Awards
Awards
University of Waterloo Alumni Achievement Award, 2024
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Antiracism and Equity Activism Award 2023-2024
ByBlacks People's Choice Awards Winner, Malaika, Carnival Queen 2023
Forest of Reading (Blue Spruce Award) Nomination Malaika’s Surprise 2022
TD Grade One Children’s Book Giveaway for Malaika’s Costume 2021
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Writers' Award 2018
SCBWI Canada East Rising Kite Award & Scholarship 2018
6 Black Canadian Writers to Watch in 2018, CBC Canada
A Different Booklist People's Award for Contribution in Children's Literature* 2016
* my friend Deandra Mitchell accepts this award on my behalf in this video clip
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Children's Literature Award 2015-2016
Helen Issobel Sissons Canadian Children's Book Award for manuscript of Malaika's Costume 2014
Recognitions
Patty Dreams, a Blue Spruce Award nominee, Forest of Reading, Ontario Library Association (OLA)
Patty Dreams, a Fall 2025 Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Best Book, Title of exceptional calibre
Getting Us to Grandma's, a Spring 2025 Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Best Book
Getting Us to Grandma's, 2025 SCBWI Southeast Division SCBWI Crystal Kite, Finalist, Round Two
Getting Us to Grandma's, Hamilton Review of Books Bestseller
Getting Us to Grandma's, Fall 2024 Top Grade Pick
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), Fall 2023 Top Grade Pick
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2023 Outstanding Work of Literature (OWL) Shortlist
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024 Children's Book Council Favorites Aeard, Librarian Top 10
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2023 Top Ten Ontario Library Association (OLA) Best Bets
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories 2025 SCBWI Southeast Division SCBWI Crystal Kite, Semi-Finalisty/Round Two
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), a 2024 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book, Title of exceptional calibre
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024-2025 Red Cedar Award for Non-Fiction nominee
Malaika’s Surprise, 2022 Forest of Reading, Blue Spruce Nomination
Malaika’s Surprise, 2022 SCBWI Canada East Crystal Kite Award, Semi-Finalist/Round Two
Malaika’s Surprise, 2021 A Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Favourite Book
Malaika’s Surprise, 2021 CBC Best Books
A Likkle Miss Lou, 2020 SCBWI Canada East Crystal Kite Award, Semi-Finalist/Round Two
Malaika's Costume, 2018 Shining Willow Finalist, Willow Awards, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award
Malaika's Winter Carnival, USBBY 2018 Outstanding International Books List
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Honourable Mention, Americas Award 2017, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Best Books of the Year by Bank Street College of Education, The Children's Book Committee
Malaika's Costume, 2016 Ontario Library Association (OLA) Best Bets, Honourable mention
Malaika's Costume, USBBY 2017 Outstanding International Books List
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Notable Children's Books Discussion Titles by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) a division of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2017 Midwinter Meeting
Malaika's Costume, a Best Picture Book of 2016 of exceptional calibre, Canadian Children's Book Centre
University of Waterloo Alumni Achievement Award, 2024
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Antiracism and Equity Activism Award 2023-2024
ByBlacks People's Choice Awards Winner, Malaika, Carnival Queen 2023
Forest of Reading (Blue Spruce Award) Nomination Malaika’s Surprise 2022
TD Grade One Children’s Book Giveaway for Malaika’s Costume 2021
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Writers' Award 2018
SCBWI Canada East Rising Kite Award & Scholarship 2018
6 Black Canadian Writers to Watch in 2018, CBC Canada
A Different Booklist People's Award for Contribution in Children's Literature* 2016
* my friend Deandra Mitchell accepts this award on my behalf in this video clip
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Children's Literature Award 2015-2016
Helen Issobel Sissons Canadian Children's Book Award for manuscript of Malaika's Costume 2014
Recognitions
Patty Dreams, a Blue Spruce Award nominee, Forest of Reading, Ontario Library Association (OLA)
Patty Dreams, a Fall 2025 Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Best Book, Title of exceptional calibre
Getting Us to Grandma's, a Spring 2025 Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Best Book
Getting Us to Grandma's, 2025 SCBWI Southeast Division SCBWI Crystal Kite, Finalist, Round Two
Getting Us to Grandma's, Hamilton Review of Books Bestseller
Getting Us to Grandma's, Fall 2024 Top Grade Pick
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), Fall 2023 Top Grade Pick
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2023 Outstanding Work of Literature (OWL) Shortlist
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024 Children's Book Council Favorites Aeard, Librarian Top 10
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2023 Top Ten Ontario Library Association (OLA) Best Bets
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories 2025 SCBWI Southeast Division SCBWI Crystal Kite, Semi-Finalisty/Round Two
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), a 2024 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book, Title of exceptional calibre
The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes), 2024-2025 Red Cedar Award for Non-Fiction nominee
Malaika’s Surprise, 2022 Forest of Reading, Blue Spruce Nomination
Malaika’s Surprise, 2022 SCBWI Canada East Crystal Kite Award, Semi-Finalist/Round Two
Malaika’s Surprise, 2021 A Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) Favourite Book
Malaika’s Surprise, 2021 CBC Best Books
A Likkle Miss Lou, 2020 SCBWI Canada East Crystal Kite Award, Semi-Finalist/Round Two
Malaika's Costume, 2018 Shining Willow Finalist, Willow Awards, Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award
Malaika's Winter Carnival, USBBY 2018 Outstanding International Books List
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Honourable Mention, Americas Award 2017, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Best Books of the Year by Bank Street College of Education, The Children's Book Committee
Malaika's Costume, 2016 Ontario Library Association (OLA) Best Bets, Honourable mention
Malaika's Costume, USBBY 2017 Outstanding International Books List
Malaika's Costume, 2017 Notable Children's Books Discussion Titles by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) a division of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2017 Midwinter Meeting
Malaika's Costume, a Best Picture Book of 2016 of exceptional calibre, Canadian Children's Book Centre