Forest of Reading Red Maple Award

The Red Maple Award is an award in the Ontario Library Association (OLA) Forest of Reading Awards. The Red Maple Award celebrates fiction (since 1998) and non-fiction (every other year since 2005) Canadian books for grades 7–8 (ages 12–14) every year. Out of ten nominated books in each category students must read a minimum of five to vote for their favourite. The winner is chosen by the most popular book in all participating libraries, schools, groups, etc.

History Five years after the original Silver Birch Award was created an award for grades 7–9, the Red Maple Award was created. In 2005 a non-fiction subcategory of the Red Maple Award was created. It runs on all odd-numbered years.

So far, there have been 22 awards in fiction and 8 in non fiction.

Only seven authors have won the award more than once: Eric Walters (2001, 2007 Fiction, 2008, 2015 Fiction) with four, Susin Neilsen (2010, 2014, 2020) and Kenneth Oppel (2005 Fiction, 2006, 2012) with three each, and Gayle Friesen (1999, 2003), Wesley King (2013 Fiction, 2019 Fiction), Norah McClintock (2004, 2009 Fiction), and Andreas Schroeder (2005 Non-fiction, 2007 non-fiction) with two each. Friesen was the first to win the award twice, while Walters was the first to win three and four times.

Kenneth Oppel was the first to win back to back in 2005 and 2006, followed by Eric Walters in 2007 and 2008. Andreas Schroeder was the first to win back to back in non-fiction in 2005 and 2007.

Carol Matas was the first fiction winner, while Andreas Schroeder was the first non-fiction winner.

Fiction honorees 1990s +Award winners and finalists, 1998-1999YearAuthorTitleResult1998After the WarWinnerStranger at BayFinalistA Light in the DunesFinalistNo Fixed AddressFinalistWhat's Tuesday?FinalistUncle RonaldFinalistBack of BeyondFinalistPromise SongFinalistMoonkid and PrometheusFinalistFinalist1999Janey's GirlWinnerZackFinalistAngels Turn Their BacksFinalistMercy's BirdsFinalistSins of the FatherFinalistMake or Break SpringFinalistAwake and DreamingFinalistWar of the EaglesFinalistBrad's UniverseFinalistStephen FairFinalist 2000s +Award winners and finalists, 2000-2009YearAuthorTitleResult2000What They Don't KnowWinnerFinalistFinalistTouch of the ClownFinalistDahling, If You Luv Me Would You Please SmileFinalistPassword: MurderFinalistDaughterFinalistAlone At Ninety FootFinalistSunwingFinalistFinalist2001ReboundWinnerFinalistMen of StoneFinalistRaspberry House BluesFinalistStorm WarningFinalistFinalistOver the EdgeFinalistCharlie WilcoxFinalistFinalistFinalist2002Clara's WarWinnerStonesFinalistWhisperings of MagicFinalistWhose Side Are You On?FinalistFinalistBone Beds of the BadlandsFinalistDustFinalistAcross the Steel RiverFinalistBy the Standing StoneFinalistBully BoysFinalist2003Losing ForeverWinnerFinalistIrish ChainFinalistFloodFinalistFinalistFirewingFinalistOut of the Ashes: A Shelby Belgarden MysteryFinalistCity of the DeadFinalistSaving JaseyFinalistFracturesFinalist2004Hit and RunWinnerParvana's JourneyFinalistFinalistIn Spite of Killer BeesFinalistFinalist and James HeneghanWaiting for SarahFinalistCharlie Wilcox's Great WarFinalistAn Earthly KnightFinalistOn Wings of a DragonFinalistRunFinalist2005AirbornWinnerFinalistStitchesFinalistPeacekeepersFinalistFinalistDead and GoneFinalistFinalistNobody's ChildFinalistSister to the WolfFinalistFinalist2006SkybreakerWinnerAfter SylviaFinalistGravesaversFinalistSower Of TalesFinalistBlood BrothersFinalistMercury ManFinalistLost Goat LaneFinalistConvictsFinalistGreeniesFinalistFrom Charlie's Point of ViewFinalist2007We All Fall DownWinnerJohnny Kellock Died TodayFinalistFinalistFinalistBorn to RockFinalistFinalistNot a Trace Series: A Chloe and Levesque MysteryFinalistFinalistMegiddo's ShadowFinalistRed GoodwinFinalist2008Safe as HousesWinnerFinalistStolen AwayFinalistPirate's PassageFinalistSkinnybones and the Wrinkle QueenFinalistGemini SummerFinalistDarkwingFinalistSarah's LegacyFinalistEndymion SpringFinalistWhere Soldiers LieFinalist2009Out of the ColdWinnerWay Lies NorthFinalistPerilous PassageFinalistElijah of BuxtonFinalistPaybackFinalistFinalistFrostFinalistFinalistEggheadFinalistNot Fair, ClareFinalist

2010s +Award winners and finalists, 2010-2019YearAuthorTitleResult2010Word NerdWinnerFinalistLunch with Lenin and Other StoriesFinalistAfterFinalistWar BrothersFinalistStarclimberFinalistGreener GrassFinalistSubmarine OutlawFinalistLeaving FletchvilleFinalistNight RunnerFinalist2011Not Suitable for Family ViewingWinnerFinalistOnly in the MoviesFinalistGhost RideFinalistMy Name is Henry BibbFinalistNieveFinalistHauntedFinalistPOPFinalistFinalistWoundedFinalist2012Half BrotherWinnerFanaticsFinalistTorn from TroyFinalistNo Safe PlaceFinalistHaunting VioletFinalistHome TruthsFinalist and Rafal GerszakThunder Over KandaharFinalistDear George Clooney Please Marry My MomFinalistFly BoyFinalistDust CityFinalist2013Winnercrush. candy. corpse.FinalistFinalistFinalistThis Dark EndeavourFinalistFinalistTestifyFinalistFinalistEnd of DaysFinalistFirst DescentFinalist2014Winner and M. A. MarrLoki's Wolves: The Blackwell PagesFinalistDevil's PassFinalistOak Island RevengeFinalistMy Name is ParvanaFinalistSmall Medium at LargeFinalistSuch Wicked IntentFinalistCounting Back from NineFinalistJump CutFinalistBetween Heaven and EarthFinalist2015Rule of ThreeWinnerDead Man's SwitchFinalistFinalistOutside InFinalistFinalistHow to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are UntiedFinalistFinalistUnspeakableFinalistZomboyFinalistSummer Days, Starry NightsFinalist2016WinnerUncertain SoldierFinalistFinalistFinalistPrison BoyFinalistFragile Bones: Harrison and AnnaFinalistWe Are All Made of MoleculesFinalistFinalist and David WymanYoung Man with Camera: A Novel with PhotographsFinalistWalking HomeFinalist2017ShooterWinnerFinalistFinalistBorn With: Erika and GianniFinalistLucky JonahFinalistFlickersFinalistMiNRSFinalistShattered GlassFinalistTrouble is a Friend of MineFinalistSea ChangeFinalist2018WinnerHawkFinalist and Jeff LemireSecret PathFinalistShort for ChameleonFinalistLaura Monster CrusherFinalistBent Not Broken: Madeline and JustinFinalistAnd Then the Sky ExplodedFinalistRunFinalistFinalistSummer's EndFinalist2019WinnerFinalistFinalistSkating Over Thin IceFinalistSadiaFinalistFinalistFinalistDon't Tell the EnemyFinalistFourth DimensionFinalistTracker's CanyonFinalist

2020s +Award winners and finalists, 2020-presentYearAuthorTitleResult2020No Fixed AddressWinnerCrushFinalistIn the Key of Nira GhandiFinalistFinalist and Byron EggenschwilerOperaticFinalistCall of the WraithFinalist and Natasha DonovanSurviving the CityFinalistFinalistFinalistStowawayFinalist2021BloomWinnerFinalist, Nahanni Shingoose, and Neal ShannacappoIf I Go MissingFinalistSafe HarbourFinalistSara and the Search for NormalFinalist and Sharon E. McKayYara's SpringFinalistFinalistDragon AssassinFinalist and Kathy KacerBroken StringsFinalistFinalist2022WinnerFireflyFinalistFinalistLinkedFinalistSisters of the WolfFinalist and Sasha NanuaSisters of the SnakeFinalistTremendous ThingsFinalistBirdspellFinalist and Natasha DonovanFrom the Roots UpFinalistUnder Amelia's WingFinalist2023Children of the FoxWinnerBatter RoyaleFinalist and Eric WaltersOn the LineFinalistUnder the Iron BridgeFinalistWalking in Two WorldsFinalistSorry for Your LossFinalistLet the Monster OutFinalistFinalistEight DaysFinalistFinalist2024The FortWinnerSimon Sort of SaysFinalistInto the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix Finalist and Autumn Bird and the RunawayFinalistBeatrice and Croc HarryFinalistDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's CallFinalistA Bucket of StarsFinalistSeekers of the Fox: Thieves of ShadowFinalist and SquireFinalistThe Last Saxon King: A Jump in Time NovelFinalist2025The OutsmartersFinalistHopeless in HopeFinalist40 Days in HicksvilleFinalist and The Cricket WarFinalistToday I AmFinalistBook of Screams 01Finalist and Call me AlFinalistEscape to PontiFinalistTigFinalistWhy We Play with FireFinalist

Non-fiction winners +Award winners and finalistsYearAuthorTitle2005Scams!2007Thieves!: Ten Stories of Surprising Heists, Comical Capers and Daring Escapades2009Royal Murder2011Bite of the Mango2013Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death20152017, Jessica Dee Humphreys, and Claudia DávilaChild Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War2019 and Susan McClellandEvery Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea

References