Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award

The Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award was established in 1985 following the death of Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver, one of Canada’s pre-eminent book illustrators. In her will, Cleaver left a fund of $10,000 dollars for an award to be given annually in recognition of outstanding artistic talent in a Canadian picture book. The recipient receives a cheque for $1,000 dollars and a certificate.

The Cleaver Award is administered by a committee of three members of the Canadian section of the International Board on Books for Young People.

Criteria and Submission Information

• The recipient is a Canadian illustrator of a picture book published in Canada in English or French during the previous calendar year.
• To be eligible, the book must be a first edition and contain original illustrations by a Canadian illustrator (either a citizen or permanent resident).
• All genres are considered: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and folk and fairy tales.
• There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for each title submitted to the Cleaver Award. This fee will be used to offset administration costs as well as costs associated with the presentation of the award.

The deadline for submitting to the 2023 award is November 1, 2023. View the full 2023 Call for Submissions in English and French.

Cleaver submission fees may be paid online by PayPal:

Past Winners of the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award

• 2022 – Dena Seiferling, Night Lunch (Press release)
• 2021 – Gérard DuBois, À qui appartiennent les nuages? (Press release)
• 2020 – Marie-Louise Gay, The Three Brothers (Press release)
• 2019 – Rachel Wada, The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden (Press release)
• 2018 – Julie Morstad, Bloom (Press release)
• 2017 – Julie Kraulis, A Pattern for Pepper (Press release)
• 2016 – Isabelle Arsenault, Louis parmi les spectres (Press release)
• 2015 – Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers (Press release)
• 2014 – Pierre Pratt, Stop, Thief! (Press release)
• 2013 – Julie Morstad, How To (Press release)
• 2012 – Isabelle Arsenault, Virginia Wolf
• 2011 – Cybèle Young, A Few Blocks
• 2010 – Julie Flett, Lii Yiiboo Nayaapiwak lii Swer: L’Alfabet di Michif / Owls See Clearly at Night: A Michif Alphabet
• 2009 – Oleg Lipchenko, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
• 2008 – Christine Delezenne, La Clé
• 2007 – Stéphane Jorisch, The Owl and the Pussycat
• 2006 – Kady MacDonald Denton, Snow
• 2005 – Geneviève Côté, The Lady of Shalott
• 2004 – Stéphane Poulin, Un chant de Noël
• 2003 – Pierre Pratt, Where’s Pup?
• 2002 – Janie Jaehyun Park, The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon
• 2001 – Marie-Louise Gay, Stella, Queen of the Snow
• 2000 – Michèle Lemieux, Stormy Night
• 1999 – Kady MacDonald Denton, A Child’s Treasury of Nursery Rhymes
• 1998 – Pascal Mileli, Rainbow Bay
• 1997 – Harvey Chan, Ghost Train
• 1996 – Janet Wilson, Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt
• 1995 – Murray Kimber, Josepha: A Prairie Boy’s Story
• 1994 – Leo Yerxa, Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall
• 1993 – Barbara Reid, Two by Two
• 1992 – Ron Lightburn, Waiting for the Whales
• 1991 – Paul Morin, The Orphan Boy
• 1990 – Ian Wallace, The Name of the Tree
• 1989 – Eric Beddows, Night Cars
• 1988 – Stéphane Poulin, Can You Catch Josephine?
• 1987 – Barbara Reid, Have You Seen Birds?
• 1986 – Ann Blades, By the Sea: An Alphabet Book