[Sequential: Canadian Comics News & Culture] Harvey Graphi Novel Wins GG

[Bryan]

Harvey, a graphic novel by writer Herve Bouchard and artist Janice Nadeau, has won two awards in the children's literature category of the Governor General's Awards. Published by Quebec publisher La Pasteque, the book won in both the writer and illustrator categories for French-language children's literature.

As noted during the announcement of the awards on November 17, this is the first time one book has won in both categories of children's literature (text and illustration). The double win is also notable in light of last year's controversy over the lack of nomination for cartoonist Jillian Tamaki for her work on the English-language graphic novel Skim, for which writer Mariko Tamaki was nominated.

Each award is valued at $25,000 and each winner receives a specially-bound copy of the winning book created by Montreal bookbinder Lise Dubois. The publisher receives $3,000 per winning book as well. This is the third career GG win for artist Nadeau.

Harvey is described at the Awards website as a book that "makes us feel the confusion and helplessness of a little boy faced with the death of his father. [Herve Bouchard's] surprising and extremely sensitive writing is deeply moving. Through a series of poetically powerful metaphors, he allows us the freedom to explore the multiple layers of his story."

Janice Nadeau's drawings depict "the sadness of spring and the melancholy of loss. The subtle drawings dance with the text and give rhythm to the reading. Herve Bouchard's Quebec comes alive under the brush strokes of the illustrator."

GG Press release

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Posted By Bryan to Sequential: Canadian Comics News & Culture at 11/24/2009 01:38:00 AM