I’m wearing many hats these days: teacher, librarian, video games and learning advocate and finally humble writer. Over at my blog, feeding change, I write my education / “video games aren’t evil” posts. Here at my main page, I like to stick to talking about my writing. And so, it is with great pleasure that I announce Power Play is nominated for a 2012 Diamond Willow Award!
The Willow Awards are Saskatchewan’s “Tree Awards”, part of the provincial children’s book awards started (I believe) by Ontario’s Silver Birch Awards. This is my second Tree nomination, the first happening in Halifax with Wild Ride nominated for a 2009 Hakamatack Children’s Choice Award. I was especially honoured back then and I am extremely especially honoured today.
Extremely especially? Yeah, I know, but here’s the deal: Unlike other awards, sponsored by a big bank with the winner chosen by a bunch of adults and then a lump sum of cash given to the winner (and used as a tax write/PR campaign off by the sponsoring bank), the winners of the Tree Awards are chosen by kids! Thousands of them, all reading, discussion and (hopefully) voting for your book.
Currently, I’m running the Silver Birch Club at my school and, let me tell you, it’s amazing to see kids reading, debating and sharing their passion or distaste for a particular book. I don’t need to tell you that young readers won’t think twice about explaining why a book is totally awesome or totally lame. They are your biggest supporters or your harshest critics. It’s always amazing to see.
The second great part about the Tree Awards is that every book nominated is the winner. A nomination means your book will reach hundreds of new readers who might never have heard of you before. For any writer, that is a prize worth more than any statue, plaque or cheque. (Okay, the cheque is nice too.)
Thanks to Orca Books for being such an amazing publisher and epic thanks and grats to Mike Deas for his uber cool illustrations on this whole series. And while we’re talking Mike, check out his new graphic novel series starring two lovable and totally lost aliens: Dalen and Gole. Two words: Hi larious.
Please check out all the 2012 Diamond Willow nominees. I am honoured to be in such fine company.
