The Governor General Literary Awards at Rideau Hall, April 18, 2024!

Author photo courtesy Terry Fan

Here it is, the last day of 2024! What was my TOP POST of the year? Yep, my visit to Rideau Hall on April 18, to receive the incredible honour of the gift of a GG award for my book FIREFLY.

An amazing day for any writer, enjoy! And Happy New Year all:

"Well, it's happened! The 4-year wait for the Governor General Awards has ended, and all the literary laureates from 2020-2023 have been celebrated in a four-day visit to Ottawa this April!

I'm still processing, and when the official photos come out, I'll share them along with more thoughts about the experience. Sincere thanks to illustrator Terry Fan for the candid photo of me before the ceremony, in the sunroom at Rideau Hall! 

Thank you to the Governor General of Canada and to the Canada Council for the Arts for hosting us writers, from all over the country. It was an absolute blast to meet 60+ laureates (usually it's 14 or so), and to visit the archives, the National Gallery, the Canadian War Museum (a personal trip), and then Rideau Hall together on April 18th. 

Each of us took our turn in front of the crowd of 200+ attendees, listened as our book was cited by the GG committee, then met Her Excellency The Right Honourable Mary Simon, our Governor General. 

FIREFLY, leather-bound, on the right

When we shook hands, our Governor General whispered, "good morning!" then smiled and handed me my gift: a leather-bound copy of my winning middle-grade book, FIREFLY. Apparently we were photographed together, but all I remember honestly, is her sweet smile and her green eyes!

A wondrous day. Thank you to my publisher, Marc Cote (Cormorant Books), and my editor, Barry Jowett, who were both there to celebrate with me. I told them when I was standing in front of the crowd filled with joy (and more than a little emotion), I was 9-year-old Philippa and 60-year-old Philippa, and every Philippa in-between, who wrote and failed, then wrote some more.

The Pink Room, Rideau Hall, for lunch

A magical experience, I'm filled with gratitude. Thank you and congratulations to all the laureates, it was SO great to meet you and celebrate together!

Here is the complete list of Governor General laureates 2020-2023.

Official photos of me with the Governor General and other laureates 

For all posts about FIREFLY on this blog.

Our amazing Governor General and Firefly

 

Author with Her Excellency The Right Honourable Mary Simon

On April 18, 2024, I was honoured (so incredibly honoured), to meet the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Mary Simon, at her home in Rideau Hall, Ottawa. I'm holding her gift to me, a leather-bound copy of my award-winning book, FIREFLY. As an author, you don't get many (or any other) days like this.

The Governor General award is our country's highest literary award, congratulations to all the nominees and winners. I celebrated with the 2020-2023 winners, all 63 of us, among them some of my favourite writers, including the amazing Fan Brothers, David Robertson, Eric Walters, Sarah Everett, Jen Ferguson, and many more. 

As always, thank you to Marc Cote, publisher of Cormorant Books, and my wonderful editor, Barry Jowett, from DCB Young Readers. Thanks also to my sister-in-law, whose costume shop is the setting for the story. I'm wearing her silk scarf, glad to have a little bit of her with me to celebrate in Rideau Hall. She'd be proud. 

Full GG Awards 2024 Photo Gallery. Many thanks to the GG awards for the use of their photos.
Official Photographer: MCpl Matthieu Racette, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2024

All posts about FIREFLY and the Governor General Award.

The Governor General award winners, 2021. CONGRATS ALL!

FIREFLY, awards, commendations, free teacher's guides, reviews

 

Looking for information about my book, FIREFLY?

Here are links for my launch video, links to awards, reviews, news, and free teacher's guides. Enjoy! 

Firefly Book launch Video

Firefly YouTube Q&A with author, March/21

FIREFLY AWARDS
SYRCA Snow Willow Award 2023/2024
WINNER Governor General's Literary Award 2021
WINNER Ruth & Sylvia
​Schwartz Children's Book Award 2022
Rocky Mountain Awards 2023
MYRCA Northern Lights 2023
IODE Violet Downey Award 2022
​OLA Red Maple 2022 Nominee

FIREFLY in the News

Globe & Mail 100 Best Books 2021
OLA Best Bets 2021
9 Great Holiday Books for Kids, CBC BOOKS
​CBC BEST YA & MG READS 2021
AUTHOR READS on YouTube
​Book Trailer

FIREFLY Reviews and more:
CCBC Expert's Pick, March 2022
​CBC, The Next Chapter, 9 Great Holiday Reads, Dec 2021
​The Chat, 49th Shelf Q&A, Dec 2021
CCBC Recommended, July 2021
OpenBook, Review & Excerpt, May/21
Highly Recommended, CM Reviews
Q&A with US Blogger, April 2021
CBC Books Best Books Spring 2021
Expert's Pick, CCBC, March/2021
Author Q&A, YouTube, March/2021
CanLit for Little Canadians, Feb/2021
​

Author Reads, YouTube

​FREE Teacher's Guide

REVIEWS

FIREFLY:  "The characters are deftly drawn, the setting is unique, and Firefly's story is moving and thought-provoking." Expert's Pick, Canadian Children's Book Centre, March 2022

"It's a powerful book with engaging characters ... a book with a lot of heart." CBC | The Next Chapter, 9 Great Holiday Reads

"This fantasy specialist’s shift into realism is a triumph (it won the Governor-General’s Award for young fiction)."
Globe & Mail, Top 100 Books of 2021
 
"... a natural segue to the mental health literacy component of the curriculum for senior elementary students." CCBC/July '21
​
"Firefly, like so much of Dowding's work, isn't limited to young readers. Her nuanced depiction of trauma, the search for identity & the desire to define what 'family' means will resonate with readers of all ages." OpenBook Review/Excerpt, May/21

Free Teacher's Guide for FIREFLY
More Teacher's guides on 49th Shelf

It's a Governor General's Literary Award Nomination for FIREFLY!

 

I am so honoured to be able to say that FIREFLY is a Finalist for the 2021 Governor General's Literary Awards!

That's something that you dream about, but never expect to write on your blog. As a thing. That's actually, you know, happened!

Here is the complete list of 
GG Finalists for 2021

You'll find FIREFLY in the Young Readers Literature - TEXT category, a total of 5 books. I'm very pleased to be named with my amazing kidlit peers, Kevin and Basil Sylvester, Sharon Jennings, Angela Ahn and Liselle Sambury.

Thank you to my wonderful publisher at DCB Young Readers, and congratulations to all the nominees. The winners are announced on November 17, 2021, check back then!

Shine bright, Firefly!

All posts on this blog about FIREFLY