Showing posts with label Red Maple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red Maple. Show all posts

October 16, 2026

2027 Forest of Reading® nominees: Yellow Cedar, Red Maple, White Pine

Here is the second grouping of nominated titles from the 2027 Forest of Reading® book awards of the Ontario Library Association:


  

YELLOW CEDAR








Bat Planet: The Mysterious Life of the Creatures of the Night

Written by Neil Griffin
Orca Book Publishers


Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions

Written by Anjali Joshi
Illustrated by Kathleen Ng
Annick Press


The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators that Keep Our Planet Humming

Written by Kira Vermond
Illustrated by June Steube
Owlkids Books


The Cedar Mother
(Mothers of Xsan, Book 8)
Written by Brett D. Huson (Hetxw’ms Gyetxw)
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
HighWater Press


Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets

Written by Rachel Kehoe
Illustrated by Meegan Lim
Orca Book Publishers


The Dream of an Education: How Phymean Noun Built a School
Written by Susan Hughes
Illustrated by Tida Kheav
Orca Book Publishers


Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness

Written by Maria Birmingham
Illustrated by Catherine Chan
Owlkids Books
Reviewed here


Soccerology: Unbelievable Facts and Stories About the Beautiful Game

Written and illustrated by Kevin Sylvester
Annick Press


The Sustainable School: A Journey Through Time and Energy

Written by Erica Fyvie
Illustrated by Scot Ritchie
Kids Can Press
Reviewed here


What Is A Sculpture?

Written by Diane Borsato
Illustrated by Laura Carlin
Tundra Books






 
RED MAPLE™


 




Absolutely No Body Parts

Written by Valerie Sherrard
DCB Young Readers


Among Ghosts

Written by Rachel Hartman
Penguin Teen Canada
 

The Book of Jupiter
Written by Robin Stevenson
Kids Can Press
 

Go
Written by Deborah Ellis
Groundwood Books


The Inbetweens 

Written and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
First Second Books


Lydia Cooper Is a Lie

Written by Meaghan McIsaac
Aladdin Books
 

Sam
Written by Eric Walters
DCB Young Readers


Skygull Calamity 
Written by Bronwyn Fairchild
Annick Press 
 

Something's Up with Arlo 
Written by Matteo L. Cerilli
HarperCollins 
 

The Vanished Ones
Written by Chad Lucas
Amulet Books 
  













WHITE PINE™



Best of All Worlds
Written by Kenneth Oppel
Penguin Teen Canada



The Free Verse Society
Written by Delali Adjoa
Peachtree Teen



He's So Possessed with Me
Written by Corey Liu
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers


Our Little Secret
Written by Edward Kay and Mikhael Klassen-Kay
DCB Young Readers



Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions
Written by Ahmad Saber
Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books



The Rebel Girls of Rome
Written by Jordyn Taylor
HarperCollins


Small Ceremonies
Written by Kyle Edwards
McClelland & Stewart


This Place Kills Me
Written by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Nicole Goux
Abrams


Thornbird
Written by E. Kennedy
Delacorte Press


The Vacation Shift
Written by Lily Chu
Quill Tree Books

 
 
 
 
 
 

•••••••••••••••••••

Nominees for the other programs can be linked to from below:
 

2027 Forest of Reading® nominees announced

Yesterday, the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading® announced the 2027 nominated titles for its book award programs for school-aged readers. For months, teachers and librarians on selection committees have been reading submitted books by Canadian creators to compile these exceptional lists from which young readers will choose winners next spring.  

The lists of all nominated books are available on the Forest of Reading® website, and schools, parents, everyone can register to be part of the program. (The program even extends beyond Ontario and Canada's borders.) Young readers from JK through high school have the opportunity to read and vote on their favourite books in these nine different categories:
  • Blue Spruce: JK–Grade 2, picture books
  • Silver Birch Express: Grades 3–4, fiction and non-fiction
  • Silver Birch Fiction: Grades 3–6, fiction
  • Yellow Cedar: Grades 4–8, non-fiction
  • Red Maple: Grades 7–8, fiction
  • White Pine: Grades 9–12, fiction
  • Le prix Peuplier: French-language picture books, less text, simpler subject matters, perfect for read-alouds
  • Le prix Mélèze: shorter French-language chapter books with maximum 100 pages or more mature picture books, larger text with pictures, simpler vocabulary and verb tenses
  • Le prix Tamarac: French-language chapter books from 100 to 250 pages, smaller text with little or no illustrations, more complicated verb tenses and vocabulary

Because there are ninety nominated titles, I will break up the posts listing them in three groupings, all which can be accessed from this page. 

Do check out how to register for this fabulous reading program. It's very, very reasonable, and all young readers attending public or private schools, as well as those who are home-schooled, are welcome. Just select the right program for your young readers.  
 
Congratulations to all nominees

and

Happy reading to Forest of Reading participants!


🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲


 

Blue Spruce Award™
(JK–Grade 2, English-language picture books)
2027 nominees posted here

 
Silver Birch Express Award®
(Grades 3–4, English-language fiction and non-fiction)
2027 nominees posted here


 
Silver Birch Fiction Award®
(Grades 3–6, English-language fiction)
2027 nominees posted here


 
 
Yellow Cedar Award
(Grades 4–8, English-language non-fiction)
2027 nominees posted here

   

 

Red Maple Award™
(Grades 7–8, English-language fiction)
2027 nominees posted here


 

White Pine Award™
(Grades 9–12, English-language fiction)
2027 nominees posted here


 
Le prix Peuplier
(French-language picture books, less text, simpler subject matters, perfect for read-alouds)
2027 nominees posted here

   

Le prix Mélèze
(shorter French-language chapter books maximum 100 pages or more mature picture books, larger text with pictures,  simpler vocabulary and verb tenses)
2027 nominees posted here
 


Le prix Tamarac
(French-language chapter books from 100 to 250 pages, smaller text with little or no illustrations, more complicated verb tenses and vocabulary)
2027 nominees posted here
 

 
 
 
Let the Forest begin! 
 
🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲

May 22, 2026

2026 Forest of Reading Kid Committees Summer Reading Lists

Every spring since 2017, young peoples have applied to participate on the Forest of Reading's Kid Committees to select books to recommend to their peers to read over the summer.  These lists of recently published books by Canadian creators cover a variety of genres and reading levels and introduce young readers to fabulous books.
 
This year, the committees met in early May to discuss and champion books that they thought their peers might enjoy reading. The Forest Kid Committees have come up with two fabulous lists, one for Silver Birch readers in Grades 3–6, (ages 8–12), and one for Red Maple readers in Grades 7 and 8 (ages 12–14). They have included graphic novels and historical fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. There are more challenging reads and hi-lo readers for grabbing young readers attention. There's something for everyone.
 
Congratulations to the young people who worked so diligently to champion Canadian books for their peers and to prepare such stellar lists. Well done, young readers!
 
Here are their selections for 2026:
 
 
SILVER BIRCH
(Ages 8–12, Grades 3–6) 


Amir and the Jinn Princess
Written by M. T. Khan
Jimmy Patterson Books
Ages 8–12
304 pp.
2024 
 

Bark Twice for Murder
Written by John Lekich
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 9–12
120 pp.
2025


Best Friend, Worst Bully
Written and illustrated by Mei Yu
Union Square Kids
Ages 7–10
144 pp.
2026


Briarwood
Written by Natalie Hyde
DCB Young Readers
Ages 9–12
246 pp.
2026 


Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions
Written by Anjali Joshi
Illustrated by Kathleen Ng 
Annick Press
Ages 9–12
128 pp.
2026


The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay 
Written by Mary Averling
G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Ages 8–12
224 pp.
2025 
 

I Won't Feel This Way Forever
Written by Kim Spencer
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 9–12
192 pp.
2025
 

Izzy Wong's Nose for News
Written by Marty Chan
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 9–12
208 pp.
2024 


Kaboom!: Blast Off (Book 1)
Written by Jay Odjick
Illustrated by KC Oster 
Scholastic Canada
Ages 8–12
142 pp.
2026 
 

Kindred Dragons
Written and illustrated by Sarah Mensinga
Harry N. Abrams
Ages 10–13
208 pp.
2025


Planting Sunshine
Written by Andrée Poulin
Illustrated by Enzo 
Groundwood Books
Ages 9–12
116 pp.
2026
 

Snoop
Written by Gordon Korman
Scholastic Press
Ages 9–12
208 pp.
2025


Touching Grass 
Written by Kristy Jackson
Illustrated by Rhael McGregor 
HarperCollins
Ages 8–12
336 pp.
2025
 
 
 
 
 
 
RED MAPLE 
(Ages 12–14, Grades 7–8) 
 

Best of All Worlds 
  
Written by Kenneth Oppel
Penguin Teen Canada
Ages 12+
256 pp.
2025 


The Curse of Heartwood Academy    
Written by Marty Chan
Orca Book Publishers 
Ages 12+
126 pp.
2026


Digger: Dig or Die! 
  
Written by Deborah Cholette
Illustrated by Davide Ochu
One Elm Book 
Ages 9–12
240 pp.
2025


The Experiment
(The Factory, Book 2)    
Written by Catherine Egan
Scholastic 
Ages 9–12
320 pp.
2025


Fierce Voice   
 
Written by Susan Currie
Common Deer Press 
Ages 12–18
280 pp.
2025


Hypergifted
(Ungifted, Book 3)    
Written by Gordon Korman
Scholastic Canada
Ages 9–12
264 pp.
2026


Julia and Romano    
Written by Eric Walters
DCB Young Readers 
Ages 13+
304 pp.
2026


Last Year with Maddy   
 
Written by Anna Rosner
Yellow Dog 
Ages 9–12
156 pp.
2026


Rhapsody Smith, Ice Angel 
  
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Yellow Dog 
Ages 8–12
210 pp.
2025


Seabird    
Written by Michelle Kadarusman
Pajama Press 
Ages 8–12
224 pp.
2025 


The Shape of Lost Things   
 
Written by Sarah Everett
HarperCollins 
Ages 8–12
272 pp.
2024 


Something's Up with Arlo 
  
Written by Matteo L. Cerilli
HarperCollins 
Ages 8–12
304 pp.
2025 
 

The Water You're Swimming In 
  
Written by Rachel Schwartz Fagan
Orca Book Publishers 
Ages 9–12
192 pp.
2026
 

The World's End
(The Misewa Saga, Book 6)    
Written by David A. Robertson 
Tundra Books 
Ages 10+
280 pp.
2025 
 
 
  
 
The downloadable lists and poster are available at the Forest of Reading website:
 
• Red Maple list