Ohana Talks: MYRCA

   Last October, I went to the Round Table Dinner with MYRCA, where we celebrated David Carroll' winning of the 2015 MYRCA award. That was the beginning of my dabbling with MYRCA. 

   April of this past year, I was asked to join the committee. After sending in my application, I was accepted! So today, I wanted to go a little more in depth about the committee for you all, since it just started back up for the year!

   MYRCA (Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award), was founded in 1990 when the Manitoba School Library Association decided to create an unique way to make a positive impact on young readers!

   Each year, MYRCA takes into consideration all English Canadian books that are published within that year, and if they suitable for our audience of 10-14 year olds. Then when 15-18 books are deemed suitable for the award (by the committee, all of which have ties to the book community), we leave the deciding to the kids in the grades 5-8. After reading a minimum of 3 nominees each, the children get to vote for what book they'd like to win the award. 

   Then each Fall, an Award Ceremony is held for the author of the book that won for the year. The author is awarded $1000, and is invited to Winnipeg for the ceremony. Two honour books are also selected, and are awarded plaques with the cover of the books. Unfortunately the ceremony is by invite only, and only to youth that have voted. 

   Last year David Carroll won the MYRCA award for Ultra, this year the award is being given to Kenneth Oppel for his novel, The Boundless. The award ceremony is to be held this month on the 30th of September! 

   If you weren't invited to this years ceremony and would still like to meet Kenneth, don't sweat! Kenneth will also be having a signing for his upcoming YA novel, Every Hidden Thing, set to release September 20th, 2016.

   The signing will be held at McNally Robinson, at 7pm on September 29th. 

Interested in reading the 2017 MYRCA nominees? 

   Are you in grades 5-8 and are interested in reading some of the books and voting for MYRCA 2017? Voting starts March 20th, 2017! When you're ready to vote, ask your teacher to help or go online with a parent, teacher or guardian to vote! 

   Check out our website for more info! (Link to site)

   Canadian Authors, does this sound like something you'd be interested in, and you have a book releasing in 2016? Get your publisher to check this link out! (Link)

   And that's MYRCA! Sounds pretty amazing right? I'm super excited to be apart of the team, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year is going to be like!