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News, new releases, author meetings, interviews… The Press tells you what’s happening in the world of books.

Montreal celebrates comics

May is the month of comics and next weekend will be the 13th^e edition of the Montreal BD Festival on rue Saint-Denis, between Gilford and Roy. More than 300 comic artists are expected for the outdoor – and free – event from May 24 to 26, including the winner of the 2024 Booksellers Prize for her album A jellyfishBoum, or even Axelle Lenoir and Paul Bordeleau. Exhibitions are also planned throughout the walk, focusing on comics, manga and works finalist for the Bédélys prizes.

Laila Maalouf, The Press

Visit the festival website for the full program

An award in tribute to Caroline Dawson

The radio show host There will always be culture, Émilie Perreault, announced this week the creation of a new literary prize in tribute to the author of Where I hide, Caroline Dawson. Created in collaboration with the Equity, Diversity and Mobilization general direction of Radio-Canada, it will reward a novel or essay published in French by an emerging Canadian author from a diverse background. The prize will include a $2,000 scholarship and will be accompanied by an invitation to the show, as well as a possible adaptation of the work into an audio version for Radio-Canada OHdio.

Laila Maalouf, The Press

Let’s go for the National Book Battle

Five titles will compete again during the 7^e edition of the Combat national des livres, which will take place from May 27 to 30 and will, as always, be hosted by Marie-Louise Arsenault, on ICI Première. The author and actor Jocelyn Sioui chose The White Queen’s Kissby Tomson Highway (translated by Robert Dickson at Prize de parole), while actress and host Diane Losier will defend The Foleys, by Annie-Claude Thériault (Leaf Merchant). The accomplice ofInfoman and host of Culturama Chantal Lamarre, for her part, turned to Francis Ouellette’s first novel, Fancy Molasses (La Mèche), while the director and host of the Ontario cultural magazine TicketingAlison Vicrobeck, set her sights on The African prince, the translator and the Nazi, by Didier Leclair (David); David Thibodeau, Vancouver-based director and collaborator for The day (is still young) And Good evening !will defend for his part The version that interests no one, by Emmanuelle Pierrot (Le Quartanier). The public has until May 30 to vote for the winner of this literary contest which will be revealed on May 31, at the same time as the winner of the Children’s Book Combat.

Laila Maalouf, The Press

Consult the National Book Combat page

Visit the Children’s Book Fight page

Poetry in the spotlight in the city

The Montreal Poetry Festival is taking place throughout the city from May 26 to June 2. For the occasion, the unmissable Poetry Market returns after five years to Place Gérald-Godin, opposite the Mont-Royal metro station (from May 31 to June 2), with more than sixty publishing houses and magazines present and public readings on the menu, among others by Nicholas Dawson. You should also not miss the Cabaret Médium Glorieux-Moult, Rodrigol and guests, for an evening of poetry and bursting performances (May 26 at Cheval Blanc), or even the show Alloys: the big evening of the FPMduring which it will be possible to hear performances by Diane Régimbald, Stuart Ross and Emmanuel Deraps.

Laila Maalouf, The Press

Visit the festival website for the full program

Mischievous prize: Larry Tremblay and Camille Toffoli rewarded for their audacity

The winners of the Espiègle prize, which rewards daring children’s books whose subject disturbs, destabilizes or invites questioning, were revealed a few weeks ago. Among the titles intended for primary school students, it is The snowblower, by Larry Tremblay and Enzo, which caught the attention of the jury made up of representatives of the Association for the Promotion of School Documentary Services. In this original album, we follow an anxious snowplow who fears hurting children. Camille Toffoli’s essay Commit to friendshipwhich questions the place and role of friendly relationships in our lives, received honors for a book for adolescents.

Véronique Larocque, The Press

Something new from Armand Gamache

We already knew that the 19^e investigation by Armand Gamache, Louise Penny’s famous hero, was going to be released in the fall in English; we now have confirmation that the French version, The gray wolf, will appear simultaneously in French – for the first time – on October 29, in a translation by Paul Gagné. The penultimate title of the Estrian author, The madness of the crowdshas also just arrived in bookstores in paperback.

Laila Maalouf, The Press