The West Coast Book Prize Society is thrilled to announce the winners of the 41th annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. Prizes are awarded annually to recognize the achievements of BC and Yukon authors, illustrators, and publishers. Award winners are selected through a juried system, with five finalists in each prize category, including the winner selected in each prize category. Here is the list of the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes winners:
Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize – Shashi Bhat, Death by a Thousand Cuts: Stories (McClelland and Stewart)
Jurors: Susan Sanford Blades, Brandon Reid, and Lindsay Wong
Statement from the jury:
“Razor-eyed, evocative and thoroughly entertaining, Death By A Thousand Cuts expertly lays bare the trials and tribulations of modern-day women who rail against patriarchal standards of beauty, generational and cultural expectations, as well as the unexpected betrayals of their own bodies. There is dark humour and poignancy in this delightful feminist collection. Bhat is a gifted storyteller who truly shines in displaying how the effects of one small act of betrayal can ripple out over a lifetime. She has an uncanny understanding of what makes us fundamentally human in the age of internet dating and identity politics, amidst the complex and shifting dynamics of an increasingly absurd and ungenerous world.”
Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize – Minelle Mahtani, May it Have a Happy Ending: A Memoir of Finding my Voice as my Mother Lost Hers (Doubleday Canada)
Jurors: Tara Sidhoo Fraser and Natalie Virginia Lang
Statement from the jury:
“Jury members selected May it Have a Happy Ending on account of the captivating writing which had us devouring page after page, leaving us deeply nourished. The author’s complex, traumatic, and intimately personal relationship with herself, her mother, and the voices of whispering ancestors captures a tension we will all feel at one time in our lives, yet will not often have the courage to describe. It is both crushingly honest, heartbreaking, and enlightening. Mahtani has crafted a beautifully written narrative that is lyrical and poetic. It dares to challenge traditionally written form through a compilation of first person storytelling, poetry, things we Google when there’s nothing left to be done, and thoroughly poignant reflections of the little things missed when a loved one is no longer there. We chose this book, among many incredible contenders, because it spoke to us of how to move through the world with grace, courage, and wisdom, when all we seem to meet along the way is our own unique flavour of struggle.”
Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize – Leanne Dunic, wet (Talonbooks)
Jurors: Tara Borin, Aislinn Hunter, and David Ly
Statement from the jury:
“Wet moves with the clarity and patience of water itself, layering observations of place with intimate reckonings of identity. Dunic’s poems are simultaneously tender and unyielding, offering a lens on how the personal and ecological intertwine. The poems in wet are attentive and crisp, balancing images with undercurrent, unflinching in their keen observations. In this book we are ferried along by Dunic’s compelling voice, her searching and knowing ‘eye’ and the narrative’s unbridled propulsion. This is a work that holds and troubles the false binary between the banal and the extraordinary, that navigates stakes and ennui with a recurring ethic of care – for human and animal others, for the planet, and for the self moving across it. “
Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize – Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson with Robert Davidson, A Haida Wedding (Heritage House Publishing)
Jurors: Dalys Barney, Jamella Hagen, and Dr. Alyce Johnson
Statement from the Jury:
“A Haida Wedding works at reviving cultural traditions in BC, particularly with the Haida people. It has a softer note, and invites the reader to enjoy and celebrate the resilience of cultural traditions among Indigenous people in Canada. A story of resurgence and love, A Haida Wedding contributes deeply to our shared understanding of Indigenous peoples in BC. We enjoyed the book for its hope, its strength, and its beauty in weaving together stories and images, including maps, fashion design, totem poles, canoes, and newspaper clippings. The book fuses the language of cultural traditions of the past to the truth of future generations. From its stunning cover to the last page, A Haida Wedding builds a literature that is based in community, connection, and commitment.”
Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize – Li Charmaine Anne, Crash Landing (Annick Press)
Jurors: Cath Ayres, Dan Bar-El, and Wanda John-Kehewin
Statement from the Jury:
“Crash Landing is a truthful, messy and beautiful exploration of what it means to grow up and claim your own identity, even if you haven’t found it yet. The story is immediately immersive, inviting you to skate alongside Jay through the streets of 2010 Vancouver. The delineation of East and West Van, and the judgements and prejudices both within and between distinct communities, feels authentic and honest. Jay’s first person narration is realistic, relatable and raw; Li embraces the complexities of the teenage voice, allowing Jay to be both vulnerable and brave as she struggles to push back against cultural expectations and norms, makes bold choices and learns from her mistakes.
Jay’s Chinese-Canadian heritage doesn’t define her, but it does shape her life, and her family’s values and choices. Her experiences are at once specific and universal, as she navigates her final year of school, tries to decide what she wants to do and who she wants to be, and meets people who make her question what really matters. In Ash, Jay finds someone who inspires her, encourages her and sees her completely. Their relationship progresses naturally as Jay navigates new questions around her sexuality, in an authentic depiction of the type of friendship and first love that can feel world-ending. Jay’s creativity and passion for skateboarding and filmmaking echo throughout the book, described in a way that is both natural and accessible for those with no prior knowledge (like these jurors!). Against a vivid backdrop of pavements, skate parks and late night conversations, Li Chamaine Ann has crafted a coming of age story full of maturity, heart and hope.”
Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize – Julie Morstad, A Face is a Poem (Tundra Books)
Jurors: E.G. Alaraj, Jaclyn Fong, and Christine Leist
Jury Statement:
“A Face Is a Poem is an inquisitive glance at the familiar and unusual landscapes of faces. Wonderous questions cast myriad reflections upon all kinds of near-and-dear faces, increasing our attentiveness to what makes each one unique. Morstad’s charming illustration style, inclusive of monochrome line drawing, watercolour, collage, hand-lettering and graphic elements, her careful attention to detail, her use of visual variety, and her talent for composition all support the kaleidoscope of ideas that makes this work remarkable. As faces are of the first landscapes children explore, this book offers multiple points of connection and discovery for families.”
Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes –Sarah Leavitt, Something, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and Love (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Jurors: Antoinette Green Oliph, Roshni Riar, and Brendan Turner
Statement from the Jury:
“Something, Not Nothing for goodness’ sake…It’s a Graphic Novel, a comic strip, it’s cartoon characters. How could a book such as this have enough seriousness, weight, depth, grip, wonder or bones to earn the title of winner of the BC and Yukon Book Prize?
This is a book you can’t put down once you’ve picked it up. It knocks you down, spins you around and then takes a grip on you until you reach the finish.
Something, Not Nothing takes you through the stages of grief in a palpable way.
This book has sharp edges and, yet it is tender-hearted. Grief is an unfamiliar place you don’t understand, until you do.
How do you know how to do anything whilst in the midst of grieving? How do you let go of someone you’ve held so close? Something, Not Nothing teaches you how to walk the whole distance slowly. And how to embrace “The Olam Habah” – The World to Come. It’s a must read.”
Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award – Dana Claxton and Dr. Curtis Collins, Curve!: Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast (Figure 1 Publishing)
Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence – Fred Wah
The recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence will be recognized as having written a substantial body of literary work throughout their career and contributed significantly to the literary community/industry of the Province of British Columbia.
Vancouver poet Fred Wah has published numerous books of poetry, fiction, and criticism. His work has been awarded the Governor-General’s Award, among others. He is a former Parliamentary Poet Laureate and on Officer of the Order of Canada. His best-known book is Diamond Grill, a biofiction about a small-town Chinese-Canadian café. is a door was awarded the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize in 2020. Talonbooks recently published Scree: The Collected Earlier Poems 1961-1991, beholden: a poem as long as the river (a collaboration with Rita Wong), and the collected Music at the Heart of Thinking.
Jurors: Cathy Armstrong, Kevin Chong, and Dani Sidloski
Statement from the Jury: “With a publishing history that spans 60 years and a teaching career that lasted decades, Fred Wah’s impact on BC literature is long, wide, and deep. Wah’s work, which includes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and criticism, has often focused on hybridities of people, cultures, and form. In a province full of writers and readers with overlapping identities and histories, Wah shows us all how to plumb the hyphen for new meanings.”
Borealis Prize: The Commissioner of Yukon Award for Literary Contribution – Linda Johnson 
The recipient of the Borealis Prize will be recognized as having spent significant time living and working among the writing community in Yukon and made substantial contributions to the Yukon writing and publishing community through writing, publishing, community organizing, Indigenous writing and storytelling, or in many other ways.
Linda Johnson has lived and worked in the traditional territories of Yukon First Nations since 1974. As a historian and archivist, she has been guided by First Nations Elders and culture bearers, along with other long-time northern residents to seek fresh perspectives on Indigenous and northern research sources, issues and events. Linda comes from a Canadian immigrant family, with Scottish ancestry on her mother’s side dating from the 1780s in New Brunswick and Swedish heritage on her father’s side from the 1880s in Manitoba. Born and raised in Ottawa, she was deeply influenced by oral traditions shared by her maternal relatives. Linda’s travels in the mountain landscapes of Yukon, Alaska, British Columbia and the NWT have shaped her sense of continuity and change, the interplay between people and environments, and the urgent need for climate awareness and action.
Jurors: Jacqueline Bedard, Gùdia Mary Jane Johnson, and Colin Wolf
Statement from the jury “Linda Johnson has made significant contributions to researching, writing, and providing leadership and mentorship in profiling the Yukon’s history through a number of notable publications. Some of these include The Kandik Map: Cultural Exchange Along the Yukon River; Kwanlin Dün First Nation’s publication Dä̀ Kwandür Ghày Ghàkwändür: Our Stories in Our Words; Whitehorse: An Illustrated History; and Lhù’ààn Mân Keyí Dän Kwánje Nààtsat: Kluane Lake Country People Speak Strong.
Choosing a recipient for this award was challenging, as there were many strong nominations, each reflecting meaningful contributions to the Yukon. However, the jury was unanimous in selecting Linda Johnson. Her passion for the Yukon, its people, and its history is evident in all of her work. We wholeheartedly congratulate Linda on her many decades of dedication to documenting and preserving the Yukon’s rich history.”