Graphic Novels for the Giller Prize

2020 is the first year that graphic novels are eligible to win the Scotiabank Giller prize. I assume they must fit the guidelines for other eligible books, which is that they be novels or short story collections. YA novels and comic books are NOT eligible. 

There's a helpful Crazy for CanLit list on the Giller site, put together to celebrate Canadian titles published between October 2019 and September 2020, which is the eligibility period. Unfortunately, only three graphic novels are listed, and none of those appear to be eligible. Two were published too early: Clyde Fans by Seth and The Structure Is Rotten, Comrade by Viken Berberian and Yann Kebbi both came out in the spring of 2019. The third is nonfiction: Dancing After TEN: A Graphic Memoir by Vivian Chong and Georgia Webber.

Not on the Crazy for CanLit list, but a possible contender, is Familiar Face by Michael DeForge. It's an exploration of what happens to individuals when there is too much change. Bodies and dwellings are constantly changing form overnight, and so is the urban infrastructure. DeForge's brightly coloured art is witty and strange. It's frenetic and surreal, a rewarding reading experience. If any graphic novel earns a spot on the longlist, this is the one most likely to be chosen. But not by me.

I own a couple of other Canadian graphic novels that are unlikely to be eligible: 

Constantly by GG is a tiny (24 pages) almost wordless story about living with anxiety. It's lovely, with strong graphic outlines drawn in pale, neutral colours. I'm not sure if it's fiction or nonfiction. It's a little gem that seems more a candidate for the Doug Wright awards than the Giller. 

I Will See You Again by Lisa Boivin is in the format of a picture book, with one image per page rather than panels. Like Constantly, it's about 24 pages long. It's a story about an Indigenous woman travelling overseas to bring home the remains of her deceased brother. Boivin is a member of Deninu Kue First Nation. Her art is vibrant with plant life and rich colours. Portage and Main is the publisher, and they call this an all-ages title, suitable for children, teens and adults. It certainly deserves award consideration, perhaps for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award or the Governor General in the category of illustrated literature for young people.

I haven't laid eyes on the following, but Veronica Post's Langosh and Peppi or Walter Scott's Wendy, Master of Art might be worthy. We don't have long to find out if any graphic novels make the Giller longlist: it will be announced on the morning of September 8. 

This post is part of a series. I'm on the Shadow Giller jury this year, so I'm reading as many qualifying Canadian titles as possible in order to come up with my own longlist prediction before the official one that will be announced on September 8, 2020. To see my other reviews that are a part of this project, click on the Shadow Giller tag. Also, please visit our Shadowing the Best of CanLit website to see what the rest of the Shadow Giller jury are up to. Thanks for visiting my blog.