Winners Of the Indigenous Literature Awards Announced

On Sunday, September 27, 2020, during the first Toronto’s Virtual Word on the Street Festival, the Indigenous Literature award recipients interviewed with Peter Olson, President of the PMC.

The winner of the Children’s Book Award was Clayton Gautier for his book: Sus Yoo The Bear’s Medicine, published by Theytus Books.

This is Clayton Gautier’s, a multi-media artist, second children’s book.  He brings the teachings of the land into this bilingual picture book. Nancy Cooper, (First Nations Consultant) writes: “In this bilingual story, a mother bear teaches her cubs how to live in relationship to the land. Emphasizing gratitude, interdependence, and ancestry, Cree/Dakelh author and artist Gauthier conveys the wisdom of growing up and cultural inheritance through the movements of a bear family.”

Read more in the Quil and Quire article, or the  My Prince George Now article.

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First Nation Communities READ 2020-2021 Announce the Children and Young Adult/Adult Shortlists for the PMC Indigenous Literature Award

Toronto, September 16, 2020 – First Nation Communities READ announces the shortlist for the combined Children’s and Young Adult/Adult categories. Chosen by a jury of Indigenous librarians from across Ontario, these titles represent the best of Indigenous literature from across Turtle Island today.  The title selection announcement for FNCR 2020-2021 will take place at Toronto’s Virtual Word on the Street Festival on Sunday, September 27, 2020. The authors of the selected title will be the recipients of the Periodical Marketers of Canada Indigenous Literature Award and will each receive a $3000 cash prize.

Children’s Category Shortlist

  • I’m Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas. Published by Nimbus Publishing
  • When We Had Sled Dogs by Ida Tremblay. Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing
  • E Meshkwadooniged Mitig/The Trading Tree by Nancy Cooper. Published by Prince’s Trust Canada
  • Sus Yoo The Bear’s Medicine by Clayton Gauthier. Published by Theytus Books
  • Neekah’s Knitting Needles by Odelia Smith and Sylvia Olsen. Published by Sono Nis Press

Young Adult/Adult Category Shortlist

Crow Winter by Karen McBride. Published by Harper Collins Publishers Ltd.

  • Chasing Painted Horses by Drew Hayden Taylor. Published by Cormorant Press
  • If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie. Published by James Lorimer and Company
  • In My Own Moccasins by Helen Knott. Published by University of Regina Press
  • A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott. Published by Doubleday Canada

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How Social Media has Changed Our Relationship with Magazines

I remember as a teen looking forward to going to the local corner store to buy Teen Bop, Teen Beat, Tiger Beat or one of the other teen magazines to get the latest issue with one of my favourite heartthrobs on the cover. Today, the pictures, the latest information or gossip on any of your favourite celebrities are at the tip of your fingertips on social media. In fact, the interaction feels a lot more direct as we can follow our favourite celebrities directly on social media. We can see inside their homes, go along on their vacations, read what they think about politics or learn how to make their favourite recipes.

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When Magazines Resonate, They Sell

We the North Indeed! It’s been proven again and again that when a topic resonates with consumers, they will pick up the magazine that covers it.

Raptors commemorative magazines

The rousing success of the basketball title win by the Raptors and the Black Friday 2019 event in Costco Canada shows what can be done when great planning and execution is married to great products.

Magazine titles prominently displayed on racking that held plenty of copies

Costco featured the commemorative win titles prominently in stores. 100% compliance was nailed nationally and the results are just phenomenal.  Single stores sold over 1000 copies. One store even sold 1400 units. And, to think this was in a single chain.

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Ray Argyle presents PMC Indigenous Literature Award to Monique Gray Smith

PMC’s sponsorship of the PMC Indigenous Literature Awards was wrapped up with a November 12 luncheon in Toronto hosted by our partners the Southern Ontario Library Service. The luncheon was arranged by SOLS program coordinator Nancy Cooper and attended winning author in the Young Adult/Adult category Monique Gray Smith as well as friends and representatives of the organizations involved. On hand representing PMC were Ray Argyle and Barry Francis. Unfortunately, Cindy Blackstock, the winning author in the Children’s category was unable to attend the luncheon due to the cancellation of her flight and her award will be presented at a later date.

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2018’s PMC Indigenous Literature Award Winners are Presented Their Awards at Ceremony

On June 25th, the winner’s of the PMC Indigenous Literature Award were presented their awards in a ceremony in downtown Toronto. TNG President, Peter Olson, had the pleasure of presenting the awards.

Peter Olson of PMC congratulates 2018 PMC Indigenous Literature Award Winners Tanya Talaga (fourth from left) and Joanne Robertson (second from right).

Peter Olson of PMC is flanked by 2018 PMC Indigenous Literature Award Winners Tanya Talaga (to his left) and Joanne Robertson (to his right) and members of this year’s judging panel.
One of the Award winners Author-Illustrator, Joanne Robertson, was featured in an article by SooToday.com. Click here to read this interesting article.

elected Titles for the Indigenous Literature Award Announced


Toronto June 12, 2018
– First Nation Communities READ 2018-2019 announces the selected titles in the Children’s and YA/Adult Categories.  Chosen by a jury of Indigenous librarians from across Ontario, these titles represent the best of Indigenous literature.  The selected titles’ authors will be presented with the Periodical Marketers of Canada Indigenous Literature Award on June 27th in Toronto at Yonge/Dundas Square as part of National Indigenous History Month celebrations.  The Indigenous Literature Award comes with a prize of $3000 for each author.
Children’s Category Selected Title

The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson
Published by Second Story Press
The story of a determined Ojibwe Grandmother (Nokomis) Josephine Mandamin and her great love for Nibi (water).
Nokomis walks to raise awareness of our need to protect Nibi for future generations, and for all life on the planet.
Joanne Robertson is AnishinaabeKwe and a member of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek. She continues to help water walkers through live GPS spotting to make sure the water is safe on their journeys. Joanne lives near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Young Adult/Adult Selected Title
Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
Published by House of Anansi Press
This is the story about seven Indigenous high school students who died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The students were far away from home, forced to attend school in the northern city and were ultimately found dead in the region.
Tanya Talaga has been a journalist at the Toronto Star for twenty years. Tanya is of Polish and Indigenous descent. Her great-grandmother, Liz Gauthier, was a residential school survivor. Her great-grandfather, Russell Bowen, was an Ojibwe trapper and labourer. Her grandmother is a member of Fort William First Nation. Her mother was raised in Raith and Graham, Ontario. Tanya lives in Toronto with her two teenage children.
Click here to read the official press release.

First Nation Communities READ 2018-2019 Indigenous Literature Award Shortlist

First Nation Communities READ 2018-2019 Announce the Children and Young Adult/Adult Shortlists for the Indigenous Literature Award
Toronto, May 30, 2018 – First Nation Communities READ announces the shortlists for the combined Children’s and Young Adult/Adult categories. Chosen by a jury of Indigenous librarians from across Ontario, these titles represent the best of Indigenous literature from throughout Turtle Island today.  The title selection announcement for FNCR 2018-2019 will take place in Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto on June 27 as part of the National Indigenous History Month celebrations.  The authors of the selected titles will be the recipients of the Periodical Marketers of Canada Indigenous Literature Award and will each receive a $3000 cash prize.

Children’s Category Shortlist

• When We Were Alone by David Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett (Highwater Press)
• Akalik’s Adventure by Deborah Kigjugalik Webster (Inhabit Media)
• My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Julie Flett (Orca Book Publishers)
• The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson (Second Story Press)
• The Cloud Artist by Sherri Maret (The Roadrunner Press)

Young Adult/Adult Category Shortlist

• #NotYourPrincess edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick Press)
• My Conversations with Canadians by Lee Maracle (Book*hug)
• The Marrow Thieves by Cheri Dimaline (Dancing Cat Books)
• Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga (House of Anansi)
• He Who Dreams by Melanie Florence (Orca Book Publishers)

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First Nation Communities READ Announces 2017-2018 Selected Title

Toronto, June 8, 2017– First Nation Communities READ (FNCR) and Periodical Marketers of Canada (PMC) are pleased to announce that:
  • Bearskin Diary, by Carol Rose Daniels is the selected title of First Nations Communities Read 2017-18 and the recipient of this year’s PMC Aboriginal Literature Award. Bearskin Diary is published by Nightwood Editions (www.nightwoodeditions.com)
The Aboriginal Literature Award, inspired by the goals of the FNCR program, recognizes the work of the creators of outstanding Aboriginal literature and supports the objectives of PMC’s Foundation for the Advancement of Canadian Letters (FACL). The annual award of $5,000 is provided through a FACL funding commitment. PMC, with FNCR jurors on hand. The award was presented to Carol Rose Daniels at 3:25 pm on Wednesday, June 28 as part of the Aboriginal History Month Celebration held at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario.

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