The Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards is a not-for-profit program run by passionate volunteers that encourages children and teens to read Canadian books published in the previous year and vote for their favourites. Each year, MYRCA publishes 2 lists: Sundogs, which has 10 books for readers in grades 4-6, and Northern Lights, which has 10 books for readers in grades 7-9. The books included feature a wide range of genres, formats, themes, and reading levels. These lists are used by schools, public libraries, educators, and families to promote reading engagement and help young readers discover new Canadian authors.
A key feature of MYRCA is that young readers, not adults, choose the winners. After reading eligible nominated books, students and library users can vote for the title they enjoyed most. This makes the award especially valuable in children’s and teen library programming because it gives young people a direct voice in recognizing books that resonate with them.
MYRCA helps our libraries and schools with many literacy supports, including displays, author interactions, club guides and many other resources that can be used in clubs or curriculums. It is also useful for collection development because the nominated titles often reflect strong contemporary Canadian publishing for young people. In Manitoba, MYRCA helps connect readers across the province through shared reading experiences, while building literacy, enthusiasm for books, and awareness of Canadian children’s and young adult literature.
2026-2027 MYRCA Board
Executive
Chair – Kate Loewen
Vice-Chair – Sylvia Scott
Treasurer – Michelle Barclay
Secretary – Barb Voth
Social Media – Curtis Lowton
Past Chair – Colette Dufault
Board Members
Lee-Ann Baldwin
Kim Bryson
Tina Cronin
John Delaat
Leah Dilworth
Heather Eby
Tannis Esquivel
Heather Greidanus
Tracey Matthews
Kristin Neville
Kamryn Oxelgren
Nicola Parent
Carly Peto
Joanne Soucy
Jody Van De Vijsel – RCGW Rep.
Wendy Wakeman
Junior MYRCA Members