The Janet Savage Blachford Prize is awarded in even-numbered years to a picture book with text or a book for beginner readers, and in odd-numbered years to a longer chapter book or a book for middle grade or young adult readers.
2025
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
The New Girl
(Graphix / Scholastic Inc.)
shortlisted
Outta Here
(James Lorimer & Company Ltd.)
The Bearing
(Mouton Noir Acadie)
Miss Matty
(Linda Leith Publishing)
Jury
Robert Bittner
Wayne Ng
Kennedy Rooke
2024
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
Hopscotch
(Groundwood Books Ltd.)
shortlisted
Walking Trees
(Groundwood Books)
The Wolf Pup
(Inhabit Media)
SOS Water
(Tradewind Books)
Jury
Jeffrey Canton
Laura May Vogel
Eldon Yellowhorn
2023
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
A Boy Is Not a Ghost
(Groundwood Books)
shortlisted
Witches of Brooklyn: S’More Magic
(Random House Graphic)
Captain Skidmark Dances with Destiny
(Charlesbridge)
Jury
Danielle Daniel
Pamela Mordecai
Hannah Morrow
2022
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
Mina
(Simon & Schuster Canada))
shortlisted
I’m Not Sydney
(Groundwood Books)
Pink, Blue, and You
(Anne Schwartz Books)
You Are My Favorite Color
(Philomel Books)
Jury
Sean Dixon
Nadia Lakhdari
Lauren Soloy
2021
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
Room for One More
(Kar-Ben Publishing)
shortlisted
The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life
(Second Story Press)
Journal of a Travelling Girl
(Wandering Fox (Heritage House))
Zee
(Bouton d’or Acadie)
Jury
Natasha Deen
Darren Groth
Curran Jacobs
2020
Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
The Three Brothers
(Groundwood Books)
shortlisted
Pokko and the Drum
(Paula Wiseman Books – Simon & Schuster Canada)
Fern and Horn
(Groundwood Books)
Jury
Alan Cumyn
Shauntay Grant
Deanna Smith
2019
then known as QWF Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
Yipee’s Gold Mountain
(Red Deer Press)
shortlisted
In Which
(Broken Rules Press)
I Am a Feminist: Claiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times
(Orca Book Publishers)
Jury
Gillian O'Reilly
Matthew Skelton
Sarah Tsiang
2018
then known as QWF Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature Sponsored in memory of Janet Savage BlachfordWinner
Mr. Crum’s Potato Predicament
(Kids Can Press)
shortlisted
The Big Bed
(Farrar, Straus, and Giroux)
That`s Not Hockey
(Annick Press)
Jury
Matt McCarney (Greensfeild Park)
Nadia Hohn (Toronto)
Ellen Schwartz (Burnaby)
2017
then known as QWF Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature Sponsored by Janet and John BlachfordWinner
Subject to Change
(Orca Book Publisher)
shortlisted
Chico
(Paper Dog Press)
Lightning Lou
(DCB)
Jury
Catherine Austen
Lisa Doucet
Raziel Reid
2016
then known as QWF Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature Sponsored by Janet and John BlachfordWinner
Oscar Lives Next Door
(Owlkids Books)
shortlisted
This is Sadie
(Tundra Books)
Bug in a Vacuum
(Tundra Books)
Jury
Gary Barwin
Rhonda Batchelor
Heather Phipps
