A Greater Victoria author and an illustrator were recognized for their literary achievements this evening at the
2011 Victoria Book Prize Awards Gala. Jack Hodgins, author of The Master of Happy Endings was named the
winner of the 8th annual City of Victoria Butler Book Prize. Kristi Bridgeman, illustrator of Uirapurú (pronounced
oor-a-pur-u), was named winner of the 4th annual Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize.

Mayor Dean Fortin and Brian H. Butler of Butler Brothers Supplies presented Jack Hodgins with a $5,000
cheque for his novel published by Thomas Allen Publishers, for best book published in the preceding year in
the categories of fiction, literary non-fiction and poetry.

Samantha Holmes, owner and general manager of Bolen Books, presented Kristi Bridgeman with a $5,000
cheque for her illustration of the children’s book Uirapurú, written by P.K. Page and published by Oolichan
Books.

The Master of Happy Endings is a wonderful tale of what happens when retired teacher Axel Thorstad posts an
ad in the newspaper asking to be adopted by a family in need of a tutor. He hopes a return to teaching English
literature will be a way out of the malaise which has enveloped him since his wife died. Jurors for the City of
Victoria Butler Book Prize were Theresa Kishkan, writer; Cathy Sorensen, bookseller; and Avi Silberstein,

librarian. The jurors’ citation stated, “The Master of Happy Endings is an exuberant novel about the power of
narrative to serve as a compass for human odysseys. Hodgins’ story is as much about the terrain of the heart
and spirit as it is about the physical world and he moves confidently from one to the other, his literary skill in
service to his rich imagination.”

Jack Hodgins was raised on Vancouver Island and until recently taught fiction writing at the University of
Victoria. He has written seven novels and three story collections. Hodgins’ fiction has won the Governor
General’s Award, the Canada-Australia Prize, the Commonwealth Prize and the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. In
2009 he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Uirapurú is a magical story based on a Brazilian legend about a songbird reputed to sing the most beautiful
song in the world. P.K. Page’s retelling of this tale is beautifully reiterated by Kristi Bridgeman’s illustrations.

Jurors for the Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize were Tracy Kendrick, librarian; Barbara Nickel, writer; and
Pat Oldroyd, bookseller. Their comments on Uirapurú included, “Kristi Bridgeman’s extraordinary
accomplishment in Uirapurú is to tell a story with illustrations so richly-layered and complex, so warm with
colour, humour and detail so as to draw the reader into its haunting magic and back again, each rereading a
discovery.”

Born and raised on the west coast, Bridgeman now resides and paints in Saanich, British Columbia where she
lives with her husband and two children. Her work has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary
Award for illustration. Bridgeman’s fine art pieces can be found at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and
Sooke Harbour House Gallery.

The other four finalists for the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize included Carla Funk, Stephen Hume, Sylvia
Olsen and John Schreiber. Sarah N. Harvey and Arthur John Stewart were the two other finalists for the Bolen
Books Children’s Book Prize. Held at the Union Club of British Columbia, the gala featured readings by the
eight finalists, offering guests the opportunity to meet the writers and have their books autographed. The event
was emceed by Jo-Ann Roberts of CBC Radio.

Founded in 2004, the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize is a partnership between the City of Victoria and Brian
Butler of Butler Brothers Supplies. The Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize was founded in 2008 and is funded
by Bolen Books. This year’s sponsors include the Greater Victoria Public Library, the Magnolia Hotel and Spa,
the Union Club of British Columbia, the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel, CBC Radio and Island Blue Print.

The Victoria Book Prize Society establishes the policy and criteria for the prizes, appoints the juries and
administers the competitions.

Lorna MacDonald
President
Victoria Book Prize Society
250 382 1058