First Nation Communities Read Shortlist Announced

May 4, 2016

Five books are in contention to become the First Nation Communities Read community reading selection for 2016-2017:

• Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk (2013). Toronto: Inhabit Media.
• Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel (2015). Toronto: House of Anansi Press
• Spirit Bear by Jennifer Harrington and illustrated by Michael Arnott (2014). Toronto: Eco Books 4 Kids
• The Thundermaker by Allan Syliboy (2015). Halifax: Nimbus Publishing
• The Apple Tree by Sandy Tharpe-Thee (2015). Oklahoma City: Roadrunner Press

Launched in 2003 by the First Nations public library community in Ontario, First Nations Communities Read is is an annual reading program to:

• encourage family literacy, intergenerational storytelling, and intergenerational information sharing;
• increase awareness of the relevance and importance of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit writing, illustration, and publishing;
• promote the publication, sharing, and understanding of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit voices and experiences;
• increase awareness and sales of the titles it honours.

From Periodical Marketers of Canada:

First Nation Communities Read Announces 2016-2017 Shortlist of Books for Children

Toronto, May 2, 2016 – Five books are in contention to become the First Nation Communities Read community reading selection for 2016-2017. Six jury members from First Nation public libraries in Ontario made the shortlist selections. The title selection announcement for 2016-2017 will take place in Toronto on June 23 as part of National Aboriginal Day Celebrations. The selected title’s creator will be the recipient of the $5,000 Periodical Marketers of Canada Aboriginal Literature Award.

Shortlist Titles

• Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk (2013). Toronto: Inhabit Media.
• Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel (2015). Toronto: House of Anansi Press
• Spirit Bear by Jennifer Harrington and illustrated by Michael Arnott (2014). Toronto: Eco Books 4 Kids
• The Thundermaker by Allan Syliboy (2015). Halifax: Nimbus Publishing
• The Apple Tree by Sandy Tharpe-Thee (2015). Oklahoma City: Roadrunner Press

The First Nation Communities Read jury considered more than 24 submissions before settling on the short list above.

Periodical Marketers of Canada Aboriginal Literature Award

The Periodical Marketers of Canada’s Aboriginal Literature Award is an award inspired by the goals of the First Nation Communities Read program. It will provide the creators of the First Nation Communities Read 2015-2016 title selection with a $5,000 prize. This is the third year the Periodical Marketers of Canada will present the Aboriginal Literature Award.

First Nation Communities Read is the Ontario First Nation Public Library Community’s contribution to the popular reading movement. Launched in 2003 by the First Nations Public Library Community in Ontario with support from Southern Ontario Library Service, it promotes a community-based approach to reading, FNCR:

• encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling, and intergenerational information sharing;
• increases awareness of the relevance and importance of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit writing, illustration, and publishing;
• promotes the publication, sharing, and understanding of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit voices and experiences;
• increases awareness and sales of the titles it honours.

The focus of the First Nation Communities Read program alternates annually between books for children and books for adults and young adults. The 2016-2017 First Nation Communities Read submissions call was for Children’s books. The 2015-2016 selection was Peace Pipe Dreams: The Truth about Lies about Indians by Darrell Dennis and published by Douglas and McIntyre (Madeira Park).

Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) is mandated to deliver programs and services on behalf of the Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport by:

• increasing cooperation and coordination among public library boards and other information providers in order to promote the provision of library service to the public;
• assisting public library boards by providing them with services and programs that reflect their needs, including consultation, training and development.

For more information about First Nation Communities Read and Southern Ontario Library Service, contact:

Nancy Cooper, First Nations Consultant
Southern Ontario Library Service
Telephone: 416-961-1669, Ext. 5194
ncooper@sols.org

Periodical Marketers of Canada is the national association of magazine and book wholesalers serving 35,000 retail newsstands. Periodical Marketers of Canada was established under federal charter in 1942 for the purpose of furthering the wholesale periodical distribution industry and contributing to the encouragement of reading in Canada. Current members of the association are: Monahan Agency, Vernon, BC; Metro News, Toronto, ON; TNG, Burlington, ON.

PMC’s ongoing activities include funding of a non-profit charitable foundation, the Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Letters, which makes contributions to individuals and agencies engaged in the encouragement of literacy and reading in Canada.

For more information about Periodical Marketers of Canada, contact:

Barry Francis
Periodical Marketers of Canada
Telephone: 416-447-7908
Cell: 416-876-3204
Fax: 416-447-8137
barry@franciscommunications.com