Jury comments

“A page-turner of a novel by François Blais (in French). The characters are highly developed, nuanced and very realistic—not at all glorified—with unique but flawed personalities. This book has the potential to hit home with readers, for the simple fact that it’s well-written, carefully crafted and tells a thoughtful story that offers up interesting and unusual insights about friendship. The story structure and dramatic build-up are sheer perfection.”

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Photo credit: Marie-Claude Blais

Jury comments

“We were deeply moved by this very personal story by Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay (in French), told in poem form. The words in “La voix de la nature,” a book about trans identity, all but leap off the page, conveying the full power of the author’s emotions, anguish and distress in her quest to express her true self. This powerful book will give teens more insight into the realities facing young trans people, fostering more openness toward them. This is a book about respect and accepting peoples’ differences. Touching, moving, important.” 

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Photo credit: Julie Langenegger

Jury comments

“This book will stay with you long after the last page. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, sometimes even in the same paragraph. You’ll also fall in love with the character of Sam, a funny and sensitive teen with her own way of thinking… even if it’s not always realistic! The secondary characters are impressive in their own right, original and highly developed. The author (in French) has pulled off a remarkable feat: writing about cancer with a huge dose of tenderness, grit, solidarity and hope.“

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Photo credit: Chantale Lecours

Jury comments

“This novel by Alexandra Larochelle (in French) is far from your typical love story: the kind with a happy ending, where the characters all seem to magically avoid disaster and heartache. It’s an important story with the potential to help teens and even adults recognize the signs of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour from a romantic partner. It shines a light on the insidious nature of intimate partner violence, which takes time to build up, and serves up an invaluable lesson on gaslighting. A must-read.”

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Photo credit: Melany Bernier

Jury comments

“Fred wants Orbie to draw him a billibouton, but he hasn’t the foggiest idea what it looks like. The illustrator (in French) tries to coax more information out of him, but Fred’s explanations don’t really help. Together, will they manage to draw this elusive billibouton? The verbal back-and-forth between the insistent author (in French) and the increasingly frustrated illustrator (in French) is hilarious. The illustrations and eye-catching layouts only make their respective emotions more tangible. The way the book spotlights certain elements of the publishing process, such as the relationship between creators, the act of turning the page, the editor’s notes, and the slightly awkward page numbers, will definitely have kids giggling—but also thinking. This is a fun, well-crafted book that will stimulate readers’ imaginations.”

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Photo credits: Mélo-Coton (Frédérick Wolfe) and Jean-François Lamoureux (Orbie)