
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 – October to September
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 – September 1
2024 Selection Committees
Co-Chairs of the Forest of Reading®
Co-Chair: Isabelle Hobbs, Durham District School Board (retired)
Co-Chair: Karen Devonish-Mazzotta, Toronto District School Board
Past-Chair: Ruth Gretsinger, District School Board of Niagara

Blue Spruce Award™
Emily Burns & Rabia Khokhar (Co-Chairs)
Angie Wurster, Anthea Bailie, Daniela Lombardo, Danny Neville, Geetha Padassery, Johanna Gibson-Lawler, Kendra Cutting, Laurel Van Dommelen, Lena Cybulskie, Melissa Bulgutch, Michele Collins, Natasha Rankin, Stephanie McPherson, Stephanie Wiliams, Tamara Kakish, Valerie Frantellizzi, Vani Parasram

Silver Birch Express Award®
Fiction Portion:
Ruth Gretsinger & Amy Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Aileen Allore, Brittany Shantz, Courtney Decker, Fiona Somerville, Gemma Larcina, Julie Najjar, Kate Stevenson, Katelyn Stoddart, Katie Sinclair, Kavita Derma, Lauren Flattery, Lillian Gretsinger
Non-Fiction Portion:
Melanie Mulcaster & Luisa Esposito (Co-Chairs)
Anne-Marie Sisti, Karen Clarkson, Maria Sirianni, Mishelle Pitter Adlam, Renee shah Singh

Silver Birch Fiction Award®
Ruth Gretsinger & Amy Johnston (Co-Chairs)
Aileen Allore, Brittany Shantz, Courtney Decker, Fiona Somerville, Gemma Larcina, Julie Najjar, Kate Stevenson, Katelyn Stoddart, Katie Sinclair, Kavita Derma, Lauren Flattery, Lillian Gretsinger

Yellow Cedar Award
Melanie Mulcaster & Luisa Esposito (Co-Chairs)
Anne-Marie Sisti, Karen Clarkson, Maria Sirianni, Mishelle Pitter Adlam, Renee shah Singh

Red Maple Award™
Patricia MacPhail & Alison Yntema (Co-Chairs)
Bonnie Moffat, Gina Decavallas, Karen Upper, Katie Okanski, Laurie Orford, Luisa Esposito-Karnataka, Mallory McMahon, Melissa Bogaert, Myra Junyk, Samantha Dillane

White Pine Award™
Enid Wray (Chair)
Alanna King, Angela Thompson, Brittany Cormier, Corrina McGill, Diana Williams, Jason Himsl, Julie Reed, Linda Gagatsis Kemp, Lisa Unger, Megan Halliday, Olivia Slykhuis, Rebecca Roach, Serena McGovern, Vanessa Vila

Le prix Peuplier
Evy Gambin, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Adrienne Hubbard, Christine Labelle, Karen Devonish-Mazzotta, Lynn MacDonald, Madison Cumbaa, Nancy Dion, Nancy Louis, Nathalie Cazenave-dit-Berdot, Nicole Alvey, Sonia Doyon

Le prix Mélèze
Evy Gambin, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Adriana Aranda-Cuevas, Adrienne Hubbard, Anna Romain, Chanelle Clément, Jennifer Aston, Luisa Esposito-Karantakis, Lynn MacDonald, Magali Enrico, Nathalie Cazenave-dit-Berdot, Nathalie Soini, Sonya Doyon

Le prix Tamarac
Eugenia Doval, Eugenia Doval, Claudine Blanchard (Chairs)
Amélie Bachelard, Anna Romain, Janet Brethour, Luisa Esposito-Karantakis, Nathalie Cazenave-dit-Berdot, Sabrina Battou, Véronique Habel

Evergreen Award™
Enid Wray & Julie Wendland (Co-Chairs)
Caroline Duncanson, Christina Wilson, Colleen Kelly, Ellen Rabie, Jeff Dodge, Lindsay MacFarlane, Mackenzie Hilton, Maggie Curry, Mary Burbidge, Stephanie MacPherson