2012 OLA Forest of Reading Nominees Announced!
10:00 AMIf you're not quite aware of what I'm really talking about, the Forest of Reading program celebrates the best of Canadian fiction, especially those for children and teens. All of the nominees are by CANADIAN authors! Those who participate through their schools or libraries simply have to read at least 5 of the 10 nominated novels in a program by the end of April 2012, which then culminates into an event called the Festival of Trees in May which takes place in Toronto. The winners are announced there... and readers can ever meet the authors too!
The two programs I pay extra attention to are the Red Maple and White Pine categories, seeing as these novels are YA. So, without further ado, here are the 2012 nominees (links lead to Goodreads):
2012 Red Maple Award Nominees (Aimed Towards Grades 7-8)
- Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom - Susin Neilsen (Tundra Books)
- Dust City - Robert Paul Westen (Puffin Canada / Penguin Group Canada)
- Fanatics - William Bell (Random House Canada / Doubleday Canada)
- Fly Boy - Eric Walters (Puffin Canada / Penguin Group Canada)
- Half Brother - Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins Canada)
- Haunting Violet - Alyxandra Harvey (Walker & Company)
- Home Truths - Jill MacLean (Dancing Cat Books / Cormorant Books)
- No Safe Place - Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Books)
- Thunder Over Kandahar - Sharon E. McKay (Annick Press)
- Torn From Troy: Odyssey of a Slave - Patrick Bowman (Ronsdale Press)
2012 White Pine Fiction Award Nominees (Aimed Towards Grades 9-12)
- Ashes, Ashes - Jo Treggiari (Scholastic Canada)
- Beat The Band - Don Calame (Candlewick Press)
- Blood Red Road - Moira Young (Random House Canada / Doubleday Canada)
- Chance to Dance for You - Gail Sidonie Sobat (Great Plains Publications)
- Death Benefits - Sarah N. Harvey (Orca Book Publishers)
- The Fifth Rule - Don Aker (Harper Trophy Canada / HarperCollins Publishers)
- The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong (Random House Canada / Doubleday Canada)
- Motorcycles & Sweetgrass - Drew Hayden Taylor (Random House Canada / Vintage Canada)
- Something Wicked - Lesley Anne Cowen (Puffin Canada / Penguin Group Canada)
- The Way It Is - Donalda Reid (Second Story Press)
What's nice about the program is that it recognizes Canadian novels which I may never have heard about otherwise! There's usually a wide variety in the genres selected, so it's also a nice way to broaden your reading tastes.
From the Red Maple selections, I've only read Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom... but I've read three of the White Pine picks: Ashes, Ashes, Blood Red Road, and The Gathering. It's going to be a tough choice for voters this year to pick their favourites books to deserve the award!
To learn more about the Forest of Reading Program or see the rest of the 2012 nominations in the other age groups, you can find it on the Ontario Library Association's website.
6 comments
Oh, these sound good. I think I wanna read the Dear George Clooney one.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about these awards because I don't really know much about Canadian authors, other than Kelley Armstrong
Blood Red Road is in there! Hohohoho!! ans The Gathering! ohohohoh!!! Im so happy!
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing this =)
Thank you for posting about this. I had forgotten to check. So many I want to read in those nomination lists! I remember participating in middle school. We each had to read two books. I think only managed one but I can still remember the story bright as day!
ReplyDeleteWhoa... Alyxandra Harvey is Canadian? I never knew that! And I am so glad to see Kenneth on the list! But then again I guess that it isn't much of a surprise- don't him and Eric Walters basically dominate it (and rightfully so)? ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a book project on Ashes, Ashes so can you tell me when the winner is announced?
ReplyDelete@Alex- Yep, it's a great way to learn about some more Canadian authors! George Clooney is a really funny novel I think you're enjoy!
ReplyDelete@Natalia- No problem! There are some great nominees this year... it will be a tough pick for readers to decide!
@Erika- I loved taking part in the programs. When I got to high school, I continued onto the White Pine program after the Red Maple one. And then I encouraged my sister to join too.
@Avery- Yes, Alyxandra Harvey is Canadian! lol, I don't think I can remember a time when Eric Walters wasn't nominated... he must be a favourite to always be nominated!
@Anonymous- The winners for this year's Forest of Reading Program will not be announced until May 2012. I think by then you'll have handed in your assignment.. sorry, I can't be of more help! But be sure to check out Jo Treggiari's website to learn more about the author! :)