Lately there has been a good deal of pessimism about the future of the publishing industry. Many of us involved with children’s books would like to refute that. Canada is home to a vibrant community of writers, publishers, librarians, booksellers, teachers, young people, and children’s book advocates of all kinds. Pajama Party would like to highlight those invaluable programs and people that are promoting reading among Canadian kids today. Today’s featured program is the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award.
The Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award, or MYRCA, was begun in 1990 by the Manitoba School Library Association to promote reading among an age group that too often loses interest in books. Each year 15–18 Canadian titles are chosen to appeal to children in grades 5–8. The program is promoted across the province, and in April any student who has read at least 3 of the titles may vote for his or her favourite. An award ceremony in the fall welcomes hundreds of students to celebrate the winner and two honour books.
Students across Manitoba are busily reading MYRCA-nominated titles right now. The 2013 shortlist includes:
Against all Odds (Natale Ghent), The Bedmas Conspiracy (Deborah Sherman), Blood Red Road (Moira Young), Box of Shocks (Chris McMahen), The Case of the Missing Deed (Ellen Schwartz), Dragon Seer’s Gift (Janet McNaughton), The Dragon Turn (Shane Peacock), Encore Edie (Annabel Lyon), End of Days (Eric Walters), Fly Boy (Eric Walters), Ice Storm (Penny Draper), Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes (Jonathan Auxier), This Dark Endeavour (Kenneth Oppel), The Tiffin (Mahtab Narsimhan), Timber Wolf (Caroline Pignat), True Blue (Deborah Ellis), Undergrounders (David Skuy), Witchlanders (Lena Coakley).
To learn more about the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards, visit www.myrca.ca.