Snow Song

 

Written by A. K. Riley

Illustrated by Dawn Lo

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0235-0

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

October 2020

Looking outside on my own snow-covered landscape, I am reminded how varied this frozen precipitation can appear and feel and impact our lives. How snow is perceived is so dependent on experience and age and community and the attributes of the snow itself. While the cover of Snow Song suggests a playful story of the joys of being outside in the snow with friends, this picture book is so much more. It is a sensory experience of words and art, contemplative and serene, as well as playful and dynamic, and Snow Song is accordingly a lyrical exposé of being in a new place and finding a commonality through snow.

From Snow Song by A. K. Riley, illus. by Dawn Lo

Though A. K. Riley's evocative free verse speaks to the snow and its movement and form, Dawn Lo shows the reader a child who has just moved into a new home, boxes still to be unloaded and unpacked. Dressed in beret and scarf and green jacket, we accompany her from her new front stoop, down the street and to a park with woodland, pond, playground and more, within a world of snow.

Fine pearls of snow

Then a twirl of snow.

Around the eaves

A curl of snow.

From Snow Song by A. K. Riley, illus. by Dawn Lo

The words are all about the snow, the feel of the snow and the shape of the snow. The snow becomes the focus and the background. It's everything. It gives the child the context for making new friends and familiarizing herself with her new world, whether from outside and around her to inside and looking out.

So soft the snow,

Froths the snow

Upon the trees

And spangled streams –

Up to my knees!

From Snow Song by A. K. Riley, illus. by Dawn Lo

Snow Song may be A. K. Riley's debut children's book but her finesse with words is exceptional. While many newbie children's authors overload their stories with text, A. K. Riley is frugal with her words, packing immense power and sensation in them. Her words convey the visual, the auditory, the tactile and more of snow, giving the child voice and the reader consciousness. Similarly, artist Dawn Lo uses gouache, pencil crayons and Photoshop to create a fusion of colours and textures, taking the reader and the child from indoors through both urban and wilder landscapes, all in the pursuit of the snow experience. Still, feeling anomalous in her new environs, the child is tethered to her past and present through the snow, giving her a naturalness of action and feeling to pursue the newness of her situation. That familiarity instils boldness and ease.

I hope there is snow in your life and the freedom to experience it. Regardless, Snow Song will guide you with its own snow and the freshness of life that comes with it through the words of A. K. Riley and the art of Dawn Lo.

Oh My Gods!

Written by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick

Illustrated by Juliana Moon

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

978-0-358-299523

208 pp.

Ages 8-12

January 2021

 

When her mother has to relocate to curate a gallery show, thirteen-year-old Karen is sent to stay with her father, Zed, a man she barely knows, in Mt. Olympus.

From Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illus. by Juliana Moon

She's surprised by his extravagance, from the carriage drawn by horses in winged costumes at the airport, to her multiple rooms at his mansion, at ordering every type of pizza imaginable since he doesn't know what she likes, and even the wrist corsage he gets her for her first day at Mt. Olympus Junior High. Not only is her dad the mayor of Mt. Olympus, he's the dean of her school. The man is ubiquitous, as well as charming and wealthy.

From Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illus. by Juliana Moon

Karen is shown around the school by a really fast guy, Hermes, who introduces her to the different groups, from the Titans football team, to the Fates, random Jeff and the kids of the Mythbusters group who take Karen under their wing. There's the bright Tina who offers to catch her up; the kindly Dita; the guitar-playing Pol; and his sister Art who is wicked with a bow and arrow. 

From Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illus. by Juliana Moon

When a boy is turned to stone in the library where Karen and Tina are studying, the group meet at a local diner and peruse a book on Monsters and Mythological Creatures, suggesting that a Gorgon might be at work. Karen is flummoxed by their earnestness, convinced they must be part of a LARPing group, that is, until they reveal themselves to be the gods and goddesses Apollo (Pol), Athena (Tina), Aphrodite (Dita), and Artemis. Learning that her father is a god as well, and that Karen may be a demigoddess whose powers could come in at puberty, all the weirdness of her new situation makes some sense.

From Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illus. by Juliana Moon

But, there's still the mystery of the boy turned to stone which escalates when Pol is similarly transformed and there is a worry that Karen's arrival may be related to these bizarre crimes.

While fitting in to a new school, making new friends, and establishing a relationship with a previously-absentee father may be familiar circumstances for some young people, Karen's new life is anything but. By telling Karen's coming-of-age story in a world based on the immortals of Greek mythology, Toronto author Stephanie Cooke and American author Insha Fitzpatrick have added a playful dimension to this graphic novel.  Everything is a little more fantastic, from the characters and their abilities–details are provided in "Karen's Mythology Notes!!!" at the book's conclusion–to Karen's naive accounting for the weirdness she perceives–like centaurs as drama students really committed to their craft–and the inclusion of so many elements of Greek mythology. Every new reveal, like the diner called Ambrosia and the Fates literally bumping into Karen and her friends and saying "We didn't see this coming" (pg. 123), is cheeky and entertaining. While the illustrations by Brazilian digital artist Juliana Moon have given Karen and her friends the normalcy of young teens with their backpacks, clothes and hair, she also embeds it in the mythological Mt. Olympus and makes it realistic.  

I've just learned that this is a series–yay!–and Oh My Gods! is just OMGs #1. The next book, titled The Forgotten Maze, is due out in January 2022, and this is particularly welcome as Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick have left us with an impending adventure starring Jeff and a maze, as well as with wanting to know if and how Karen discovers her powers as a demigoddess.

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guides

Last year, the wildly popular Canadian television series that features young dinosaur-loving Dana took to print in the form of two volumes of Dino Field Guides. Read below why they will be a great addition to the libraries of paleo-lovers young and old.

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide

 Written by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and 

Colleen Russo Johnson

 Mango Publishing Group
978-1-64250-284-8
230 pp.
Ages 8-12
April 2020

 

 

Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2

 Written by J.J. Johnson, Christin Simms and  

Colleen Russo Johnson

Mango Publishing Group
978-1-64250-521-4
230 pp.
Ages 8-12
December 2020

 

Books about dinosaurs are plentiful. Check out any school library to find evidence of a collection that is regularly signed out and well-loved. But these field guides are much more than encyclopedias of dino info and it's because of the premise upon which the TV series was founded. Originating from the Canadian series Dino Dan and then Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures, Dino Dana stars a young girl who not only knows about dinosaurs and wants to learn more but imagines them to life. Using CGI animation along with live action, the TV series are less lecture and more interactive and these field guides continue to emphasize that strength.

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

In the first volume of this series, Dino Dana teaches young readers about Albertosaurus, Amargasaurus, Brachiosaurus, Compsognathus, Corythosaurus, Diabloceratops, Diplodocus, Dracorex, Dromaeosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Europasaurus, Futalognkosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Gigantoraptor, Hippodraco, Incisivosaurus, Kentrosaurus, Kosmoceratops, Maiasaura, Microraptor, Nanotyrannus, Nanuqsaurus, Ozraptor, Pachycephalosaurus, Psittacosaurus, Sinornithosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Stygimoloch, Therizinosaurus, Triceratops, Troodon, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ugrunaaluk and Zuul. (Whew! That's a whole lot of dinosaurs.) For each, there are three double-spreads. In the first, the animal is showcased with its name, pronunciation and meaning, location, and time scale to show when they lived. On the next spread, more details about the creature's size, morphology and behaviour as well as interesting tidbits are shared. 

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen RussoJohnson

Finally, Dino Dana engages her readers in an experiment she undertakes to answer a question she has about that particular dinosaur. It could be about its defense mechanisms or feeding preferences or behaviours with respect to taking care of their young. Her experiments honour the scientific method, asking a question, getting background research information, making a plan, keeping track of results, and drawing conclusions. And because Dana often involves her family, including baby Dexter, in her investigations, or dresses up in wonderful dinosaur costumes–who knits those amazing headpieces?!–they are all the more colourful in their results.

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

In the second volume of Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide, which was just released last month, Dino Dana pursues more research into tectonic plates and fossils but also extends her knowledge about Pterosaurs like Pterodactylus, Pterodaustro and Quetzalcoatlus; Flying Dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx; Prehistoric Marine Creatures including Archelon, Deinosuchus, Livyatan, Megalodon and Plesiosaur; Prehistoric Mammals such as Brontotherium, Woolly Mammoth and Smilodon; Terror Birds like Titanus; Prehistoric Snakes like Titanoboa; and finally Prehistoric Insects like Meganeura. In addition to new species and groups of creatures beyond dinosaurs, Dino Dana gives special consideration to the young of several, like the Baby Smilon, Baby Wooly Mammoth and Baby Plesiosaur, in this second volume.

 

From Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2 by J. J. Johnson, Christin Simms and Colleen Russo Johnson

As with any nature field guide, Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide and Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide Volume 2 are informative handbooks that include just about everything you wanted to know about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. But, because Dino Dana is always learning and engaging in discovery activities to feed her knowledge, her field guides don't just tell the reader stuff. They also demonstrate their own development. There are numerous instances where Dana has corrected previously-held truths about dinosaurs, like the theory that "Dinos are like lizards" being replaced with "more like birds." By always asking questions, like the great investigator she is, and attempting to find the answers, whether through research or active inquiry, Dino Dana engages her readers in the process of learning.

For fans of the Dino Dana series and for those who have never seen it but are lovers of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, Dino Dana: Dino Field Guides are an absolute treat of visual entertainment and comprehensive knowledge.

 

Nature All Around: Trees & Nature All Around: Plants

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of reviewing Nature All Around: Birds, Pamela Hickman and Carolyn Gavin's newest book in Kids Can Press's Nature All Around series, and I was reminded of earlier books that I hadn't reviewed. Here are my reviews of two additional titles published earlier in the series.

🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲

 

Nature All Around: Trees

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-804-7

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2019

 

Nature All Around: Plants

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-819-1

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2020  

As with Nature All Around: Birds, Pamela Hickman and Carolyn Gavin offer children a broad introduction to a group of living things in an illustrated text perfect for the early middle grade reader. They cover life cycles, behaviour, identification, seasonal variation, and unique species, as well as offering an opportunity for learning through activity

From Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

In Nature All Around: Trees, children will become familiar with the basics of tree morphology (i.e., trunk, bark, roots, crown, leaves, seeds and branches) and the differences between deciduous and evergreen trees. The different types of leaves and their role in photosynthesis and respiration are also covered. Looking at the tree through the seasons, Pamela Hickman details pollination, fruit production, and the making of maple syrup from sap. She also reports on the forest regions of North America, the role of trees as habitat, and tree identification. Still as scientifically accurate as the details are, Nature All Around: Trees is also a celebration of trees and their wondrous role in different ecosystems, and Carolyn Gavin's illustrations of watercolour and gouache honour both the science and the magic. (The joy of colour and shape in the illustration below is just one superb example.)

From Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

In Nature All Around: Plants, Pamela Hickman discusses flowering and non-flowering plants, life cycles, adaptations to the environment, to attract pollinators and for protection, and the many quirky species and anomalies to the norm. Of course, there is always the activity-based learning which here includes "Beginner Plant-Watching" and growing microgreens.

From Nature All Around: Plants by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Children are spending a lot more time indoors right now and being out in nature offers a plethora of opportunities for learning, for exercise, for quiet time and for connection. With the Nature All Around series from Pamela Hickman and illustrated by Carolyn Gavin, heading out to take in the natural world and make those worthwhile connections that remind us that we're much more than entities on screens is all the more possible. 

From Nature All Around: Plants by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

 🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲🌳🐛🌲

 

The complete Nature All Around series includes four books to date:

Nature All Around: Trees (2019)

Nature All Around: Bugs (2019)

Nature All Around: Plants (2020) 

Nature All Around: Birds (2020)

Nature All Around: Birds

Written by Pamela Hickman

Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-818-4

32 pp.

Ages 7-10

2020

 

With so many kids' activities curtailed, especially those involving team sports and getting together with others, it may be a great time to get your little ones involved in an activity like birding i.e., bird-watching which they can do alone, with family, or later with friends, developing it into the life-long passion enjoyed by many.

Pamela Hickman, whose collection of books about nature will astound, takes children through the basics about birds, from their life cycle to changes through the seasons, attributes of eggs, feathers, beaks, behaviour and more, and inviting them to watch birds.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Organized with a simple table of contents, glossary and index, Nature All Around: Birds is an easy non-fiction read for early readers and middle grade children without bogging them down in scientific names and other minutiae that might dissuade them from learning. Pamela Hickman has made Nature All Around: Birds comprehensive but reader-friendly, drawing children in with the short blurbs of explanatory text.  Coupled with the colourful gouache and watercolour illustrations by Carolyn Gavin which blend realism with a touch of whimsy, it's all bright and informative without reading like a field guide or textbook.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

Learning about birds for young children will require looking out their windows or taking a walk and opening their eyes to the feathered creatures who share our landscapes. But, with Nature All Around: Birds, their focus will be bolstered by Pamela Hickman's descriptive and guiding text and Carolyn Gavin's detailed and communicative art and undoubtedly help establish an abiding appreciation for birds.

From Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin

You Were Never Here

Written by Kathleen Peacock

HarperTeen

978-0-06-300251-7

392 pp.

Ages 13+ 

October 2020

 

I used to think that once things broke, you couldn't put them back together, that the cracks would always be present and there was no point in trying. (pg. 388)

Seventeen year old Mary Catherine Montgomery a.k.a. Cat undoubtedly thinks of herself as broken, or at least not normal, and it has nothing to do with her physique, though she often deprecates herself for her wild red hair and chubbiness. What Cat can do, since puberty, is feel others' desires and fears when she has skin-to-skin contact. Consequently, she wears long sleeves as much as possible and avoids crowds and any chance of close contact with anyone. She's learned from experience how damaging it can be to reveal what she knows. The first time was with Riley Fraser, the boy next door to her Aunt Jet's in Montgomery Falls, New Brunswick. Now after another incident because of her gift, Cat is leaving her home in NYC and going to stay with her aunt. But things are much different now. Oh, she still has her gift, though she generally knows how to avoid its consequences. It's Riley. He's disappeared.

At her aunt's home, now a rooming house, Cat meets eighteen-year-old Aidan Porter, as well as his friends Chase, Joey and Skylar, and reconnects with Riley's older brother Noah who returned from university when his brother disappeared three months earlier. As Cat tries to fit in with her horror film-loving new acquaintances and piece together the bullying that Skylar is experiencing related to Riley, as well as help Noah learn what happened to his brother, Cat gets caught up in another incident when they discover the near-dead body of another student, Rachel Larsen.

In a thrilling YA novel of a suspicious disappearance, a supernatural gift and the natural need for acceptance and human contact, Kathleen Peacock sends us into the community of Montgomery Falls and into the heads of Cat and several others to recognize that,

Sometimes... people fear the things they want or want the things they fear. (pg. 154)

Discovering what happened to Riley is paramount in You Were Never Here but learning about Cat's ability and how that has impacted her relationships with Riley, her NYC friend Lacey, her father, and others is also relevant. Because of that power, Cat avoids getting close to people, including her own family, and can't trust herself to feel for anyone, worried that they might run out on her or accuse her of being a monster. How do you trust others when you can't trust yourself? Blending Cat's gift with regular teenage angst, a craving for friendship and a bit of romance, and a mystery or two to be solved, Kathleen Peacock has created a story teeming with emotions and tension, and reminds us what it takes to be human, and Cat most certainly is. She's bright, realistic, compassionate, and cautiously trusting, though not always of herself. She is not the monster but there is one around. And, as with any good mystery, the reveal is both unexpected and convincing.

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear

Written by Troy Wilson

Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor

Running Press Kids

978-0-7624-9620-4

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

January 2021

 

When Goldibooks and her reading-loving parents head to the library to exchange their books, they spot a wee bear that the girl thinks is adorable. Though her parents caution her away because adult bears can be protective of their young, she needn't have worried as the cub is just desperate to find something to read.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the wee bear comes across the humans' cottage, he can't resist peeking in and is elated to spot three packed bookshelves. As in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, upon which Troy Wilson has based his story, the wee bear tries out the books on each case. Of course, Mom's are too hard, and Dad's are too soft, but Goldi's are just right.

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

Similarly, the wee bear looks for a comfy spot to read and finally finds that Goldi's chair is just right, though he does have a bit of a fumble with it. So he tries the beds because what better place to read, right? And as every reader knows, when gets comfortable reading, he falls asleep.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the family returns from the library, they are shocked to see the mayhem with their books, and their chairs, and beds. Just as Goldibooks discovers the wee bear who knows he shouldn't have trespassed, his bear parents show up, distressed that he didn't stay away from the wee human whose parents could be dangerous if you get near their kids. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

But books can do so much to help us overcome fears and discrimination, and soon enough the wee ones, human and bear, have encouraged their families to enjoy reading together.

 

By writing this story as a fractured fairy tale, Troy Wilson is able to incorporate important messages about reading and the coming together of cultures in a familiar narrative that kids will love. They'll know where the story should go–i.e., the first is too hard, the next is too soft and the last is just right–but they won't exactly know where Troy Wilson will take them. And by blanketing the story about a little bear who wants to read and parents who want to protect their young, even if their fears are unfounded, Troy Wilson gives us more to the story than just respecting other's stuff. 

American Edwardian Taylor's cartoon illustrations, with his apple-cheeked characters and fairy-tale setting of forests and cottages, keep the story light and cheerful. Even when the wee bear causes a bit of damage and the bears and humans meet, his colours and shapes add whimsy and brightness.

 

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear, Troy Wilson's second fractured fairy tale (Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf  in 2019 was his first) among his rich collection of picture books, releases today. With it, Troy Wilson is becoming a stand out in twisting a classic tale into a more contemporary and more meaningful story for teaching and entertaining young readers.

Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School)

Written by Lana Button

Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-340-8

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

August 2020

Rules are often put in place to keep us safe. Some are imposed by others and adopted by everyone, and some are very personal and created to meet our own needs and preferences. The latter is the case for Raj whose reluctance to use the bathrooms at school compels him to adhere to some very strict and strange rules. But, some rules are doomed to be broken.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

Not unlike a lot of people, Raj is reluctant to use any bathroom other than the one at home. In order to abide by this rule, Raj offers some charming and very practical tips to prevent the need for school bathroom breaks. He avoids drinking at school, not from the water fountain or from juice boxes. He may wash his hands at the sink but quickly and he avoids the water table. 

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

He definitely stays away from the very funny Kyle and avoids distractions and movements that might keep him from sitting still, often squeezing his knees together. But, when a sneeze necessitates a visit to the school bathroom, all his rules are for naught and Raj learns that the outcome is better than he thought.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

You have to wonder how many people deny themselves the opportunities for happiness because of the fear of the "what ifs." Raj is obviously afraid of something associated with using a public washroom–and nowadays with COVID19, who isn't?–but the distress on his poor little body as he attempts to keep it from its natural functions is apparent. (Doctors would probably advise against this as well.) But Lana Button's gentle text doesn't poke fun at Raj and his predilection. She offers a compassionate, even rational, perspective and allows Raj the opportunity to problem solve his own solutions, both how not to use the bathroom and how to manage when he must use it.  As she has unequivocally accomplished in her earlier books like Willow Finds a Way (2013), My Teacher's Not Here! (2018) and What If Bunny's Not a Bully? (2020), Lana Button is respectful of how young children think, emphasizing their very legitimate struggles with bullies, friends, routines, and change but still giving them the vehicle to find their own solutions. And, as all teachers and parents should know, by allowing children the opportunity to problem solve their own answers, they are encouraging them to accept them.

 

New Brunswick illustrator Hatem Aly, who also created the art for The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (2019), is no stranger to blending lightness with the important messages of authors. He never makes Raj look silly or insignificant, instead making Raj just one of the kids whose issue just happens to be not wanting to use the bathroom at school. It could have been never eating the crusts on bread, or wearing his favourite red socks every day, or carrying a stuffie everywhere. But Hatem Aly has made the adorable Raj, the boy with a bounty of dark wavy hair, big eyes and wish to avoid a public bathroom, just another kid in diverse class of kids of different sizes, colours and abilities. They're boisterous and quiet, impetuous and cautious, and Raj is just one of them.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

At a time when being vigilant in public is the norm, little Raj is wise to consider how to avoid potential problems by strategizing ways to bypass his school bathrooms. But, more importantly, Raj can still find a way to ease his worries while becoming happier at school, both physically and emotionally, by simply tweaking his rules so they work with his new reality.

The Desert Prince (Secrets of the Sands, Book 2)

Written by Alisha Sevigny

Dundurn

978-1-45974-432-5

364 pp.

Ages 8-13

September 2020 

"I know what it is like, how acting on your conscience can bring you into conflict with higher powers." (pg. 52)

 

When middle-grade readers first met Sesha in The Lost Scroll of the Physician, she was studying with other scribes and searching for the lost scroll of the Great Imhotep. Though those in power viewed the scroll as a tool of influence, whether for military surgery or more, Sesha needed it to help save the life of her younger brother Ky. So, even though Pharaoh's queen Anat stole the scroll and tried to kill Sesha and fellow scribes Paser and Reb, the Pharaoh's physician Ahmes was able to help Ky. Now the trio of teens are on the run and searching for Pharaoh's daughter, Merat, who'd been given to the Hyskos chieftain in betrothal.

 

To improve their chances of escape and survival, Sesha helps free a Hyskos spy who'd been in the pits alongside them. Under Pepi's guidance, Sesha, Paser and Reb are able to cross the dangerous desert of scorching heat, deadly quicksand, negligible water and terrifying sandstorms to reach the Chieftain's oasis community. Under the ruse of Sesha being betrothed to Pepi who is the Chieftain's cousin, and Reb and Paser being her brothers, they ingratiate themselves into the community and look for ways to free Merat and save themselves. 

But freeing Merat is not as easy as it sounds, especially at a secluded oasis where they all become integrated: Merat working with children, Sesha helping as a physician, and Paser and Reb training as Hyskos soldiers. When the Chieftain's right-hand man Akin is badly injured, Sesha devises a plan to retrieve the scroll from Thebes, ostensibly to help in his recovery, and to get them all to the city of Avaris from which they might escape. But will her scheme to return to Thebes and see her brother, recover the scroll, warn the Thebans about the Chieftain's plans for war, and return safely to her friends be as easy as she plots, especially with Pepi by her side? And will the skills he has taught her as a spy be enough to ensure their success?

If The Lost Scroll of the Physician was a thriller, then The Desert Prince is action adventure. By taking the action out of Thebes and into the desert, where survival requires skills beyond understanding how and why people act as they do, Alisha Sevigny has added a new dimension to her story. There is still the myriad of characters, some of whom we don't trust and learn to trust, and others whose motives are questionable all along, and they are key to the plot of the story and how it progresses but place and time become even more prominent. Being set in Ancient Egypt, the Secrets of the Sands series is already historical fiction with a different landscape, and Alisha Sevigny adds richness to her story by infusing it with the Ancient Egyptians' belief system, cultures, medical and funereal practices and more. But now she also brings us into the desert and to an oasis and introduces a new culture, that of the Hyksos, and an imminent new conflict. Alisha Sevigny has taken us to Ancient Egypt, making everything so real that young readers will be tempted to check how much is authentic (Thebes, Hyskos, Imhotep, Avaris, and Ahmes all are) and even if Sesha might be found in Wikipedia (she is not). 

That's the context of Alisha Sevigny's The Desert Prince but the story, of a prophetic scroll, of allegiances and spies, betrothals and family, and war and accord, provides us with the action and the mystery that will keep readers reading, especially as even more secrets are revealed. She may have left us satisfied with her story's resolution but, just as she did at the conclusion of The Lost Scroll of the Physician, Alisa Sevigny knows how to keep us wanting more and, with a secret prophecy and a looming war along with some budding romances, she's hooked us into anticipating Book 3.

Upcoming Releases for Winter and Spring 2021

I love sharing these lists of upcoming releases of #youngCanLit. I learn about new authors and illustrators, introduce others to Canadian creators, and get the buzz out about new books for young readers. It's a win-win-win for all.  Here's hoping you find a picture book, early reader, middle-grade fiction, graphic novel, young adult novel, book of poetry, or non-fiction title that strikes your fancy and makes you a fan of a Canadian writer or illustrator or reminds you how awesome you always knew they were. ❤️🇨🇦📚

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor (Running Press Books)
i? siw?kw nkwancin?m k'?l suli? / The Water Sings to Suli? by Harron Hall, illus. by Shianna Allison (Theytus) >>>dual language edition in English & nsyilxc?n
k?xntim s?anixw k'?l nixwtitkw i? acxw?l?xwalt / We Go with Muskrat to Those Living
Underwater by Harron Hall, illus. by Ron Hall (Theytus)>>>dual language in English & nsyilxc?nkwu?c'?x?w?ntim t?l stunx isck'wuls / Lessons From Beaver's Work by Harron Hall, illus. by Bill Cohen (Theytus)>>>dual Language in English & nsyilxc?n
Outside Art by Madeline Kloepper (Tundra)
Puppy in My Head: A Book about Mindfulness by Elise Gravel (HarperCollins)
sk?p'lk'mitkw / Water Changeling by Harron Hall, illus. by Phyllis Isaac (Theytus)>>> dual language in English & nsyilxc?n
Ten Little Dumplings by Larissa Fan, illus. by Cindy Wume (Tundra)
Water Water by Jessica Bromley Bartram (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Camping Chaos by L. M. Nicodemo, illus. by Graham Ross (Formac)>>> The Secret Games of Maximus Todd series
The Crosswood by Gabrielle Prendergast (Orca)>>> Orca Currents
The Fabulous Zed Watson by Kevin Sylvester and Basil Sylvester (HarperCollins Canada)
Finders Keepers by Melanie McFarlane (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
Hoppy Go Lucky (Bunbun & Bonbon #2) by Jess Keating (Graphix)>>>graphic novel
The Ice Chips and the Grizzly Escape by Roy MacGregor and Kerry MacGregor, illus. by Kim Smith (HarperCollins Canada) >>>Book 5 in The Ice Chips series
Maria and the Plague: A Black Death Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Natasha Deen (Stone Arch Books)
School Trip Squirmies by L. M. Nicodemo, illus. by Graham Ross (Formac)>>> The Secret Games of Maximus Todd series
Unleashed by Amy McCulloch (Sourcebooks)>>>sequel to Jinxed
Up the Creek by Natalie Hyde (Scholastic Canada)

Young Adult

Drone Chase by Pam Withers (Dundurn)
Given by Nandi Taylor (Wattpad)>>>audiobook
Mr. Universe by Arthur Slade (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings
Pickpocket by Karen Spafford-Fitz (Orca) >>> Orca Soundings
The Rules Have Changed by Lesley Choyce (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings
Tornado by Sharon Jennings (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings

Non-Fiction

Amazing Black Atlantic Canadians: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Achievement by Lindsay Ruck, illus. by James Bentley (Nimbus)>>>Amazing Atlantic Canadians series
Charles Tupper: Warhorse by Paula Johanson (Doublejoy Books)
Pierre Elliott Trudeau: Child of Nature by Paula Johanson (Doublejoy Books)
Proud to Play by Erin Silver (Lorimer)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Anonymouse by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Anna Pirolli (Tundra)
A Good Day for Ducks by Jane Whittingham, illus. by Noel Tuazon (Pajama Press)
Goodnight, Noah by Eric Walters, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes (Orca)
Happy Dreams, Little Bunny by Leah Hong (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
M is for Moose: A Canadian Word Book (Scholastic Canada)
Maya's Big Scene by Isabelle Arsenault (Tundra)>>>A Mile End Kids Story 3
Painted Fences by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Sydney Barnes (Heritage House)
The Secret Fawn by Kallie George, illus. by Elly Mackay (Tundra)
Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell, illus. by Carrielynn Victor (HighWater Press)
This is Crab by Harriet Evans, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
This is Frog by Harriet Evans, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
This is Owl by Libby Walden, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
We Adopted a Baby Lamb by Lori Joy Smith (Tundra)

 

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Call Across the Sea by Kathy Kacer (Annick)>>>The Heroes Quartet 4
Firefly by Philippa Dowding (DCB)
Genie Meanie by Mahtab Narsimhan, illus. by Michelle Simpson (Orca)
Last Pick by David Star (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Lone Runner by Dirk McLean (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Open Ice by David Trifunov (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Pasture Bedtime: Charlie's Rules by Sigmund Brouwer, illus. by Sabrina Gendron (Orca)
Rugby Rookies by Mike Levitt (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Sully, Messed Up by Stephanie Simpson McLellan (Red Deer Press)
Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson (Tundra) >>> Simon and Chester Book 1
Trip of the Dead by Angela Misri (DCB)
Unplugged by Gordon Korman (Scholastic Canada)
Unravel by Sharon Jennings (Red Deer Press)
Wild Bird by Leanne Baugh (Red Deer Press)

Young Adult 

Athabasca by Harry Kleinhuis (Red Deer Press)
Bendy: The Illusion of Living by Adrienne Kress (Scholastic)
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Deception (The Dark Matter Trilogy) by Teri Terry (Charlesbridge)
The Love Code by Mette Bach (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Real Love
Nothing But Life by Brent van Staalduinen (Dundurn)
Open Secrets by Jennifer Manuel (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer SideStreets
The Player by Paul Coccia (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer SideStreets
The Project by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books)
Torch by R. J. Anderson (Escape Enclave) >>> conclusion to Flight and Flame Trilogy (earlier books were Swift and Nomad)

Non-Fiction

Body Image: Deal with it because all bodies are great bodies by Tierra Hohn, illus. by Marne Grahlman (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Deal With It series
How to Change Everything by Naomi Klein, illus. by Rebecca Stefoff (Puffin Canada)
How to Promenade with a Python (and Not Get Eaten) by Rachel Poliquin, illus. by Kathryn Durst (Tundra)>>>Polite Predators Book 1
Kid Innovators: True Tales of Childhood from Inventors and Trailblazers by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Allison Steinfeld (Quirk Books)
Louis Riel Day: The Fur Trade Project by Deborah L. Delaronde, illus. by Sheldon Dawson (Theytus)
Meet Thérèse Casgrain by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada)>>>Scholastic Canada Biography
Nature Out of Balance: How Invasive Species Are Changing the Planet by Merrie-Ellen Wilcox (Orca)>>>Orca Footprints
What Makes Us Unique?: Our First Talk About Diversity by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Cindy Revell (Orca)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valérie Fontaine, illus. by Nathalie Dion, trans. by Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood)
Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built by Susan Hughes, illus. by Marianne Ferrer (Owlkids)
Easter Morning, Easter Sun by Rosanna Battigelli, illus. by Tara Anderson (Pajama Press)
Kimmy & Mike by Dave Paddon, illus. by Lily Snowden-Fine (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Malaika's Surprise by Nadia L. Hohn, illus. by Irene Luxbacher (Groundwood)
Mi'kmaq Alphabet Book by Shyla Augustine, illus. by Braelyn Cyr (Monster House)
Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know: Niibing, dgwaagig, bboong, mnookmig dbaadjigaade maanpii mzin’igning / A Book about the Seasons by Brittany Luby, illus. by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, trans. by Alvin Ted Corbiere & Alan Corbiere (Groundwood)
The Night is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze, illus. by Sue Todd (Orca)
On the Other Side of the Forest by Nadine Robert, illus. by Gérard DuBois (Greystone)
Ride with Me by Emily Parsons Dickau, illus. by Andrea Armstrong (Kids Can Press)
Riley Can't Stop Crying by Stéphanie Boulay, illus. by Agathe Bray-Bourret (Orca)
Spark by Ani Castillo (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
This House is Home by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Yong Ling Kang (Owlkids)
Toucania by Marianne Ferrer and Valérie Picard (Orca)
The Wind and the Trees by Todd Stewart (Owlkids)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Birdspell by Valerie Sherrard (DCB)
Cuckoo's Flight by Wendy Orr (Pajama Press)
The Egyptian Mirror by Michael Bedard (Pajama Press)
Elvis, Me and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile (DCB)
Jacob and the Mandolin Adventure by Anne Dublin (Second Story Press)
Like a Duck by Deborah Kerbel (Scholastic Canada)
Megabat and the Not-Happy Birthday by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Kass Reich (Tundra) >>>Megabat Book 4
My Best Friend is Extinct by Rebecca Wood Barrett, illus. by Cornelia Li (Orca)
Peter Lee's Notes from the Field by Angela Ahn, illus. by Julie Kwon (Tundra)
Wild Waters, Inside a Voyageur's World by Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenden (Indigenous Education Press)

Young Adult

Bruised by Tanya Boteju (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Non-Fiction

The Bare Naked Book by Kathy Stinson, illus. by Melissa Cho (Annick)>>>revised
The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees by Dana L. Church (Scholastic)
Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet by Megan Clendenan and Kim Ryan Woolcock (Orca)>> Orca Footprints
Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees by Jen Sookfong Lee, illus. by Drew Shannon (Orca)>>>first book in new series Orca Think
Fired Up About Consent by Sarah Ratchford (Between the Lines)
Journey Around the Sun: The Story of Halley's Comet by James Gladstone, illus. by Yaara Eshet (Owlkids)
Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics by Marilee Peters (Annick) >>>revised
Snooze-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Sleep by Maria Birmingham, illus. by Kyle reed (Owlkids)
Treaty Words: For As Long As the Rivers Flow by Aimée Craft, illus. by Luke Swinson (Annick)
Why Does My Shadow Follow Me?: More Science Questions from Real Kids by Kira Vermond, ills. by Suharu Ogawa (Annick)
Wild Outside: Around the World with Survivorman by Les Stroud, illus. by Andrew P. Barr (Annick)

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

48 Grasshopper Estates by Sara de Waal, illus. by Erika Medina (Annick)
A Is for Anemone: A First West Coast Alphabet by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd (Harbour Publishing)>>>First West Coast Books 5
Barnaby by Andrea Curtis, illus. by Kass Reich (Owlkids)
The Dog's Gardener by Patricia Storms, illus. by Nathalie Dion (Groundwood)
The Doll by Nhung N. Tran-Davies, illus. by Ravy Puth (Second Story Press)
Dragon! by Caroline Adderson, illus. by Alice Carter (Owlkids)>>>Pierre & Paul, Book 2
Frogness by Sarah Nelson, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes (Owlkids)
Hare B&B by Bill Richardson, illus. by Bill Pechet (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, illus. by Michaela Goade (Owlkids)
Lala's Word by Gracey Zhang (Scholastic Canada)
Leopold's Leotard by Rhiannon Wallace, illus. by Risa Hugo (Orca)
Mr. Mole Moves In by Lesley-Anne Green (Tundra)
My Heart Beats by Rina Singh (Orca)
Nye, Sand and Stones by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Marion Arbona (Orca)
Outside, You Notice by Erin Alladin, illus. by Andrea Blinick (Pajama Press)
Percy's Museum by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Carmen Mok (Groundwood)
Read Talk Play: Baby Steps to Reading by Carol McDougall and Shanda LaRamee-Jones (Nimbus)
The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press)
Sleep, My Baby by Dr. Lena Allen-Shore with Jacques J. M. Shore, illus. by Jessica Courtney-Tickle (Simon & Schuster)
The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si (Owlkids)
The Sun is a Shine by Leslie A. Davidson, illus. by Slavka Kolesar (Orca)
Tough Like Mum by Lana Button, illus. by Carmen Mok (Tundra)
We Dream Medicine Dreams by Lisa Boivin (HighWater Press)
When Mom's Away by Layla Ahmad, illus. by Farida Zaman (Second Story Press)
Wildflower by Briana Corr Scott (Nimbus)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Away Games by Craig Battle (Owlkids)>>>Camp Average Book 3
The Case of the Burgled Bundle by Michael Hutchinson (Second Story Press)>>> A Mighty Muskrats Mystery Book 3
The Family Way by Laura Best (Nimbus)>>>Cammie #4
The Frog Mother by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson), illus. by Natasha Donovan (HighWater Press) >>>Book 4 of Mothers of Xsan
Good as Gold by Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)>>>Whatever After #14
The Great Cookie War by Caroline Stellings (Second Story Press)
The Good Fight by Ted Staunton (Scholastic Canada)
Lost on the Prairie by MaryLou Driedger (Heritage House)
The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Stone Octopus by Gareth Gaudin (Orca)>>>Book 2 in the Monster Sisters series
Otter Lagoon by Nancy Deas and Mike Deas (Orca)>>>graphic novel in Sueño Bay Adventures series
Rescue at Lake Wild by Terry Lynn Johnson (HMH Books for Young Readers)
Road Allowance Era by Katherena Vermette, illus. by Scott B. Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk (HighWater Press) >>>Vol. 4 in A Girl Called Echo graphic novel series
Shark Bait! by Jeff Szpirglas, illus. by Danielle Saint-Onge (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes
Spill the Beans by Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)>>>Whatever After #13
The Sun Will Come Out by Joanne Levy (Orca)

Young Adult

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur (Feiwel & Friends)
The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson (Dundurn)
My Body in Pieces by Marie-Noëlle Hébert, trans. by Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood)>>> graphic novel
My Indian by Mi'Sel Joe and Sheila O'Neill (Breakwater Books)
Travesia: A Migrant Girl's Cross-Border Journey/ El viaje de una joven migrante by Michelle Gerster, illus. by Fiona Dunnett (Arsenal Pulp Press) >>> graphic novel
Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan (Scholastic)

Non-Fiction 

50 Things To Know About the International Space Station by John A. Read (Formac)>>> The Beginner's Guide to Space series
Butterflies Are Pretty...Gross! by Rosemary Mosco, illus. by Jacob Souva (Tundra)
Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants by Various Contributors, illus. by Rogé Girard (Owlkids)
The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, illus. by Belle Wuthrich (Orca)>>>Orca Issues
The East Coast Nature Activity Book: Games, facts, quizzes and more by Kara Turner (Formac)
Forest Magic: A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers by Sarah Grindler (Nimbus)>>> Little Explorers series
How to Become an Accidental Activist by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky (Orca)>>>new Accidental Series
Indigenous Filmmakers & Actors by Gary Robinson (Second Story Press)>>>First Nations Book for Young Readers
The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire (Annick)
Seeing Stars: The Secret Life of Starfish by Denise Adams (Nimbus)
Thao by Thao Lam (Owlkids)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

1, 2, 3 Off to School! by Marianne Dubuc (Kids Can Press)
Ballewiena by Rebecca Bender (Pajama Press)
Brady Brady and the Missed Hattrick by Mary Shaw, illus. by Chuck Temple (Scholastic Canada)
Carol and the Pickle-Toad by Esmé Shapiro (Tundra)
A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories by John Martz (Tundra)
City Baby by Laurie Elmquist, illus. by Ashley Barron (Orca)
Come, Read with Me by Magriet Ruurs, illus. by Christine Wei (Orca)
Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem by Lauren Soloy (Tundra)
Here Babies, There Babies in Summer by Nancy Cohen, illus. by Carmen Mok (Nimbus)
The Land Puffin by Lori Doody (Nimbus)
Little You / Gidagaashiinh by Richard Van Camp, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca) >>>dual-language edition (English and Anishinaabemowin)
Little Wolf by Teoni Spathelfer, illus. by Natassia Davies (Heritage House)
Meet Your Family / Gikenim Giniigi'igoog by David Bouchard, illus. by Kristy Cameron (Medicine Wheel Education)>>> English with Ojibwe
My Heart Fills With Happiness / Nijiikendam by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca) >>> dual-language edition (English and Anishinaabemowin)
No More Plastic by Alma Fullerton (Pajama Press)
On the Trapline by David A. Robertson, illus. by Julie Flett (Tundra)
Out into the Big Wide Lake by Paul Harbridge, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Tundra)
Peace Train by Cat Stevens, illus. by Peter H. Reynolds (HarperCollins)
Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Julie McLaughlin (Orca)
Raymond the Buffalo by Lou Beauchesne, illus. by Kate Chappell (Orca)
ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words by Robert Heidbreder, illus. by Dušan Petričić (Kids Can Press)
The Shaman's Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk, illus. by Megan Kyak-Monteith (Inhabit Media)
Show Us Where You Live, Humpback by Beryl Young, illus. by Sakika Kikuchi (Greystone)
Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle by Cathy Ballou Mealey, illus. by Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press)
Sonata for Fish and Boy by Milan Pavlović (Groundwood)
Sunny Days by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Miki Sato (Pajama Press)
Think Big! by Robert Munsch, illus. by Dave Whamond (Scholastic Canada)
This is Ruby by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Alea Marley (Tundra)
This is What I’ve Been Told / Mii Yi Gaa-Bi-Wiindmaagooyaan by Juliana Armstrong (Medicine Wheel Education)>>>with Anishnaabemowin
We All Play by Julie Flett (Greystone)
What the Kite Saw by Anne Laurel Carter, illus. by Akin Duzakin (Groundwood)
Yorick and Bones: Friends by Any Other Name by Jeremy Tankard and Hermione Tankard (Quill Tree Books)
You Hold Me Up / Gimanaadenim by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Danielle Daniel (Orca) >>>dual-language edition (English & Anishnaabemowin)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney (Puffin Canada)
Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady by Darlene Foster (Central Avenue Publishing)>>> Book 8 in Amanda series that includes Amanda in Alberta and Amanda in New Mexico
Anna Analyst by Patti Edgar (Yellow Dog)
Awesome Wildlife Defenders by Martha Attema (Ronsdale)
Every Home Needs an Elephant by Jane Heinrichs (Orca)
The Fabled Stables: Trouble with Tattle-Tails by Jonathan Auxier, illus. by Olga Demodova (Puffin Canada)>>>sequel to Willa the Wisp
I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman (Scholastic Canada)
Once Upon an Iceberg: Errol's Twillingate Adventure by Sheilah Lukins, illus. by Laurel Keating (Breakwater Books)>>> Errol's Adventures #3
Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell by Melanie Watt (Tundra)>>>Scaredy Squirrel is back in a graphic novel
The Street Belongs to Us by Karleen Pendleton Jiménez, illus. by Gabriela Godoy (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas (Amulet Books)
Thrive by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins)>>>conclusion to The Overthrow trilogy that began with Bloom and Hatch
The Traitor's Blade by Kevin Sands (Aladdin)>>>Blackthorn Key Book 5
Travels in Cuba by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel, illus. by Marie-Louise Gay (Groundwood)

Young Adult

Aetherbound by E. K. Johnston (Dutton Books for Young Readers)
The Boi of Feather and Steel (Metamorphosis 2) by Adan Jerreat-Poole (Dundurn)>>>sequel to The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass
Crest (The Call of the Rift Book 3) by Jae Waller (DCB)
Don't Breathe a Word by Jordyn Taylor (HarperTeen)
Green Glass Ghosts by Rae Spoon, illus. by Gem Hall (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Home Wrecker by Deanna Cameron (Wattpad Books)
Just a Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen)
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk (Simon & Schuster) 

Misfit in Love by S. K. Ali (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)>>>sequel to Saints and Misfits
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story by David A. Robertson, illus. by Scott B. Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk (HighWater Press) >>>10th anniversary edition
Tainted Amber by Gabriele Goldstone (Ronsdale)
Tremendous Things by Susin Nielsen (Penguin Teen)
When You Get the Chance by Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson (Running Press Kids)>>>delayed release ( I reviewed it early here)

Non-Fiction

Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers by Frances Backhouse (Orca)>>>Orca Wild
City of Water by Andrea Curtis, illus. by Katy Dockrill (Groundwood)
Growing Up Elizabeth May: The Making of an Activist by Sylvia Olsen and Cate May Burton (Orca)
Her Epic Adventure: 25 Daring Women Who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, illus. by Salini Perera (Kids Can Press)
Mad for Ads: How Advertising Gets (and Stays) in Our Heads by Erica Fyvie, illus. by Ian Turner (Kids Can Press)
See Where We Come From!: A First Book of Family Heritage by Scot Ritchie (Kids Can Press)
Sounds All Around: The Science of How Sound Works by Susan Hughes, illus. by Ellen Rooney (Kids Can Press)>>>The Science of How series

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

A is for Anemone by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd (Harbour Publishing)
Arnold the Super-ish Hero by Heather Tekavec, illus. by Guillaume Perreault (Kids Can Press)
Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
Hidden Treasure by Elly MacKay (RP Kids)
Jonathan and the Giant Eagle by Danny Christopher (Eye of Newt Books)
Poem in My Pocket by Chris Tougas, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Kids Can Press)
This Is a Dog Book! by Judith Henderson, illus. by Julien Chung (Kids Can Press)
T. Rexes Can't Tie Their Shoes by Anna Lazowski, illus. by Stephanie Laberis (Random House Kids)
Wingmaker by Dave Cameron, illus. by David Huyck (Kids Can Press)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Dusty Dreams and Troubled Waters: A Story of HMCS Sackville and the Battle of the Atlantic by Brian Bowman, illus. by Richard Rudnicki (Nimbus)>>>graphic novel
Hide and Seek by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins (Scholastic)>>> Upside-Down Magic #7
Long Distance by Whitney Gardener (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)>>>graphic novel
The Serpent's Fury by Kelley Armstrong (Puffin Canada)>> A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying, Book 3
Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Morgan Goble (Kids Can Press)>>>new early chapter book series Wednesday Wilson

Young Adult

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury (Margaret K. McElderry)
The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
Four Faces of the Moon by Amanda Strong (Annick)
The Last Time I Saw Her by Alexandra Harrington (Nimbus)
The Momentous Expiration of Tremmy Sinclair by Michael F. Stewart
Rising Like a Storm by Tanaz Bhathena (Penguin Teen)>>>The Wrath of Amber, Book 2
Royal Blood by Arthur Slade (Scholastic Canada)>>>Dragon Assassin series
Tell Me When You Feel Something by Vicki Grant (Penguin Teen)

Non-Fiction

Extremely Gross Animals: Stinky, Slimy and Strange Animal Adaptations by Claire Eamer (Kids Can Press)
The Girl Who Loved Giraffes by Kathy Stinson, illus. by François Thisdale (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
That's No Dino! Or Is It?: What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur by Helaine Becker, illus. by Marie-Ève Tremblay (Kids Can Press)
Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality by Susan Hughes, illus. by Nicole Miles (Kids Can Press)>>>CitizenKid series

 

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Bear Wants to Sing by Cary Fagan, illus. by Dena Seiferling (Tundra)
A Calf for Olive by Cheryl Dawn Buchan (Chocolate River Publishing)
Can You Imagine by Wallace Edwards (North Winds Press)
Catalina by Lori Doody (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)

Choose Kindness by Ruth Ohi (North Winds Press)
The Cow Said Boo! by Lana Button, illus. by Alice Carter (Pajama Press)
Disaster at the Highland Games by Riel Nason, illus. by Nathasha Pilotte (Chocolate River Publishing)
Evie and the Truth about Witches by John Martz (Tundra)
Five Busy Beavers by Stella Partheniou Grasso, illus. by Christine Battuz (Scholastic Canada)
Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins (Pajama Press)
Mr. Beagle and the Georgestown Mystery by Lori Doody (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Oliver Bounces Back! by Alison Hughes, illus. by Charlene Chua (North Winds Press)
The Rocking Horse by Sheryl McFarlane, illus. by François Thisdale (Pajama Press)
Sweetgrass by Theresa Meuse, illus. by Arthur Stevens (Nimbus)>>> Indigenous Knowledge series
Swish Slosh by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Orca)
The Wall and the Wind by Veselina Tomova (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Dead Man in the Garden by Marthe Jocelyn (Tundra) >>>Book 3 in Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series
Anne's School Days by Kallie George, illus. by Abigail Halpin (Tundra) >>>An Anne Chapter Book 3
Arlo & Pips: Join the Crow Crowd by Elise Gravel (HarperAlley)>>>Book 2 in this early graphic novel series
Boo! Hiss! by Cyndi Marko (Aladdin Pix)
The Curse of the Scarewolf (The Lunch Club #2) by Dom Pelletier (Scholastic Canada)
Escape to Witch City by E. Latimer (Tundra)
Fred & Marjorie by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Angela Poon (Owlkids Books)
Linked by Gordon Korman (Scholastic)
Making Seaker by Karen Autio (Crwth Press)
Over the Top by Alison Hughes (Running Press Kids)
Screamers by Joel A. Sutherland (Scholastic Canada)
Sloth Sleuth by Cyndi Marko (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Wolf Mother by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson), illus. by Natasha Donovan (HighWater Press) >>> Mothers of Xsan series, Book 5

Young Adult 

The Degrees of Barley Lick by Susan Flanagan (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Shoot Out by Maureen Ulrich (Wood Dragon Books) >>> fourth book in Jessie Mac Hockey series
Sisters of the Wolf by Patricia Miller-Schroeder (Dundurn)

Non-Fiction

Lights Day and Night: The Science of How Light Works by Susan Hughes (Kids Can Press)
Math Hacks 2: Do Better + Stress Less by Vanessa Vakharia, illus. by Hyein Lee (Scholastic Canada)
Meet David Suzuki by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada) >>> Scholastic Canada Biography
Race with Me by Andre De Grasse and Robert Budd (Scholastic Canada)
Same Here! The Differences We Share by Susan Hughes (Owlkids Books)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

 With so many wonderful upcoming releases of #youngCanLit,
there's something for every young reader.
Happy Reading!

 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

Any omissions or errors in details, including release dates, are my own. Please share any additions or corrections with me in the comments below. I'm always happy to make the listing more complete and accurate.