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2025 Hackmatack Award
Winners Announced

Images of the winning book covers and authors Paul Gilligan, Bambiu Edlund, Alex A., and Élise Gravel. Logos: Access Copyright Foundation, New Brunswick Public Library Service, Government of Nova Scotia, Halifax Public Libraries, Whitehots, McInnes Cooper, Nova Scotia Public Libraries, Nova Scotia Library Association, Prince Edward Island Public Library Service, APLA, CELA/CAÉB, Rosie Porter, HRM Councillor Patty Cuttell.

Winners of the 26th Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award Announced at Awards Ceremony in Halifax, NS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 4, 2025

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax): The winners of the 2025 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award were announced on Friday, May 30 at a lively awards ceremony at the Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library. They are:

English Fiction

Pluto Rocket: New in Town, written and illustrated by Paul Gilligan (Penguin Random House, 2023)

In this first book of a new graphic novel series, pigeon Joe Pidge is bobbing his way down the street one day when, all of a sudden, Pluto Rocket enters the scene. Pluto is from another planet, and is disguising herself for her secret mission — to find out what life in the neighborhood is really like.

English Nonfiction

Operation Cupcake: How Simple Machines Work, written and illustrated by Bambi Edlund (Kids Can Press, 2023)

Explained by a pair of illustrated mice, Operation Cupcake is a highly entertaining book that gives readers a clear and easy-to-understand overview of six simple machines – inclined plane, lever, pulley, wheel and axle, screw, and wedge – and how they make life easier.

French Fiction

Les étranges, written and illustrated by Alex A. (Presses Aventure, 2023)

When a quantum computer explodes, five powerful antivirus professionals are thrown into a hostile, unknown dimension… our own.

French Nonfiction

Alerte : culottes meurtrières : Fausses nouvelles, désinformation et théories du complot, by Elise Gravel (Éditions Scholastic, 2023)

What is fake news? Why does it exist and why do we believe it? Why should we take misinformation so seriously? What happens when fake news breaks? Elise Gravel helps kids understand what to believe and what not to believe in the age of the Internet.

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, nine authors visited schools and libraries across the Maritimes, presenting to over a thousand young readers.

Another four authors gave virtual presentations, allowing us to reach readers in all corners of Atlantic Canada. Getting the chance to meet and learn from a real author was a thrilling and memorable opportunity for students.

The author tour was made possible by generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.

Hackmatack is also excited to announce the new shortlists for our 2025-26 reading program. Visit our website to view the English and French shortlists.

The Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award program is generously sponsored by the Nova Scotia Department of Education, the New Brunswick Public Library Service, Nova Scotia Provincial Library, Atlantic Provinces Library Association, Nova Scotia 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. 

This year we are also grateful for the generous support of the Access Copyright Foundation, McInness Cooper, Whitehots, Rosie Porter, and HRM Councillor Patty Cuttell.

For more information, visit hackmatack.ca/news

Media Contact:
Stacey Cornelius, Executive Director, Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award 
hackmatack@hackmatack.ca   
(902) 418-9859