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Children's Books^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
Un gnome a la mer |
Designer |
Prmeau & Barey |
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Author |
Marie-Daniel le Croteau |
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Publisher |
Dominique et Compagnie |
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Illustrator |
Rogé |
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Printer |
Everbest Printing Co. Ltd |
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Comments |
The Québec publisher Dominique et Compagnie won our hearts this year. Québec children's books are the most original productions we saw in this category. Other publishers are doing wonderful work of great quality, but they are sticking to the old formulas. None was as exciting as this year's first and second prize winners. There is a wonderful sense of kinetic action in Un gnome a la mer. There are great drama, wonderful shifts of scale in the illustration, and good interaction between the words and illustrations. The look is contemporary and the text block works well, although some of us thought the large initial letters on each page were far too strong and, ultimately, unnecessary. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
Mon Rayon de soleil |
Designer |
Primeau & Barey |
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Author |
Marie-Francine Hébert |
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Publisher |
Dominique et Compagnie |
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Illustrator |
Steve Adams |
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Printer |
Everbest Printing Co. Ltd |
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Comments |
This book was less successful with some of its illustrations, but there were wonderful shifts of scale and big points of view. The dynamic and colourful illustrations provided a kid's-eye view of the world. Some of the text was poorly centred or ill placed, but the book was well paced and worked overall. And the book included a poster that we all wanted to take home. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
Anancy and the Haunted House |
Designer |
Andrée Lauzon |
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Author |
Richardo Keens-Douglas |
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Publisher |
Annick Press |
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Illustrator |
Stéphane Jorisch |
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Printer |
South China Printing |
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Comments |
The overall production of Anancy and the Haunted House was quirky and edgy. We didn't all agree on the placing of the text in individual blocks, but it may have solved a technical problem for the publisher. It certainly added a quirky feel to the production. There was a non-traditional use of illustrations and type that was contemporary and provided a "post-modern" edge to the look. Here was something new and different and we all liked it. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Windy |
Designer |
Robin Mitchell & Judith Steedman |
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Author |
Robin Mitchell & Judith Steedman |
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Publisher |
Simply Read Books |
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Illustrator |
Robin Mitchell & Judith Steedman |
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Photographer |
Mia Cunningham |
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Printer |
Grafiche AZ Verona |
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Comments |
We were all charmed by the photographic tableau illustrations for this lovely little book. We all felt the type was over-scaled for the size of the page, but as far as overall tone was concerned, everything here was very nicely done. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Solomon's Tree |
Designer |
Christine Toller |
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Author |
Andrea Spalding |
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Publisher |
Orca Book Publishers |
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Illustrator |
Janet Wilson; V. Reece (mask and Tsimpshian design) |
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Printer |
Kings Time Ltd, Hong Kong |
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Comments |
The illustrations here were excellent and attempted to contextualize the story with images from the North West Coast Native peoples. We did debate how well this all worked, but we all agreed that it was a delightful production. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
A Brave Soldier |
Designer |
Michael Solomon |
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Author |
Nicolas Debon |
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Publisher |
Groundwood Books (Douglas & McIntyre) |
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Illustrator |
Nicolas Debon |
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Printer |
Everbest Printing Co. Ltd |
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Comments |
The illustrations were of high quality in a realistic yet painterly style. They were well matched with a refined typeface. Everything about the production was excellent. |
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Limited Editions |
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1st Prize |
Title |
No Monster |
Designer |
Alexander Lavdovsky |
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Author |
Alice Major |
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Publisher |
Poppy Press |
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Illustrator |
Alexander Lavdovsky with original linoprint by Herbert Siebner |
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Printer |
Classic Engraving |
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Comments |
This was the best overall production in this year's entries. The cover was impressive, and demonstrated great care in the colour choice of the cover illustration and the paper stock on which it was printed. The frontispiece print, and other illustrations added a welcome richness to the text. The illustrations were well integrated with the beautiful type, especially with the double page spread on pages 20-21. The type and printing were crisp, yet warm and approachable. A lovely production. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Antarctica (Explorer Series, vol. 1) |
Designer |
Pat & Rosemarie Keough |
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Author |
Pat & Rosemarie Keough |
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Publisher |
Nahanni Productions Inc. |
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Printer |
Pat & Rosemarie Keough |
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Comments |
The photography in this book is stunning, and is beautifully presented and printed on wonderful paper. One only wishes equal care had been given to the captions and typography. All are well done but none are exceptional; typographically there is nothing new or exciting here. The map is not well integrated into the text and the entire production lacks continuity. This is especially true of the binding, in which extreme care has been taken to produce an ambitious cover in leather, but it reveals nothing of the stunning contents of the book. Why not showcase what is the best feature of a remarkable production? |
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Pictorial^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
E.J. Hughes |
Designer |
Timmings & Debay |
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Author |
Ian M. Thom |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Illustrator |
E.J. Hughes |
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Printer |
Hemlock |
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Comments |
The judges were all delighted with this Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition catalogue celebrating the work of a famous B.C. artist. There was not a thing wrong with any aspect of its design. Our only quibble was that it tried nothing new or original. Everything here has been done before, but seldom so well. The proportions were excellent, and there was a nice rhythm between the images and text -- there was not just a clump of plates. The typography was understated and tasteful, perfectly proportioned and never in the way of the images. Image and type were well displayed on beautiful paper. The design demonstrated a lovely open spacious feeling, much like a Hughes' landscape itself. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
Place : Lethbridge, A City on the Prairie |
Designer |
Peter Cocking |
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Author |
Rudy Wiebe |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Photographer |
Geoffrey James |
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Printer |
Edizioni Polistampa |
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Comments |
This wide-format book communicates remarkably well James' stunning warm-silvery images of a prairie city. The wide spacing, the blank left-hand pages (allowing the reader to focus only on the photographs to the right), and the placement of the page numbers on the outer edges of the page are all highly effective. Everything works well together. The typography is stark and mirrors much of the street signage depicted in the photographs. Its plain, honest typeface matches the images exactly. The design is understated but highly effective. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
Architecture Canada 2002 : The Governor General's Medals in Architecture |
Designer |
Bhandari & Plater, Inc. |
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Author |
Essy Baniassad, editor |
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Publisher |
TUNS Press |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
There is unity in the diversity of this design. Everything holds together well in spite of the variety of presentation and layout. There is a good sense of typographic hierarchy, matched with a good sense of spacing. The typeface is unusual for a book such as this, but it holds up well especially in reversals against strong colour images. Well done. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
The Prints of Betty Goodwin |
Designer |
Fugazi (Montreal) |
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Author |
Rosemarie L. Tovell with the assistance of Scott McMorran and Anne-Marie Ninacs |
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Publisher |
National Gallery of Canada in association with Douglas & McIntyre |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
This catalogue is very well constructed and presents a good variety of scale and structure. There is an excellent hierarchy of type and running headers. Altogether a satisfying production. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
4430 Miles au compteur |
Designer |
Christine Côté |
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Author |
Gonzague Verdenal |
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Publisher |
Les 400 Coups |
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Photographer |
Gabriel Jones |
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Printer |
Litho Mile-Îles Ltée |
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Comments |
The judges appreciated the very different approach to design demonstrated in this book. The book is very well paced, using a constantly changing scale and doing it very well. The design here was amusing and fun. We loved it. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Mars et Avril |
Designer |
Raphaël Daudelin (cover), Martin Villeneuve (text) |
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Author |
Martin Villeneuve |
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Publisher |
Les 400 Coups |
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Photographer |
Yanick MacDonald |
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Illustrator |
Nicolas Debon |
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Printer |
Litho Mile-Îles Ltée |
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Comments |
As with 4430 miles au compteur, the judges once again appreciated the very different approach to design demonstrated in this book. Quirky and exciting, the structure of Mars et Avril is largely based on video-like images and projections. Both books were very well paced, using a constantly changing scale and doing it very well. The design here was amusing and fun. We loved them both. |
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Poetry^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
Rural Night Catalogue |
Designer |
Andrew Steeves |
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Author |
Michael deBeyer |
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Publisher |
Gaspereau Press |
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Printer |
Gary Dunfield & Marilyn MacIntyre at Gaspereau Press |
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Comments |
This simple, understated and tasteful production delighted the judges. The natural breaks in the text were perfect. The typography was sensitively chosen, and the attention to detail was clearly evident in such features as the poem titles. Even the quality paper was suited to the Dante typeface. Every aspect of the production contributed to the sense of contemplation. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
Excessive Love Prostheses |
Designer |
Darren Wershler-Henry |
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Author |
Margaret Christakos |
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Publisher |
Coach House Books |
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Printer |
Coach House Printing |
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Comments |
The quirky design approach evident here was a perfect reflection of the content of Margaret Christakos' poems. In spite of all the design variations, and everything else that was going on here, there was a nice sense of harmony among the various parts. Although the poems varied in length, there was a good rhythm to the page spreads, and an interesting use of different papers. Some of the judges, however, felt that the type was too tightly leaded in parts. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
On Every Stone |
Designer |
Zab Design & Typgraphy |
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Author |
Rachel Vigier |
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Publisher |
Pedlar Press |
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Photographer |
Wayne McNulty (cover) |
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Printer |
Transcontinental Printing |
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Comments |
The judges admired the overall continuity between the cover and the interior of this Pedlar Press production. The book was well paced and there was lots of well balanced white space around the poems themselves. In addition to the tone of the paper, the subtle handling of the verso of the title page was well done and admired by the judges. In some cases, though, we felt that the titles were a little too large for the text. |
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Prose Fiction^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
Necessary Betrayals |
Designer |
Peter Cocking |
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Author |
Guillaume Vigneault; Susan Ouriou (trans.) |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Printer |
Transcontinental Printing |
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Comments |
The designer has developed a thematic approach to the design used here and it was much admired by the judges. There was a good relationship between the cover and the interior, a feature we did not often see. The cover design and graphic devices, too, were all appropriate to the book's contents. The designer has also achieved a lovely balance with the text spread. The paper was a beautiful colour and the type well chosen. Necessary Betrayals was a delightfully understated production. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
The Navigator of New York |
Designer |
CS Richardson |
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Author |
Wayne Johnston |
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Publisher |
Alfred A. Knopf Canada |
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Photographer |
various |
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Printer |
Berryville Graphics |
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Comments |
While some judges disagreed on the cover (the different typefaces used for the author and title appear to be at war), we all felt that overall there was a nice mix here between the contemporary and the traditional elements. All worked well together. The leading of the type was excellent, and the running heads and text block were well balanced and nicely proportioned. There was also a lovely colour tone to the paper. The book opened well and was not too heavy, unlike some books in this category. One judge delighted in "the lovely softness" of the design. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
Maggie's Family |
Designer |
Andrew Steeves |
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Author |
Susan Haley |
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Publisher |
Gaspereau Press |
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Illustrator |
Wesley Bates |
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Printer |
Gary Dunfield & Marilyn MacIntyre at Gaspereau Press |
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Comments |
There was a good relationship between the type and the engravings in Maggie's Family. The paper selection was just right, although overall the book felt a bit stiff. The type was larger than usual but was appropriate to the design and the paper; the colour of ink was just right. The generous margins suggest an easy read which would welcome the reader. The cover design was gutsy and strong, and yet maintained an unaffected simplicity. Andrew Steeves has designed an understated, yet confident production. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Salt Fish Girl |
Designer |
Gordon Robertson |
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Author |
Larissa Lai |
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Publisher |
Thomas Allen |
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Photographer |
Morgan Mazzoni (fish); Tim Hall (face) |
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Printer |
Transcontinental Printing |
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Comments |
We liked the layout of this book. The type was well chosen and the spread well balanced, but we couldn't all agree on the placement of the page numbers and running titles. The vertical lines used in the design, while original and a refreshing change from standard treatments, was ultimately felt to be too obtrusive. Gordon Robertson has created a finely designed book nonetheless. |
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Prose Non-Fiction^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
Spar: Words in Place |
Designer |
Andrew Steeves |
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Author |
Peter Sanger |
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Publisher |
Gaspereau Press |
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Illustrator |
Wesley Bates |
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Printer |
Gary Dunfield & Marilyn MacIntyre at Gaspereau Press |
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Comments |
The judges were thrilled with this book's sure sense of design. The placement, spacing, and details of typography were all exquisite. The type produced a wonderfully contemplative feel that was matched by the warmth of the paper. The pitch was perfect. The engravings were jewel-like and there was a sure sense of placement on the page. Our only regret was the very simple cover, which appeared to be an afterthought. None of us liked its copper type. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
Falling into Place |
Designer |
Andrew Steeves |
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Author |
John Terpstra |
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Publisher |
Gaspereau Press |
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Illustrator |
Wesley Bates; Glenn MacDonald (maps) |
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Printer |
Gary Dunfield & Marilyn MacIntyre at Gaspereau Press |
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Comments |
The outstanding work of the Gaspereau Press was again evident here, and the judges were won over yet again by the overall quality of the production. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the cover here too. We felt its design was weak and produced on a poor choice of paper. The book was much stiffer to handle as a result. The interior was beautifully proportioned but the transition among the various parts was not as smooth as in the first prize winner. Much more work should have been done on integrating the various elements. Nonetheless Falling Into Place remains a fine book. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
The Chosen Ones : Canada's Test Pilots in Action |
Designer |
Peter Cocking |
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Author |
Sean Rossiter |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
A great deal of good design was evident here, and the judges were surprised how well the book was handled and presented. The cover was strong and suited the subject perfectly. The text was well balanced on the page block, and the chapter headings were nicely proportioned and integrated with the text below (a design feature that is not often done well). Great care was taken with the bibliography and index, an area that is neglected on a regular basis; these were a model of their kind. Only the section of photographs was a disappointment. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Facing Ali : The Opposition Weighs In |
Designer |
CS Richardson |
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Author |
Stephen Brunt |
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Publisher |
Alfred A. Knopf Canada |
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Photographer |
Bettman/Corbis/Magma; Peter Tym |
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Printer |
R.R. Donnelly |
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Comments |
This book was handled well and pleasantly designed. Although the photographs were a disappointment, the type was an excellent choice and we all liked the well-balanced text spreads. |
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Prose Non-Fiction Illustrated^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
I Stand for Canada : The Story of the Maple Leaf Flag |
Designer |
Roberto Dosil |
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Author |
Rick Archbold |
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Publisher |
MacFarlane, Walter & Ross |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
All of the judges felt that this project could easily have been done badly, but I Stand For Canada turned out to be the best we saw in this category. Using a nice cut of Cartier (a Canadian typeface), and using it to its best advantage, produced beautiful results. The book achieved a good historical feel using photographs and archival documents. An effective use of spacing and white areas ensures that the images are the centre of attention. Everything has been put together in a harmonious and balanced presentation. Very well done. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
Historical Atlas of Canada : Canada's History Illustrated with Original Maps |
Designer |
Derek Hayes (text); Val Speidel (cover) |
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Author |
Derek Hayes |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Printer |
C & C Offset |
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Comments |
Here was another effective and balanced presentation. With so many varied images and sources to depict, and having to make every inch of space on the page matter, the designer would have found it extremely difficult to put everything together in such a balanced and graceful way. But it all works here and it works well. The Historical Atlas of Canada is a remarkable achievement. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
No Place for a Lady : Tales of Adventurous Women Travellers |
Designer |
Barbara Hodgson |
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Author |
Barbara Hodgson |
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Publisher |
Greystone Books |
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Printer |
C & C Offset |
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Comments |
No Place For A Lady bespeaks quality, good research and excellent presentation. Almost everything about it is well handled, especially the elegant type, the wide variety of historical images, and the layout. The pitch is perfect. While we all liked the concept of the dust jacket, we thought the case was too glossy and unsuitable on a book that otherwise accurately reflected the chosen topic. We also felt that the paper stock was too heavy. Nonetheless, Barbara Hodgson has done a wonderful job. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
Seven Journeys : The Sketchbooks of Emily Carr |
Designer |
Peter Cocking |
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Author |
Doris Shadbolt |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Illustrator |
Emily Carr |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
This book was very simply designed but was the best of the art catalogues in this category. Every aspect of the design was well conceived, and the cover was excellent. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
King Jammy's |
Designer |
Martina Keller |
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Author |
Beth Lesser |
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Publisher |
ECW Press |
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Printer |
Imago |
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Comments |
This book on King Jammy, "one of Jamaica's legendary sound system owners and record producers--the man credited with saving reggae music by injecting it with new life", interested the judges as its design was perfectly attuned to its subject. The text and illustrations enjoyed a wonderful rhythmic pacing that were all well integrated. Everything worked successfully. Our only concern was with the text blocks, which were often too tight or dense, and would have benefited by more openness. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
The University of Toronto : A History |
Designer |
Val Cooke |
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Author |
Martin L. Friedland |
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Publisher |
University of Toronto Press |
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Printer |
University of Toronto Press |
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Comments |
Val Cooke has created a very traditional design that is very well paced and demonstrates excellent handling. The type is lovely as are the photographic illustrations. The tone is perfect. The book sits well and the paper stock was of wonderful quality. We did, however, feel the paper was a bit too yellow. |
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Reference^ back to top |
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1st Prize |
Title |
Simply Bishop's : Easy Seasonal Recipes |
Designer |
Peter Cocking |
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Author |
John Bishop & Dennis Green |
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Publisher |
Douglas & McIntyre |
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Photographer |
John Sherlock |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
This cookbook visually outshone the rest of the entries. Overall the project was not that ambitious, but it solves all of its problems well, and with clarity. The cover is great and relates well to the interior contents. The selection of type was excellent, was very well spaced, and its various hierarchies were handled effectively. The colour photographs helped to pace the book and to maintain interest. Some of the black and white images were poorly done and they were our only disappointment. |
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2nd Prize |
Title |
The Canadian Dictionary of ASL |
Designer |
Alan Brownoff |
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Author |
Carole Sue Bailey & Kathy Dolby, editors |
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Publisher |
The University of Alberta Press |
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Printer |
Transcontinental Printing |
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Comments |
This dictionary of "American Sign Language" is a massive accomplishment, and one that we felt, in spite of a few problems, had been very well done. Generally the book was easy to navigate and to understand. The hand signals on the endpapers were well displayed and an excellent resource. The type hierarchies were clear and made word finding easy. The diagrams were good (some felt they might have been a bit bigger but how could it have been done without doubling the size of an already large book?), and were depicted by figures of all ages and genders (a nice touch). We had a few quibbles about the type used, and about the breaks between sections, but all in all the book is a fine achievement. |
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3rd Prize |
Title |
The Wood Design Awards 2002 |
Designer |
Bhandari & Plater, Inc. (text); Marie-Noelle Masse (Janam Publications Inc.) (cover) |
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Author |
Don Griffith, editor |
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Publisher |
TUNS Press/Janam Publications Inc. |
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Printer |
Friesens |
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Comments |
All of the judges liked the way this production brought together architectural photographs, plans and drawings in a contemporary and refined way. The presentation of each building as a result was very effective. The layout was excellent and uncluttered, and there were no distractions. We were surprised that the well-designed but warmly coloured cover bore almost no relation to the cool black and while interior of the book. A great cover, but false advertising to some degree. |
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Hon. Mention |
Title |
A Boy All Spirit : Thoreau MacDonald in the 1920s |
Designer |
Del Carry |
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Author |
John W. Sabean, editor |
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Publisher |
Penumbra Press |
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Illustrator |
Thoreau MacDonald |
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Printer |
Tri-Graphic (Ottawa) |
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Comments |
Although we were not entirely sure that this book could be classified as a reference book, the judges admired the skill that put the text and illustrations together in a balanced and pleasurable composition. A typical Penumbra Press design, and very well done. |
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21st Annual Awards for