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

Eligible Books

1. Fiction and non-fiction books will be considered.
2. Books must be written by authors who are Canadian citizens or who are permanent residents of Canada.
3. Books co-written by a Canadian author and an author from another country will not be eligible for these awards.
4. All submitted books must be the original work of the author and not generated by artificial intelligence tools. If any AI tools were used in the creation process, authors and/or publishers must disclose the extent and nature of this usage in the submission.
5. Books must be copyrighted in the past 2 calendar years.  For example, for the Awards to be presented in 2027, the books must be copyright 2025 or 2026.
6. The book must be published in Canada.
7. Self-published books will be considered as long as they follow all other submission policies.
8. Textbooks will not be considered.
9. 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.
10. Wordless picture books will not be accepted.
11. Reprints or reissues are not eligible.
12. New editions are eligible only if there is evidence of significant change in text (60% or more of the written text).
13. Anthologies are eligible if all contributors are Canadian or permanent residents of Canada.
14. All books must be in English.  Books that have been translated into English are eligible if the original author and the translator are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Submission of Books

1. Anyone may submit a book for consideration by the selection committees.
2. Selection committees are not restricted to consideration of submitted titles.
3. Books for consideration must be submitted by October 31st.

Selected Finalist Lists

1. Proposed lists are to be approved by the Board by mid February.
2. Finalist lists must be released by April 1st.  All titles will be kept confidential until they have received final approval from the Board and been officially released to the public.

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.