Valerie Sherrard has been named the 2024 Literary Arts Laureate of the New Brunswick Lieutenant Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Arts.

The honour was announced by the New Brunswick Arts Board via a press release on September 25.

“Valerie Sherrard is a celebrated author of children’s and young adults’ literature,” the citation read. “Her work has been recognized on national and international levels and has been translated into several languages. She has won or been shortlisted for more than 50 awards.”

Sherrard has written more than thirty books for young readers, including the DCB titles Birdspell (2021), More than Words (2023), and the forthcoming An Unbalanced Force.

“Valerie was one of the first kidlit authors I ever worked with,” DCB publisher Barry Jowett said in a press release. “I’ve worked with her for more years and on more books than any other author. I’ve never been happier to see an author celebrated. Valerie writes great books because she cares about the young people who will be reading them. No one could be more deserving of such an honour.”

The award will be presented at a ceremony on Nov. 8, 2024.