Journalism Awards

2009, National Magazine Awards, finalist and Canadian Association of Journalists, finalist in magazine investigative reporting for Cut Both Ways

Amnesty International Media Awards winner for Cut Both Ways

2007 Canadian Association of Journalists, finalist in magazine investigative reporting for Unusual Suspects

2006 Canadian Association of Journalists, finalist magazine investigative reporting for Nanny Abuse

Amnesty International Media Award for Canada for Nanny Abuse

2004 Canadian Association of Journalists, finalist in magazine investigative reporting for Sad Little Girls (Maclean’s)

2003 APEX award (United States) for feature writing

2002 National Magazine Awards, honorable mention in investigative reporting for Animal Wrongs (Maclean’s)

1998 Society of Professional Journalists (United States), investigative reporting award, series on female drug mules

Boy From Buchenwald:

2021, Kirkus, a best YA Biography and Memoir; Sydney Taylor Award Notable

2022 BC And Yukon Book Awards, Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize; Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Norma Fleck Award for Children’s Non Fiction, nomination;

2023 Western Canada, Jewish Book Awards, Children & Youth - the Diamond Foundation Prize

Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea

2019 Red Maple Award, the Ontario Library Association

2018 Sakura Medal, nominee; Magnolia Award, nominee

2017 CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People; Notable Books for a Global Society

2016 Cyblis Award Winner; Freeman Award, Young Adult Literature; Ontario Library Association, Best Bets Top Ten List; Parent’s Choice Silver Award winner: A Junior Library Guild Selection; An Indies Introduce Selection of the American Booksellers Association

Bite of the Mango

2014 YALSA’s list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults

2012 CBC Radio, Young Canada Reads

2011 IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, Switzerland

2010 Finalist, SYRCA’s 2010 Snow Willow Award

2009 Norma Fleck Award; Red Maple Award, Ontario Library Association; National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold Award Winner; Silver Award Winner, ForeWord Magazine, Book of the Year, YA Non-Fiction; The Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens; Winner, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Young Adult Nonfiction; Selected as one of The White Ravens outstanding new international books of the year, Munich, Germany; Silver Award Winner, Nautilus Book Awards; Young Adult Nonfiction List, Pennsylvania School Librarians Association; Short-listed for the American Library Association non-fiction, young adult book of the year; Children’s and Young Adults, Notable Books, International Reading Association

Funny Gyal: My Fight Against Homophobia in Jamaica

2023, Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Young Adult — 2022 Finalist

My Daughter: Rehteah Parsons

2021, An Indigo Best Books

2022, George Borden, Writing for Change Award, Nova Scotia Book Awards