Who won the Blue Spruce Award?

Sarabeth Holden's Benny and the Bananasaurus Rex, illustrated by Emma Pedersen, won the Blue Spruce Award.

Blue Spruce Award Winner

The Blue Spruce Award recognizes outstanding picture books for young readers, with the unique distinction that the winners are chosen by children across Canada. This prestigious award is a key component of the Forest of Reading program, which stands as Canada's largest recreational reading initiative, aiming to foster a love of reading in participants of all ages.

The winning book for the Blue Spruce Award is:

About the Forest of Reading Program

The Blue Spruce Award is one of several accolades presented annually through the Forest of Reading program, which is expertly organized by the Ontario Library Association (OLA). This nation-wide initiative is designed to encourage widespread reading engagement by inviting readers to explore nominated books and then cast their votes for their favorite titles.

Key features that define the Forest of Reading program include:

• Nationwide Engagement: The program successfully reaches hundreds of thousands of readers across diverse age groups throughout Canada.
• Reader's Choice Focus: A cornerstone of the program is its democratic approach, where the ultimate winners are determined directly by the votes of the children and young adults who participate in reading the nominated books.
• Diverse Literary Categories: The Forest of Reading encompasses a broad spectrum of award categories, ensuring there's something for every reader, from captivating picture books for the youngest audiences to compelling young adult fiction.

Other Notable Forest of Reading Winners

The Forest of Reading program celebrates literary excellence across many genres and age groups. In addition to the Blue Spruce Award, other categories also honor exceptional works. Here are a couple of other winners recognized as part of the Forest of Reading: