“The CODE Burt Award, to me, is a superb example of witnessing and supporting and celebrating the Reclaiming happening now in Indigenous communities through literature. I am so grateful for all of the great work CODE is doing for the authors, publishers and communities -- who are writing and publishing in indigenous languages -  it is affirming. Mahsi cho to everyone involved in Mr. Burt's vision. It is happening in a good way and I am a proud recipient with my friend an co-author Monique Gray Smith for the 2018 Honour Book for The Journey Forward with our publisher McKellar & Martin. To know that 2,500 copies of our books were sent to Indigenous communities makes my heart dance. I am proud of this high honour. I also can't wait to see what titles will be selected in the future. Mahsi cho! Thank you!" –Richard Van Camp, author

2019 Call for Submissions 

The CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is now receiving submissions

Deadline: August 30, 2019

New award category: The first ever Canadian Indigenous-language Young Adult Literature award

The CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is a Canadian literary award and readership initiative that recognizes excellence in Indigenous-authored literature for young adults (ages 12-18). With the generous support of the Consecon Foundation (formally the Literary Prizes Foundation) and generous CODE supporters, the CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is given to literary works for youth created by First Nation, Inuit, and Métis writers, illustrators, and translators.

This year, we are pleased to announce that, in addition to the English language awards, we are also accepting books written in any Indigenous language from Canada written for youth. The submissions can include graphic novels, short story and poetry collections by a single author, novellas, hi/lo (hight interest, low reading) novels, creative non-fiction, and young adult novels. We are not accepting children’s picture books or non-fiction. The submissions in Indigenous languages must be accompanied by an English-language translation (published or unpublished). These submissions will be adjudicated following the criteria described in the submission guidelines.

An English-language and an Indigenous-language young adult book will be selected as winners. The winning titles will each be awarded a prize of $6,000.00 CAD.  An English-language Honour book will receive $3,000.00 CAD. Publishers of English-language winning titles (including the Honour book) will be granted a guaranteed purchase of up to 2,500 copies. The publisher of the Indigenous-language book will be granted a guaranteed purchase appropriate to the size of the language community, but not greater than 2,500 copies. The titles will be distributed to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth in schools, libraries, friendship centres, literacy and learning programs, and community centers across Canada

Eligible English-language manuscripts and books must be published between February 15, 2018 and April 30, 2019

Eligible Indigenous-language manuscripts and books must be published between January 1, 2014 and April 30, 2019,

All books and manuscripts must be submitted by publishers to the National Reading Campaign no later than August 30, 2019 following the submission guidelines.

As this is the first year of this award category, and the first ever YA Indigenous-language literature award in Canada, we welcome your questions and suggestions.. If you have a book/project you think should be considered, please be sure to send your questions/ queries and reasoning regarding your submission to the National Reading Campaign.

Download Submission Guidelines:

Download Publisher Nomination forms:

English-Language Category

Indigenous-Language Category

 www.burtawards.org 

Documents can also be found www.nationalreadingcampaign.ca.

For more information, contact:

Nancy Cooper, Burt Award Coordinator at the National Reading Campaign
info@nationalreadingcampaign.ca with the subject line: CODE Burt Award.

or Lynn O’Rourke, Program Manager, Literary Awards & Publishing
613-232-3569 x 244
email at LORourke@code.ngo.