The Children’s Book Prize from the Bibliothèques de Montréal and its $5,000 grant reward this year The boy with upside down feet (Fides editions), by the late François Blais.
This choice, unveiled Tuesday early afternoon at Montreal city hall, based on the literary qualities of the work, was described by the deceased author’s mother as “a snub” to Public Health, which had designated his son’s book as delicate and potentially dangerous.
In a “warning” issued last year, the ministry warned that “the content of the book alone constitutes a risk factor for a suicidal act in a vulnerable young person”.
The award-winning author’s mother, Ginette Branchaud, addressed the controversy while accepting the award on behalf of her deceased son. “I am all the more happy given the immense controversy that surrounded the release of this book,” she said in front of a small gathering including elected officials, authors and representatives of publishing houses.
“It’s a snub, winning the prize, and that makes me very happy,” she added in an interview with Duty. The controversy shocked me at first, but afterwards I told myself that there was no point in worrying about it. I told myself that people are not innocent either and that they would understand. It was like a storm in a glass of water. »
“Is this a snub to the ministry? I don’t know, continued publisher David Sénéchal, who relaunched the youth division at Fides in 2020. I hope first and foremost that it is for the literary qualities of François’ work, and not for simple political reasons. But it’s a balm after the controversy, of course. »
The jury for the Children’s Book Prize brought together four librarians from the city’s library network. They unanimously chose the work of François Blais. The jurors were not present at the unveiling of their choice. An official statement subsequently obtained asserts that the controversy surrounding the book played no role in the awarding of the prize.
“The jury recognized the exceptional quality of the work and unanimously chose to award the winning prize to the novel by François Blais,” says the response sent to Duty by email by the City’s press relations officers on behalf of the jury. This genre novel, tackling varied themes such as friendship and the supernatural, is both captivating and frightening. […] This work offers us strong, determined and endearing female characters. The quality of the plot and the story in its entirety charmed the members of the jury, who unanimously recognized the quality and originality of this work. »
No character voluntarily kills themselves in this paranormal thriller published last year. The only victim, Kaleb Saint-Martin, 5 years old, ingests a lethal substance to respond to the challenge of a demon who promises him a bicycle. He wants the bike, not death. The author François Blais, however, committed suicide in May 2022.
The warning from the Department of Health and Human Services has been criticized from all sides. “I think we have gone a little far,” even declared the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé.
Four other works were finalists: The voice of natureby Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay; Ostrich Ascendant Cancerby Julie Champagne; Until it goes bang, by Alexandra Larochelle; And Orbie, draw me a billibutton, d’Orbie (illustration) and Frédérick Wolfe (text). The Friends of the Library of Montreal association awards a $500 scholarship to each of them. The Montreal Libraries Children’s Book Prize has been awarded annually for 19 years.
The Grand Prix du livre de Montréal, for its part, is awarded to Andréane Frenette-Vallières for her poetic essay You will choose the mountains (Editions du Noroît). This honor comes with a $15,000 scholarship.