CANREADS Book Awards 2026 Toronto- Thursday, May 28, 2026

By Sally Warburton

The CANREADS Book Awards honour outstanding achievements in Canadian literature – stories which move us, voices which inspire and words which stay with us long after the final page.

The CANREADS Awards evening was held at The Storeys venue on Duncan Street in downtown Toronto. The beautiful second floor of this iconic building was where the event took place. Authors along with their guests were treated to a wide selection of drinks offered at the bar. and delicious hors d’oeuvres during the Cocktail Hour. Time before the Awards Ceremony gave people the chance to socialize and discuss their books and the excitement of the Canadian literature scene. Unique experiences at the event were Handwriting Analysis and a Blind Date with a Book Raffle.

Following the Awards was Mix & Mingle to celebrate the night’s achievements and to continue networking. The event ended at 9:30pm. The evening had a warm vibe of celebration and support of Canadian literature and its authors. A perfect evening.

The CANREADS awards celebrating Canadian literacy excellence are divided across 18 diverse categories. The winners in each category are:

Adult General & Literary Fiction The Light of Faded Stars by Francis-Adrien Morneault

Adult Nonfiction Product of Italy, Made in Canada by Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli

Women’s Fiction Coming of Age … Again by Ramune Luminaire

Memoirs/ Biography / Autobiography I Finally Have the Smoking Hot Body I’ve Always Wanted (Having Been Cremated) by Barbara Drummond

Memoir (Adversity, Resilience & Growth) Born and Razed: Surviving the Cult was Only Half the Battle by Beth Granger

Young Adult and Middle Grade (Fiction & Nonfiction) Dragonborn by Struan Murray

Children (Fiction & Nonfiction) Stinky Sheldon Saves the Day by Nancy Parkhill

Business/Finance/Marketing The Divided Brain by Paul Larche

Thriller Furtive Retribution by Gary D. McGugan

Mystery/Suspense

Lost Village, The Conawalki Murder Mysteries Book One by Michael Saver

Poetry/Short Story Collections Told Ya! Stories by Peta-Gaye Nash

Science/Animals/Nature The Honey Trap: How the good intentions of urban beekeepers risk ecological disaster by Dana L. Church

Self-Help/Guide/Personal Development Dynamic Balance: The Tao of Forging Individual and Social Transformation by Arthur Lockhart & Brad Hutchinson

Historical Fiction Day of Epiphany by Jerome Bourgault

Fantasy Silversong by Rhonda Parrish

Sci-Fi /Speculative Fiction Black Corrosion by Costi Gurgu

Romance Lassoed by Fate by Doug Ross

Best in Design Gods in My Home by Royal Ontario Museum

CANREADS Spotlight Recipients:

Nothing But White Ash by Boni Wagner-Stafford
Letters of Redemption by Vince Santoro
Death & His Brother by D.E. Ring
Callow (Ardenti Terra Series, Book 1) by Nicole Scholl
Against the Machine: Luddites by Brian Van Norman
Lessons in Philanthropy: The Legacy of Barb McInnes as shared with Glenn McInnes
Those We Carry by Scott Saxberg
The Principal Chronicles Two/Too/II/As Well by David Garlick
Courage and a Castle: A Tribute to a Remarkable Woman by Jeanne Martinson
Externalities by D. McCall Johnston
The Wantrepreneur: Take the Decision by Leonardo Vasquez
Morgan Moose Visits New Brunswick Provincial Parks! by Kimothy Stewart
Blaze Peppercorn and the Web of Lies by Lisa Adair
Mindy and the Rescue Crew: The Unwelcome Visitors by Geri Storey
How I Learned to Pee in the Forest by Sharon Neiss Arbess
The Chronicles of Paisley • Corners by Cheryl van Daalen-Smith
Our Life Our Way A Memoir of Active Faith, Profound Love and Courageous Disability Rights by Christine Robinson
Breaking Trail: From Complex Trauma to Command by Lee-Ann F. O’Brien
Two Sides to a Face: My Journey with Sturge Weber Syndrome by Chelsey Peat
Under His Divine Gaze: A Spiritual Memoir by Monique Pilon-Fraschetti
Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating by Michelle Schafer
Abbot Lane by Jim Layeux
Here Comes the Sun: A 1960s Story of Travel, Adventure, and Self-Discovery by Alan Bryce
Living in the Land of Uprights: A Story About Thomas Voss Sorensen by Kathy Sorensen