Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children's Literature

One prize ($5,000) is awarded each year for a book of fiction or non-fiction that is readily available in print; that was written by a living, full-time resident of Atlantic Canada; and that was published or distributed for the first time in Canada in the two years prior to the submission deadline. Additional finalists each receive $250.
Each cycle of the award covers two publication years to allow for the award’s annual alternation between children’s literature (with submissions accepted in odd-numbered years and prize awarded in the next spring) and YA literature (with submissions accepted in even-numbered years and prize awarded in the next spring).
The Ann Connor Brimer Award was established in 1991 by the Nova Scotia Library Association and supported by the family of Ann Elisabeth Connor Brimer — a teacher, researcher, and program coordinator who served as executive director of the Canadian Learning Materials Centre, founding member of the Nova Scotia Coalition on Arts and Culture, co-founder of Woozles Children’s Bookstore, and Atlantic Officer for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. The award honours outstanding contributions to writing for Atlantic Canadian young people.
Beginning in 2016, the focus of this award began alternating annually between children’s literature (for readers up to 11 years old) and YA literature (for readers aged 12 to 17). The first prize for YA literature was awarded in 2017, and the first prize for children’s literature was awarded in 2018. In 2019, the Ann Connor Brimer Society passed stewardship and administration of the award to the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia. Beginning in 2022, thanks to the generosity of Gavin Brimer, the prize amount was raised from $2,000 to $5,000.
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2024 Winner
2024
(Children's)

Winner
Jack Wong
The Words We Share
(Annick Press)

Finalist
Alma Fullerton
The Journal of Anxious Izzy Parker
(Second Story Press)

Finalist
Vicki Grant
A Green Velvet Secret
(Tundra Books)

Finalist
George Paul
Kepmite’taqney Ktapekiaqn / Le chant d’honneur / The Honour Song
(Éditions Bouton d’or Acadie)
2023
(YA)

Winner
Nicola Davison
Decoding Dot Grey
(Nimbus Publishing)

Finalist
Vicki Grant
Tell Me When You Feel Something
(Penguin Random House Canada)

Finalist
Jo Treggiari
Heartbreak Homes
(Nimbus Publishing)
2022
(Children's)

Winner
Chad Lucas
Thanks a Lot, Universe
(Amulet Books)

Finalist
Jodie Callaghan
The Train
illustrated by Georgia Lesley
(Second Story Press

Finalist
Rebecca Thomas
Swift Fox All Along
illustrated by Pauline King
illustrated by Maya McKibbin
(Annick Press)
2021
(YA)

Winner
Tom Ryan
Keep This to Yourself
(Albert Whitman & Company)

Finalist
Andre Fenton
Annaka
(Nimbus Publishing)

Finalist
Jo Treggiari
The Grey Sisters
(Penguin Teen)
2020
(Children's)

Winner
Sheree Fitch
EveryBody's Different on EveryBody Street
illustrated by Emma FitzGerald
(Orca Book Publisher)

Finalist
Wesley King
A World Below
(Simon & Schuster)

Finalist
Rebecca Thomas
I’m Finding My Talk
illustrated by Pauline King
(Nimbus Publishing)
2019
(YA)

Winner
Susan Sinnott
Catching the Light
(Vagrant Press)

Finalist
Vicki Grant
Short for Chameleon
(HarperCollins)

Finalist
Daphne Greer
Finding Grace
(Nimbus Publishing)
2018
(Children's)

Winner
Charis Cotter
The Painting
(Tundra Books)

Finalist
Sheree Fitch
Polly MacCauley’s Finest Divinest, Wooliest Gift of All
illustrated by Darka Erdelji
(Running the Goat Books & Broadsides)

Finalist
Susan White
The Memory Chair
(Acorn Press)
2017
(YA)

Winner
Lesley Choyce
Into the Wasteland
(Red Deer Press)

Finalist
Lisa Moore
Flannery
(Groundwood Books)

Finalist
Valerie Sherrard
Rain Shadow
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
Prior to 2017, the Ann Connor Brimer Award did not alternate annually between children’s literature and young adult literature.
2016

Winner
Sharon E. McKay
(Annick Press)

Finalist
Don Aker
Delusion Road
(HarperCollins)

Finalist
Valerie Sherrard
Rain Shadow
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
2015

Winner
Sharon E. McKay
The End of the Line
(Annick Press)

Finalist
Andy Jones
Jack, the King of Ashes
illustrated by Darka Erdelji
(Running Goat Books & Broadsides)

Finalist
Janet McNaughton
Flame and Ashes: The Great Fire Diary of Triffie Winsor
(Scholastic)
2014

Winner
Jill MacLean
Nix Minus One
(Pajama Press)

Finalist
Jan L. Coates
The Power of Harmony
(Red Deer Press)

Finalist
Meghan Marentette
The Stowaways
illustrated by Dean Griffiths
(Pajama Press)
2013

Winner
Lisa Harrington
Live to Tell
(Dancing Cat Books)

Finalist
Kathleen Martin
Kamakwie: Finding Peace, Love, and Injustice in Sierra Leone
(Red Deer Press)

Finalist
Sharon E. McKay
Enemy Territory
(Annick Press)
2012

Winner
Susan White
The Year Mrs. Montague Cried
(Acorn Press)

Finalist
Vicki Grant
Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret
(HarperCollins)

Finalist
Gloria Ann Wesley
Chasing Freedom
(Roseway Publishing)
2011

Winner
Valerie Sherrard
The Glory Wind
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Finalist
Jan L. Coates
A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk
(Red Deer Press)

Finalist
Shauntay Grant
The City Speaks in Drums
illustrated by Susan Tooke
(Nimbus Publishing)
2010

Winner
Jill MacLean
The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Finalist
Darlene Ryan
Five Minutes More
(Orca Book Publishers)

Finalist
Valerie Sherrard
Tumbleweed Skies
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
2009

Winner
Jill MacLean
The Nine Lives of Travis Keating
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Finalist
Joanne Jefferson
Lightning and Blackberries
(Nimbus Publishing)

Finalist
Philip Roy
The Submarine Outlaw
(Ronsdale Press)
2008

Winner
K.V. Johansen
Nightwalker: The Warlocks of Talverdin, Book One
(Orca Book Publishers)

Finalist
Valerie Sherrard
Speechless
(Dundurn)

Finalist
Alice Walsh
A Sky Black with Crows
(Red Deer Press)
2007

Winner
Budge Wilson
Friendships
(Penguin)

Finalist
Janet McNaughton
The Raintree Rebellion
(HarperCollins)

Finalist
Darlene Ryan
Saving Grace
(Orca Book Publishers)
2006

Winner
Kevin Major
Aunt Olga’s Christmas Postcards
illustrated by Bruce Roberts
(Groundwood Books)

Finalist
Vicki Grant
Quid Pro Quo
(Orca Book Publishers)

Finalist
Nancy Shouse
Any Pet Will Do
(Orca Book Publishers)
2005

Winner
Alice Walsh
Pomiuk, Prince of the North
illustrated by Jerry Whitehead
(Beach Holme)

Finalist
Maureen Hull
Rainy Days With Bear
illustrated by Leanne Franson
(Lobster Press)

Finalist
Joanne Taylor
There You Are
(Tundra Books)
2004

Winner
Don Aker
The First Stone
(HarperCollins)

Finalist
Kevin Major
Ann and Seamus
illustrated by David Blackwood
(Groundwood)

Finalist
Janet McNaughton
An Earthly Knight
(HarperCollins)
2003

Winner
Lesley Choyce
Shoulder the Sky
(Dundurn)

Finalist
Robert Rayner
Walker’s Runners
(James Lorimer & Co)

Finalist
Joanne Taylor
Full Moon Rising
illustrated by Susan Tooke
(Tundra Books)
2002

Winner
Frances Wolfe
Where I Live
(Tundra Books)

Finalist
David Weale
Everything That Shines
illustrated by Dale McNevin
(Acorn Press)

Finalist
Budge Wilson
A Fiddle for Angus
illustrated by Susan Tooke
(Tundra Books)
2001

Winner
Janet McNaughton
The Secret Under My Skin
(Stoddart Kids)

Finalist
Kevin Major
Eh? To Zed: A Canadian Abecedarium
illustrated by Alan Daniel
(Red Door Press)

Finalist
Robin McGrath
Hoist Your Sails and Run
(Tuckamore)
2000

Winner
David Weale
The True Meaning of Crumbfest
illustrated by Dale McNevin
(Acorn Press)

Finalist
Sheree Fitch
If I Were the Moon
illustrated by Leslie Elizabeth Watts
(Doubleday)

Finalist
Shirley Woods
Kit: the Adventures of a Raccoon
illustrated by Celia Godkin
(Groundwood Books)
1999

Winner
Janet McNaughton
Make or Break Spring
(Tuckamore)

Finalist
Christina Gunn
Lily
(Roseway Publishing)

Finalist
Sandra & Ron Lightburn
Driftwood Cove
(Doubleday)

Finalist
Anne Lousie MacDonald
The Memory Stone
illustrated by illustrated by Joanne Ouellet
(Ragweed)

Finalist
Wenda Young
Angels in the Snow
(Coteau Books)
1998

Winner
Kevin Major
The House of Wooden Santas
(Red Deer Press)

Finalist
Don Aker
Stranger at Bay
(Stoddart Kids)

Finalist
Pamela Hickman
Animal Senses
(Kids Can Press)

Finalist
Budge Wilson
Sharla
(Stoddart Kids)
1997

Winner
Janet McNaughton
To Dance at the Palais Royale
(Tuckamore)

Finalist
Elaine Breault Hammond
The Secret Under the Whirlpool
(Ragweed)

Finalist
Sheree Fitch
If You Could Wear My Sneakers
illustrated by Darcia Labrosse
(Doubleday)
1996

Winner
Don Aker
Of Things Not Seen
(Stoddart)

Finalist
Geoff Butler
The Killick: a Newfoundland story
(Tundra Books)

Finalist
Marjorie Speed
Alexander's Sky Blue Eggs
illustrated by Marjorie Speed
(Roseway Publishing)
Prior to 1996, finalists for the Ann Connor Brimer Award were not publicly announced.
1995

Sheree Fitch
Mabel Murple
illustrated by Sydney Smith
(Nimbus Publishing)
1994

Lesley Choyce
Good Idea Gone Bad
(Formac)
1993

Budge Wilson
Oliver's War
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
1992

Kevin Major
Eating Between the Lines
(Seal Books)
1991

Joyce Barkhouse
Pit Pony
(Gage)