Day: March 4, 2026

2025 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Finalists

| Tasha

IBBY Canada has announced the ten finalists for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. The awards are given annually for outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book published in English or French during the previous year by a Canadian illustrator. Here are the finalists:

Aujourd’hui, promis! by Josée Bisaillon

Everybelly by Thao Lam

Grandes oreilles by Julie Delporte

Little Moments in a Big Universe by Todd Stewart

My Street Remembers illustrated by Cathie Jamieson, written by Karen Krossing

Qallupilluit: The Takers of Children illustrated by Megan Kyak-Monteith, written by Neil Christopher and Louise Flaherty

Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! by Howie Shia

Rez Kid illustrated by Isabelle Fassler, written by Andrea Landry

The Thing about Birds by Christy Obalek

You Can’t Tame a Tiger illustrated by Julien Chung, written by Stephanie Ellen Sy

Hat tip to Quill & Quire.

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Book cover for Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Image of a girl facing a black and white horse.

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

  • Publisher: Dial Books
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from NetGalley e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780593859865

When Harper discovers that her dad cheated on her mom with her best friend’s mother, her world implodes. Her parents are getting a divorce and Harper just can’t go to school where everyone seems to know what happened. Harper and her mother pack up and leave, moving to a new town and a tiny house that is part of a horse farm. Now Harper has to start all over again, but she is so sad about what has happened that she doesn’t know how to move on or change anything. Harper has never been around horses but finds that she understands them. When Phoenix is literally dumped at the farm, Harper decides to rescue him after one look in his eyes. Phoenix is underweight, underfed and had been left for dead, but with slow steps, Harper starts to rescue him and herself.

Bradley, author of award-winning books like The War That Saved My Life, shows herself to be a horse girl through and through. Readers will love the horse focus of the book, Harper discovering her love for them and how horses form a bridge forward. Among the lovely horse moments, Bradley demonstrates her writing skill as she weaves in Harper’s grief over her family’s changes, the difficulty of friendships in middle school, micro and macro aggressions, and just a touch of dog love too. Strong and confident writing as well as a deep horse-filled humanity make this a must-read.

Definitely worth the ride. Appropriate for ages 8-12.