and promotes the awards the Governor General’s Literary Awards, Canada’s oldest and most prestigious awards for English- and French-language Canadian literature. The value of each award is $25,000 and each winner will also receive a specially-bound copy of the winning book created by Montreal bookbinder Lise Dubois. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities. Non winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists, bringing the total value of the awards to approximately $450,000.

Children’s Literature – Text

Caroline Pignat, Ottawa, Greener Grass: The Famine Years.
(Red Deer Press, a division of Fitzhenry & Whiteside; distributed by the publisher)

Caroline Pignat’s Greener Grass: The Famine Years follows the disintegration of the Byrne family during Ireland’s Great Famine of 1847, when landlords ruled without mercy, children could be taken away to prison, and thousands were left to starve. A timeless story of courage, family loyalty and the resilience of the human spirit.

Committee: Tomson Highway (Noëlville, ON), Pamela Porter (North Saanich, BC), Alice Walsh (Lower Sackville, NS)

Hervé Bouchard, Saguenay (Quebec), Harvey.
(Les Éditions de la Pastèque; distributed by Socadis)

Hervé Bouchard makes us feel the confusion and helplessness of a little boy faced with the death of his father. His surprising and extremely sensitive writing is deeply moving. Through a series of poetically powerful metaphors, he allows us the freedom to explore the multiple layers of his story.

Committee: Charlotte Gingras (Morin-Heights, QC), Daniel Marchildon (Penetanguishene, ON), Jean-Michel Schembré (Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, QC)

Children’s Literature – Illustration

Jirina Marton, Colborne (Ontario), Bella’s Tree, text by Janet Russell.
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)

Jirina Marton’s illustrations invite the reader to a winter landscape full of textures and subtle, earthy colour palettes. The Van Gogh-like interior and its warm tones create a holiday season mood that evokes an emotional response. The illustrations are well crafted and capture the imagination and humanity of the everyday lives they portray.

Committee: Kyrsten Brooker (Edmonton), Laura Jolicoeur-Simon (Dartmouth, NS), Leo Yerxa (Ottawa)

Janice Nadeau, Montreal, Harvey, text by Hervé Bouchard.
(Les Éditions de la Pastèque; distributed by Socadis)

In illustrating a book that stands out for the originality of its language, Janice Nadeau has come up with wonderful ways of depicting the sadness of spring and the melancholy of loss. The subtle drawings dance with the text and give rhythm to the reading. Hervé Bouchard’s Quebec comes alive under the brush strokes of the illustrator.

Committee: Sylvie Daigneault (Toronto), Virginie Egger (Montreal), Rafael Sottolichio (Montreal)

Translation

Susan Ouriou, Calgary, Pieces of Me.
(Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press)
English translation of La liberté? Connais pas… by Charlotte Gingras (Les éditions de la courte échelle)

With Pieces of Me, Susan Ouriou has created a magical rendering of the exquisite original. Tenderly redrawing the portrait of a troubled teenage girl struggling to come into her own, Ouriou has sensitively captured all that is moving, poetic and funny about the novel’s main character in a truly accomplished translation.

Committee: Betty Bednarski (Halifax), Rhonda Mullins (Montreal), John Murrell (Calgary)

Media Contact
Carole Breton
Public Relations Officer
1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4523

Grace Thrasher
Arts Promotion Coordinator
1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5145

Interviews with authors, illustrators and translators:

English-language :
Diane Hargrave
416-467-9954, ext. 104
dhprbks@interlog.com

Christopher DiRaddo
514-842-5087
Cell phone: 514-806-5087
diraddo@videotron.ca

French-language:
Mireille Bertrand
Cell phone: 514-652-6085
mireillebertrand@sympatico.ca

Virginie Perron
450-933-3496
v.perron@videotron.qc.ca