Gillian Sze is a Canadian writer. She has won one Quebec Writers' Federation Award and been a finalist seven times across four different categories.

Gillian Sze
Occupationwriter
NationalityCanadian
Genrepoetry, picture books
Notable awardscarte blanche Prize (2011)
Website
www.gilliansze.com

Biography edit

Sze's parents are Chinese immigrants, and she grew up speaking the Hokkien dialect of Mandarin at home.[1] She was raised in Winnipeg.[2][3]

After graduating from high school, Sze studied at the University of Winnipeg for one year to study medicine,[1] after which she transferred to Concordia University to study creative writing.[2] She later received a Master of Arts in creative writing from Concordia University,[3] as well as a Ph.D. in English Studies from the Université de Montréal.[2]

Sze presently lives in Montreal.[2] Since 2017, she has worked in the English Department at John Abbott College.[4]

Awards and honours edit

My Love for You is Aways received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.[5]

The Night is Deep and Wide received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.[6] The book was also named one of the best children's books of the year by New York Public Library (2021)[7] and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (2022).[8]

The Globe and Mail included Quiet Night Think: Poems & Essays in their list of the best 100 books of 2022.[9] CBC Books also included in on their "Best Canadian Poetry of 2022" list.[10]

Awards for Sze's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2009 Fish Bones McAuslan First Book Prize Shortlist [11]
2011 "Like This Together" carte blanche Prize Winner [12]
2014 Peeling Rambutan A. M. Klein Prize for Poetry Shortlist [13]
2016 Redrafting Winter A. M. Klein Prize for Poetry Shortlist [13]
2018 Panicle A. M. Klein Prize for Poetry Shortlist [13][14][15]
2022 Quiet Night Think A. M. Klein Prize for Poetry Shortlist [13][16][17][18]
2022 You Are My Favorite Color Janet Savage Blachford Prize Shortlist [17][18]
2023 Quiet Night Think Pat Lowther Award Shortlist [19]

Publications edit

Children's books edit

  • My Love for You Is Always, illustrated by Michelle Lee (2021, Philomel, ISBN 9780593203071)
  • The Night Is Deep and Wide, illustrated by Sue Todd (2021, Orca Books, ISBN 9781459824812)
  • You Are My Favorite Color, illustrated by Niña Mata (2022, Philomel, ISBN 9780593203101)
  • When Sunlight Tiptoes, illustrated by Soyeon Kim (2023, Orca Book Publishers, ISBN 9781459834507)
  • The Little Green Envelope, illustrated by Claudine Crangle (2023, Groundwood)

Poetry edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Drudi, Cassandra (2022-04-06). "In her new collection, Gillian Sze ruminates on family and origins". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on 2022-10-26. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  2. ^ a b c d "Gillian Sze". Penguin Random House Canada. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  3. ^ a b "Gillian Sze – Asian Heritage in Canada". Toronto Metropolitan University. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  4. ^ "Sze, Gillian". John Abbott College. Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  5. ^ "My Love for You is Always". Kirkus Reviews. 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  6. ^ "The Night Is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze". Publishers Weekly. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2023-03-19.
  7. ^ "Best Books for Kids 2021". The New York Public Library. Archived from the original on 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  8. ^ "Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Announces 2022 Best Books for Babies List". Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. 2022-04-25. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  9. ^ "The Globe 100: The best books of 2022". The Globe and Mail. 2022-12-02. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  10. ^ "The best Canadian poetry of 2022". CBC Books. 2022-12-08. Archived from the original on 2022-12-27. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  11. ^ "The Concordia University First Book Prize". Quebec Writers' Federation. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  12. ^ "carte blanche Prize". Quebec Writers' Federation. Archived from the original on 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  13. ^ a b c d "The A. M. Klein Prize for Poetry". Quebec Writers' Federation. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  14. ^ "Rawi Hage, Paige Cooper among finalists for 2018 Quebec Writers' Federation literary awards". CBC Books. 2019-02-28. Archived from the original on 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  15. ^ Mudaly, Lee-Ann (2018-11-21). "4 Concordians shortlisted for Quebec Writers Federation awards". Concordia University. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  16. ^ "The QWF Spoken Word Prize". Quebec Writers' Federation. Archived from the original on 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  17. ^ a b "Rawi Hage and Sina Queyras among finalists for Quebec Writers' Federation Literary Awards". CBC Books. 2022-10-20. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  18. ^ a b Drudi, Cassandra (2022-10-19). "Shortlists announced for 2022 QWF awards". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  19. ^ Cassandra Drudi, "League of Canadian Poets announces 2023 Book Awards shortlists". Quill & Quire, April 20, 2023.

External links edit