Grants and awards have evolved over the life of the chapter. The first award was for volunteering, presented as the Charlotte Award to Anne Lintell in 1999. As the chapter has grown and leadership has changed, other awards have been introduced, gone dormant, been revived, or revised. You’ll find them all listed here in the . . .
The Anne Shirley Award (formerly the Charlotte Award)
Presented annually at the SCBWI Canada East conference to an outstanding volunteer who has shown dedication to improving and maintaining SCBWI Canada East (formerly SCBWI Canada). The recipient is awarded a bracelet inscribed with a quote from L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables: “True friends are always together in spirit.”
Prior to 2018, when the Charlotte Award was revived as the Anne Shirley award, the honouree received a “Charlotte” pin (depicting a spiderweb) along with a copy of E.B. White’s novel Charlotte’s Web. As Wilbur said of Charlotte, “It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”
The award can be granted to writers, illustrators, educators, editors, publishers, or organizations.
2019 Anne Shirley award winner Rachel Eugster (r) with Alma Fullerton (l)
Winners of the Anne Shirley Award:
| Rachel Eugster | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Julie Prescesky | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
Winners of the Charlotte Award:
| Noreen Kruzich Violetta | 2007 Kempenfelt Conference Centre, Barrie, Ontario |
| Elizabeth Ulin | 2005 National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Michelle D. Jodoin | 2004 National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Rachel Eugster | 2003 National Library of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Lizann Flatt | 2002 Sam Jakes Inn, Merrickville, Ontario |
| Christine Tripp | 2001 Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Anita Bonneau | 2000 Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Anne Linttell | 1999 Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
The Rising Kite Diversity Scholarship
The Rising Kite Diversity Scholarship is awarded annually to a writer or illustrator of children’s books who identifies as a member of a marginalized group or as a person from a marginalized background, including but not limited to people who are LGBTQIA; First Nations; Métis; people of colour; non-binary; gender-fluid; differently-abled; or from ethnic, cultural, or religious minorities. (Application guidelines.)
2019 Rising Kite Diversity Scholarship winner Joe Byakutaga Abaasa (second from right), with Alma Fullerton, Ishta Mercurio-Wentworth, and Michelle Jodoin (l to r)
Winners of the Rising Kite Diversity Scholarship:
| Joe Byakutaga Abaasa | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Nadia Hohn | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel |
The Glass Slipper Award
This award, given at conferences featuring an illustrators’ gallery, recognizes creativity, talent, professionalism, and the suitability of the displayed works for children’s publishing. The prize is awarded by the conference speakers to the illustrator they would track down glass-slipper style.
RA Alma Fullerton (r) presents the Glass Slipper award to Ellie Arscott (l)
2019 Glass Slipper award winners Melika Saeeda and Ellie Arscott
Winners of the Glass Slipper Award:
| Ellie Arscott, Melika Saeeda | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Julien Chung | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Kathryn Durst | 2017 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Ben Hodson | 2004 National Library of Canada, Ottawa |
| Christine Tripp | 2003 National Library of Canada, Ottawa |
The People’s Choice Portfolio Award
This award, given at conferences featuring an illustrators’ gallery, is awarded based on the votes collected from conference attendees (including speakers).
2019 People’s Choice Portfolio award winner June Steube (tied with Melika Saeeda) with Ellie Arscott
Winners of the People’s Choice Portfolio Award:
| June Steube, Melika Saeeda | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Charlene Chua, Carmen Mok | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Amelie Dubois, Carmen Mok | 2017 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
Storyteller Award
Conference speakers award this prize to the illustrator whose portfolio demonstrates the most effective and consistent storytelling.
2019 Storyteller award winner Hala Tahboub (r), with Ellie Arscott (l)
2019 Storyteller award winner Katherine Battersby (r) with Ellie Arscott (l)
Winners of the Storyteller Award:
| Hala Tahboub, Katherine Battersby | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Alice Carter, Carmen Mok | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Kathryn Durst | 2017 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
Professionalism Award
Conference speakers award this prize to the illustrator whose portfolio exemplifies professional presentation and content.
Professionalism award winner Julien Chung (r) with Ellie Arscott (l)
Winners of the Professionalism Award:
| Julien Chung | 2019 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
| Charlene Chua, Christine Tripp | 2018 Albert at Bay Suites Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario |
| Kathryn Durst | 2017 Holiday Inn Centre-Ville, Montreal |
SCBWI Canada East Children’s Book Week Grant
“A celebration of the written word, Children’s Book Week (now called Canadian Children’s Book Week) introduces young people to new authors and ideas in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores. Through Children’s Book Week, the Children’s Book Council encourages young people and their caregivers to discover the complexity of the world beyond their own experience through books.”
The SCBWI Canada East Children’s Book Week Grant provides funds to allow an author or illustrator to give a school presentation during Children’s Book Week.
Winners of the SCBWI Canada East Children’s Book Week Grant:
| Susan Lee | 2005 National Library, Ottawa |
The Northern Lights Award
This award was inaugurated in 2004 for the winning conference submission of a “short story, an article, a picture book manuscript, or a first chapter and synopsis of a novel.” Look for it to be reactivated in a new format at a future conference.
Winners of the Northern Lights Award:
| Mark Baker | 2004 National Library of Canada, Ottawa |
The Gift of Creativity
The Gift of Creativity is a bursary that is offered every year to an attendee of the Art of Story conference. Thanks to the generosity of participants at previous SCBWI Canada East events, we’re pleased to offer financial assistance to one member to help defray the cost of attending the conference. To apply for the bursary, please submit a letter outlining what you hope to gain from this event. Please include a brief mention of why you need financial assistance. Although the bursary will not cover the entire cost of the conference, we hope that it will provide that extra boost to get you on your way. Recipients are notified privately and are only announced publicly if that is their wish.