What is the Festival of Trees?
THE FOREST OF READING AWARD PROGRAMS... Where Children and Young Adults pick the Winner! Get them involved in the largest recreational reading program in the Country!
The readers read to be eligible to vote for their favourite Canadian book. You can help ensure they have success by supporting them in this program. The Award affords an opportunity to honour and encourage imaginative authors/illustrators who create works with high appeal to children and young adults. There are no politics. Authors/Illustrators win by writing books that readers like - pure and simple. Make sure your child or young adult is in a Forest program.
Encourage your child to read, read, read.
Children get very excited with this program. They take considerable ownership if they can get through a lot of books, but they gain even more if the adults around them are encouraging them. For younger children you can build interest by reading some of the books aloud or getting your young person to tell you about them. For older kids you can get them engaged in interesting conversations about the books subject matter or introduce them to other books by the same authors.
The Forest is important because...
“…the Forest makes you smart and you can learn from information in the books…”
“…some people think books are just for looking at pictures…before I hated books but now I love them…Now I have a good collection of books.”
“…books teach very interesting facts and people can learn how to do pranks, where animals live, how to save animals or just jokes!”
“…normally only adults can vote for stuff and children can’t vote. In the Forest you can vote for your favourite book. Also, I normally just read books on topics that I know and that I know I will like. The Forest shows me a variety of books I’d like to read.”
“…I can talk to a teacher or adult about a book and I can have a private discussion on it and we can have different views about the book.”
“…sometimes when people read a lot they can’t find new books to read. The Forest of Reading helps because it has new recommendations for books to read. Also, it is in a lot of schools, so if your friend is in a different school you can talk about the books.“
“…It is better than reading books because it’s hard to find someone who’s reading the same one as you, so reading doesn’t come up a lot, which is why some people might not like to read…”
“…you get to read books on a regular basis and if you didn’t like reading before you get used to doing the Forest programs every year and really get interested in reading.”
“…It makes us want to read the books because you want to know who’s in the competition so then you can say, ‘I want this book to win!’ It is a fun reason to read.”
“…when you read, you get more knowledge in your brain! The Forest books are interesting and come with good lessons.”
“…it represents non-fiction, fiction etc. It also makes our authors more famous because people vote for their books and it help you learn, teaches you morals and my favourite part – The Festival of Trees™. You can buy books and you might even meet authors!”
“…it encourages kids to read.”
“…by voting you are able to say ‘I like this one’ and by the votes the authors will know what they need to improve on to write better books. The Forest also helps with us learning new subjects and becoming more knowledgeable.”
“…kids get to explore books and learn who the authors are and tell the authors what they liked and didn’t like (in person or on-line). Kids get to vote and you get into a habit of voting so that when you get older, you don’t become to lazy to vote.”
The readers read to be eligible to vote for their favourite Canadian book. You can help ensure they have success by supporting them in this program. The Award affords an opportunity to honour and encourage imaginative authors/illustrators who create works with high appeal to children and young adults. There are no politics. Authors/Illustrators win by writing books that readers like - pure and simple. Make sure your child or young adult is in a Forest program.
Encourage your child to read, read, read.
Children get very excited with this program. They take considerable ownership if they can get through a lot of books, but they gain even more if the adults around them are encouraging them. For younger children you can build interest by reading some of the books aloud or getting your young person to tell you about them. For older kids you can get them engaged in interesting conversations about the books subject matter or introduce them to other books by the same authors.
The Forest is important because...
“…the Forest makes you smart and you can learn from information in the books…”
“…some people think books are just for looking at pictures…before I hated books but now I love them…Now I have a good collection of books.”
“…books teach very interesting facts and people can learn how to do pranks, where animals live, how to save animals or just jokes!”
“…normally only adults can vote for stuff and children can’t vote. In the Forest you can vote for your favourite book. Also, I normally just read books on topics that I know and that I know I will like. The Forest shows me a variety of books I’d like to read.”
“…I can talk to a teacher or adult about a book and I can have a private discussion on it and we can have different views about the book.”
“…sometimes when people read a lot they can’t find new books to read. The Forest of Reading helps because it has new recommendations for books to read. Also, it is in a lot of schools, so if your friend is in a different school you can talk about the books.“
“…It is better than reading books because it’s hard to find someone who’s reading the same one as you, so reading doesn’t come up a lot, which is why some people might not like to read…”
“…you get to read books on a regular basis and if you didn’t like reading before you get used to doing the Forest programs every year and really get interested in reading.”
“…It makes us want to read the books because you want to know who’s in the competition so then you can say, ‘I want this book to win!’ It is a fun reason to read.”
“…when you read, you get more knowledge in your brain! The Forest books are interesting and come with good lessons.”
“…it represents non-fiction, fiction etc. It also makes our authors more famous because people vote for their books and it help you learn, teaches you morals and my favourite part – The Festival of Trees™. You can buy books and you might even meet authors!”
“…it encourages kids to read.”
“…by voting you are able to say ‘I like this one’ and by the votes the authors will know what they need to improve on to write better books. The Forest also helps with us learning new subjects and becoming more knowledgeable.”
“…kids get to explore books and learn who the authors are and tell the authors what they liked and didn’t like (in person or on-line). Kids get to vote and you get into a habit of voting so that when you get older, you don’t become to lazy to vote.”
The Blue Spruce™ Award
The Blue Spruce™ Award program brings recently published Canadian children's picture books to Ontario children ages 4 to 7 in kindergarten through to grade two. For many children, this is their first introduction to the world of books.
This program promotes reading for enjoyment and begins to develop the readers skill in evaluating a picture book based on story, text and pictures. Readers are also provided opportunities to discuss these picture books in an authentic manner.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for the list of the 2012 Blue Spruce nominees.
The Blue Spruce™ Award program brings recently published Canadian children's picture books to Ontario children ages 4 to 7 in kindergarten through to grade two. For many children, this is their first introduction to the world of books.
This program promotes reading for enjoyment and begins to develop the readers skill in evaluating a picture book based on story, text and pictures. Readers are also provided opportunities to discuss these picture books in an authentic manner.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for the list of the 2012 Blue Spruce nominees.
The Silver Birch® Award
The Silver Birch® Award is comprised of three separate lists of Fiction, Non-Fiction, and an Express list that is made up of both Fiction and Non-Fiction, geared to the more reluctant reader. The Silver Birch® program is meant for readers aged 8 to 12, from Grades 3-6, with the Express list focusing on the lower grade level and the Fiction and Non-Fiction focusing on the Grade 5 and 6 readers.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Fiction nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Non-fiction nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Express nominees.
The Silver Birch® Award is comprised of three separate lists of Fiction, Non-Fiction, and an Express list that is made up of both Fiction and Non-Fiction, geared to the more reluctant reader. The Silver Birch® program is meant for readers aged 8 to 12, from Grades 3-6, with the Express list focusing on the lower grade level and the Fiction and Non-Fiction focusing on the Grade 5 and 6 readers.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Fiction nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Non-fiction nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Silver Birch Express nominees.
The Red Maple™ Award
The Red Maple™ Award reading program is offered for the enjoyment of students in Grades 7 and 8, ages 12 to 13. This program includes a Fiction list every year and every other year Red Maple also offers a Non-Fiction list. This program aims to get readers engaging in conversation around the books and encourages them to use critical thinking while reading.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Red Maple nominees.
The Red Maple™ Award reading program is offered for the enjoyment of students in Grades 7 and 8, ages 12 to 13. This program includes a Fiction list every year and every other year Red Maple also offers a Non-Fiction list. This program aims to get readers engaging in conversation around the books and encourages them to use critical thinking while reading.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Red Maple nominees.
The White Pine™ Award
The White Pine™ Award reading program offers high school-aged teens at all grade levels the opportunity to read the best of Canada's recent young adult fiction and non-fiction titles. Each year a Fiction list is offered and every other year a Non-Fiction list is nominated so readers can choose from two lists.
This program promotes reading for enjoyment among high school-aged students and familiarizes them with great Canadian books, by Canadian Authors.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for the 2012 White Pine Fiction nominees.
Click here for the 2012 White Pine Non-fiction nominees.
The White Pine™ Award reading program offers high school-aged teens at all grade levels the opportunity to read the best of Canada's recent young adult fiction and non-fiction titles. Each year a Fiction list is offered and every other year a Non-Fiction list is nominated so readers can choose from two lists.
This program promotes reading for enjoyment among high school-aged students and familiarizes them with great Canadian books, by Canadian Authors.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for the 2012 White Pine Fiction nominees.
Click here for the 2012 White Pine Non-fiction nominees.
Le Prix Tamarac
Le Prix Tamarac is a program that invites young people of the Province of Ontario to read by allowing them to vote for their favourite books (fiction and non-fiction) from a selection of the best Canadian books written in French.
Le Prix Tamarac est un programme qui invite les jeunes de la province de l'Ontario à lire en leur permettant de voter pour leurs livres préférés (romans et documentaires) parmi une sélection des meilleurs livres canadiens rédigés en français.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Prix Tamarac nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Tamarac Express nominees.
All information for this page was taken from the OLA website.
Le Prix Tamarac is a program that invites young people of the Province of Ontario to read by allowing them to vote for their favourite books (fiction and non-fiction) from a selection of the best Canadian books written in French.
Le Prix Tamarac est un programme qui invite les jeunes de la province de l'Ontario à lire en leur permettant de voter pour leurs livres préférés (romans et documentaires) parmi une sélection des meilleurs livres canadiens rédigés en français.
AWARD GIVEN: Festival of Trees™ in Toronto in May
Click here for a list of the 2012 Prix Tamarac nominees.
Click here for a list of the 2012 Tamarac Express nominees.
All information for this page was taken from the OLA website.