At the Pond

Africville

Picture a Tree

Albert's Quiet Quest

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk

When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he'd like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice.

I Talk Like A River by Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith

The Good Little Book

Naseem Hrab writes a poignant yet hopeful story, strikingly illustrated in Frank Viva's signature style, about what happens when parents separate, and the new reality of having two homes.

Weekend Dad

Short Stories for Little Monster

Ocean Meets Sky

In the Bag

Migrant

Ten Birds

How to Give Your Cat a Bath

Though her father reassures her that Mi'kmaq is who she is from her eyes to her toes, Swift Fox doesn't understand what that means. Then she meets her cousin Sully and realizes that she's not the only one who feels like they don't belong.

Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas and Maya McKibbin

The Red Wagon

Sidewalk Flowers

How To

Town Is By The Sea

Jack, the King of Ashes

Fishing with Gubby

Northwest Passage

Big City Bees

Birdsong

King Mouse

The white cat and the monk

Oy, Feh, So?

The Dark

This One Summer

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

They Say Blue

Julia, Child

Once Upon a Memory

A hungry lion, or, a dwindling assortment of animals

Governor General Literary Award

Barnabus is a part mouse, part elephant creature trapped in an underground lab. He teams up with other Failed Projects like Mushroom Sloth and Bumble Bear to hatch a daring escape plan. 

The Barnabus Project by the Fan Brothers

Any Questions?

Bug in a Vacuum

The Branch

Small in the City

Go Show the World

Ooko

Virginia Wolf

House Held Up by Trees

Every Wednesday, a group of neighbours come together to cook for their community.

Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

When We Were Alone

Tokyo Digs a Garden

A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories

Along a Long Road

Miss Mousie's Blind Date

When the Moon Comes

*Jack, the King of Ashes

*This One Summer

The Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books is awarded annually to an author and an illustrator for a children's book written in English. 

[__Check out the 2024 nominees.__](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/governor-generals-award-young-peoples-literature-2024/IVBDXcRMLiSwtsy5cuxh058pGwKI3v0U86QNgIVA0hQ6r3bwjm)

Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

*Fishing with Gubby

I Talk Like A River

The Barnabus Project

Our Little Kitchen

*Northwest Passage

*Migrant

*The White Cat and the Monk

Short Stories for Little Monsters

Swift Fox All Along

A Hungry Lion or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals

2011 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2012 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2013 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2014 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2015 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2016 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2017 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2018 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2019 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

2020 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

The Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award was awarded until 2016 to an outstanding illustrator of a Canadian children's book. Ages: 0-12 years

Amelia Frances Howard Gibbon Award

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

[__Check out the 2024 winner and finalists.__](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/caldecott-medal-2024/XIQb757nttelQkehKqqzxeIKx0Uoez8v4EsHVEqtUMMCkiB6e8)

Caldecott Award

Caldecott Medal

Awarded annually by the Cooperative Children's Book Center since 1998, the Charlotte Zolotow Award is given for outstanding writing in a picture book. 

Ages: 0-7 years

Charlotte Zolotow Award

Founded in 1969, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize outstanding Black authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that portray an aspect of the Black experience. The awards include several categories and are given annually at the American Library Association conference. 

[__Check out the 2024 winner and finalists.__](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/coretta-scott-king-book-awards-2024/QvEe32ZUnpwdN7KFgFQQjvXNDUd5OOu5OE2Q8gWXxfslVr2fLT)

Founded in 1969, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognize outstanding Black authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that portray an aspect of the Black experience. The awards include several categories and are given annually at the American Library Association conference.

Coretta Scott King Book Award

Coretta Scott King Book Award – Illustrator

First Nation Communities READ is an annual reading program launched in 2003 by the First Nations public library community in Ontario. 

Check out the 2021-2022 winner and finalists [__here__](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/first-nation-communities-read-awards-childrens-2021-2022/GiVhsXlryR3DyYQMxHhg2JlLVPIkLIcJdm6RRdP0HncyUQY17i).

First Nation Communities Read

First Nation Communities READ: PMC Indigenous Literature Award - Children's

The Blue Spruce Award program brings recently published Canadian children's picture books to children in kindergarten to Grade 2. It is part of the Forest of Reading, an annual initiative of the Ontario Library Association. 

[__Check out the 2025 nominees.__](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/blue-spruce-award-2025/oW37cFf4NkUnnoFQLoZCfjs1hICcTJ2olRKGAKiJcjabUsFz7J)

Blue Spruce Seal 

Forest of Reading – The Blue Spruce Award

Established in 2006, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award honours excellence in the illustrated picture book format.

[Check out the 2024 nominees.](http://lists.tpl.ca/shared/marilyn-baillie-picture-book-award-2024/hEyvOg6Kroa1TjERaRfKd0nM0KwUWdicFg4ArzAReT1oIQpeyU)

Marilyn Baillie Award

Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

Our top picks of the best Canadian children's books for building reading readiness in kids under five. Because the first books you share with your child should also be the best!

Toronto Public Library - First and Best

Ready for Reading

2017 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

Winners

When We Were Alone

Shortlist

Short Stories for Little Monsters

The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk

Town Is By The Sea

When the Moon Comes

Other Booklists You Might Like

2017 Governor General's Literary Award: Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books

Award Winners and Other Booklists