Finalists Announced for the 2023 Governor General's Literary Awards

Earlier this week, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the finalists of the 2023 Governor General's Literary Awards. The awards promote literature from Canada, recognizing the best English-language and French-language books in seven categories, including two categories for young readers—Young People’s Literature – Text and Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books.

The awards carry a cash prize of $25,000, with $3,000 going to the publisher of the winning title. In addition, the finalists in each category also receive $1,000.

This year, the winners will be announced on November 8. Below are the finalists for Young People's Literature. In addition to these titles, Alone: The Journeys of Three Young Refugees has been nominated in the French to English translation category. Translated by Arielle Aaronson and published by Groundwood Books, Alone is the translation of Seuls by Paul Tom and Mélanie Baillairgé (illus.), originally published by La courte échelle.

Young People’s Literature – Text (English-language)

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoula Katouh (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Berani by Michelle Kadarusman (Pajama Press)
Fire on Headless Mountain by Iain Lawrence (Margaret Ferguson Books)
The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett (Clarion Books)
Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer (Orca Book Publishers)

PEER ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE: Cheryl Foggo, June Jur and Tom Ryan

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books (English-language)

Boobies by Nancy Vo (Groundwood Books)
Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo (Katherine Tegen Books)
Still This Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte-Marie and Julie Flett (Greystone Kids)
The Skull by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press)
When You Can Swim by Jack Wong (Scholastic Canada)

PEER ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE: Marianne Ferrer, Lee Edward Födi and Mahak Jain

Young People’s Literature – Text (French-language)

Escarpolette by Sylvie Drapeau (Dominique et compagnie)
Linoubliable by Lou Beauchesne (La courte échelle)
Mélie quelque part au milieu by Mylène Goupil (Éditions Québec Amérique)
Le plancher de la lune by Jean-Christophe Réhel (La courte échelle)
Zipolaris Tome 3 : La malédiction de Zangra by J.L. Blanchard (Éditions Fides)

PEER ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE: Cheyda Haramein, Jean-François Sénéchal and Danièle Simpson

Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books (French-language)

Le Bourlingueur de Matungoua by Boucar Diouf and François Thisdale (Éditions La Presse)
Gervais et Conrad by Iris Boudreau (Éditions Les 400 coups)
Je tʼécris de mon lit by Maude Nepveu-Villeneuve and Agathe Bray-Bourret (Éditions Les 400 coups)
Parfois les lacs brûlent by Geneviève Bigué (Front Froid)
Le plus petit sauveur du monde by Samuel Larochelle and Eve Patenaude (Éditions XYZ)

PEER ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE: Julien Chung and Andrée Lévesque-Sioui

For the complete list of nominees in all categories, click here.