JANUARY PICKS
Picture Book: Getting Us to Grandma’s by Nadia L. Hohn and illustrated by TeMika Grooms
No one knows maps like Nikki — but can she get her family to Grandma’s house in time?
Nikki’s family is preparing for a long road trip from Toronto to the Bronx to attend Uncle Travis’s wedding. They pack their suitcases, boxes of Jamaican black cake, and most importantly to Nikki, the big map book!
Nikki loves geography and enjoys tracing the routes to all the places her relatives live — her Grandpa in Florida, her cousins in Atlanta, DC, and Boston. She daydreams of England, where other family lives, and Jamaica and Africa, where her roots run deep.
Her attention comes back to the road trip when it’s clear that Daddy’s taken a wrong turn. “I can help!” says Nikki, who proves to be an excellent navigator. She guides them back to the Bronx Expressway, under the elevated subway tracks, onto a street of brown row houses and safely to Grandma’s.
Inspired by the childhoods of author Nadia L. Hohn and illustrator TeMika Grooms, Getting Us to Grandma’s is full of fun historic details — a world before Google Maps! — and authentic cultural moments shared by diasporic families, whose stories can be traced across continents. A fantastic representation of Black girls in STEM.
Young Adult: Remember Me Tomorrow by Farah Heron
A missing student. A singular investigation. A new romance. Every bit of it is a mystery in a delightful novel of cosmic twists by the author of How to Win a Breakup.
East House is the oldest and least desirable dorm on campus, but it has a draw for lonely university freshman Aleeza Kassam: Jay Hoque, the hot and broody student who vanished from East House five months ago without a trace. It’s irresistible to an aspiring investigative journalist like Aleeza.
But when she starts receiving texts from Jay, the mystery takes an unexpected turn. To put it mildly. His messages are coming not only from Aleeza’s own dorm room but from the past―only weeks before he disappeared. Sharing space, if not time, Aleeza and Jay are living the impossible, and they start working together to prevent his inevitable disappearance. Causing a temporal paradox that could blow up the universe is a risk they’re going to have to take.
Aleeza digs through Jay’s suspicious friends, enemies, and exes, determined to find out what happened to him. Or what will happen to him. But it’s becoming more than a mystery. Aleeza is catching feelings for her charming new roommate. Wherever, and whenever, he may be.
FEBRUARY PICKS
Picture Book: When Isaac Hears the Rain by Julie Thompson and illustrated by Leah Giles
Celebrate the unexpected joy of a rainy day with this quietly exuberant book about a young boy who delights in the rejuvenating power of rain.
When the rain starts to fall, others may dash, yelp, and dodge, as their smiles turn into frowns. But not Isaac. Isaac embraces the rain with curiosity and wonder, grateful for its renewing power and grounded in the world around him. Written with equal parts heart and whimsy, and with a nod to Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, this environmentally conscious narrative makes a fantastic read-aloud for readers, young and old.
Author Julie Thompson wrote this sweet celebration of Black Boy Joy as an ode to her two sons. And the lyrical text will encourage readers everywhere to cherish those unexpected moments of joy that provide a welcome respite from the challenges of life.
Middle Grade: You Can Be An Activist by Charlene Rocha, Mary Beth Leatherdale
and illustrated by Drew Shannon
Everything you need to know about making the world better from a real-life youth activist.
Here’s the definitive handbook for young activists who want to make a difference but don’t know where to begin. It covers everything from choosing a cause and doing the research, to deciding on a goal, and then making a plan to get it done. Along the way, readers will encounter loads of practical tips on handling specific tasks, like creating a petition, and larger responsibilities, like leading a team. There are also important discussion about essential topics such as intersectionality, privilege and allyship. Written in the encouraging, friendly tone of a peer, this book is sure to inform and inspire budding activists – and open their eyes to what’s possible!
Written by youth activist Charlene Rocha and award-winning author Mary Beth Leatherdale, this guide demystifies activism for budding social justice campaigners and climate advocates, and encourages readers to bring their own passions and interests to their work. Drew Shannon’s illustrations bring a sense of fun to the topic, and the comprehensive text is presented in chunks and sidebars, with engaging quizzes, prompts, lists, templates, profiles and interviews throughout. The book supports young readers in learning more about issues such as queer rights, feminism and Black Lives Matter. The back matter includes an extensive list of resources, a checklist of next steps, a glossary and an index. Part of the CitizenKid collection, this book aligns with the themes of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
MARCH PICKS
Picture Book: Sundays Are for Feasts by Leila Boukarim and illustrated by Ruaida Mannaa
Every summer, Yasmine visits her family in Lebanon, and every Sunday, the whole family comes over for lunch. This summer Sunday, Yasmine is making the hummus!
But hummus is harder to make than she expects, and Yasmine has all sorts of questions: How much garlic should she add? Is it lemon juice or vinegar? And where does the sesame flavor come from? With a little help from Baba, Yasmine mixes in a bit of this, and a bit of that … and hummus à la Yasmine is ready! But when grumpy Ammo Farouk arrives with the rest of the family, Yasmine worries — will he hate it? What if her hummus doesn’t taste like the real thing?
Sundays Are for Feasts is a celebration of how meals can bring family together, and the importance of making your own traditions. Includes an author’s note, glossary of Arabic terms used in the story and a recipe for hummus!
Middle Grade: Oasis by Guojing
With all the heart of The Wild Robot and the wonder of A Rover’s Story, two children and one robot form an unbreakable bond as they survive in a world that values the efficiency of tech over the care of humanity.
JieJie and her little brother, DiDi, are living on their own in a barren desert while their mother works tirelessly to earn their admission into Oasis City. Their days are filled with weathering sandstorms and scavenging for water, but everything changes when they come across an AI-powered robot lying dormant in an abandoned junkyard.
Filled with equal parts hope and suspense, Oasis tells the story of a potentially not-so-distant future that you won’t ever forget.
APRIL PICKS
Picture Book: The Fabulous Edweena by Edwin Dumont and illustrated by Melissa Cho
Hello world, meet Edweena!
Edwin loves his sister Patsy’s closet. He adores dresses and earrings and boots with high heels. And when he’s finished getting dressed, Edwin is transformed…into the fabulous Edweena!
Today is the figure skating competition at school and Edwin has decided to compete as Edweena. What will people say when they meet her for the first time? Can a boy in drag win the competition? Edweena will have to give her best performance ever to find out!
There’s also a dual language edition in both Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) and English.
Middle Grade: Something’s Up with Arlo by Matteo L. Cerilli
A spooky-sweet middle-grade novel about remembering the past in order to brave the future, for fans of Anne Ursu
Twelve-year-old Emily Nero’s best friend is a ghost.
For as long as Nero can remember, she’s been “haunted” by Arlo. He’s always had her back, especially as Nero navigates her workaholic mother, irritable father, even the mega-jerks at school. Nero’s been caught too many times looking at “nothing” and talking to “no one,” which officially made her “the weird girl.” So when she has the chance to start over as “normal” at a prestigious private school, Nero is hopeful that things will change for the better. If she can get top grades at a top school, maybe she’ll stop feeling like she’s never good enough. Maybe her parents will finally see her—and she’ll stop feeling like a ghost too.
But on Nero’s first day at her new school, something’s up with Arlo, something very wrong: her best friend has suddenly turned on her. Glitching electronics, flickering lights, bad smells and cold drafts are only the beginning. Arlo is changing into something scary. And the only clues he gives Nero leave her with more questions than answers. If she wants to save Arlo and their friendship, Nero will have to break old cycles. She will have to let herself be seen, let in new friends, and—worst of all—say goodbye to the past.
Spooky and sweet in turns, Something’s Up with Arlo is about the stories we tell ourselves and finding the courage to make our truth be heard.
MAY PICKS
Picture Book: Sometimes I Eat with My Hands by Kid Haile
I use a fork to eat my broccoli, and a spoon to scoop up deeelicious mac-and-cheese … but sometimes I eat with my hands!
The little girl in this story, Feven, along with her little brother, isn’t afraid of trying new foods like broccoli, watermelon and mac-and-cheese. But for each meal she needs to decide: should she use utensils, or is this a food to eat with her hands? Each meal is an opportunity to learn and play. When Grandma comes to visit, the whole family gathers around the dinner table to eat injera, an Ethiopian and Eritrean flatbread. And Feven knows just what to do.
Sometimes I Eat with My Hands reminds us that customs around food can be central to who we are, and that learning to eat means sharing with the people we love. Includes an author’s note.
Young Adult: Ours to Tell: Reclaiming Indigenous Stories by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger
A wide-ranging anthology that shines a light on untold Indigenous stories as chronicled by Indigenous creators, compiled by the acclaimed team behind What the Eagle Sees and Sky Wolf’s Call.
For too long, stories and artistic expressions from Indigenous people have been written and recorded by others, not by the individuals who have experienced the events.
In Ours to Tell, sixteen Indigenous creators relate traditions, accounts of historical events, and their own lived experiences. Novelists, poets, graphic artists, historians, craftspeople, and mapmakers chronicle stories on the struggles and triumphs lived by Indigenous people, and the impact these stories have had on their culture and history. Some of the profiles included are:
- Indigenous poet E. Pauline Johnson
- acclaimed novelist Tommy Orange
- brave warrior Standing Bear
- poet and activist Rita Joe
With each profile accompanied by rich visuals, from archival photos to contemporary art, Ours to Tell brilliantly spotlights Indigenous life, past and present, through an Indigenous lens. Because each profile gives an historical and cultural context, what emerges is a history of Indigenous people.
JUNE PICKS
Picture Book: I Lost A Day by Briana Corr Scott
A lyrical, beautifully illustrated story in verse from the author and artist who brought us Wildflower, The Book of Selkie, and While You Were Sleeping, exploring creative and mindful ways to live with mental illness.
I lose track of the hours
And sometimes the days
When anger takes over
When sadness just stays…
In this gentle verse story, children of diverse ages and backgrounds experience a range of emotions, from anger to depression to anxiety, “losing a day” to negative thoughts and feelings. Whether a child feels rage “buzzing like bees” or loses a day under the covers, wrapped in the “softest cocoon” of their bed, they will soon discover that losing a day doesn’t have to be a bad thing. You can lose a day listening to the calm and steady tapping of the rain, or by reading or writing a story, by running or playing music. By listening to your breath. By the end of this thoughtful book, readers and parents will learn about creative responses to the most common mental health challenges for young people.
With gorgeous gouache and watercolour illustrations, and backmatter featuring nature-based mindfulness activities and a heartfelt letter from the author, I Lost A Day beautifully demonstrates both the challenges and the creative solutions to living with mental illness.
Young Adult: Emiko by Chieri Uegaki
A sweet and savory YA romance, this modern-day Japanese-Canadian twist on Emma is just the recipe for fans of Jenny Han, Jane Austen and Gilmore Girls. A busybody foodie avoids questions of her own future as she meddles in the love lives of those around her. Has this matcha-maker met her match?
Self-declared matchmaking GENIUS Emiko Kimori has already found success by helping her aunt find true love, so when the new girl in town becomes her new BFF, it’s only natural for Emiko to help set her up for social success with a suitable love match.
Emiko lives with her Ojiichan in a small town on BC’s West Coast surrounded by friends and neighbors, including her childhood friend Kenzo Sanada, who wishes she’d spend less time playing matchmaker. But Emiko can so clearly see who belongs together, even when her targets don’t know it themselves. She simply has to meddle — for the sake of true love!
As for her own romantic life though…who has time for that? Emiko is far too busy with her matchmaking schemes, her brunch recipes, volunteering, her bustling social life, keeping up her grades, eating said brunch recipes and making plans for after graduation. Plans she will absolutely decide on soon. Definitely. Maybe? But when Emiko ends up falling for the last person she expects, she finds herself caught in the tangled web of her own love matches. For the first time, instead of arranging from afar, Emiko has to figure out what it means to be in love herself, and that friendship and romance are more complicated than she ever imagined…
JULY PICKS
Picture Book: Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint? by Tyna Legault Taylor and illustrated by Michelle Dao
Learn about the rhythms of the seasons with Joshua in this captivating read-aloud story for ages 5 to 8.
Joshua loves being on the land. When the weather is warm, Joshua and his dad gather mint from the shores of Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek (Lake Nipigon First Nation) in northeastern Ontario. But when will that be? It’s not when the leaves are changing colour. It’s not when the snow falls from the sky. It’s not when the flowers are budding. When is it time to gather mint from the land?
In the back of the book, find a glossary and pronunciation guide for the Omushkegomowin (Swampy Cree language) and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) words featured throughout the story.
Early Reader: The Land Knows Me: A Nature Walk Exploring Indigenous Wisdom by Leigh Joseph and illustrated by Natalie Schnitter
Through the Squamish language and cultural traditions, learn about Indigenous plant relationships and how we are all connected to nature through plant-based foods, medicines, and materials.
The best way to learn about plants is through observing and interacting with living examples. Join Held by the Land author Leigh Joseph and her children in The Land Knows Me, an educational, hands-on journey to discover all the wonderful uses and gifts of the plants around us. Through the Indigenous traditions of Squamish culture you’ll learn how to ground yourself on the land, how to introduce yourself in the Squamish language to your plant relatives, and the many teachings about plants, cultural stories, and learnings related to the flora seen on your walk.
This essential and colorful introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge includes informative sidebars, reflection questions, and plant names in both Squamish and English so children can learn a new language. The Land Knows Me concludes with a 15 plant profile directory featuring detailed plant illustrations and kid-friendly botanical drawings to aid in learning about the many great uses for plants and the native history behind them. You’ll meet plants like: Ḵwiĺayus (kw-ill-eye-os), Red-Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum Ḵ’emeláý (k-em-ill-eye), Bigleaf Maple, Acer macrophyllum Séliýaý (s-elle-ee-eye), Oregon Grape, Mahonia nervosa Xápaýay (hey-pie-eye), Western Red Cedar, Thuja plicata Ḵwe7úpaý (kw-oh-pa-eye), Pacific Crabapple, Malus fusca And more!
The directory also includes important safety and proper harvesting information for parents who are looking for more opportunities to educate and engage with kids while getting to know the secrets of the land around us. Including mindfulness activities, how-to crafts, and yummy treats, The Land Knows Me calls you back again and again to learn something new with each engaging read! Follow the stream, cross the field, and step into a forest full of rich, botanical diversity rooted in history and tradition.
AUGUST PICKS
Picture Book: My Nova Scotia by Lindsay Ruck and illustrated by Martyna Czub
Whether you call it home or are just here to visit, Nova Scotia welcomes you with campfire storytelling, blueberry fields, and rocky beaches. With joyful rhymes and whimsical illustrations, My Nova Scotia celebrates all the diverse cultures, people, and traditions that make this province unique. What’s your Nova Scotia?
Middle Grade: You Were Made for This World: Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People edited by Stephanie Sinclair and Sara Sinclair
A joyful, proud and groundbreaking collection of letters and art for young people, You Were Made for This World brings together celebrated Indigenous voices from across Turtle Island.
Every young person deserves the chance to feel like they belong, that they are recognized, that they matter. In the spirit of A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader, You Were Made for This World brings together forty Indigenous writers, artists, activists, athletes, scholars and thinkers with a joint purpose: to celebrate the potential of young people, to share a sense of joy and pride in language, traditional and personal stories and teachings, and shared experiences, and to honor young people for who they are and what they dream of.
Including contributions from activist Autumn Peltier, singer/songwriter Tanya Tagaq, hockey player Ethan Bear, Governor General’s Award–winning author David A. Robertson, artists Chief Lady Bird and Christi Belcourt, illustrator Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, and dozens of others, this beautifully collaborative collection urges readers to think about who they are, where they come from and where they’re going, with a warm familiarity that will inspire you to see yourself and your community with proud eyes.
SEPTEMBER PICKS
Picture Book: Miya Wears Orange by Wanda John-Kehewin and illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina
A beautifully illustrated book that gently explores the complicated feelings a young girl experiences as she learns about tragedy and injustice.
Miya loves her school and she especially loves storytime. One day, her teacher shares a story about a little girl who was taken away to a residential school. The little girl wasn’t allowed to go home. Her hair was cut and she wasn’t allowed to keep her favourite doll. She was taken away from her family because she was Indigenous, just like Miya!
Miya worries the same thing will happen to her. Her mom tells her that Indigenous girls and boys aren’t forced to leave their families anymore. Miya is relieved, but she is still sad. What can she do about these feelings?
Middle Grade: Way Off Track by Carl Brundtland and illustrated by Claudia Dávila
Make way for a fresh and funny new voice in middle-grade graphic novels.
Nansi has never lost a race…until snobby Tania beats her in an unofficial event. Surely it’s Tania’s flashy shoes that gave her the edge. Nansi has to get a pair before the track tryouts! But how will she kick up $338?
Incorporating Jamaican culture and the West African trickster character, Anansi, debut author Carl Brundtland has created an endearingly self-absorbed heroine who always goes the distance – even if it’s the wrong way. With award-winning illustrator Claudia Dávila’s expressive art, Way Off Track hits the ground running with humor, hijinks and a whole lot of heart.
OCTOBER PICKS
Picture Book: Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! by Howie Shia
A unique picture book adventure for music lovers of all ages about how to never be quiet, never give up, and never underestimate the power of percussion.
Months have passed since the Grown-Ups were taken captive, forced to brush the teeth and scratch the backs of the Growlies. One day the children make a decision: Ratamacue! It means “no more waiting.” It means it’s time for a rescue mission! They set off on a wild and uncertain journey, forming a drumline to overcome the many obstacles in their way. In the end, the Growlies’ meanness is no match for the children’s magic: their collective music.
Ra! Ta! Ma! Cue! celebrates the power of kids accomplishing remarkable feats, even when up against seemingly undefeatable odds—especially when they are underestimated. With stunning illustrations and a distinctive blend of picture book and graphic musical score reminiscent of John Cage, this exciting book will inspire kids and adults alike.
An instant classic of bravery, courage, and persistence that empowers kids to pick up a drum and make some noise!
Young Adult: He’s So Possessed with Me by Corey Liu
Jennifer’s Body meets Heartstopper in this terrifying, tender, and bitingly hilarious supernatural horror about a boy who must save his best friend from a demon that wants to steal his heart—literally.
Ren says he’s in love, but Colin knows better.
Sure, he can’t remember much about how it all began. But he remembers dancing at a club he and Ren were too young to dance in. He remembers the boys who harassed them on their way home. He remembers a ghost emerging from the trees, and a white hand reaching for Ren through a thick fog. What Colin can’t remember is what happened next. Only two things are clear to him: Ren is different now, and the new guy vying for his heart is not who he claims to be.
With the help of two unlikely allies and a cranky old medium, Colin must learn to conquer his self-doubt and save his best friend from a love that could cost him his life.
Equal parts campy and bewitching, Corey Liu’s debut YA novel explores predation, isolation, and what happens when a childhood dream of fairytale romance turns into a deadly nightmare.
NOVEMBER PICKS
Picture Book: Danger Eagle by Jesse Wente and illustrated by Shaikara David
An action-packed adventure featuring a stunt-penguin stuffed animal, this picture book by award-winning author Jesse Wente will appeal to movie fans young and old.
It’s bird! It’s a plane!
It’s DANGER EAGLE!
Danger Eagle is brave.
Danger Eagle is bold.
Danger Eagle is . . . a penguin?
No matter! Danger Eagle is up for any challenge, and there’s nothing that one-of-a-kind this stunt-stuffie can’t do… Or is there?
Read on to find out in this action-packed origin story!
Young Adult: Wavelength by Cale Plett
Hannah Montana meets Heartstopper in this story of a teen pop star on the run from fame who finds family, love and gender euphoria when they become entangled with a local band.
Seventeen-year-old pop sensation Sasha may be famous, but they’ve always kept a layer of anonymity by covering their face to perform. Facing pressure to unmask in public, Sasha runs away to a nowhere midwestern city, planning to finish senior year and come out as nonbinary away from the limelight. But their plan falters from the moment they meet Wavelength, an alt-rock band, and their lead singer.
Lillian is struggling to keep the band together, caught in a mess of lyrics, late-night texts and ill-conceived love notes. She’s torn between feelings for her ex-girlfriend (and ex-bandmember) and her new infatuation with Sasha. Maybe this stranger is the new singer and the new love she’s looking for — even though Sasha’s stories don’t seem to quite add up.
If a whisper of Sasha’s fame gets out, their new life is over. Sasha’s manager is tracking them down, Wavelength is on the rise, and everyone’s hearts are in the mosh pit. Turn off the houselights. The band’s counting in.
DECEMBER PICKS
Picture Book: My Sister the Apple Tree by Jordan Scott, Jamal Saeed and illustrated by Zahra Marwan
In this moving picture book, inspired by the author’s experience as a Syrian refugee, a child’s profound love for his family’s apple tree gives him courage when he must flee his homeland.
When a young boy asks his parents why he doesn’t have a brother or sister, his mother replies that on the day he was born, they planted an apple tree in their front yard. “The apple tree is your sister,” she says. At night, the boy wraps a blanket around his sister’s trunk and during the day he shares all of his secrets with her. One day, they see helicopters in the sky and his parents tell him they must flee. But how can he leave his sister behind? Instead he digs her up and carries her away from their homeland. When they arrive to a new place, the air is colder and the ground is hard. Home feels so far away. But as his sister grows taller and her branches blossom, the boy realizes that he will always be connected to his homeland, even as he begins to embrace his new one.
This moving and hopeful refugee story is written by Syrian activist Jamal Saeed and co-written by acclaimed poet Jordan Scott. Illustrated by award-winning artist Zahra Marwan, who drew inspiration from her own immigration from Kuwait, this gorgeous book reminds readers that nothing is left behind forever.
Middle Grade: The Sunshine Project by Uma Krishnaswami and illustrated by Julianna Swaney
In the final book in the Book Uncle trilogy, Anil faces a dilemma when the city decides to build a solar panel factory on the site of a mangrove forest.
Anil loves karate, his friends and the solar power project he has been championing in his community. He doesn’t love having to speak up — as his karate sensei says, best fight, no fight. Still, Anil wishes his classmate Mohan would stop picking on him.
Then Anil learns where the city is planning to build a new solar panel factory. More sustainable energy is good news — but this factory will threaten plant and animal species and force the village people who live on the land to move. Maybe staying quiet isn’t an option anymore …
A class assignment nudges Anil into action. Now he’s a Young Reporter, so why not ask questions about the factory? With help from his friends Yasmin and Reeni, support from his classmates and neighbors, and the right book picks from Book Uncle, can Anil help the city find a solution that works for everyone? And just how loudly will he have to speak up?
A triumphant finale to the Book Uncle trilogy about the power of asking the right questions and listening when change comes to your community.