The Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, 2024

Posted on October 21, 2025 by Rosalynn

Since 1984, The Alcuin Society has recognized excellence in book design with a national awards program. The TMU Libraries are happy to showcase these award winners from the 2024 publishing period.

The books are judged in nine different categories – Children’s books; Comics; Limited Editions; Pictorial; Poetry; Prose: Fiction; Prose: Illustrated; Prose: Non-Fiction; and Reference. The following are the first place winners from each category.

Children's Book: Mushrooms know Wisdom. Authored by Kallie George and illustrated by Sara Gillingham. This book is available at the TMU Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014609668508636, image — Children’s Book: Mushrooms know Wisdom. Authored by Kallie George and illustrated by Sara Gillingham. This book is available at the TMU Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014609668508636

Comics: The Gulf. Authored and illustrated by Adam de Souza. The book is available at the Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014611569408636, image — Comics: The Gulf. Authored and illustrated by Adam de Souza. The book is available at the Main Library https://torontomu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_TMU/1hnr25/alma991014611569408636

Limited Editions: Treasure Island. Author by Robert Louis Stevenson and Illustrated by Marc Castelli., image — Limited Editions: Treasure Island. Author by Robert Louis Stevenson and Illustrated by Marc Castelli.

Tie - Pictorial: Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault. Authored by Sonia Del Re, Kirsten Appleyard and Enka Dolphin., image — Tie – Pictorial: Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault. Authored by Sonia Del Re, Kirsten Appleyard and Enka Dolphin.

Tie - Pictorial: AP205 Amancio Williams: Readings of the Archives. Authored by by Studio Muoto, Claudia Shmidt, and Pezo von Ellrichshausen., image — Tie – Pictorial: AP205 Amancio Williams: Readings of the Archives. Authored by by Studio Muoto, Claudia Shmidt, and Pezo von Ellrichshausen.

Poetry: The Undesirables: a bestiary. Authored by Lisa Robertson and illustrated by Myfanwy MacLeod., image — Poetry: The Undesirables: a bestiary. Authored by Lisa Robertson and illustrated by Myfanwy MacLeod.

Prose: Fiction: Dayspring. Authored by Anthony Oliveira., image — Prose: Fiction: Dayspring. Authored by Anthony Oliveira.

Prose: Illustrated: Taizo Yamamoto: Carts, Hedges, Lions. Authored by Taizo Yamamoto, Kevin Chong, Aaron Peck, and Jackie Wong. Illustrated by Taizo Yamamoto., image — Prose: Illustrated: Taizo Yamamoto: Carts, Hedges, Lions. Authored by Taizo Yamamoto, Kevin Chong, Aaron Peck, and Jackie Wong. Illustrated by Taizo Yamamoto.

Tie - Prose: Non-fiction: Les forces du sommeil-cohabitations des vivrants: Manif d'art II: la biennale de Quebec. Authored by Alice le Roy, Marie Muracciole, Benedicte Ramade, Maude Veilleux, and Julia Caron Guillemette., image — Tie – Prose: Non-fiction: Les forces du sommeil-cohabitations des vivrants: Manif d’art II: la biennale de Quebec. Authored by Alice le Roy, Marie Muracciole, Benedicte Ramade, Maude Veilleux, and Julia Caron Guillemette.

Tie- Prose: Non-fiction: A Nation's Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada. Authored by John Ibbitson., image — Tie- Prose: Non-fiction: A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada. Authored by John Ibbitson.

Reference: Hemingway s'est paquete la fraise et autres cocktails originaux. Authored and illustrated by Christian Salette., image — Reference: Hemingway s’est paquete la fraise et autres cocktails originaux. Authored and illustrated by Christian Salette.

Alumni Connection – 2 of this years books were authored/co-authored by Alumni

3rd place Prose: Illustrated: He Hijacked my Brain - Gary Topp's Toronto. Authored by Derek Emerson (Graphic Communications Management '93); Stephen Perry; Fran Grasso (Fashion '95): Shawn Chirrey, Simon Harvey, Paul Morris, Tim Freeborn, Marika Csotar and Nancy Park., image — 3rd place Prose: Illustrated: He Hijacked my Brain – Gary Topp’s Toronto. Authored by Derek Emerson (Graphic Communications Management ’93); Stephen Perry; Fran Grasso (Fashion ’95): Shawn Chirrey, Simon Harvey, Paul Morris, Tim Freeborn, Marika Csotar and Nancy Park.

Honourable Mention Comics: The Forgotten Frontier. Authored by Tristan Jones (English). Illustrated by Alexander Bumbulut., image — Honourable Mention Comics: The Forgotten Frontier. Authored by Tristan Jones (English). Illustrated by Alexander Bumbulut.

The books will be on display on the 4th floor of the main library in the Archives and Special Collections display cases until early November. To see the full list of this year’s winners and winners from previous years you can consult the online catalogues https://www.alcuinsociety.com/awards/catalogues

Alumni Connection – 2 of this years books were authored/co-authored by Alumni

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