The Children's Literature category of the Governor General's Literary Awards was established in 1987 as an annual book award for works that recognize and celebrate literary and artistic excellence in English-language and French-language Canadian books for children and adults.

… this is Canada's premier literary award and an indication to readers that, if a book has won it, it's well-worth reading.

• The awards are sponsored by BMO Financial Group and given annually.
• The award is divided into seven categories, two of them for children's books: Children's Literature-Text, and Children's Literature-Illustration (both in English and French).
• The awards were first set up in 1936 by Lord Tweedsmuir, the writer John Buchan (1875-1940), in conjunction with the Canadian Authors' Association. When the awards were taken over by the Canada Council for the Arts in 1959, the children's award was suspended; then in 1975 the Canada Council established the Children's Literature Awards. All these awards, for children and adults, were brought together and renamed The Governor General's Literary Awards in 1987.
• All genres written for ages up to 13 are eligible, provided they were written by a Canadian and first published in Canada.
• Finalists and winners are chosen by independent peer juries in each category, appointed by the Canada Council for the Arts.
• The Cash Prize of $25,000 for each winner is presented in November at the Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.
• Publishers of the winning books receive $3,000 to assist with promotion and finalists receive $1,000 to mark their achievement.
• Past winners include: Deborah Ellis, Rachna Gilmore and Paul Yee.

Diane Miljours
Program Officer
Writing and Publishing Section
Canada Council for the Arts
P.O. Box 1047, 350 Albert Street
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8

Phone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 5573

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