By Curtis Lowton
Whether they’re at a public library, a school library, or the children’s section of a bookstore, every Manitoban is likely to notice a MYRCA display featuring twenty middle-grade novels by Canadian authors. MYRCA (an acronym for the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards) is a long-standing tradition in Manitoba libraries and classrooms. Since its establishment in 1991, the program has become a permanent fixture, building a community of young readers and highlighting Canadian authors. Now beginning its thirty-sixth year, MYRCA is showing no signs of slowing down.
A Brief History
The Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards (MYRCA) was launched in 1991 by a committee of dedicated teachers, librarians, and literacy advocates in Manitoba who wanted to inspire a love of reading among students in grades five to eight and foster national pride in Canada’s talented writers. The idea was that a committee of adults would curate a list of Canadian middle-grade books published within a single calendar year, and students would be empowered to vote for the winner. Since its inception, the award has grown in scope by expanding its readership from grades five to eight to grades four to nine, increasing the number of nominated titles from eight to twenty, and embracing a wider range of genres. In 2001, MYRCA introduced Honour Books to recognize runners-up, and in 2019, the award expanded into two categories: Sundogs (for readers in grades four to six) and Northern Lights (for readers in grades seven to nine), each with its own winner.
How MYRCA Works
Book Selection: Each year, a committee of Manitoba educators and library staff collectively read all middle-grade novels published by Canadian authors within a calendar year. MYRCA members write short reviews and assign star ratings using an Airtable system that allows them to view one another’s feedback. The committee meets monthly to plan public relations events, organize the end-of-year ceremony, and conclude with discussions of recently read books. In April, the committee meets in person to select the twenty nominees: ten Sundogs titles appropriate for readers in grades four to six and ten Northern Lights titles for readers in grades seven to nine. The committee strives to create diverse, well-rounded lists that reflect a balance of plot, geographical setting, genre, gender, and representation of equity-deserving groups, while maintaining literary quality as the top priority. Each list typically includes both popular mainstays of the Canadian middle-grade literary landscape (such as Eric Walters, Susin Nielsen, Kenneth Oppel, and Gordon Korman) but also introduces readers to debut and emerging authors. The list of nominees is announced in April, and students have one year to read and vote for their favourites.
Reading Period: Students have one year to read the titles from the published MYRCA list. Many schools host MYRCA Clubs, which are teacher-led extracurricular groups that engage students with the nominated books through fun and creative activities. These clubs vary widely in structure and frequency but share the goal of fostering enthusiasm for reading through book-related discussions and activities. MYRCA leaders can access a variety of resources on the MYRCA website, as well as professional development (PD) offered through the Manitoba School Library Association’s MTS PD Day, ensuring they have an abundance of engaging ideas to draw upon. Most clubs begin in the fall and conclude in April, when the official voting period marks the end of a MYRCA year.
Voting: Students have almost a full year to read as many of the nominated titles as possible. To be eligible to vote, students must read a minimum of three books from either the Sundogs or Northern Lights list. Those who read six titles may cast two votes, and those who complete all ten may cast three. Readers with multiple votes may choose to support a single favourite or distribute their votes among several books. Some ambitious readers even read all ten books from both lists and can vote six times! Voting takes place during the first half of April, and the winners are revealed at the Year-End Awards Ceremony later that month.
End-of-Year Awards Ceremony
Much of MYRCA’s annual activity and fundraising supports the end-of-year celebration, an event which has been hosted at various venues across Manitoba. In April 2025, the Awards Ceremony took place at the Gas Station Theatre in Winnipeg and featured authors Casey Lyall (Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is), Wanda John-Kehewin (Hopeless in Hope), and Joanna Cacao (The Secret of the Ravens), who each spoke about their writing process. Audience members received swag bags filled with MYRCA-themed items and book prizes donated by publishers. The atmosphere was alive with excitement and a shared passion for books, as noted by many attendees.
In 2026, the event will move to the Jubilee Place Concert Hall to welcome nearly three times as many students and will feature nominated authors Larry Verstraete (Coop for Keeps), Jen Storm (Little Moons), David A. Robertson (The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage), and Kern Carter (Is There a Boy Like Me?). As always, student masters of ceremony will announce the winners, and the celebration will conclude with the reveal of the 2027 nominee list, inspiring readers to dive into the next year’s selections.
Social Media
MYRCA maintains a strong presence on social media through its engaging Instagram account, @myrcaward. Each week, followers can look forward to recurring features such as #MondayMYRCAMember, which highlights a committee member’s biography and book recommendation; #FunFactFriday, which shares interesting trivia about nominated books, often provided by the authors themselves; and #ThankfulThursday, which publicly recognizes sponsors for their financial and in-kind contributions. Additional posts celebrate #BookBirthdays and share important updates about the end-of-year celebration and province-wide opportunities for student and community engagement.
Website Resources
MYRCA’s website has seen its greatest growth on the Resources page, which now offers a wide range of engaging materials for educators and students alike. Visitors can access PowerPoint presentations and pamphlets highlighting the nominated books, along with bookmarks, games, trivia, craft ideas, discussion questions, certificates, word puzzles, and more. These resources are designed to help teachers and library staff inspire participation in their local MYRCA clubs.
The Future of MYRCA
MYRCA continues to expand its reach and impact. With the support of sponsor CEB, the organization introduced a new community grant designed to bridge financial gaps by providing two complete sets of Sundogs or Northern Lights books to schools demonstrating need. MYRCA also launched a new line of merchandise, offering stickers, bags, and apparel for students (and adults) eager to demonstrate their MYRCA pride. With every new list, event, and celebration, MYRCA continues to build a vibrant community of readers who share a passion for great Canadian stories.
Previous MYRCA Winners
| Year | Winner |
| 1991 | The Zucchini Warriors by Gordon Korman |
| 1992 | Five Days of the Ghost by William Bell |
| 1993 | Can You Teach Me to Pick My Nose? by Maryn Godfrey |
| 1994 | Looking at the Moon by Kit Pearson |
| 1995 | The Mystery of the Missing Will by Jeni Mayer |
| 1996 | Daniel’s Story by Carol Matas |
| 1997 | Bringing Up Beauty by Sylvia McNicholl |
| 1998 | Mystery at Lake Placid by Roy MacGregor |
| 1999 | Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson |
| 2000 | Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel |
| 2001 | Sunwing by Kenneth Oppel |
| 2002 | The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis |
| 2003 | If I Just Had Two Wings by Virginia Frances Schwartz |
| 2004 | Firewing by Kenneth Oppel |
| 2005 | Waiting for Sarah by Bruce McBay & James Heneghan |
| 2006 | No One Must Know by Eva Wiseman |
| 2007 | The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter |
| 2008 | We All Fall Down by Eric Walters |
| 2009 | Dear Jo: The Story of Losing Leah and Searching for Hope by Christina Kilbourne |
| 2010 | Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen |
| 2011 | Taken by Norah McClintock |
| 2012 | Dear George Clooney Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen |
| 2013 | Box of Shocks by Chris McMahen |
| 2014 | Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch |
| 2015 | Ultra by David Carroll |
| 2016 | The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel |
| 2017 | The Dogs by Allan Stratton |
| 2018 | OCDaniel by Wesley King |
After 2018, MYRCA expanded into two categories: Sundogs (grades four to six) and Northern Lights (grades seven to nine).
| Year | Sundogs Winner | Northern Lights Winner |
| 2019 | Brave by Svetlana Chmakova | The Way Back Home by Allan Stratton |
| 2020 | Crush by Svetlana Chmakova | No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen |
| 2021 | The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Novel | The Stone Rainbow by Liane Shaw |
| 2022 | Bloom by Kenneth Oppel | Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King |
| 2023 | Death and Sparkles by Rob Justus | Tremendous Things by Susin Nielsen |
| 2024 | Apartment 713 by Kevin Sylvester | Echoes and Empires by Morgan Rhodes |
| 2025 | The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien | The Secret of the Ravens by Joanna Cacao |
MYRCA 2026 Sundogs Nominees
Coop for Keeps by Larry Verstraete
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling
The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage by David A. Robertson
Lost at Windy River by Trina Rathgeber, illustrated by Alina Pete
Maya Plays the Part by Calyssa Erb
Misadventures in Ghost-Hunting by Melissa Yue
Mortified by Kristy Jackson, art by Rhael McGregor
Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horne
Reasons to Look at the Night Sky by Danielle Daniel
Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities by Casey Lyall
MYRCA 2026 Northern Lights Nominees
Cave-In by Pam Withers
If We Tell You by Nicola Dahlin
Is There A Boy Like Me? By Kern Carter
Little Moons by Jen Storm, illustrated by Ryan Howe
The Shape of Lost Things by Sarah Everett
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams by Shari Green
Tig by Heather Smith
The Time Keeper by Meagan Mahoney
The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs
Why We Play With Fire by Giselle Vriesen
Curtis Lowton (he/him) is a teacher-librarian from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has worked in public education for over 30 years. He currently works in three K-8 schools in the Louis Riel School Division. He has volunteered on the MYRCA board for four years.