Submissions

Submissions for 2026-27 are open!

The Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award is a literary program designed for young readers in Atlantic Canada. Books nominated to to the Hackmatack shortlist will be read by thousands of children in the Atlantic region.

The shortlist will consist of 10 English fiction, 10 English non-fiction, 10 French fiction and 10 French non-fiction Canadian titles suitable for grades 4 to 6.

Books submitted to Hackmatack must:

• Be from a Canadian publisher, or self-published by a Canadian author
• Have been published in Canada within the last two years (2024 and 2025)
• Be appropriate for readers ages 8-11 (grades 4 to 6)
• Have been written by no more than three Canadian authors (or combination of three Canadian authors and illustrators). All authors, illustrators, and publishers must be Canadian
• Be in print and readily available in sufficient quantities for reading club orders
• Be a printed book (e-books and audiobooks are welcomed as options for reading clubs)

As part of our commitment to raise up the voices and stories of the rich racial, cultural and Indigenous history and contemporary presence in Atlantic Canada, we have pledged to an equity approach in our selection process.

As we work toward making our commitment a reality, we have set a goal: To present shortlists where at least 15% of the titles are created by BIPOC authors, with a minimum of one title in each of our four categories. We are asking publishers to join us in this endeavor.

You can download our full selection criteria and process for submitting titles.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 10, 2025. We look forward to receiving your books!