Jan Thornhill's favourite book of 2017 was Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz & Sydney Smith

Happy holidays!CBC Booksasked authors to share their favourite Canadian books of 2017. We will be publishing these recommendations throughout December.

• How Jan Thornhill wrote a picture book about the extinct great auk

Children's book author Jan Thornhillchose Town Is by the Sea,written by Joanne Schwartz and illustrated by Sydney Smith.

"When I finished reading this picture book about a day in the life of a Cape Breton coal miner's son, I felt like crying for two reasons. First, because Joanne Schwartz's gorgeous, minimalist text and Sydney Smith's evocative watercolour-and-ink illustrations combine to make a hauntingly perfect whole. Second, because it was one of those rare book reading experiences that instantly made me feel like I should just give up trying to make something so perfect myself. Or at least try harder. Stunning."

• Sydney Smith: 6 stories I'd love to illustrate

Jan Thornhillwon the 2017 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award for her picture bookThe Tragic Tale of the Great Auk.Her upcoming book is calledThe Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow.