The City of Victoria has released its shortlist for the Butler Book and Children’s Book Prizes.
The Butler Prize started in 2004 and recognizes a Greater Victoria author or the best book published in the categories of fiction, non-fiction or poetry.
The five finalists are Arleen Pare’s book “First”, Esi Edugyan for “Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling”, Barry Gough for “Possessing Meares Island: A Historian’s Journey into the Past of Clayoquot Sound”, Gregor Craigie for “On Borrowed Time: North America’s Next Big Quake” and Amanda Swinimer for “The Science and Spirit of Seaweed: Discovering Food, Medicine and Purpose in the Kelp Forests of the Pacific Northwest”.
The Children’s Book Prize started in 2009 and is awarded to a Greater Victoria author or illustrator for the best children’s book.
The three finalists are Frances Backhouse for “Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers”, Wendy Proverbs for “Aggie and Mudgy: The Journey of Two Kaska Dena Children” and Teoni Spathelfer for “White Raven”.
The list was picked by an independent jury made up of people from the local literary arts community. All the books were published between April 2021 and March 2022.
The winner nets $5,000 for each award.
The winners will be announced at an in-person gala emceed by CBC’s Kathryn Marlow on Wednesday, October 12, at 7:30 p.m.
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