Despite ongoing impacts to book launches and live events, CWILLers had another amazing year on the awards circuit in 2021.
We hope this list of notable and award-winning children’s books by BC authors and illustrators is helpful for teachers, librarians, and book lovers. You can also browse collections of BC books for kids by new release year, awards, set-in-BC/Canada, age range, and more on our Pinterest board.
2021 nominations, shortlists, and wins are listed in alphabetical order below.

Angela Ahn
Peter Lee’s Notes from the Field (Tundra Books, 2021)
Nominated for the Silver Birch Fiction Award® (Grades 5-6, fiction) in Forest of Reading
Finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Awards

Linda Bailey
Winner of the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, given annually to the author of an exceptional body of work

Genius Jolene (Orca Book Publishers, 2020)
Nominated for the 2021 Silver Birch Express Award
Winner of the 2021 Sheila A. Egofff Children’s Literature Prize

Rachelle Delaney
Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster (Puffin Canada, 2021)
Nominated for the Silver Birch Express Award® (Grades 3-4, fiction, non-fiction) in Forest of Reading

Ann Erikkson
Bird’s-Eye View: Keeping Wild Birds in Flight (Orca Book Publishers, 2020)
Shortlisted for the 2021 Information Book Award
Shortlisted for the 2019/2020 Lane Anderson Award
Recommended Reading for the 2021 Green Earth Book Award

Leslie Gentile
Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer (DCB Young Readers, 2021)
Winner of the 2021 City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize
Finalist for the 2022 Rocky Mountain Book Award
Nominated in the 2022 Forest of Reading – Silver Birch Award (grade 5-6, fiction)

Eileen Holland
Sophie Trophy (Crwth Press, 2021)
Honour book finalist in the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s Book Awards
Winner of the 2021 Chocolate Lily Book Award (chapter books)

Sarah Leach
Duck Days (Pajama Press, 2020)
Nominated for the Silver Birch Express Award® (Grades 3-4, fiction, non-fiction) in Forest of Reading

Tanya Lloyd Kyi
This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes (Kids Can Press, 2020)
Nominated for Yellow Cedar Award Nominees (Grades 5-8, non-fiction) in Forest of Reading

Mya’s Strategy to Save the World (Puffin Canada, 2020)
Honour book finalist in the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s Book Awards

Gina McMurchy-Barber
The Jigsaw Puzzle King (Dundurn PRess, 2020)
Shortlisted for the 2022 Chocolate Lily Award
Shortlisted for the 2022 Diamond Willow Award
Nominated for the 2022 Rocky Mountain Book Award
Winner of the 2021 Silver Birch Fiction Award

Susin Nielsen
Tremendous Things (Penguin Teen, 2021)
Nominated for the 2022 Red Maple Award (Grades 7-8, fiction) in Forest of Reading

Princess Puffybottom . . . and Darryl (Tundra Books, 2019)
Honour book finalist in the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s Book Awards

Cynthia Nugent
Kiddo (Tradewind Books, 2019)
Honour book finalist in the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s Book Awards

Kari Rust
The House at the End of the Road (Owlkids, 2019)
Shortlisted for a 2020/2021 Chocolate Lily Award

Ellen Schwartz
The Princess Dolls (Tradewind Books, 2018)
Winner of the 2021 Diamond Foundation Prize for Children/Youth Literature as part of the Western Canada Jewish Book Awards

Zoe Si
The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe (Owlkids, 2021)
Nominated for Blue Spruce Award™ (JK-Grade 2, picture books) in Forest of Reading