Congratulations to Larry Verstraete on winning the 2026 MYRCA Sundogs Award for 2026 with Coop For Keeps!

The MYRCA Awards have been promoting Canadian children’s literature since 1990. Each year, nominations are announced in the Sundog and Northern Lights categories, and students from across Manitoba read and vote for their favourites! Find out more about the MYRCAs and how you can get involved here.

Coop For Keeps is the follow-up to Coop The Great, which was also nominated for a Sundog award, among other recognitions. The series follows lovable, down-and-out dachshund, Coop. In the first book, Coop is adopted by Mike who gives him a loving home and tells him stories of great dogs before bed each night. Coop wonders if he could ever be a brave, great dog too. When Mike and his grandchildren are in trouble, Coop is put to the test!

In Coop For Keeps, we find Coop living with Mike’s daughter and her children, and the many guests who come and go from the family’s rented rooms. Coop is put to the test again when neighbourhood bullies and a mysterious guest threaten his family. Will Coop be able to rise to greatness again and find his forever home?

“Coop for Keeps is a wonderful story about family, love and growing together through life’s challenges. Award-winning author Larry Verstraete does a fantastic job of weaving the themes of loss and grief, bullying, and knowledge of crows into a moving yet often times funny story. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.” — Mary Harelkin Bishop, CM Review