About
About Canadian Children's Book News
Canadian Children's Book News is a program of the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Published since 1977, Canadian Children's Book News is recognized for its quality book reviews, author and illustrator interviews, annotated reading lists and informative articles that update readers about issues affecting children's reading and education, as well as the Canadian children's publishing industry. No other Canadian publication promotes the best in Canadian children's literature while elevating the profile to Canadian authors, illustrators and publishers. Our editor, Shannon Barnes, coordinates with publishers, authors and illustrators and assigns articles and reviews to a wide range of paid freelance writers and reviewers.
Shannon joined the CCBC team 2002 as an intern. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA (Honours) in English and Psychology and received a certificate in Book and Magazine Publishing from Centennial College. Prior to taking on the role of Editor for Book News, Shannon was the CCBC's Program Coordinator for 18 years. She has worked with over 200 Canadian children’s book authors and illustrators, and has assisted in the coordination of over 400 national Canadian Children’s Book Week tours. Shannon is the mother of two young readers: Molly (age 11) and Nathan (age 15).
How to submit books for review
We only review books by Canadian creators. To be eligible, a book has to be written OR illustrated by a Canadian. This includes Canadian citizens, permanent residents (minimum two-year residency), and First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples of the land that is now called Canada.
To submit titles for potential review, please send a PDF or EPUB file to Shannon Barnes at shannon@bookcentre.ca. Please be advised, we received 700+ submissions annually and we can over cover 120-150 of these submissions. Therefore, there is no guarantee that your book(s) will be reviewed.
PLEASE NOTE: The CCBC supports Canadian artists. Works containing AI-authored content, in part or in whole, or AI-generated illustrations, are not eligible for submission. Use of AI for research, minor editorial, or formatting support may be permitted.
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.
We acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Government of Ontario. In 2024-2025, the OAC invested $52.2 million in 204 communities across Ontario through 1,969 grants to individual artists and 1,030 grants to organizations.
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About the Canadian Children's Book Centre
We work to ensure Canadian children and youth see themselves in the stories they read.
When Canadian creators tell their stories, they capture experiences unique to the cultures, identities, and geographies that make up our country. Giving Canadian children and youth access to these diverse stories helps them see their own experiences represented in the books they read.
We believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion must always be at the core of Canadian children’s literature.
Canadian books should help all children feel a sense of belonging in their communities. This can only happen if we collectively amplify the voices that are under-represented in the creation, publishing, and promotion of Canadian children’s literature. We are as committed to elevating voices from equity deserving communities. To ensure our work is contributing to a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canada, we’ve placed these values at the centre of each of our programs.
Our programs and resources help parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians select the very best for young readers.
Canadian Children's Book Week—the single most important national event celebrating Canadian children’s books and the importance of reading—has been connecting authors and illustrators with kids and teens all across Canada since 1977. Featuring six prizes, the CCBC Book Awards celebrate the best in Canadian children's literature. Best Books for Kids & Teens is the ultimate searchable database to discover the best new Canadian books for kids and teens, and our Accessible Books Bank identifies Canadian books available in accessible formats for young readers with print disabilities. Learn more at bookcentre.ca.