Selection Committee
FRANÇAIS
Mandate:
The Forest of Reading has ten individual selection committees that are tasked with selecting the annual nominated lists for children and adults. After reviewing all applications, the Forest of Reading Staff appoints the committees to read, review and recommend Canadian books that meet the selection criteria and are deemed to be the best available titles for a given year, in a given program.
- Terms of Reference – Selection Committee
- Terms of Reference – Selection Committee Chairs
- Selection Committee Timeline & Reading Requirements Chart
- Forest of Reading Selection Policy
Note: OLA strives to ensure that its staff, committees, and councils are diverse and inclusive in order to best serve the Ontario library community. There is immense value in bringing together various perspectives and ideas. OLA seeks out participation from members with different library experience; members from all regions of Ontario; Indigenous Peoples; and members with diverse backgrounds including but not limited to age, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability. If you have any questions about getting involved, please contact the OLA staff liaison for the committee/council.
Reading Timelines
The timeline for each Award varies due to the reading demands for each program. Below is the schedule of reading:
- Blue Spruce – April to June
- Silver Birch – January to August
- Yellow Cedar – December to July
- Red Maple – October to August
- White Pine – October to August
- Le prix Peuplier – July
- Le prix Mélèze – March to August
- Le prix Tamarac – March to August
- Evergreen – February to December
Application Deadlines
Applications are accepted all year round, however Chairs will select the committees based on applications up until the dates below
- Blue Spruce – February 1
- Silver Birch – November 1
- Yellow Cedar – November 1
- Red Maple – October 1
- White Pine – October 1
- Le prix Peuplier – January 1
- Le prix Mélèze – January 1
- Le prix Tamarac – January 1
- Evergreen – February 1
2023 Selection Committees
Co-Chairs of the Forest of Reading®
Ruth Gretsinger, District School Board of Niagara
Isabelle Hobbs, Durham District School Board (retired)

Blue Spruce Award™
Emily Burns & Rabia Khokhar (Co-Chairs)
Angie Wurster, Ardis Chedore, Danny Neville, Geetha Padassery, Johanna Lawler, Kendra Cutting, Laurel Van Dommelen, Melissa Bulgutch, Michele Collins, Natasha Rankin, Stephanie McPherson, Stephanie Wiliams, Tanushree Krishnanand, Valerie Frantellizzi

Silver Birch Express Award®
Fiction Portion:
Ruth Gretsinger & Amy Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Courtney Decker, Gemma Larcina, Kate Stevenson Hasek, Katelyn Stoddart, Katie Sinclair, Kavita Derma, Lauren Flattery, Lillian Gretsinger, Linda Gagatsis
Valerie Frantellizzi
Non-Fiction Portion:
Melanie Mulcaster & Luisa Esposito (Co-Chairs)
Anne-Marie Sisti, Brandy Goffigan, Donna Lynch, Jenny Pust, Karen Clarkson, Rebecca Bootsma

Silver Birch Fiction Award®
Ruth Gretsinger & Amy Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Courtney Decker, Gemma Larcina, Kate Stevenson Hasek, Katelyn Stoddart, Katie Sinclair, Kavita Derma, Lauren Flattery, Lillian Gretsinger, Linda Gagatsis
Valerie Frantellizzi

Yellow Cedar Award
Melanie Mulcaster & Luisa Esposito (Co-Chairs)
Anne-Marie Sisti, Brandy Goffigan, Donna Lynch, Jenny Pust, Karen Clarkson, Rebecca Bootsma

Red Maple Award™
Patricia MacPhail & Samantha Dillane (Co-Chairs)
Agnieszka Marszalek, Alison Yntema, David Rilling, Karen Upper, Laurie Burnett, Laurie Orford, Lisa Carl, Melissa Bogart, Myra Junyk

White Pine Award™
Enid Wray (Chair)
Angela Thompson, Brittany Cormier, Diana Williams, Heather Mathers, Jason Himsl, Julie Reed, Karen Whiteman, Matthew Clark, Megan Halliday, Olivia Slykhuis, Sam Elmsley, Serena McGovern, Terri Caroleo

Le prix Peuplier
Evy Gambin, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Andrée Girard, Chanelle Clément, Christine Labelle, Daniel Paré, Karen Devonish-Mazzotta, Lynn MacDonald, Madison Cumbaa, Marie-Eve Richer, Nancy Dion, Nancy Louis, Natalie Bedard, Shweta Gandhi, Sonia Doyon

Le prix Mélèze
Evy Gambin, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Andrée Girard, Chanelle Clément, Daniel Paré, Enrico Magali, Lynn MacDonald, Sonya Doyon

Le prix Tamarac
Eugenia Doval, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Andrée Girard, Elisabeth Beaulieu, Julie Charobonneau, Nadia Caidi, Véronique Habel

Evergreen Award™
Enid Wray & Julie Wendland (Co-Chairs)
Alanna King, Caroline Duncanson, Chris Wilson, Colleen Kelly, Ellen Rabie, Emily Weiskopf-Ball, Jeff Dodge, Lindsay MacFarlane, Maggie Curry, Mary Burbidge, Stephanie MacPherson