Ontario’s most prestigious literary celebration returned this week as Ontario Creates announced the winners of the 2025 Trillium Book Awards at a ceremony hosted at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library. Now in its 38th year, the Trillium Book Awards / Prix Trillium continue to honour excellence in both English and French-language literature while spotlighting homegrown authors and the publishers that bring their work to life.
Maurice Vellekoop took home the Trillium Book Award (English) for I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together, published by Random House Canada. The graphic memoir impressed the jury with its raw emotional honesty and vibrant visual storytelling. The book stood out among a competitive field of finalists:
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WINNER: I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together by Maurice Vellekoop (Random House Canada)
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Chrysalis by Anuja Varghese (House of Anansi Press)
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The Clarion by Nina Dunic (Invisible Publishing)
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To & Fro by Salma Hussain (Mawenzi House Publishers)
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The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters (Harper Perennial)
In the French-language fiction category, Aristote Kavungu was awarded the Prix littéraire Trillium for Céline au Congo (Les Éditions du Boréal), a novel praised for its powerful exploration of postcolonial identity and the emotional depth of its central character. The finalists for the French-language prize included:
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GAGNANT : Céline au Congo par Aristote Kavungu (Les Éditions du Boréal)
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Un conte de l’apocalypse par Daniel Poliquin (Les Éditions David)
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Géographie de la fragilité par Hadrien Volle (Éditions du Boréal)
The Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English) was awarded to Jake Byrne for DADDY, published by Brick Books. Byrne’s debut collection stood out for its exploration of gender, memory, and the often-complex dynamics of parental relationships. Finalists in the poetry category were:
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WINNER: DADDY by Jake Byrne (Brick Books)
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The Whole Animal by Corinna Chong (Arsenal Pulp Press)
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Glorious Veils of Diane by Ken Victor (Guernica Editions)
In the French-language children’s literature category, Mireille Messier won Le Prix du livre jeunesse Trillium for Le bonnet magique, a whimsical tale published by Comme des géants. Other finalists included:
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GAGNANTE : Le bonnet magique par Mireille Messier (Comme des géants)
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Ma soeur et moi par Sarah Lalonde (Bouton d’or Acadie)
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Le carnet d’Elsie par Marilou Addison (Éditions Hurtubise)
Juror Elyse Friedman, one of three English-language judges for this year’s awards, noted the scale of the task: “We each read over 200 submissions,” she said. “It was hard to narrow it down because we became passionate about the books we loved.” Friedman, herself a writer and educator, reflected on the importance of literary recognition in a time when arts coverage is shrinking: “These awards shine a spotlight at a time when authors need it most. People hear about these books—and hopefully pick them up and read them.”
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho, offered congratulations, emphasising the cultural and economic value of the awards: “Now more than ever, it’s important to recognise Ontario’s world-class literary talent. I encourage everyone to take time this summer to enjoy the unique voices that make our literature so special.”
Ontario Creates Chair Aaron Campbell added, “For nearly four decades, this award has honoured the best of Ontario’s literary talent, showcasing the vibrancy of our creative economy. We invite all Canadians to discover and champion these writers.”
Ontario’s book publishing industry contributes nearly $1 billion annually to the provincial economy and supports over 6,000 jobs. In addition to a $20,000 prize for each major award recipient (and $10,000 for poetry and children’s literature winners), publishers also receive funding support to help promote the winning titles.
With an impressive list of finalists and powerful winning titles, the 2025 Trillium Book Awards once again celebrate the stories, perspectives, and voices that make Ontario’s literary landscape one of the richest in the country.
Readers can learn more about this year’s finalists and winning authors by visiting Ontario Creates.
