by BK Munn
The nominees for the 2015 Governor General’s Awards are out and the big comics news is that John Martz’s collection of graphic short stories for kids, A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories received a nom in the Children’s Literature (Illustrated Books) category. Published by Koyama Press, the book is a quirky comic about talking animals and represents the first foray into kid lit by both publisher and artist. The GGs have seen more comics and graphic novels get respect over the last few years and this continues the trend. The winners will be announced October 28 and the prize is $25000.

Here are the English-language noms:
Children’s Literature (Text)
Dan Bar-el, Audrey (cow), Tundra Books
Darren Groth, Are You Seeing Me?, Orca Book Publishers
Susin Nielsen, We Are All Made of Molecules, Tundra Books / Penguin Random House Canada
Caroline Pignat. The Gospel Truth, Red Deer Press
Emil Sher, Young Man with Camera, Scholastic Canada
Children’s Literature (Illustrated Books)
Andy Jones and Darka Erdelji, Jack, the King of Ashes, Running the Goat Books & Broadsides
JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers, Groundwood Books
Kyo Maclear and Marion Arbona, The Good Little Book, Tundra Books
John Martz, A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories, Koyama Press
Mélanie Watt, Bug in a Vacuum, Tundra Books