Young Adult
Courage Tales series: Cam Creates a Hero by Dagmara Sitek, Beefy Goes From Bully to Buddy by Dagmara Sitek
The message of this second instalment of the Courage Tales series is an important one
Throwback: I have Anxiety by Angela Samson
I have Anxiety by Angela Samson is a wonderful picture book that can be a useful tool in helping to understand Anxiety Disorder better.
Big Rory Returns to Market Square
In this story that follows the introduction of Big Rory, in Big Rory of Market Square, we follow the tales of this stray Pictou County, Nova Scotia transplant from Scotland after setting sale on the good ship Hector.
The Book Witch, the Wee White Dog & the Little Free Library by Lana Shupe
The Book Witch, the Wee White Dog & the Little Free Library by Lana Shupe is an unforgettable, and adorable children’s picture book about an aging Witch and her wee white dog who spent a lifetime travelling around the World on her broom visiting bookshops and collecting books.
The Genius Hour Project by Leanne Shirtliffe
This book defies any idea of a target audience. It is a story that should be read by anyone who has allowed fear and societal expectations get in the way of doing or being what they love.
The Last Witch on Skye by Carolyn J. Nicholson
During the Ban the Witches and Fairies (BW&F) Party’s witch hunts, Magaidh’s family relocated to Greenland, but Magaidh, the last witch on Skye, transformed herself into a cat and hid in Castle MacLeod for 2 years. The Last Witch on Skye by Carolyn J. Nicholson, begins with the successful mission of finding the stolen Fairy Flag and restoring it to its proper place. With the flag restored, the portal between the realms will remain open allowing the supernaturals to pass back and forth.
Killing Shakespeare by Koom Kankesan
In this wild young adult (YA) novel, three Scarborough, Ontario-based 21st century teenagers give new meaning to “a midsummer night’s dream.” Off they jet through time to Elizabethan England with a mission to knockoff the legacy of the English language’s greatest hits writer. Why? To make Grade Eleven a little bit easier, but boy are they in for a surprise. Will isn’t the nasty they imagine, and the1590s are a lot more fun – and weird – than they thought.
How to Kidnap a Mermaid by Andy Tolson
How to Kidnap a Mermaid by Andy Tolson is the first book in his middle-grade fantasy series; The Quests of Tiny Wilde, to be released by Nimbus Publishing in August.
The Journal of Anxious Izzy Parker by Alma Fullerton
Izzy has just moved from Toronto to a farm on Prince Edward Island, that was once a bed and breakfast. She does not like change or leaving her best friend Jane or her Dad, but the sounds of the waves and seagulls, the slower pace of life, having her own craft room (bunkie), and a soft-serve ice cream machine in their new kitchen helps to balance out most of the negatives of moving.
Pride Month Throwback: Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas
Chad Lucas’ debut novel, Thanks A Lot, Universe, is a perfect example of why I enjoy middle-grade novels, even in my 50s.
Dear Elsa by Marco Fraticelli
Two kids in grade 5 are paired as part of a pen pal program between schools in Toronto, Ontario and Boston, Massachusetts respectively.
Luna and the Heart of the Forest by Adam Karlin
Luna and the Heart of the Forest is a beautifully written and evocative modern fairy tale set in the wilds and water of Newfoundland.
