2026 CANREADS AWARDS

In our inaugural year, we received over 400 submissions from across Canada, reflecting an extraordinary range of voices and perspectives. While our award categories follow a structured evaluation process to determine winners and finalists, the Spotlight provides an opportunity to recognize select works and authors who stood out to our judges in a different way.

Spotlight recipients are acknowledged for one of several distinct reasons. In some cases, a book demonstrated exceptional quality and came very close to finalist distinction. In others, an author reached a meaningful personal or professional milestone, showed notable entrepreneurial initiative, or shared a story shaped by significant life experience or adversity. These recognitions are not based on competitive ranking alone, but on the broader impact of a writer’s journey or contribution.

With hundreds of submissions, narrowing any list is a difficult task. The Spotlight allows us to formally honour those whose work or path merited special acknowledgement beyond the standard award results.

• Nothing But White Ash by Boni Wagner-Stafford
• Letters of Redemption by Vince Santoro
• Death & His Brother by D.E. Ring
• Callow (Ardenti Terra Series, Book 1) by Nicole Scholl
• Against the Machine: Luddites by Brian Van Norman
• Lessons in Philanthropy: The Legacy of Barb McInnes as shared with Glenn McInnes
• Those We Carry by Scott Saxberg
• The Principal Chronicles Two/Too/II/As Well by David Garlick
• Courage and a Castle: A Tribute to a Remarkable Woman by Jeanne Martinson
• Externalities by D. McCall Johnston
• The Wantrepreneur: Take the Decision by Leonardo Vasquez
• Morgan Moose Visits New Brunswick Provincial Parks! by Kimothy Stewart
• Blaze Peppergrove and the Web of Lies by Lisa Adair 
• Mindy and the Rescue Crew: The Unwelcome Visitors by Geri Storey
• How I Learned to Pee in the Forest by Sharon Neiss Arbess
• The Chronicles of Paisley • Corners by Cheryl van Daalen-Smith
• Our Life Our Way A Memoir of Active Faith, Profound Love and Courageous Disability Rights by Christine Robinson
• Breaking Trail: From Complex Trauma to Command by Lee-Ann F. O'Brien 
• Two Sides to a Face: My Journey with Sturge Weber Syndrome by Chelsey Peat 
• Under His Divine Gaze: A Spiritual Memoir by Monique Pilon-Fraschetti
• Revenge is Not Enough by Angela Van Breeman
• Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose by Michelle Schafer
• Abbot Lane by Jim Layeux
• Sanctity of Freedom by Peter Pontas
• Here Comes the Sun: A 1960s Story of Travel, Adventure, and Self-Discovery by Alan Bryce
• Living in the Land of Uprights: A Story About Thomas Voss Sorensen by Kathy Sorensen
• Quantum by Irina Moga