TD Canadian Children's Literature Award finalists are in! Five Canadians have been selected for a chance of a $30,000 cash prize

Award recognizes excellence in Canadian children's literature

TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - It's time to celebrate the year's best work in Canadian children's literature. TD Bank Group (TD) and the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) are delighted to announce the 2013 finalists for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, which will award the winner $30,000 during the TD Canadian Children's Literature Awards gala ceremonies being held in Toronto on October 22, 2013.

And for the first time this year, young readers will also have a chance to vote for their favourite book from the list of finalists, awarding the first ever TD Canadian Children's Literature Fan Choice Award. The online poll, is now open and one lucky voter will win a trip to Toronto to attend the gala award celebration and meet their favourite children's author.

"Children's literature takes young minds on a journey and inspires creativity," says Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group and TD's Literacy Advocate. "Canadian authors and illustrators demonstrate exceptional talent and we're thrilled to find out what book young readers gravitate towards with the new Fan Choice Award. These books are created for our youth to enjoy, and we're pleased to give them the opportunity to get involved."

This year's finalists have created vivid imagery through their stories, by introducing children to imaginary lands, raising awareness of world issues like war and poverty, telling tales of unlikely friendships and sharing other poignant issues such as bullying.

"Each of this year's finalists can proudly say they've contributed to great Canadian literature," says Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director, The Canadian Children's Book Centre. "We've been recognizing great authors and illustrators since 2005 and any one of the finalists this year would be a welcomed addition to the list of recipients."

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Finalists

For more information on how to submit your selection for the Fan Choice Award and enter the contest, please visit CBC Books at www.cbc.ca/books and for more information on the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, please visit www.bookcentre.ca/awards/td_canadian_childrens_literature_award.

All books, in any genre, written by a Canadian and for children ages 1 through 12 are eligible. In the case of a picture book, both the author and the illustrator must be Canadian. Only books published in Canada are eligible for submission. There will be five judges for both the English-language award and the French-language award. In finding the two most distinguished books of the year, the judges will, in their deliberations, consider only the individual book and not the entire body of work by an author nor whether the author has previously won the award.

Finalists for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award for French- language works have also been selected and the winner will be announced at a gala in Quebec on October 29, 2013.

TD Community Giving

TD Bank Group invests in communities to make a positive impact where it does business and where our customers, clients and employees live and work. In 2012, TD Bank Group donated over $65 million to support community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, we focus on Education and Financial Literacy, Creating Opportunities for Young People, and the Environment. For more information, visit www.td.com/corporateresponsibility.

About The Canadian Children's Book Centre

The Canadian Children's Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in 1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections, programs and services and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca.

SOURCE: TD Bank Group