Are the Kids Alright ... 10 books for I Read Canadian Day on 49th Shelf!

This is I Read Canadian week. Read a Canadian author to support the Canadian publishing world. Read a book, tell a friend, write a review, give a gift book. Anything and everything to celebrate Canadian authors, books, and publishing.

Here's my curated list from 2021, on the 49thShelf: Kids Coping With Crisis

These are 10 fantastic books by Canadian authors, which explore adult and parental mental health, homelessness, poverty and addiction through a kid's eyes. I was asked to curate and annotate this list by 49thShelf, as a celebration of my newest book, FIREFLY. Thank you to them!

The books are by Eric Walters, Rebecca Upjohn, Monica Kulling, Christina Kilbourne, Holly Dobbie, Natalie Hyde, Eden Robinson, Christopher Paul Curtis, E.L. Chen. All great authors you should get to know! Books links, annotations and more at the link: Philippa Dowding on the 49thShelf.

Happy I Read Canadian Day!

All posts about FIREFLY on this Blog

What's it like to win the Governor General's literary award?

 

Reposting from November 2021, because in a few months I will go to Ottawa to receive my GG award, after a 4-year hiatus. I'll be talking about this experience in upcoming posts:

"A: On October 3rd this year, a woman in Golden, BC, woke up to a meteorite crashing through her roof and landing in bed beside her. I think that’s a perfect metaphor for winning the Governor General’s Literary Award: it’s somewhat miraculous, unforeseeable, and frankly leaves you a little shaken up.

I couldn’t be more honoured by this win for Firefly, a book very close to my heart..." 

--PD on the 49th Shelf, Dec/2021

A meteorite is right! In the interview I also talk about inspiration for FIREFLY, challenges creating the character, my litmus test for a great children's story, and what I'm reading right now.

Read the entire interview: 49th Shelf Q&A Interview with Philippa Dowding

I'm still getting used to the idea that FIREFLY won the GG award for Young People's Literature (text) this year. In the photo above, I'm pretty dazed at the news, celebrating at my publisher's office that morning, so much champagne!

But it's slowly sinking in and thank you (again) to the Canada Council. Part of the job of receiving this massive honour, I'm realizing, is to be gracious and inclusive, and to thank everyone who reaches out with congratulations, and to say yes to every invitation, but also eventually to just sit with it, to try to be worthy of it. It's so unexpected, this meteorite, that it will take time to get used to having it in the bed with me.

In the Globe and Mail, Nov/2021

There's also a terrific review on Storytime with Stephanie, thank you!

Here's the opening paragraph: "At the beginning of October, the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Forest of Reading Award nominees were announced in the same week. When a book appears on both of those lists, it’s certainly one to consider reading. Firefly by Philippa Dowding certainly lived up to its nominated status!"

It's really all about the story though, Firefly's story, not about me (thank goodness), and I couldn't be more pleased that because of the Governor General win, more kids will be reading about PTSD, homelessness, addiction and mental health. I hope that none of them live a life like Firefly's (please no!), but if they do or know someone who does, they'll also know they're not alone.

Shine bright, Firefly!

All posts on this blog about Firefly.

FIREFLY WINS the Governor General's Literary Award 2021

 

FIREFLY has WON the Governor General's Literary Award 

for Young People's Literature (text) 2021!

I am so honoured, humbled, surprised, and frankly a little shaken up! So many thanks to my wonderful publisher, DCB Young Readers, parent company Cormorant, and to the Canada Council.

Here is the Governor General/Canada Council 2021 winners page: FIREFLY Wins

Here is the CBC page featuring all the 2021 finalists in the category: GG 2021

Here is Firefly's GG Wiki page 

I'm still a little speechless. I wonder how long it will take to sink in?

Many congratulations to fellow nominees for this award: Liselle Sambury, Angela Ahn, Sharon Jennings, and Basil and Kevin Sylvester. I loved their titles, and encourage everyone to read their wonderful books.

Author, Nov. 17, 2021
Signing books at her publisher's office

Soon, I will write more about this incredible meteorite which has landed in my lap. But today, I bask, because what else is a writer to do?! Thank you everybody. Firefly thanks you too.

For media, interviews or review copy, please contact DCB Young Readers. 

All posts about FIREFLY.

 

FIREFLY is a Governor General's Award Finalist AND an OLA Red Maple Nominee

I've never had a week like this before. I don't think that as a writer, you can have a better week. Certainly, you would never expect a week like this. I'm still in shock. 

On Thursday, October 14th, I woke up to the news that FIREFLY was a Governor General's Literary Award Finalist, Young People's Literature (text). It is an incredible honour, one that I would never have expected. I've cheered on my friends, many times, and clapped with joy from the sidelines when they were nominated. But to be a Finalist myself? Never, not EVER, did I ever think that would happen. Tears of joy, wept along with my inner 9-year-old who used to dream of being an author one day.

I'm also incredibly honoured to be among the first group of Finalists with Mary May Simon, the first Inuk Governor General, in Rideau Hall. Here is a CBC article by Inuk journalist Pauline Pemik, Oct. 21/2021: Interviewing the Governor General in my Language felt like reconciliation.

Winners are announced on November 17, 2021. Stay tuned for that. Here's a video of me reading from FIREFLY:

The next day, October 15th, was the day that FIREFLY was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association Red Maple Award. 

An incredible honour, this means that young readers in Ontario in grades 7 and 8 will be introduced to Firefly, an indomitable, funny, wise 13-year-old living in a park in downtown Toronto. I will be talking to kids (probably via Zoom etc) across the province about the book, then the young readers choose their favourite book out of the ten nominees. Next spring, 2022, the winners are decided in a big celebration. Stay tuned! 

Here is a post from 2014, about being a Red Maple nominee. That year I was nominated for The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden.

Shine bright, Firefly!

All posts about Firefly on this blog.

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