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

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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

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My Love for You is Always 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

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Children's books

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  • 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

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References

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  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.
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