Publishers

Each year, the Saskatchewan Young Reader’s Choice Awards (SYRCA) calls for submissions for the next year’s Willow Awards. There are three categories:

• Shining Willow Award – for young readers to grade 3
• Diamond Willow Award – for upper elementary readers in grades 4 to 6
• Snow Willow Award – for youth in grades 7 and up

1. Books must be written by a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
2. Books may be fiction or non-fiction. Textbooks will not be considered.
3. Books co-written by a Canadian author and an author from another country will not be eligible for these awards.
4. Books must be copyrighted in the past 2 years. (ie. books for the 2020 finalists must be copyright 2018 or 2019)
5. Books must be published in Canada.
6. Self-published books will be considered as long as they follow all other submission policies.
7. If a Canadian illustrator illustrates a non-Canadian writer’s work, it will not be eligible for these awards. The Willow Awards are reading awards, not awards for illustrations.
8. Reprints or re-issues are not eligible.
9. New editions are eligible only if there is evidence of significant change in text.
10. All books must be in English. Books, which have been translated into English are eligible if the original author and the translator are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
11. Anyone may submit a book for consideration by the selection committees.
12. Anthologies are eligible if all contributors are Canadian or permanent residents of Canada.
13. Selection committees are not restricted by consideration of submitted titles.
14. Publishers should be willing to provide sufficient numbers of copies to support school and public libraries interested in purchasing the finalists.
15. We prefer to receive published copies rather than “advanced reader’s” copies. If advanced reader’s copies are sent, the publisher must provide published copies if the book is chosen to be a finalist.
16. By submitting books, publisher’s agree to allow us to promote books chosen as Willow finalists on our website, posters, bookmarks and other forms of communication. This would include information found on the publisher’s website such as a picture of the book cover, parts of the book annotations, pictures of the author and/or illustrator, and biographical information about the author and/or illustrator. It would also give us permission to link to reviews and the publisher’s website.
17. Books for consideration must be submitted by October 31st.

Three (3) copies of books for consideration should be shipped to the appropriate Selection Committee Chair as indicated below:

Shining Willow Books (Young Readers to Grade 3)

Ship to:

Diamond Willow Books (Grade 4 to 6)
Ship to:

Erin Walton
PO Box 99900 VC 622 207
RPO Normanview
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4R 1M8

OR (during the school year September – June)
Erin Walton
George Lee School
180 Wells St.
Regina, SK S4R 5Z6

Snow Willow Books (Grades 7 and up)
Ship to:

Darrelle Downs
125 Delayen Cres.
Saskatoon, SK S7N 2V5

Publishers whose books are selected as Willow Awards’ finalists will be notified in February.