The BC and Yukon Book Prizes

06/19/2026

What does it really feel like to be nominated for a book prize?
Author Julie Wilins gets honest about it — the friendships, the growth, the joy, and why representation in children's books matters now more than ever.
Read her story on our website 👇
https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/2026/06/19/what-julie-wilkins-found-beyond-the-shortlist-community-joy-and-growth/

Then consider donating to our fundraising campaign — every gift helps the next great book get its moment. ✨

06/18/2026

"The entire enterprise of publishing great books is about building community, about fostering connection and well-being for all British Columbians and Yukoners, and the BC and Yukon Book Prizes play an integral role in the sustained success of our industry, an industry that impacts our entire region in ways that transcend sheer economics," said Chris Labonte, president at Figure 1 Publishing

The BC and Yukon Book Prizes are powered by people who believe that local stories deserve to be told, celebrated, and read — in every corner of this region. Your gift today ensures that the next BC or Yukon author knows their work is seen. That a student in a rural community gets to meet a writer who came from a place just like theirs. That our literary community has a champion, no matter what happens in the halls of government.

Please give today: https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/the-west-coast-book-prize-society

06/17/2026

If this event isn't on your calendar it should be! Julian Brave Noisecat is going to be at Richmond Public Library on Tuesday, June 23 sharing "coyote story," one of the oldest oral storytelling traditions used by Indigenous communities across turtle island. This is going to be an evening you don't want to miss. Registration is required, so hurry up, and don't miss out!

Please join us as Julian Brave NoiseCat brings us the “Coyote Story,” an artform once practiced by Indigenous peoples from Central America to Western Canada - one of the oldest and most significant oral traditions in human history. In this one-man show, NoiseCat brings this dying art off the pag...

06/17/2026

The students and teachers at Golden Secondary School know something that's easy to forget: behind every great book is a person with something to say and meeting that person matters.

The BC and Yukon Book Prizes celebrate the incredible literary talent in our region, and our annual programming brings that talent into schools and communities through author visits, readings, and events that inspire young readers across BC and Yukon.

We're raising funds to keep this programming going and every contribution makes a difference. Watch this video from Golden Secondary, then help us bring more moments like these to students everywhere.

Donate today and invest in the stories that shape our communities.

👉 https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/the-west-coast-book-prize-societ

06/17/2026

The BC and Yukon Book Prizes have spent decades making sure homegrown stories don't go unnoticed. We celebrate authors and illustrators at every stage of their careers — from debut writers finding their voice to established authors taking creative risks. We support the regional publishers who invest in BC and Yukon stories when no one else will. And we bring books and authors directly into schools and communities across this region, including the rural and remote places that are too often left out.
We are not waiting for government to save literature. We are the community that does.
Please give today: https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/the-west-coast-book-prize-society

06/16/2026

Meet Carleigh Baker— celebrated author, finalist for two BC and Yukon Book Prizes for her books Bad Endings and Last Woman, and one of the reasons we do what we do. 📖
In 2025, your support sent authors like Carleigh into classrooms from the Lower Mainland to the Peace Region. In 2026, we want to go further — 80 classrooms, 12 authors, students who've never met a writer before.
The arts don't only need support by government, they need to be supported by community.
Donate today: https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/the-west-coast-book-prize-society

06/15/2026

Every child deserves to meet an author who comes from a place just like theirs. 📚

Today we're launching a two-week fundraising campaign, and every dollar goes toward the work we love most.

Your gift supports our annual programming including:
📖 Our author & illustrator school tours, bringing BC and Yukon voices into 80 classrooms across the region, including rural and remote communities that are too often left out
🏆 Our annual book prizes, celebrating the authors, illustrators, and publishers who make our literary community thrive

Our goal: $29,500 to match our BC Gaming Grant. Our why: because stories matter, and so do the kids who need to hear them.

Will you help us get there? 💛

Give today: https://my.charitableimpact.com/charities/the-west-coast-book-prize-society

06/09/2026

We are so thrilled to see that Jim Deva, Bruce Smyth, and Janine Fuller of Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium is being honoured with a Canada Post postage stamp.

Year after year as we honour Jim’s memory and the work of Bruce and Janine through the Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes, that their work and commitment to upholding and safeguarding dignity and respect for all continues to be vital in our communities. Jim, Bruce and Janine fought censorship and the freedom of information, and we’re watching again as authors, booksellers, and publishers continue this fight.

06/09/2026

We have another event coming up and you’re invited! Our friends at are hosting another event for us this year, and this one features Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa and , two of the authors of The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Wooly Dog (published by ).

This event is on June 25 at 6:30. It is free but please RSVP via the Upstart and Crow website (link in our bio) to secure your spot.

06/03/2026

Ruby Smith Diaz () presented this powerful and vital video as part of last night’s Incite event. We didn’t do enough to promote Ruby’s role in last night’s event. We acknowledge that we should have done more to celebrate the work Ruby had offered, and we deeply apologize for the harm this caused. And we apologize that our earlier post had the audio removed. We want to work to uplift and not silence, and will continue to try to do better.

Unfortunately we can’t add the full video here but please take time to watch it via the link in our bio.