The shortlists for the 2026-2027 Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award were announced on June 1. Each year, thousands of children in Grades 4-6 read from the selection of outstanding Canadian books and vote for their favourite English and French titles. Registration opens in September. The finalists in each category are listed below.
English-language Fiction
Black Boy, Black Boy, written by Angela Bowden, illustrated by Ibe Ananaba (Nimbus Publishing)
Butter Tart Island, written by Hope Dalvay (Acorn Press)
The City of Lost Cats, written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Tundra Books)
Death by Whoopee Cushion, written by Vicki Grant (Tundra Books)
No Purchase Necessary, written by Maria Marianayagam (HarperCollins Publishers)
One Beaded Earring, written by Pat Lamondin Skene, illustrated by Natalie Laurin (Orca Book Publishers)
Queenie Jean is in Trouble Again, written by Christine Read (Wandering Fox)
Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue!, written and illustrated by Howie Shia (Annick Press)
A Storm Unleashed, written by Carol Matas (Scholastic Canada)
Touching Grass, written by Kristy Jackson, illustrated by Rhael McGregor (HarperCollins Publishers)
English-language Non-Fiction
Burst Your Bubble! Outsmart the Algorithms and See What You're Missing, written by Joyce Grant, illustrated by Jan Dolby (Owlkids Books)
The Buzz About Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators That Keep Our Planet Humming, written by Kira Vermond, illustrated by June Steube (Owlkids Books)
Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets, written by Rachel Kehoe, illustrated by Meegan Lim (Orca Book Publishers)
Feeling Your Feelings: The Head-to-Toe Science of Emotions, written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Phil Nicholls (Kids Can Press)
I Am Wind: An Autobiography, written by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Rachel Wada (Tundra Books)
Meet Frederick Banting, written by Elizabeth MacLeod, illustrated by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada)
Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep, written by Mark Leiren-Young (Orca Book Publishers)
Plant Attack! The Fascinating Ways Flora Defends Itself, written by Erin Silver, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (Orca Book Publishers)
Star Sailor: The Story of Words, written by Sara Cassidy, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (Orca Book Publishers)
The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History, written by Ann Richards, illustrated by Arden Taylor (Orca Book Publishers)
French-language Fiction
100% soccer : du rêve au terrain, written by François Bérubé (Éditions Hurtubise)
L’agente 00 Discrète, written by Mathieu Fortin (Bayard Canada)
Chloé et le secret de la sorcière, written by Chloé Varin, illustrated by Catherine Braun-Grenier (Éditions Fonfon)
Les élèves de madame Chapeau : Oksana, written by Diane Groulx (Les Editions Z’ailées)
Maximichien et les facteurs techno : Drôle de colis, written by Cindy Roy, illustrated by Mean Gene Fowler (Éditions de la Bagnole)
Mille morts, written by François Gravel and Martine Latulippe, illustrated by Mireille St-Pierre (La courte échelle)
Odeur de Muffin, written by Denys Leclaire, illustrated by Valérie Desrochers (Chauve-souris)
Les passeurs du zodiaque : Les voyageurs, written by Carine Paquin (Éditions Michel Quintin)
Tête pleine de feuilles, written by Jocelyn Sioui (Éditions Hannenorak)
Les voyageurs de par-en-bas, written by Cody Donaldson and Noé Bourque, illustrated by Andréa Samson Boudreau (Éditions de la Francophonie)
French-language Non-Fiction
Chante l'oiseau, chante, written by Benoît Archambault, illustrated by illustré par Marie-Ève Turgeon (Éditions MultiMondes)
Civilisations : Histoires d’aliments voyageurs, written by Evelyne Ferron, illustrated by Jordanne Maynard (Éditions Fides)
La dépoussiéreuse de crimes : Les chemins de fer hantés, written by Annie Richard (En quête)
DGenerate : La lutte expliquée aux enfants, written by Nathalie Dupont, illustrated by PisHier (Éditions de la Bagnole)
Ensemble : un livre sur la communauté, written and illustrated by Elise Gravel (Scholastic Canada)
Jardine avec Daphnée, written by Mélanie Grégoire, illustrated by Catherine Petit (Éditions Québec Amérique)
Laisse-moi t’expliquer… ma vie en famille d’accueil, written by Roxane Larocque (Midi Trente Éditions)
Les oiseaux du Québec, written by Michel Leboeuf, illustrated by Émilie Beaulieu (Éditions Michel Quintin)
Raconte-moi : Juraj Slafkovský, written by Pat Laprade (Boomerang éditeur jeunesse)
La revanche du moisi, written by Karine Gottot, illustrated by Marina Léon (Bayard Canada)
To learn more visit, hackmatack.ca
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