2026 Hackmatack Award
Winners Announced

Winners of the 27th Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award Announced at Awards Ceremony in Halifax, NS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 28, 2026

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax): The winners of the 2026 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award were announced on Wednesday, May 27 at a lively awards ceremony at the Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library. They are:

English Fiction (a tie)

Songs in the Sea, written and illustrated by Pheilm Martin (Breakwater Books)

When the ocean fills with the noise of passing ships, Little Whale loses the sound of Mama Whale’s song—and with it, his sense of direction. Separated during their migration north, he must now face the vast sea alone. As he searches through the deep sea he meets sea turtles, other whales, and scary giant squids. Little Whale draws on his mother’s teachings and the support of the characters he meets to stay brave. Songs in the Sea is a story of resilience and of the unbreakable bond between mother and child, courage, hope, and finding your way home.

And

Teddy vs. the Fuzzy Doom, written and illustrated by Braden Hallett (Annick Press)

Starting at a new school is hard enough for an anxious kid like Teddy. There are the zombielike kids and teachers, with their vacant stares and strange, echoey voices. Then there are the hamsters. So. Many. Hamsters. With their scrabbly claws and beady eyes and . . . wait. Can those hamsters talk? Teddy must put old fears aside, and find a way to work with the school misfits to survive an invasion of diabolical (but adorably fuzzy) hamsters. Hilarity ensues, dark sinister secrets are discovered, and Teddy lives up to his nickname of Pukey Bear.

English Nonfiction

She is Hope for Wildlife: The Story of Wildlife Rescuer Hope Swinimer by Wanda Baxter, illustrated by Leah Boudreau (Nimbus Publishing)

She is Hope for Wildlife tells the incredible real-life story of a Hope Swinimer, a young girl growing up in rural Argyle, Nova Scotia, who dreamed of one day helping animals. This early reader follows Hope’s journey as she builds Hope for Wildlife from the ground up, overcoming many obstacles – and saving many animals – along the way. Written by author and Hope for Wildlife volunteer Wanda Baxter, the story is based on personal interviews with Hope herself. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the book will support Hope for Wildlife.

French Fiction (a tie)

Fou du hockey – le camp d’entraînement by Alain M. Bergeron, illustated by Caroline Soucy (Auzou Quebec)

“I, Thomas Clark, am going to hockey camp! As soon as I arrive at the arena, I meet lots of new friends. One of them claims he’s the son of a professional hockey player. Is this a lie or the truth?” Another great book in the series, Fou du hockey – le camp d’entraînement is a novel brimming with humor!

And

L’horrible cabane dans l’arbre by Mika, illustrated by Sabrina Gendron (Boomerang Éditeur Jeunesse)

Building a treehouse… what a great idea! That’s the plan Zack, his sister Maé, and their friend Feliz have come up with. With help from the neighbors, their family, and Serge the little monkey, the three friends pull it off in just a few hours! But, starting on the very first night, strange—even SCARY—things start happening at the top of the old willow tree… Horrible noises, eerie shadows, and menacing intruders torment the children! In the end, was building this treehouse REALLY such a good idea?!

French Nonfiction

Le fan club des microbes written and illustrated by Elise Gravel (Éditions les 400 coups)

“Microbes are living things, but they are neither animals, plants, nor insects. Even though we can’t see them, they are absolutely everywhere around us … we live in a world full of germs!” After exploring the world of fungi and insects in Le fan club des champignons and Le fan club des petites bêtes, Elise Gravel returns with a book about the microscopic creatures that surround us.

About Hackmatack
Across the Atlantic region, children in grades four to six participated in the Hackmatack program by reading from the shortlist of 40 titles (20 French and 20 English) and voting for their favourite in each category.

In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, seven authors conducted virtual visits with schools and libraries across the Maritimes, reaching multiple provinces at once. Getting the chance to meet and learn from a real author was a thrilling and memorable opportunity for students.

The Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award program is generously sponsored by the New Brunswick Public Library Service, Nova Scotia Provincial Library, Atlantic Provinces Library Association and supported by our partners the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia, Halifax Public Libraries, Prince Edward Island Public Library Service, and the Centre for Equitable Library Access.

For more information, visit hackmatack.ca/news

Media Contact:
Stacey Cornelius, Executive Director, Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award
hackmatack@hackmatack.ca