The BC Book Prizes tour will be making a stop in Powell River on Wednesday, May 2, marking the first time it has visited the Upper Sunshine Coast. Including the community is long overdue, according to executive director Bryan Pike.
“We’ve never made it up to Powell River, and it’s time,” he said.
Nominees presenting in Powell River are Roxanna Bikadoroff, illustrator for the shortlisted children’s book The Alphabet Thief, and K. Jane Watt, award-winning author of Surrey: A City of Stories.
The Alphabet Thief was written by CBC radio host Bill Richardson.
“It’s about this thieving rogue who steals letters from words,” said Bikadoroff, who added that the process of visual storytelling for children’s books is a great deal of fun.
“All my illustrations, I try to really bring the writing to life,” she said.
Bikadoroff and Richardson are currently collaborating on a second children’s book to be released later this year. Langley-based historian Watt’s coffee table-styled book was shortlisted for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize, which is awarded to an author who illustrates the enjoyment and understanding of BC through their writing contribution.
Along with the public gathering at the library, the authors will be making stops at local schools during the tour. The opportunity for children and youth to meet and interact with writers and illustrators is valuable, said Pike.
“It’s great for kids to see that books come from people and actually meet those people,” he said. “And to realize that everybody’s story is important.
The BC Book Prizes were established in 1985 to celebrate achievements of BC writers and publishers. This is the tour’s 15th year. School visits are funded by the group.
“We do all the fundraising for it so the schools don’t have to pay for us to come out,” said Pike. “This way they don’t have to choose between new hockey jerseys and an author.”
The public presentations will be held in the First Credit Union Community Room at the library at 7 pm.
