Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, by Sechelt’s Chieri Uegaki, is a children’s story with universal themes.
Recently the picture book was nominated by the 31st annual BC Book Awards as finalist in the category of the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize.
The delightful drawings are by Toronto’s Qin Leng, and it is published by Canada’s Kids Can Press.
Hana signs up to play her violin in the school’s talent show, much to the derision of her brothers. But Hana has been inspired by her grandfather who plays beautifully, and although she doubts her own ability, she practises every day. At the concert Hana surprises everyone — including herself.
Uegaki said the book pays homage to her own grandfather who was a professional violinist. She studied the instrument herself, but gave it up, to her parents’ disappointment.
The story is aimed at four to eight year olds. Uegaki describes writing stories for young people as a challenge, harder than anyone would think.
“I like to read children’s books. They can be quite sophisticated and can deal with themes of loss or bullying,” she said.
In this case the story is one of grandfatherly inspiration and a girl’s growing confidence.
“Diversity in children’s books has come a long way,” Uegaki said.
This is her second book drawn from her own Japanese heritage (Suki’s Kimono was her first), and it has been nominated for other awards in the U.S. and Canada.
Once again, the BC Book Awards has showered honours on Sunshine Coast publishers as well.
Pender Harbour-based Harbour Publishing is up for five awards, Halfmoon Bay’s Caitlin Press for three and Gibsons-based Nightwood Editions for one.
A Harbour nominee gathering the most nods from judges is The Sea Among Us: The Amazing Strait of Georgia (reviewed in Coast Reporter, Feb. 20). It’s a finalist for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize that recognizes the author of the book that contributes most to the enjoyment and understanding of the province. The same book is also up for the coveted Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award. Richard Beamish and Gordon McFarlane were the editors and contributors to the seven factual articles in this photo-laden book.
Caitlin Press also has candidates in the Roderick Haig-Brown category. Author Christine Lowther is nominated for Born Out of This, and Jay Sherwood’s vintage photos comprise Surveying Southern British Columbia: A Photojournal of Frank Swannell, 1901-07.
Three Coast publishers vie with each other for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize: Rob Budde for Dreamland Theatre (Caitlin Press), Kayla Czaga for For Your Safety Please Hold On (Nightwood Editions), and award-winning poet Patrick Lane for Washita (Harbour Publishing).
In addition to The Sea Among Us, the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award has nominated two other Harbour titles: Alicia Priest’s A Rock Fell on the Moon: Dad and the Great Yukon Silver Ore Heist and Roy Henry Vickers’ and Robert Budd’s Cloudwalker.
The winners in seven categories will be announced at the Lieutenant Governor’s BC Book Prizes Gala on Saturday, April 25 at the Pinnacle Vancouver Harbourfront Hotel. BC’s Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon will be in attendance.
Winners in the seven categories and the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence will collectively receive $19,000 in cash prizes.
