The Great Goldbergs by Daniel Goodwin

“With generous storytelling, and biblical allusions, the author brings us into the world of the wealthy Goldberg family from the point of view of the outsider ‘Young Mr. McFall’ as he rises in the family business. With a touch of Mordecai Richler and notes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the novel introduces the reader to the international mining business, as family tensions complicate McFall’s relationships. Large in scope, intimate in tone The Great Goldbergs brilliantly portrays Montreal, a Jewish family and the coming of age of a naïve, but ultimately ambitious protagonist.” – Vine Awards Jury

Let it Destroy You by Harriet Alida Lye

“Drawing on letters and other documents of the time, the author invites us into the marriage of August and June Snow, as they await August’s trial at the International War Crimes Court. August has been accused of patenting a more lethal variation of the atomic bomb. His reason for developing this terrifying technology is not for the destruction it could unleash but as a desperate attempt to save his child. This compelling novel speaks of power: of individual pride, of gender roles, of world-wide destruction. Both utterly intimate and terrifyingly vast, with gorgeous prose and luminescent intelligence, Harriet Alida Lye challenges the reader to ask the deeply ethical questions about the choices we make in life.” – Vine Award Jury

Do You Remember Being Born? by Sean Michaels

“An extraordinary intellectual and emotional reading experience. Do You Remember Being Born? is both of its time and timeless, as it explores a remarkable collaboration. 75-year-old poet Marian Ffarmer and an AI program named Charlotte, are ‘matched’ to write an original poem. One of the best things about this novel, filled as it is with unexpected shots of brilliance, is that it is about poetry – poetry as metaphor and as itself, in all its expressiveness and wonder. Through flashbacks and as she evolves, a compelling portrait of Marian Ffarmer is revealed. And if Marian is a brilliant, believable and vivid character, so is Charlotte. She can surprise the reader and no less surprise Marian, as a creative and trusting relationship between the two is forged. A novel of extraordinary courage and ingenuity Do You Remember Being Born? is also a stunning exploration of creativity and what it is, or maybe, that makes us human.” – Vine Awards Jury

Cracking the Nazi Code by Jason Bell

“A masterfully crafted WWII non-fiction narrative forged from ground-breaking international research. Jason Bell unearths a trove of secret documents and has spun them into a WWII spy thriller that contributes startling and original perspectives on the rise of the Nazis. This is a uniquely Canadian-born story— tracing the transatlantic journey of Wynthrop Bell from Halifax to Berlin and chronicling his transformation from academic to secret agent. In doing so, the author reveals how the world was first alerted to Hitler’s Final Solution; the intriguing and important story serves as a powerful reminder that in the right place at the right time individuals with moral determination can change the course of history.” – Vine Awards Jury

Ilse Koch on Trial by Tomaz Jardim

“An unflinching re-examination of convicted war criminal Ilse Koch, deeply researched and deftly written. Tomaz Jardim delves fearlessly into the highly publicized prosecution of the wife of a concentration camp commandant, revealing how she became the ultimate scapegoat for a post-WWII world grappling with the aftermath of Nazi atrocities. Koch’s decades long incarceration and trials force the reader to confront complex questions related to gender identity, violence, and perceptions of justice. As Jardim’s story reminds us, Koch became an infamous figure in the global media, partially because she veered so far outside the era’s accepted gender behavior. An invaluable investigation and re-framing of a notorious public trial that astutely challenges entrenched historical perspectives and notions of equity.” – Vine Awards Jury

The Autumn Ghost by Hannah Wunsch

“A historical medical mystery reported with authority and style, focused on the hunt for a cure for polio. Dr. Hannah Wunsch elegantly assembles the story of a courageous group of doctors and medical researchers racing against time to create a defence against the pernicious epidemic that ravaged the world, and in doing so, reveals the foundations for what we now think of as modern medical care. Captivating prose, incisive interviews, testimony and research combine for a gripping tale that has deep resonance and implications for how our world pivoted to combat COVID-19. This is an inspiring tale focused on human creativity, innovation and courage prevailing over the specter of a terrifying and deadly virus that at first seemed unstoppable.” – Vine Awards Jury

Prophets of Love by Matthew Anderson

“Matthew Anderson creates some magical literary alchemy here, by comparing a pair of vastly different Jewish thinkers from two distinct historical eras. Who else would write an entire book that draws parallels between the contemporary poet and legend Leonard Cohen, and The Apostle Paul? Anderson pulls it off, using his two subjects, separated by millennia, to explore a range of subjects including mysticism, religious beliefs, sex, love and coming of age. Curious thinkers and readers with a philosophical bent will revel in the joys and contractions of Anderson’s findings, while uncovering new dimensions of the two celebrated personalities at the core of this imaginative and insightful work.” – Vine Awards Jury

Doppelganger by Naomi Klein

“A quirky coincidence of mistaken identity provides the starting point for what becomes an essential exploration of our increasingly polarized world. Naomi Klein takes an absurd happenstance—being erroneously identified as author Naomi Wolf— and converts it into a riveting existential investigation of contemporary identity, posing poignant questions related to increasingly divisive politics, shifting allegiances, and the real-world consequences of digital avatars. Cleverly peeling away at the layers of narrative that bind our society together, Klein steps into the role of Alice, taking us on an enthralling journey through the looking glass of the internet’s conspiracy-theory-laden rabbit holes. This is an entertaining, thought provoking and insightful tale of our time, and a sure-fire conversation starter at any dinner party.” – Vine Awards Jury

The Survivor by Joesf Lewkowicz

"The unique and powerful life story of a soul who endured multiple concentration camps and then transformed into an international Nazi-hunter. At the close of The Holocaust, Josef Lewkowicz was the sole survivor of an extended family of 150 members, and had faced torment after torment at the hands of his captors. Instead of opting for a quiet life in a peaceful corner of the world, though, he embarks on a remarkable journey, searching out those who had inflicted so much pain. This is a remarkable narrative about the human spirit, 10 and the search for meaning, hope, justice and solace after confronting the total horror of the Holocaust.” – Vine Awards Jury

The Stars by Jacques Goldstyn

“Yakov loves outer space, plans on trips to the Moon, to Mars. Meanwhile, he shepherds his sisters to the park to play, while he reads and dreams. His father rails at his dreams, expecting Yakov to take over the family grocery store, one day. Then Yakov meets Aicha who also loves everything celestial. People start to gossip, the fathers step in, walls go up. But it’s not the end for these two. In this beautiful book, Jacques Goldstyn’s delightful swirling illustration provides a robust narrative to elaborate upon the simple words on the page.” – Vine Awards Jury

Mixed Up by Gordon Korman

“Gordon Korman may have outdone himself with a novel that features his usual action-packed pacing and crazy ending, but which also has a mysterious sci-fi element in what is otherwise a realistic story. In alternating chapters, we meet Reef Moody and Theo Metzinger, two young teens who begin sharing each other’s memories, until those memories become more real than the things that really happen to them. It’s a complicated idea, astutely handled and accessible, that lends the book a serious edge, making it all the more compelling: a story about family and memory and loss.” – Vine Awards Jury

A Bucket of Stars by Suri Rosen

“Noah Cooper speaks “Constellation” but he’s not all that sure of his place in the universe. He, his brother, and a father who’s become distant and unreachable have moved to small town Ontario. Apart from excellent star gazing, things are not going well for Noah in this new home. Enter junior filmmaker Tara Dhillon. Stir in a potential environmental disaster and you have a mystery to solve, and two quirky kids on the case. In sprightly prose, smart and delightful, Suri Rosen writes a story about recovering family and taking on the powers that be to save a community.” – Vine Awards Jury

Fiction

• Gary Barwin, Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy (Random House Canada)
• Rivka Galchen, Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch (HarperCollins Publisher)
• Sheila Heti, Pure Colour (Knopf Canada) - WINNER

History

• Judy Battalion, The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos (HarperCollins Publishers)
• Mark Celinscak, Kingdom of Night: Witnesses to the Holocaust (University of Toronto Press)
• Jeffrey Veidinger, In the Midst of Civilized Europe: The Pogroms of 1918-1921 and the Onset of the Holocaust (HarperCollins Publishers) - WINNER

Non-Fiction

• Mark Braude, Kiki Man Ray (W.W. Norton)
• Anais Granofsky,The Girl in the Middle (HarperCollins Publishers)
• Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal (Knopf Canada) - WINNER

Poetry

• Leah Horlick, Moldovan Hotel (Brick Books)
• Aaron Kreuter, Shifting Baseline Syndrome (University of Regina Press)
• Adam Sol, Broken Dawn Blessings (ECW Press) - WINNER

Young Adult/Children's Literature

• Cary Fagan, Water, Water (Tundra Books) - WINNER
• Charlotte Schallié, But I Live: Three Stories of Child Survivors of the Holocaust (New Jewish Press)
• Erin Silver, Sitting Shiva (Orca Book Publishers)

Fiction

• Sidura Ludwig,You Are Not What We Expected (House of Anansi) - WINNER
• Nessa Rapoport, Evening (CounterPoint Press)
• Carol Windley, Midnight Train to Prague (HarperCollins Canada)

History

• Paul Roberts Bentley, Strange Journey: John R. Friedeberg Seeley and the Quest for Mental Health (Academic Studies Press)
• Sharon Kirsch, The Smallest Objective (New Star Books) - WINNER
• Celia Rabinovitch, Duchamp's Pipe: A Chess Romance- Marcel Duchamp and George Koltanowski (North Atlantic Books)

Non-Fiction

• Rachel Matlow, Dead Mom Walking (Penguin Random House Canada)
• Rick Salutin and Gideon Salutin, illustrated by Dušan Petričić, Gideon's Bible: A Father and Son Discuss God, the Bible, and Life (ECW Press)
• Myriam Steinberg, illustractions by Christache, Catologue Baby: A Memoir of (In)fertility (Page Two Books) -  WINNER

Young Adult/ Children's Literature

• Michelle Barker, My Long List of Impossible Things (Annick Press)
• Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kari Rust, Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You've Never Heard Of (Kids Can Press)
• Gordon Korman, War Stories (Scholastic Canada) - WINNER

Fiction

• David Bezmozgis, Immigrant City (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)
• Sarah Leavitt, Agnes, Murderess (Freehand Books) – WINNER
• David Szalay, Turbulence (McClelland & Stewart)

History

• Zelda Abramson & John Lynch, The Montreal Shtetl: Making Home After the Holocaust (Between the Lines)
• Matti Friedman, Spies of No Country (Signal, McClelland & Stewart) – WINNER
• Heidi J.S. Tworek, News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900-1945 (Harvard University Press)

Non-Fiction

• Naomi K. Lewis, Tiny Lights for Travellers (University of Alberta Press) – WINNER
• Ayelet Tsabari, The Art of Leaving (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)
• Diana Wichtel, Driving to Treblinka (Heritage House Publishing)

Young Adult/Children’s Literature

• Kathy Kacer, Masters of Silence (Annick Press)
• Edeet Ravel, A Boy is Not a Bird (Groundwood Books)
• Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer, Broken Strings (Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers) – WINNER

Fiction

• Claire Holden Rothman, Lear’s Shadow (Penguin Canada) - WINNER
• Aaron Kreuter, You and Me, Belonging (Tightrope Books)
• Natalie Morrill, The Ghost Keeper (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.)

Non-Fiction

• Anne Michaels, Infinite Gradation (Exile Editions) - WINNER
• Sarah Weinman, The Real Lolita (Knopf Canada)
• Lezli Rubin-Kunda, At Home: Talks with Canadian Artists about Place and Practice (Goose Lane Editions)

Poetry

• Linda Frank, Divided (Wolsak and Wynn Publishers) - WINNER
• Anne Michaels, All We Saw (McClelland & Stewart)
• Suzannah Showler, Thing Is (McClelland & Stewart)

History

• Benjamin Carter Hett, The Death of Democracy (Allen Lane Canada/Penguin Canada) - WINNER
• Robert Harris, Song of a Nation: The Untold Story of Canada’s National Anthem (McClelland & Stewart)
• Sarah Wobick-Segev, Homes Away from Home: Jewish Belonging in Twentieth Century Paris, Berlin and St. Petersburg (Stanford University Press)

Children’s/Young Adult

• Jonathan Auxier, Sweep (Puffin Canada/Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers) - WINNER
• Cary Fagan, Wolfie and Fly: Band on the Run (Tundra Books/Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers)
• Ellen Schwartz, Princess Dolls (Tradewind Books)

Fiction

• Bonnie Burstow, The Other Mrs. Smith (Inanna Publications)
• Laurie Gelman, Class Mom (Henry Holt and Company) - WINNER
• Rebecca Rosenblum, So Much Love (McClelland & Stewart)

Non-Fiction

• Molly Applebaum, Buried Words: The Diary of Molly Applebaum (The Azrieli Foundation)
• Elaine Dewar, The Handover (Biblioasis)
• Julija Šukys, Siberian Exile: Blood, War, and a Granddaughter’s Reckoning (University of Nebraska Press) -  WINNER

History

• Roger Frie, Not in My Family: Germany Memory and Responsibility After the Holocaust (Oxford University Press)
• Hugues Théorêt, The Blue Shirts: Adrien Arcand and Fascist Anti-Semitism in Canada (Translated by Ferdinanda Van Gennip and Howard Scott; University of Ottawa Press) - WINNER
• Max Wallace, In the Name of Humanity: The Secret Deal to End the Holocaust (Allen Lane)

Children’s/Young Adult

• Melanie Fishbane, Maud (Penguin Random House)
• Kathy Kacer, To Look a Nazi in the Eye: A Teen’s Account of a War Criminal Trial (Second Story Press)
• Deborah Katz, Rare is Everywhere (Miss Bird Books) - WINNER

Fiction

• Eric Beck Rubin, School of Velocity (Doubleday Canada)
• Peter Behrens, Carry Me (House of Anansi Press) - WINNER
• Danila Botha, For All the Men (and Some of the Women) I’ve Known (Tightrope Books)

Non-Fiction

• Sarah Barmak, Closer: Notes from the Orgasmic Frontier of Female Sexuality (Coach House Books)
• Judy Batalion, White Walls (Berkley/Penguin Random House)
• David Leach, Chasing Utopia (ECW Press)
• Miriam Libicki, Toward a Hot Jew (Fantagraphics Books Inc.) - WINNER

History

• Max Eisen, By Chance Alone (Harper Collins Publishers)
• Matti Friedman, Pumpkinflowers (McClelland & Stewart) - WINNER
• Ester Reiter, A Future Without Hate or Need: The Promise of the Jewish Left in Canada (Between the Lines)

Children’s/Young Adult

• Deborah Kerbel, Feathered (Kids Can Press)
• Tilar Mazzeo and Mary Farrell, Irena’s Children (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
• Irene N. Watts and Kathryn E. Shoemaker, Seeking Refuge (Tradewind Books) - WINNER

Fiction

• David Bezmozgis, The Betrayers (Harper Collins) - WINNER
• Joseph Kertes, The Afterlife of Stars (Penguin Books)
• Sean Michaels, Us Conductors (Random House Canada)
• Mireille Silcoff, Chez L’Arabe (House of Anansi Press)

Non-Fiction

• Bob Bossin, Davy the Punk (The Porcupine’s Quill)
• Mark Celinscak, Distance from the Belsen Heap: Allied Forces and the Liberation of a Nazi Concentration Camp (University of Toronto Press) - WINNER
• Daniel J. Levitin, The Organized Mind (Penguin Books)
• Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Monkeys, Myths and Molecules (ECW Press)

History

• Beverley Chalmers, Birth, Sex and Abuse: Women’s Voices under Nazi Rule (Grosvenor House Publishing) - WINNER
• Andrew Cohen, Two Days in June: John F. Kennedy and the 48 Hours that Made History (McClelland & Stewart)
• Maria Noriega Rachwal, From Kitchen to Carnegie Hall: Ethel Stark and the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra (Second Story Press)
• Ira Robinson, A History of Antisemitism in Canada (Wilfrid Laurier University Press)

Poetry

• Daniel Goodwin, Catullus’s Soldiers (Cormorant Books) - WINNER
• Seymour Mayne, Cusp Word Sonnets (Ronald P. Frye and Co.)
• Ruth Panofsky, The Collected Poems of Miriam Waddington (University of Ottawa Press)
• Rachel Zolf, Janey’s Arcadia (Coach House Books)

Children’s/Young Adult

• Emil Sher, Young Man with Camera (Scholastic Inc.) - WINNER
• Shelly Sanders, Rachel’s Hope (Second Story Press)
• Eva Wiseman, The World Outside (Tundra Books)
• Frieda Wishinsky, illustrations by Willow Dawson, Avis Dolphin (House of Anansi Press)