Celebrate Recent Works from Canadian authors and Illustrators!
The Forest of Reading® book award programs are very popular in the Waterloo Region District School Board. The purpose of the program is to promote reading by offering participants a rich choice of current books by Canadian authors. Students participating in any of the programs read nominated titles and get to vote for the book and author that they think should win the award.
There are several award programs with different target audiences. The Forest of Reading fosters a love of reading and is a spotlight program for our school libraries.
The Blue Spruce™ Award
Target Audience: JK-Gr.2
Blue Spruce is a read-aloud program for primary students. Teachers read the books aloud to their classes and students get to vote for their favourite book.
The Silver Birch Express® Award
Target Audience: Grades 3-4
The Silver Birch Express list is made up of both fiction and non-fiction titles.
The Silver Birch: Fiction® Award
Target Audience: Grades 5 and 6
The Silver Birch list is made up of English fiction titles.
The Red Maple™ Award
Target Audience: Grades 7 and 8
Red Maple includes a fiction list every year.
The White Pine™ Award
Target Audience: Grades 9-12
White Pine includes a fiction list every year for teens.
Le Prix Peuplier
Target Audience: Ages 4-8
Le Prix Peuplier is a list of French picture books for read-aloud geared to students ages 4-8 or older students who are learning French.
Le Prix Tamarac
Target Audience: Grades 3-6
This list invites students to read chapter books en français!
Le Prix Tamarac Current Nominees
Le Prix Mélèze
Target Audience: varies
This list invites young people to vote for their favourite books (fiction and non-fiction) from a selection of the best Canadian books written in French.
Yellow Cedar Award
Target Audience: Grades 4-8
For the 2020 program year, the Forest of Reading consolidated two school-aged non-fiction programs, the Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award and the Red Maple Non-Fiction Award, into one award program – the Yellow Cedar Award. It is a curated list of 10 non-fiction titles.
Students who choose to participate will have the opportunity to:
- Read recently published Canadian fiction and non-fiction
- Choose the program and the books that interest them
- Read for pleasure and enjoyment
- Read independently and at their own pace
- Engage in conversations with their peers and share opinions about what they have read
- Vote in a province-wide election to select favourite books
How can teachers get involved?
- Encourage your students to participate in a Forest of Reading Program
- Read along with your students to participate
- Read one of the selections aloud to your class
- Encourage your students to vote for their favourite choices
- Take a leadership role within the school by running one of the programs
Learn more about the Forest of Reading program.
Tags: Flagship Reading Program · Reading Engagement · Reading Programs
