Finalists announced for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards

- Top prize of $30,000 up for grabs; winners to be announced at a gala in Toronto on November 18, 2015 -

• Celebrate the best in Canadian children's literature w/ @TDNews_Canada! Check out the 2015 finalists at http://bit.ly/1xKEVNK #TDreads Tweet this)

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2015 /CNW/ - It's time to celebrate: the five English-language finalists for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards have been chosen and are now in the running for one of the biggest awards in Canadian children's literature. Celebrating the best English-language work by Canadian authors and illustrators, the Canadian Children's Book Centre and TD Bank Group will award the top honour and $30,000 grand prize to one of the five finalists at an awards gala in Toronto on November 18, 2015. A $10,000 prize will also be shared among the other four finalists. Five additional French-language finalists will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Montreal on November 10.

For the second year, young Canadians can also vote for their favourite book online at CBCBooks.ca from October 1 to 30, 2015. One lucky fan will be selected to attend the awards gala in Toronto to meet their favourite author/illustrator and present the Fan Choice Award and a $5,000 cash prize.

"From bringing reading programs to life in schools and libraries to recognizing the authors and illustrators behind some of the best work in Canadian children's literature, TD is proud of its longstanding commitment to children's literacy," says Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group. "Through the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards we recognize the important role our Canadian authors and illustrators play in building a lifelong joy of reading among young Canadians."

This year's finalists have written and illustrated inspiring and beautiful books, including stories for the older reader about Canadian soldiers who fought to end World War I, and two siblings who uncover secrets of a cursed house that changes their lives forever. For younger readers, the finalists' stories include celebrating the imagination of a young boy with the courage to be different, answering the question of how story ideas are brought to life, and tracing the life of one of Canada's most beloved and decorated artists.

"The TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards gives us the opportunity to celebrate the best in children's literature each year and recognize the talented authors and illustrators behind these compelling stories," says Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director, the Canadian Children's Book Centre. "Books have the power to take young readers on an unforgettable journey and we couldn't be more proud to honour this year's outstanding finalists."

The 2015 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award finalists include:

Any Questions?
Written by Marie-Louise Gay (Montreal, QC)
Groundwood Books
Many children want to know where stories come from and how books are developed. Any Questions? addresses these queries through a fictional encounter between an author and some curious children, showing how brilliant ideas sometimes creep up when you least expect. For ages five to 10.

A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison
Written by Margriet Ruurs (Salt Spring Island, BC) and Katherine Gibson (Courtenay, BC)
Pajama Press
In this book, Margriet Ruurs and Katherine Gibson trace the life of Ted Harrison, an artist whose brightly coloured and wildly imaginative paintings set in the Yukon have become synonymous with the North. From a small boy in a drab mining town in northeast England to one of Canada's most beloved and decorated artists, this story follows the influences that led to Ted's unique style as an artist. For all ages.

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Written by Christine Baldacchino (Toronto, ON)
Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant (Montreal, QC)
Groundwood Books
Morris is a little boy who loves using his imagination. He also loves his classroom's dress-up centre and wearing the tangerine dress. His peers don't understand - they say dresses are for girls and don't welcome him into the spaceship they are building. At home, he dreams up his own fantastic space adventure with his cat, Moo, and decides to build his own ship at school, inviting two of his classmates on an outer space adventure. For ages three to eight.

From Vimy to Victory: Canada's Fight to the Finish in World War I
Written by Hugh Brewster (Toronto, ON)
Scholastic Canada
Capturing the remarkable heroism, sacrifice and victories of Canadian soldiers during World War I, Hugh Brewster's story is presented as an engaging and accessible scrapbook. With facts and details accompanied by first-person accounts, letters describing life on the frontlines, wartime diaries, and numerous images, maps, and diagrams, this book brings World War I to vivid life. For ages eight and up.

The Night Gardener
Written by Jonathan Auxier (Pittsburg, PA; formerly of Vancouver, BC)
Penguin Canada
When orphaned Irish siblings Molly and Kip arrive to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house, they discover that the house and its inhabitants are not what they seem. Soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and the secrets of the cursed house will change their lives forever. For ages 10 to 14.

The best French-language children's literature by Canadian authors and illustrators will also be recognized at a gala in Montreal on November 10, 2015. To learn more about the francophone finalists, visit lecturetd.com.

About the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards
Now in its 11^th year, the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards celebrates excellence in children's literature by rewarding the best literary work by Canadian authors. Sponsored by TD, and administered by the Canadian Children's Book Centre in association with the CBC, it is one of the largest prizes in children's book awards. All books, in any genre, written and illustrated by Canadians and published in Canada for children are eligible. Each book is judged on the quality of the text and illustrations, in addition to its overall contribution to Canadian children's literature. Since the program started in 2004, 110 books have been honoured through the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award in both official languages

About TD's Commitment to Children's Literacy
The ability to read is often taken for granted. This skill is paramount to success during school years and beyond, which is why TD believes it's important to get children reading and to foster a lifelong joy of reading. Since 2000, TD has invested more than $35 million to support literacy and reading programs at local schools and public libraries across Canada.

About The Canadian Children's Book Centre
The Canadian Children's Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization founded in 1976. We are dedicated to encouraging, promoting and supporting the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers. Our programs, publications, and resources help teachers, librarians, booksellers and parents select the very best for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.

SOURCE TD Bank Group