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English-language finalists

Fiction

Peter Behrens, Brooklin, Maine (formerly of Montreal), for The Law of Dreams
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-207-0)

The Law of Dreams is an artfully-woven tale of mythic scope brought to vibrant life through the author’s unique perspective and craft, and through the complex and morally-heroic character of Fergus O’Brien.

Trevor Cole, Hamilton (ON), for The Fearsome Particles
(McClelland & Stewart; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 0-7710-2260-3)

Trevor Cole has masterminded a densely-layered tale that sensitively peels away the complex facades of the individual members of a small, excruciatingly contemporary family, to reveal their (and our) most intimate fears and vulnerable desires.

Bill Gaston, Victoria, for Gargoyles
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-749-8)

Gargoyles is a collection of robust diversity. Vivid in the telling, stylistically exciting, these stories are an acrobatic delight.

Paul Glennon, Ottawa, for The Dodecahedron, or A Frame for Frames
(The Porcupine’s Quill; distributed by University of Toronto Press)
(ISBN 0-88984-275-2)

The Dodecahedron, or A Frame for Frames is a kaleidoscopic novel … of sorts. Twelve stories of seemingly different genres cohere into a book of astonishing literary dimension.

Rawi Hage, Montreal, for De Niro’s Game
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-196-1)

De Niro’s Game is an unflinching and timely look at the shattering of relationships in a war-torn world where lines between friend and foe constantly blur.

--> See the fiction book covers.

Poetry

Ken Babstock, Toronto, for Airstream Land Yacht
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-740-4)

Ken Babstock’s Airstream Land Yacht illuminates contemporary life and ideas. Here is the music of the mind at work, a voice at once wry and philosophically penetrating.

Elizabeth Bachinsky, Maple Ridge (BC), for Home of Sudden Service
(Nightwood Editions; distributed by Harbour Publishing)
(ISBN 0-88971-212-3)

Bold yet sophisticated, Home of Sudden Service is populated with outcasts, and valley girls and boys ignited by a “trailer park fire of the mind.” Elizabeth Bachinsky introduces contemporary content to classical forms, and makes them startlingly new.

Dionne Brand, Toronto, for Inventory
(McClelland & Stewart; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 0-7710-1662-X)

Dionne Brand’s Inventory makes music and sense of our complex age. This book is passionate, incantatory, building to lyrical outrage.

John Pass, Madeira Park (BC), for Stumbling in the Bloom
(Oolichan Books; distributed by University of Toronto Press)
(ISBN 0-88982-201-8)

John Pass balances intellect and humility in Stumbling in the Bloom. His poems celebrate the natural world, while painting portraits of our flawed but singular “human family.”

Sharon Thesen, Lake Country (BC), for The Good Bacteria
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-746-3)

Sharon Thesen’s The Good Bacteria is wonderfully witty and droll. Here, elegiac elements are brought down to earth with shining realism.

--> See the poetry book covers.

Drama

Morwyn Brebner, Toronto, for The Optimists
(Scirocco Drama, an imprint of J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing; distributed by University of Toronto Press) (ISBN 0-920486-88-6)

Morwyn Brebner’s resonant, bittersweet comedy traps two couples in one Las Vegas hotel room. Chick and Teenie are getting married; Doug and Margie are splitting up. A quirky dissection of faith, love and class, The Optimists is also a flawlessly-observed testament to our enduring belief that things will work out for the best.

Lisa Codrington, Toronto, for Cast Iron
(Playwrights Canada Press; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-88754-842-3)

Lisa Codrington’s Cast Iron is a luminous, one-woman memory play, relating the life story of Libya Geraldine Atwell. Through the musicality of Bajan dialect, Libya embodies the many characters who shaped her history, from the cane fields of Barbados to her nursing home in Winnipeg. Codrington conveys the tragic story of Libya’s life with rich layers of wit and contradiction.

Daniel MacIvor, Halifax, for I Still Love You
(Playwrights Canada Press; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-88754-858-X)

MacIvor’s anthology of five plays is as impressive in its consistency as in its diversity. His is a compassionate yet edgy world view, enlivened by idiosyncratic humour and honesty, exploring unusual theatrical structures in order to throw light into both the shallows and the depths of contemporary life.

Jason Sherman, Toronto, for Adapt or Die: Plays New and Used
(Playwrights Canada Press; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-88754-896-2)

Adapt or Die is a collection of four plays inspired by Russian masterpieces and infused with Sherman’s sharp wit, political commentary and emotional insight. After the Orchard, the centrepiece of the collection, is an original play that captures the dissolution of a 20^th century family amid a shifting social landscape.

Drew Hayden Taylor, Toronto, for In a World Created by a Drunken God
(Talonbooks; distributed by Publishers Group Canada / Raincoast Books) (ISBN 0-88922-537-0)

In Drew Hayden Taylor’s compelling drama, two half brothers meet for the first time. Jason is a half-native Canadian. Harry is a non-native American. This well-crafted work pits exploitation and abandonment against privilege and comfort, in an ethical debate that surmounts stereotypes of status and culture.

--> See the drama book covers.

Nonfiction

Afua Cooper, Toronto, for The Hanging of Angélique: The Untold Story of Canadian Slavery and the Burning of Old Montréal
(HarperCollins Publishers, an imprint of HarperCollins Canada; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-00-200553-0 (bound) / 0-00-639279-2 (paper))

Through Afua Cooper’s deft re-creation, Marie-Joseph Angélique speaks to us in a voice that cannot be ignored or suppressed any longer – that of the resistance to slavery. Angélique is a rebel, a woman who must die and who speaks truth to power.

Ross King, Woodstock, Oxon, UK (formerly of Saskatchewan), for The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism
(Bond Street Books, an imprint of Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-385-66102-9)

Ross King brings the world of late-nineteenth century France alive in this original, meticulously-researched tour de force. His finely-wrought portrait of a decade is as masterful as the lives of the artists he chronicles.

Susanne Reber, Richmond Hill (ON), and Robert Renaud, Ottawa, for Starlight Tour: The Last, Lonely Night of Neil Stonechild
(Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-679-31307-9 (bound) / 0-679-31308-7 (paper))

Starlight Tour documents in clear, direct prose the death of Neil Stonechild. With compassion and grace, it exposes what has become all too ordinary, in language that refuses to victimize the family.

Michael Strangelove, Ottawa, for The Empire of Mind: Digital Piracy and the Anti-Capitalist Movement
(University of Toronto Press; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-8020-3898-0 (bound) / 0-8020-3818-2 (paper))

The Empire of Mind argues a strong thesis in a direct, limpid and combative style – a blend of academic structure and fierce commitment to an idea. Here is a book with a bone to pick, a wake-up call with a radical political agenda.

Christine Wiesenthal, Edmonton, for The Half-Lives of Pat Lowther
(University of Toronto Press; distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-8020-3635-X)

A sophisticated, richly-researched, exhaustively-documented literary postmortem, The Half-Lives of Pat Lowther raises compelling questions about the life, work and reputation of an icon of Canadian poetry.

--> See the nonfiction book covers.

Children’s Literature – Text

André Alexis, Toronto, for Ingrid and the Wolf
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 0-88776-691-9)

With the skill of a master storyteller, André Alexis takes us into a tale both contemporary and mythic, following young Ingrid from Toronto into the magic of her Hungarian past. Alexis frames this tale with poetic simplicity and powerful symbols of betrayal, compassion and trust.

William Gilkerson, Mahone Bay (NS), for Pirate’s Passage, illustrated by the author
(Trumpeter Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Shambhala Publications; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 1-59030-247-8)

A palimpsest upon Treasure Island, William Gilkerson’s beguiling creation, Pirate’s Passage, has everything: irresistible characters, richly textured history, humour, suspense and adventure. Recalling the glory days of classic children’s literature, this novel will be read by readers of all generations.

Glen Huser, Edmonton, for Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88899-732-9, (bound) / 0-88899-733-7, (paper))

In Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen, Glen Huser alternates deftly between two smart, funny narrators who set out on a most unusual road trip. This rollicking and irreverent story stands out for its remarkably light touch and generosity of spirit.

Teresa Toten, Toronto, for Me and the Blondes
(Puffin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Group (Canada); distributed by the publisher)
(ISBN 0-14-305307-8)

In Me and the Blondes, Teresa Toten has created an ideal work of comic fiction. Sophie Kandinsky, the irrepressibly hilarious narrator, has a life filled with outrageous characters. Her all-too-human struggles  make readers, young and old, laugh as they cheer her on.

Budge Wilson, Halifax, for Friendships
(Puffin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Group (Canada); distributed by the publisher) (ISBN 0-14-301766-7)

In this stellar short story collection, Budge Wilson explores the theme of friendship from unique angles, digging deep under the emotional skin of her characters. The result is a touching and often hilarious collection that never takes the easy road, celebrating friendship in all its complexity and fullness.

--> See the children's literature (text) book covers.

Children’s Literature – Illustration

Eugenie Fernandes, Peterborough (ON), for Earth Magic, text by Dionne Brand
(KCP Poetry, an imprint of Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press) (ISBN 1-55337-706-0)

Blessed with a passionate view of the people and land under the tropical sun, Eugenie Fernandes evokes the life force of Trinidad through vibrant colour and energy of line. The pages are overflowing with vigorous detail.

Annouchka Gravel Galouchko & Stéphan Daigle, Vaudreuil-Dorion (QC), for The Birdman, text by Veronika Martenova Charles
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada)
(ISBN 0-88776-740-0)

With magically-rendered images, Annouchka Gravel Galouchko and Stéphan Daigle illustrate the universal desire for freedom. The Birdman, colourfully-rich in symbolism and design, is a touching interpretation of the emotions of the remarkable life of the “Birdman” of Calcutta.

Joe Morse, Toronto, for Casey at the Bat, text by Ernest L. Thayer
(KCP Poetry, an imprint of Kids Can Press; distributed by University of Toronto Press) (ISBN 1-55337-827-X)

With powerful imagery and a contemporary vision, Joe Morse illustrates this classic poem in a direct and dramatic fashion. Casey comes alive through bold lines and dynamic composition.

Maxwell Newhouse, Cultus Lake (BC), for Let’s Go for a Ride, text by Maxwell Newhouse
(Tundra Books; distributed by Random House of Canada) (ISBN 0-88776-748-6)

Through his whimsical portrayal of our love affair with the car, Maxwell Newhouse takes the viewer on a road trip through time. Sophisticated imagery and a confident naiveté make for a fresh and surprising ride.

Leo Yerxa, Ottawa, for Ancient Thunder, text by Leo Yerxa
(Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada) (ISBN 0-88899-746-9)

In Ancient Thunder, Leo Yerxa celebrates the spiritual bond between the horse and Aboriginal Peoples. Against a backdrop of drumming hooves, his vibrant images evoke the voice of the Great Plains through his original technique and distinctive style.

--> See the children's illustration book covers.

Translation (French to English)

Sheila Fischman, Montreal, for The Bicycle Eater
(Talonbooks; distributed by Publishers Group Canada / Raincoast Books) (ISBN 0-88922-528-1)
English translation of Le Mangeur de bicyclette, by Larry Tremblay (Leméac Éditeur)

Sheila Fischman demonstrates her skill and creativity in rendering this intense work, full of wordplay and inventiveness. Her translation consistently maintains the author’s distinctive humour and intellectual detachment.

Linda Gaboriau, Montreal, for Bonbons Assortis / Assorted Candies
(Talonbooks; distributed by Publishers Group Canada / Raincoast Books Distribution) (ISBN 0-88922-541-9) English translation of Bonbons assortis, by Michel Tremblay (Leméac Éditeur / Actes Sud)

Linda Gaboriau elegantly transports the English reader into the bustling world of Michel Tremblay’s childhood. She maintains the narrative simplicity and natural dialogue of his stories, as seen and heard from a child’s point of view.

Hugh Hazelton, Montreal, for Vetiver
(Signature Editions; distributed by University of Toronto Press) (ISBN 1-897109-04-0)
English translation of Vétiver, by Joël Des Rosiers (Les éditions Triptyque)

Hugh Hazelton’s creative and accurate translation renders the nuances of Joël Des Rosiers’ exotic narrative poetry. The English version faithfully reproduces the author’s historical and personal description of the beauty and harsh reality of life in his native Haiti.

Lazer Lederhendler, Montreal, for The Immaculate Conception
(House of Anansi Press; distributed by HarperCollins Canada)
(ISBN 0-88784-736-6) English translation of L’Immaculée Conception, by Gaétan Soucy (Les Éditions du Boréal)

Lazer Lederhendler’s excellent translation gives voice to Gaétan Soucy’s grim, ominous tale set in 1920s Montreal. He skillfully maintains the reader’s interest in the characters through his vivid retelling of their lives in the aftermath of a disastrous fire.

Fred A. Reed, Montreal (with Yakov M. Rabkin), for A Threat from Within: A Century of Jewish Opposition to Zionism
(Fernwood Publishing; distributed by Fernwood Books Ltd.)
(ISBN 1-55266-171-7) English translation of Au nom de la Torah : une histoire de l’opposition juive au sionisme, by Yakov M. Rabkin (Les Presses de l’Université Laval)

In this clear and accessible translation, Fred A. Reed makes available to English readers an important and timely work on the issue of Jewish opposition to Zionism. His rendering carefully reconstructs both the erudite argument and academic quality of the original work.

--> See the translation book covers.

French-language finalists

Fiction

Michael Delisle, Montreal, for Le sort de Fille
(Leméac Éditeur; distributed by Diffusion Prologue) (ISBN 2-7609-3269-9) 

Michael Delisle’s incisive pen paints an unflinching portrait of the universe of individuals faced with their own limitations. These stories are impressive both for the adroitness of the writing and the unique voice of their author.

Louis Hamelin, Rouyn-Noranda (QC), for Sauvages
(Les Éditions du Boréal; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-7646-0430-0)

With Sauvages, Louis Hamelin gives us beautifully-written stories that portray complicated beings who measure up to the equally complicated world – human or wild – in which they live. This powerful writing combines humour and compassion.

Andrée Laberge, Quebec City, for La rivière du loup
(XYZ éditeur; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia) (ISBN 2-89261-445-7)

Enchantingly written, this magnificent novel transposes the father-son relationship with consummate skill. The breadth of the language gives the characters a remarkable depth and authenticity.

Jocelyne Saucier, Rouyn-Noranda (QC), for Jeanne sur les routes
(XYZ éditeur; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia) (ISBN 2-89261-449-X)

In the hands of Jocelyne Saucier, the militant communist Jeanne Corbin is intertwined with young Jeanne, the narrator of this evocative novel about love and commitment in a mythical territory. The power of the book lies both in its emotional reach and its surprising architecture.

Pierre Yergeau, Maskinongé (QC),  for La Cité des Vents
(Les éditions de L’instant même; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89502-217-8)

La Cité des Vents  rewrites a chapter of the history of America – one that profiles the neglected characters of history. The story imagined by Pierre Yergeau surprises us with its epic and lyrical tone, and its characters that move through the tale as though in a new land, deciphering the signs of a real world shot through with dreams.

--> See the fiction book covers (French language).

Poetry

Paul Bélanger, Montreal, for Origine des méridiens
(Éditions du Noroît; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89018-545-1)

In Paul Bélanger’s book, the poem guides the way of the walker. The poem questions place, incites dialogue and imparts the movements of life. It is attuned to the music of the mind.

Jacques Brault, Cowansville (QC), for L’artisan
(Éditions du Noroît; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89018-565-6)

Jacques Brault skillfully hones his language so that his unique sensibility reaches out to the world. His deft touch and savoir-faire charm the reader.

Louise Cotnoir, Weedon (QC), for Les îles
(Éditions du Noroît; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89018-549-4)

Louise Cotnoir coherently explores the image of the island in order to use it as a metaphor for childhood, remembrance, life and death. This is a powerful work  of memory.

Hélène Dorion, Saint-Hippolyte (QC), for Ravir: les lieux
(Éditions de la Différence; distributed by Socadis) (ISBN 2-7291-1575-7)

This is masterful and varied writing that touches on the universal. In this book by Hélène Dorion, the poetic form is adjusted to the thinking and feeling parts of life.

Benoit Jutras, Montreal, for L’Étang noir
(Éditions Les Herbes rouges; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89419-242-8)

L’Étang noir resides in the realm of the imagination, spoken dreams and stories filled with silence. Benoit Jutras has given us a work that is a delight to read.

--> See the poetry book covers (French language).

Drama

Olivier Choinière, Montreal, for Venise-en-Québec
(Dramaturges Éditeurs; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia) (ISBN 2-922182-80-0)

In the motley crew of Venise-en-Québec, a group that is breathtakingly vulgar even as it takes itself for the centre of the universe, Olivier Choinière paints a darkly-humorous portrait of a self-absorbed society. In rich and diabolically inventive language, he holds up a malicious magnifying mirror to his contemporaries.

Jean Marc Dalpé, Montreal, for Août : un repas à la campagne
(Éditions Prise de parole; distributed by Diffusion Prologue) (ISBN 2-89423-193-8)

This work is as intricately designed as a piece of fine jewelry, with four generations observing and judging one another in the humid stillness of summer. With the sober, penetrating and virtuosic touch of Jean Marc Dalpé, the play conjures tenderness, regret, bitterness and hope.

Évelyne de la Chenelière, Montreal, for Désordre public
(Éditions Fides; distributed by Socadis) (ISBN 2-7621-2683-5)

With a wonderfully deft touch, Évelyne de la Chenelière brings to life in a succession of instances the anguish of a young man who, incapable of isolating his own thoughts from those of others, comes to a devastating realization: I don’t understand you! With her fluid language and keen powers of evocation, the playwright draws us into a fragmented world where each inhabitant is trapped within himself.

Reynald Robinson, Montreal, for Blue Bayou, la maison de l’étalon
(Dramaturges Éditeurs; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-922182-76-2)

Tenderly and shamelessly, Reynald Robinson stages the improbable encounter of a young actor and three people tormented by life. Beneath the humour that resonates with each retort and the marvelous vitality of the characters is an underlying thrum of barely contained violence that explodes in a gripping finale.

--> See the drama book covers (French language).

Nonfiction

Marie-Françoise Guédon, Chelsea (QC), for Le rêve et la forêt : histoires de chamanes nabesna
(Les Presses de l’Université Laval; distributed by Distribution de livres Univers)
(ISBN 2-7637-8070-9)

A labour of love, with extensive research into a world both dreamlike and real, this book filled with fabulous myths allows us to enter a little-known cultural universe, that of the shamanistic practices of the Aboriginal peoples of the circumpolar region.

Thierry Hentsch (deceased), for Le temps aboli : l’Occident et ses grands récits
(Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal; distributed by Somabec)
(ISBN 2-7606-1993-1)

In this powerful work, the author looks at the great stories and makes of them points of reference for Western civilization. Well served by a clear style and fluid language, the book is constructed around texts whose relevance transcends time.

Michaël La Chance, Saguenay (QC), for Paroxysmes : la parole hyperbolique
(VLB éditeur, a division of Ville-Marie Littérature; distributed by Les Messageries ADP) (ISBN 2-89005-944-8)

Using masterfully-disciplined language, the author extends the speech of great geniuses like Hölderlin, Lautréamont and Kiefer. He dazzles us with his erudition, and impresses us just as much with his ability to express himself in an accessible way.

Catherine Mavrikakis, Montreal, for Condamner à mort : les meurtres et la loi à l’écran
(Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal; distributed by Somabec)
(ISBN 2-7606-1961-3)

This audacious, corrosive book tackles a subject that, while difficult, captures our interest with its strong style and authentic and timely theme. The author engages in a personal and provocative analysis of celebrated criminal cases that have been the focus of significant media coverage.

Pierre Ouellet, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (QC), for À force de voir : histoire de regards
(Éditions du Noroît; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89018-563-X)

The author gives voice to the image with remarkable acuity. Moving from painting to sculpture, acrylics to photography, installation to dance, he seeks to bring out the humanity of the works of art and their incarnation in the contemporary world. In rich and poetic language, he discusses art in a radical way.

--> See the nonfiction book covers (French language).

Children’s Literature — Text

Édith Bourget, Saint-Jacques (NB), for Les saisons d’Henri, illustrations by Geneviève Côté
(Soulières éditeur; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel)
(ISBN 978-2-89607-033-8)

Les saisons d’Henri is a daring book. Édith Bourget sensitively explores a poetic universe imbued with wonderful simplicity, in which the everyday always attains the magical dimensions of dreams.

Dany Laferrière, Montreal, for Je suis fou de Vava, illustrations by Frédéric Normandin
(Les Éditions de la Bagnole; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel) (ISBN 2-923342-03-8)

Dany Laferrière’s writing style is inspired by the spoken word. The Haitian cultural universe is painted in poetic language that we wholeheartedly identify with. His personal evocation of tradition is an absolute gem.

Fernande D. Lamy, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc (QC), for Cauchemar aveugle
(Éditions Vents d’Ouest; distributed by Diffusion Prologue)
(ISBN 2-89537-112-1)

This unusual novel is fascinating, and an essential source of inspiration for adolescents. Built around the theme of intimidation, the intrigue captivates readers from start to finish. It is filled with suspense and touches the heart with its deeply human dimension.

Françoise Lepage, Ottawa, for Poupeska, illustrations by Gilles Lacombe
(Les Éditions L’Interligne; distributed by Diffusion Prologue)
(ISBN 2-923274-09-1)

Poupesca shows considerable mastery of the novel form. Françoise Lepage has succeeded in finding the voice of an eleven-year-old child whose gestures and actions translate the social landscape of an entire community.

Daniel Mativat, Laval (QC), for Nuits rouges
(Éditions Pierre Tisseyre; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel) (ISBN 2-89051-961-9)

This historical novel is a masterpiece of the genre. The author plunges us into the period of rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada and revives these fascinating pages of Canadian history in a spectacular and moving fashion.

--> See the children's literature (text) book covers (French language).

Children’s Literature — Illustration

Steve Adams, Montreal, for Le trésor de Jacob, text by Lucie Papineau
(Dominique et compagnie, a division of Les éditions Héritage; distributed by Les Messageries ADP)
(ISBN 2-89512-447-7 (bound) / 2-89512-449-3 (paper))

Rich in colour, textures and emotions, the illustrations of Steve Adams carry us through the dreams of young Jacob. Page after page, the artist earns our admiration of his talent as a painter and storyteller.

Marie Lafrance, Montreal, for Le petit chien de laine, text by Lionel Daunais (songs)
(La montagne secrète; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-923163-20-6)

With a little wool dog that is simultaneously lovable, funny and sad, Marie Lafrance treats us to a very elegant book. Through her images, the artist has more than done justice to this tale by Lionel Daunais.

Lino (Alain Lebrun), Montreal, for Les cendres de maman, text by Lolita Séchan
(Les éditions Les 400 coups; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-89540-268-X) 

Lino enchants us with a book that is intriguing, sophisticated and sober. The pared-down, direct images and contemporary visual language that is rarely seen in children’s literature are extremely powerful.

Frédéric Normandin, Sherbrooke (QC), for Je suis fou de Vava, text by Dany Laferrière
(Les Éditions de la Bagnole; distributed by Diffusion du livre Mirabel) (ISBN 2-923342-03-8)

Here is a sunny and joyous book, dazzling with colour. Frédéric Normandin draws us into a warm country where people, fish and phantoms, myth and everyday life all cohabit quite comfortably. And all combine to tell us a story of love!

Rogé (Roger Girard), Montreal, for Le gros monstre qui aimait trop lire, text by Lili Chartrand
(Dominique et compagnie, a division of Les éditions Héritage; distributed by Les Messageries ADP)
(ISBN 2-89512-389-6 (bound) / 2-89512-454-X (paper))

With monstrously-appealing characters who spill out of the pages and sly winks to the reader, the illustrations by Rogé have us grinning fiendishly. From beginning to end, we are riveted by the intense colours, the atmosphere of forest and cave, and the magic of reading.

--> See the children's illustration book covers (French language).

Translation (English to French)

Dominique Fortier, Montreal, for Parlez-vous boro : voyage aux pays des langues menacées
(Les Éditions du Boréal; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-7646-0399-1) French translation of Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages by Mark Abley (Random House of Canada)

With remarkable talent, Dominique Fortier contributes to the popularization of the very timely subject of endangered languages. Her translation calls on the resources of the French language to bring out the specific characteristics of other languages, and makes for a work that reads like a novel.

Dominique Fortier, Montreal, for L’Arbre : une vie
(Les Éditions du Boréal; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-7646-0406-8) French translation of Tree: A Life Story by David Suzuki and Wayne Grady (Greystone Books/Douglas & McIntyre)

Like the original, this translation by Dominique Fortier tells the riveting story of the life of a tree, and carries off the feat of perfectly rendering the lyricism of the English.

Daniel Poliquin, Ottawa (in collaboration with Pan Bouyoucas), for L’homme qui voulait boire la mer
(Les éditions Les Allusifs; distributed by Gallimard / Socadis)
(ISBN 2-922868-23-0) French translation of The Man Who Wanted to Drink Up the Sea by Pan Bouyoucas (Cormorant Books)

Blending faithfulness to the original with creativity, Daniel Poliquin gives us a skillful version of this amusing and moving tale of impossible love told by Pan Bouyoucas. The lively style of the translator holds the reader captive to the very last page.

Lori Saint-Martin and Paul Gagné, Montreal, for L’Odyssée de Pénélope
(Les Éditions du Boréal; distributed by Diffusion Dimedia)
(ISBN 2-7646-0407-6) French translation of The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (Canongate Books)

This translation by Lori Saint-Martin and Paul Gagné has the great merit of doing full justice to the original: we recognize the rhythm, tone and irony touched with sarcasm that characterize the work of Margaret Atwood.

Sophie Voillot, Montreal, for Un jardin de papier
(Éditions Alto/Éditions Nota Bene; distributed by Socadis)
(ISBN 2-89518-223-X) French translation of Salamander by Thomas Wharton (McClelland & Stewart)

Sophie Voillot elegantly reconstitutes the elaborate workings of  Thomas Wharton’s fantastic tale. In her intelligent translation, she paints a bygone world where humour and magic are interwoven.

--> See the translation book covers (French language).

The juries

The finalists of the Governor General’s Literary Awards are chosen by independent juries (seven English and seven French categories) appointed by the Canada Council. The juries, which meet separately, consider all eligible books published between September 1, 2005 and September 30, 2006 for English-language books and between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006 for French-language books. This year, a total of 1,465 titles, 840 in the English-language categories and 625 in the French-language categories, were submitted.

English-language juries

Fiction: Shani Mootoo (Toronto), Donna Morrissey (Halifax), Leon Rooke (Toronto)

Poetry: Cyril Dabydeen (Ottawa), Mary Di Michele (Montreal), Evelyn Lau (Vancouver)

Drama: Lise Ann Johnson (Ottawa), Jenny Munday (Guysborough, NS), John Murrell (Calgary)

Nonfiction: Allan Levine (Winnipeg), Lee Maracle (Toronto), Fred A. Reed (Montreal)

Children’s Literature – Text: Brian Doyle (Chelsea, QC), Susan Juby (Nanaimo, BC), Carol McDougall
(Halifax)

Children’s Literature – Illustration: Pamela J. Masi (Cardston, AB), Susan Tooke (Halifax), Ange Zhang (Scarborough, ON)

Translation: Edward Baxter (Stratford, ON), Lorin Card (Kelowna, BC), Maureen Ranson (Calgary)

French-language juries

Fiction: Aristote Kavungu (Whitby, ON), Carole David (Montreal), Élise Turcotte (Montreal)

Poetry: Margaret Michèle Cook (Ottawa), Renaud Longchamps (Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce, QC),

Jean Royer  (Montreal)

Drama: René Cormier (Caraquet, NB), René-Daniel Dubois (Montreal), Carole Fréchette (Montreal)

Nonfiction: Marie Bernard-Meunier (Montreal), Hugues Corriveau (Weedon, QC),

Melchior Mbonimpa (Sudbury, ON)

Children’s Literature – Text: Louis-Dominique Lavigne (Montreal), Milagros Ortiz-Brulot (Abbotsford, BC), Denise Paquette (Moncton)

Children’s Literature – Illustration: Stéphane Jorisch (Saint-Lambert, QC), Darcia Labrosse (Ottawa), Francine Sarrasin (Calixa-Lavallée, QC)

Translation: Patricia Godbout (Sherbrooke, QC), Nésida Loyer (Calgary), Raymond Mopoho (Halifax)

Reading at the International Festival of Authors – Monday, October 23, 8 p.m.

The English-language fiction finalists will read from their shortlisted books as part of the International Festival of Authors at the Premiere Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. For more information about the reading, contact Lindsey Love, IFOA publicist, at
416-973-4147 or llove@harbourfrontcentre.com.

Salon du livre de Montréal – Thursday, November 16 to Monday, November 20

The finalists’ books will be highlighted at the Canada Council booth at the Salon du livre de Montréal, Place Bonaventure.

Tuesday, November 21, 10 a.m. – Announcement of winners

The winners will be announced at simultaneous news conferences in Toronto and Montreal on Tuesday, November 21 at 10 a.m. 

The Toronto news conference will take place at the Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E..  The winners of each category will be announced by Robert Sirman, director of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the English-language winners will each make a short statement.

The Montreal news conference will take place at La Grande Bibliothèque de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 475 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E. The winners of each category will be announced by Canada Council board member Laurent Lapierre, and the French-language winners will each make a short statement.

The winners will be available for in-person and telephone interviews immediately following the announcements.

The names, biographies and downloadable images of the winners and their books will be posted on the Canada Council’s web site, www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/ggla as of 11 a.m. on November 21.

Wednesday,  December 13, 6 p.m. – Awards presentation at Rideau Hall

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the 2006 Awards.  The awards presentation will be followed by a reception and dinner (by invitation only). Media representatives wishing to cover the awards presentation should contact Lucie Brosseau at the Rideau Hall press office, 613-998-0287 or lbrosseau@gg.ca.

Thursday, December 14, 7 p.m. – Public reading by all Award winners

The winners of the 2006 Awards (all categories) will read from their winning books in the Library and Archives Canada Auditorium (395 Wellington St., Ottawa). Copies of the winning books will be on sale, and the winners will be available to sign their books at intermission and immediately following the reading. For information about the reading, contact Library and Archives Canada, 613-996-5115.

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Media contact:

Donna Balkan
Senior Communications Manager
1-800-263-5588 or (613) 566-4414, ext. 4134
 Email this contact

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

Interviews with authors:
Diane Hargrave
416-467-9954
dhprbks@interlog.com

Quebec (English-language):
Christopher DiRaddo
Christopher DiRaddo Communications
514-842-5087
diraddo@videotron.ca

Atlantic provinces:
Melanie Jollymore: 902-827-3126
902-827-3126
melaniejollymore@eastlink.ca