The FOLD Challenge - The FOLD

The FOLD Challenge

Reading and listening recommendations that encourage booklovers to thoughtfully consider their reading lists and ask one important question: Who’s missing?

12 Books That Shaped the Way We Read

To celebrate the FOLD’s 10th anniversary, we’ve selected 12 books published in the last decade by Canadian authors that have had a significant impact on the publishing landscape or have made important contributions to public discourse. Each book has left its mark on literature and challenged us, as Canadians and as readers, to diversify our reading repertoire. Some have received national and international acclaim, some are bestsellers, and some are the first books of their kind.

Join us in celebrating 12 books that have shaped the way we read!

Blue book cover with black silhouette of a woman hearing a hijab. In large letters, the title, Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin.
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

In 2018, Muslim author Uzma Jalaluddin’s debut novel Ayesha at Last, a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, became one of Canada’s most popular romance novels, inspiring important conversation around diversity in Canadian romance.

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Gold and black book cover. The Hidden Keys by Andre Alexis.
The Hidden Keys by André Alexis

First published in 2014, André Alexis’ Quincunx Cycle is a series of Five genre-bending novels, including the mystery The Hidden Keys. The series demonstrated Alexis’ incredible range and impeccable prose.

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Bright pink cover with the title, I'm Afraid of Men. By Vivek Shraya.
I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

Vivek Shraya’s trailblazing work has graced both the page and the stage, including her 2018 memoir I’m Afraid of Men, which provided a unique and novel insight into toxic masculinity and feminine rage.

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Black book cover with white outlines of bees. Title is milk and honey by Rupi Kaur.
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Originally a self-published collection of poetry, Rupi Kaur’s viral book, Milk and Honey, turned the Brampton native into a global icon, revolutionizing the perception of modern poetry and paving the way for other emerging poets.

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Field of golden wheat and turquoise sky with clouds above. Boy walking through the field. From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle.
From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle

Spending a record-breaking number of weeks on the Canadian bestsellers list, Métis-Cree author Jesse Thistle’s memoir, From the Ashes, revealed his inspiring and remarkable journey from addict to university professor.

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Face of young Indigenous man with long hair and white paint on his cheek. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline.
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Cherie Dimaline’s breakout young adult novel, The Marrow Thieves, sparked powerful conversations on CBC’s Canada Reads. The national bestseller marked a fundamental shift in the literature being discussed and read in Canadian schools.

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Black and white illustration of a Chinatown street. Denison Avenue by Daniel Innes and Christina Wong.
Denison Avenue by Daniel Innes and Christina Wong

Written by Christina Wong and illustrated by Daniel Innes, Denison Avenue demonstrated the unique ways a graphic novel can tell a story by capturing the journey of a people whose society continues to be overlooked and undervalued.

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Red and orange cover with illustration of Chinese woman surrounded by stylized wings. Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut young adult novel, Iron Widow, took the internet by storm in the midst of the global pandemic. Through platforms like TikTok, the author became a social media phenomenon with their sci-fi retelling of a historical Chinese figure.

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Sepia image of a Black woman in front of a row of police officers. Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard.
Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

Robyn Maynard’s 2017 book, Policing Black Lives, moved to the forefront of critical discourse amidst global Black Lives Matter protests, sparking important conversations about the crisis surrounding policing and the Black community in Canada.

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Latina woman wearing a magenta off-the-shoulder dress, against a green background, holding a bouquet of flowers. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic brought horror fiction into the mainstream discourse with a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror, set in 1950’s Mexico.

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The book cover for Amanda Leduc's non-fiction book, DISFIGURED: ON FAIRY TALES, DISABILITY, AND MAKING SPACE
Disfigured by Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc’s Disfigured was the first book in Canada to be “born accessible,” published in a variety of accessible formats that were made available to readers on publication day.

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Orange cowboy boot with a spur in the shape of the Star of David, against a yellow background. Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted by Gary Barwin.
Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted by Gary Barwin

Gary Barwin’s Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted sparked controversial conversations by mixing tragedy with humour in a novel set in Europe during WWII.

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Are You Ready for the Challenge?

What are you reading? Who’s missing? The FOLD’s Reading Challenge encourages booklovers to diversify their reading and their listening by asking one important question: Who’s missing?

Each year, the FOLD releases a twelve-challenge list in January, focusing on one challenge per month for the duration of the year. Every month, the FOLD releases a blog compiled by one of our planning team members that includes a list of recommended titles to help you along.

Each month, the FOLD features one of the challenges, providing suggested titles through a monthly blog.

For readers who may not read as many titles throughout the year, pick a few challenges that will enrich your reading list and your life.

Check back in January 2025 for the full 2025 FOLD Reading Challenge!

 

 

Previous Reading Challenges

FOLD 2024 Reading Challenge.
2024 Reading Challenge poster
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F23_RC_main_horiz
2023 Reading Challenge poster
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[ID: A graphic showcasing thirteen challenges for the FOLD Challenge 2022. For full list of challenges, please visit thefoldcanada.org/readingchallenge2022]
2022 Reading Challenge poster
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A graphic showcasing the thirteen monthly reading challenges for 2021.
2021 Reading Challenge poster
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2020 Reading Challenge poster
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2019 Reading Challenge poster
2019 Reading Challenge Poster
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2018 Reading Challenge Poster
2018 Reading Challenge Poster
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2017 Reading Challenge Poster
2017 Reading Challenge Poster
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