As Glenn As Can Be

Written by Sarah Ellis

Illustrated by Nancy Vo

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-468-0

40 pp.

Ages 4-8

April 2022

Who was Glenn Gould? To many adult Canadians, he was the classical pianist whose interpretation of Bach's Goldberg Variations is beyond comparison. For others, he is a bronze cast on a bench in front of Toronto's CBC building, where a studio is named for him. And to the world, he is a musical genius. But how did Glenn Gould become one of the world's finest musicians and also a man of some mystery? Now, with As Glenn As Can Be, young readers will know him as well.

From As Glenn As Can Be by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Nancy Vo

As a child and an adult, Glenn knew what he liked and didn't like. While these might seem incongruous at times, they made perfect sense to Glenn. He liked boats and being on the water but he didn't like fishing. He liked word play and pranks and humour but he didn't like when it was used to bully or humiliate. He liked the outdoors and nature but not the cold that came with it. (He might wear a coat, scarf, cap and gloves to the beach in summer to avoid it.) He liked reading and learning, but not school. And he had a love-hate relationship with rules. Rules that dictated math and puzzles and music were much appreciated. But rules that squashed him were not.

From As Glenn As Can Be by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Nancy Vo

But he loved playing the piano. 

Playing the piano is when Glenn gets to be totally and completely Glenn.

And everyone wanted to hear him play in concert. All over the world he was heralded as the virtuoso he was. Problem was that there were times when Glenn didn't want to perform. He didn't like the crowds who made noises, and coughed and sneezed. He didn't like cold concert halls. Finally Glenn found a way to make the music he and others loved while being true to his own likes and needs.

From As Glenn As Can Be by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Nancy Vo

Glenn Gould has always been a bit of an enigma to those who didn't know him well.  His passion for his music and playing of the piano were paramount to him but performance to large audiences did not support his needs for quiet, solitude and more. Instead of playing up his perceived eccentricities, Sarah Ellis lets us see Glenn Gould as a child and then an adult with likes and dislikes that direct his choices and preferences. She helps us all see him as human, and acknowledges that young children may feel different at times or be perceived as such but that doesn't mean they are less than others. Sarah Ellis demonstrates such a sensitivity to Glenn Gould's challenges of balancing what he likes and doesn't like that he only comes across as brilliant. Period. There is no "in spite of" anything or judgements. He was as Glenn Gould could be: exceptional in his art, individual in his likes and dislikes, and forthcoming in his needs. 

Vancouver's Nancy Vo's earlier picture books, The Outlaw and The Ranger, hinted at the greatness that she would bring to an picture book biography of Glenn Gould. Using pen and watercolour with acetone transfer, Nancy Vo has given gravitas to the story of Glenn Gould, not unlike the man himself. Emphasizing the earthy tones of browns, greys and blues, with only occasional splashes of gold, Nancy Vo gives Glenn Gould's life a weightiness–though not heaviness–that is occasionally brightened with light. It's easy to see Glenn as a child, listening to the radio during WWII, spending time with his many pets and engrossed in his piano playing. 

From As Glenn As Can Be by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Nancy Vo

As Glenn As Can Be cannot possibly tell us everything about Glenn Gould, though Sarah Ellis's afterward and notes to help kids and adults learn more about him bring us a little closer to understanding him better. It's easier to appreciate a great man when we can witness how he balanced his needs and wants against his dislikes and obligations. Though As Glenn As Can Be doesn't speak about the end of his life, it is reassuring to know that the music that he made and made him will live on for generations, and now this book will help do that too.

Dodger Boy

Written by Sarah Ellis

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-072-9

176 pp.

Ages 10-14

September 2018

Most people would not think of the 1970s as the setting for historical fiction but, at 40 plus years ago, it definitely qualifies, and it was a time rampant with fodder for fiction writers. From Apollo 13 to the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, the pioneering of in vitro fertilization and, of course, Watergate, the 1970s rolled through on a plethora of highs and lows. But for many it will be the decade during which the Vietnam War finally ended. Before that end, however, lives were being shaped by either going to war, protesting it or dodging the call to military service, and those who met those individuals were likewise forever changed. Such are the circumstances of Sarah Ellis's newest middle grade novel, Dodger Boy.

Vancouverites Charlotte Quinlan and her best friend Dawn Novak, both 13, attend a hippie event called an Easter Human Be-In. There, amidst the music and dance and fun, they meet Tom Ed, a draft dodger from Texas, who is invited to stay with Charlotte's Quaker family while he tries sort out his plans. When Tom Ed gets a job as a car jockey and has to drive a car up to 100 Mile House, Charlotte and Dawn accompany him. But while, Charlotte appreciates how Tom Ed talks to her like an adult, Dawn sees the trip as something else.

Meanwhile there is a war against the girls' teacher, who is affectionately known as O.O., from a parent seeking her firing for including the book The Catcher in the Rye in her classroom library.  Even within the context of a greater conflict, Charlotte is compelled to protest the censorship and the attack on her teacher, learning about civil disobedience and taking herself out from Dawn's shadow to find her own voice.

Dodger Boy piggybacks on an era of free love and peace but is embedded in a time of conflict. Sarah Ellis may use the Vietnam War as the big conflict, one between nations, but by including those involved with censorship  and between friends, she makes it personal. There may be discussions about pacifism and Nixon and the war but there is also much learning about differences and similarities between Americans and Canadians, about growing up and being an Unteen or a teenager, and about having a friend and being one.  It's a comprehensive look at the 1970s while still being selective about where Charlotte's focus is. Sarah Ellis, in her crafty subtlety, takes a massive picture of life in the 1970s and angles it at the individual, acknowledging what is important to Charlotte: her family, her friends, her school and the freedom to be her best human "be-in."

Ben and the Scaredy-Dog

Written by Sarah Ellis

Illustrated by Kim La Fave

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-044-4

32 pp.

Ages 3-6

April 2018

It's so nice that Sarah Ellis and Kim La Fave's Ben who originated in Ben Over Night (Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2005) has found a new home at Pajama Press. With its predecessors, A+ for Big Ben (2015) and Ben Says Goodbye (2015), Ben and the Scaredy-Dog solidifies the boy's place in guiding those in preschool and kindergarten to understanding more about the big world of siblings, change, friendships and dogs.

From Ben and the Scaredy-Dog by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Kim La Fave

When Ben's friend Peter moved away in Ben Says Goodbye, the little boy was devastated, not knowing how he could continue with his routines and play. But Ben found the way to deal with that loss, and now he's ready to welcome a new friend–or so he hopes–into the house across the street and into his life. But, as much as he enjoys playing with the new kid, Erv, he is very apprehensive of their very big dog. Thankfully when the neighbours drop by, Max is on a leash. But when Ben is invited to their house where he anticipates the dog will be unleashed, the little boy is surprised to see the dog sitting complacently on a mat in the playroom. Poor Max has his own fears: he's scared of the unfamiliar and very shiny floors. When Erv gets called away, Ben reminds himself of all the things he'd learned about dogs so as not to provoke Max. Fortunately, Ben's way of self-soothing works on Max as well and the two unlikely friends find a way to be brave together.

Sarah Ellis demonstrates that children have enormous potential to learn coping strategies for all manner of fears and anxieties. Ben's fear of dogs is valid, especially for very little children and very big dogs, but by comparing how Ben's siblings see dogs–Robin sees their playfulness, Joe sees them as loving creatures–with how the little boy sees them–"When Ben looks at a dog he sees jaws and teeth. That's a dog to Ben. Jaws and teeth."–Sarah Ellis legitimizes all perspectives. Even the baby-steps approach to dealing with Max lends credence to the ability for children to learn how to cope while trying a multitude of strategies, including self-talk and mindfulness.

From Ben and the Scaredy-Dog by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Kim La Fave

I love Kim La Fave's illustrations of Ben and company. His emphasis on perspective–looking up from a child's point of view and at their eye-level–encourages empathy for Ben's distress and concerns. Even with the bright colours of the kids' clothing and Max's soft expressions, Ben's fear is validated. But, with that lightness of line and colour, Kim La Fave pulls together Ben's thoughtful personality, Erv's playful exuberance and Max's big puppy nature.

It's nice to know, courtesy of Ben and the Scaredy-Dog, that anyone can be scaredy-dog about something and that it can be lightened with a little help from inside and out.

From Ben and the Scaredy-Dog by Sarah Ellis, illus. by Kim La Fave

Waiting for Sophie

Written by Sarah Ellis

Illustrated by Carmen Mok

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-020-8

48 pp.

Ages 5-8

April 2017

Waiting can be so hard for little ones, especially when it's for a baby sister who is taking her time being born and growing up so you can play with her.  And this waiting is just about killing little Liam.

"Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. I waited through half of kindergarten.  I waited through my birthday." Liam bounced on the bed. "Waiting is my worst thing. I want to jump on waiting and smash it to smithereens and flush it down the toilet." (pg. 8)

Fortunately Liam's Nana-Downstairs is adept at keeping him occupied with all kinds of "being bad" to pass the time: wearing pajamas all day, eating marshmallow sandwiches, painting Liam's bedroom door with purple polka dots and hurling playful insults at each other.  Finally Baby Sophie arrives in the world and is brought home and Liam thinks she is practically perfect.  

She had toes like peanuts and ears that the sun shone through.  The top of her head smelled especially nice.  (pg. 14)

From Waiting for Sophie 

by Sarah Ellis

illus. by Carmen Mok

For weeks, Sophie's big brother delights in making her laugh and stopping her from crying and getting her to burp.  But he wants more, hoping that the day when Sophie can walk and talk comes sooner than expected, since waiting can be so tiresome.  After months of more waiting, Nana-Downstairs, a handy person, has a new idea, and helps Liam create the G. O. F. (Get Older Faster) machine, an spectacular box of dials and screens and fancy pasta.  And though it doesn't seem to work on Sophie, it does seem to have an impact on Nana-Downstairs and on Liam's stuffie Lelefant and even on helping Liam grow up enough to help his father out. But will Sophie ever grow up?

From Waiting for Sophie

by Sarah Ellis 

illus. by Carmen Mok

I suspect Sarah Ellis is the indomitable Nana-Downstairs (who bears a striking resemblance to the author) who recognized the heartbreak of a child's waiting and possessed the unique imagination to create magic for her grandson to help ease that relentless waiting.  And even though it only appeased the waiting temporarily, Nana-Downstairs was able to provide him with skills that would serve him well for a long, long time.  

Sarah Ellis gives Liam a voice that is so filled with hope about his new sister and the promise of having a familial playmate that even his frustrations are natural and unfeigned.  He speaks with his heart, never with meanness or anger, though he acknowledges the annoyance of biding his time.  Sophie has a great big brother. And, although Waiting for Sophie is an early reader, rather than a picture book, the illustrations by Carmen Mok augment Sarah Ellis’ story with the innocence and family that the author’s words already convey.  

Young children being challenged to read their first chapter books will appreciate this early reader as it will undoubtedly speak to them.  So many know the anguish of waiting, whether for a new sibling to be born or some other significant life event, and will easily put themselves in Liam’s shoes.  Maybe they’ll undertake their own DIY project, with a little help from an adult, or maybe they’ll find their own coping strategies but you can be sure that they’ll appreciate Liam’s story of Waiting for Sophie and the fun that can be had with it.

Short Stories Collections of youngCanLit: Book list

Not every reader or student is interested in reading full-length novels, and short stories offer the perfect alternative, with shorter reads that pack a punch in fewer pages.  Just as picture books are certainly not easier to write just because they are shorter (a caution to those wannabe writers who are convinced anyone can toss off a picture book!), short stories are definitely not lesser works of story-telling.  In fact, I defy anyone to write a short story, with adequate character development and plotting to sustain the attention and interest of readers of youngCanLit.  It can be a daunting challenge that not everyone can meet.  Thankfully, these 53 books of short stories and excerpts from novels demonstrate the strength of this type of writing in Canada, though I would like to see more published.  And I believe that these books, for all reading levels though many are for young adults, are valuable tools for teaching everything from history to writing to humour or just allowing readers to see themselves in their reading.

Check the recommended ages for which these short stories collections have been published, and I trust that all young readers and teachers will find something here to satiate their reading appetites.

101 Ways to Dance 
Written by Kathy Stinson
Second Story Press
150 pp.
Ages 12-15
2006
Fourteen stories about the joys and anxieties of sexual anticipation.

All Sleek and Skimming: Stories
Edited by Lisa Heggum
Orca Book Publishers
240 pp.
Ages 14+
2006
Stories by Gil Adamson, Diana Aspin, Gary Barwin, Martha Brooks, Ivan E. Coyote, Brian Doyle, Anne Fleming, Lee Henderson, James Henegan, Sheila Heti, Susan Kernohan, Carrie Mac, Derek McCormack, Janet McNaughton, Joe Ollmann, Michel Rabagliati, Stuart Ross, Arthur Slade, Susannah M. Smith, Ania Szado, Madeleine Thien and Tim Wynne-Jones

Apples and Angel Ladders: A Collection of Pioneer Christmas Stories
Written by Irene Morck
Illustrated by Muriel Wood
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
80 pp.
Ages 8-11
2001
Six stories emphasize Danish-Canadian pioneer traditions

Back of Beyond: Stories of the Supernatural
Written by Sarah Ellis
Simon & Schuster
144 pp.
Ages 11-15
1997
Twelve stories involving the supernatural.

Be Afraid!: Tales of Horror
Edited by Edo van Belkom
Tundra Books
184 pp.
Ages 11+
2000
Fifteen scary stories by authors including Robert J. Sawyer, Monica Hughes, Tim Wynne-Jones, Ed Greenwood, Nancy Kilpatrick, Joe R. Lansdale, Ed Gorman, Steve Rasnic Tem and Richard Laymon.

Becoming Fierce
Edited by Allister Thompson
Fierce Ink Press
205 pp.
Ages 13+
2014
Ten stories by Chris Benjamin, Ben Boudreau, Gerard Collins, Alison DeLory, Jamie Fitzpatrick, Patti Larsen, Cale Liom, Chad Pelley, Lee D. Thompson and Jo Treggiari tell of becoming fierce so as to release them from the holds of fears, bullies, confusion, family, drugs, and even country.
Reviewed here

Beginnings: Stories of Canada's Past
Edited by Ann Walsh
Ronsdale Press
227 pp.
Ages 12+
2001
Fourteen fictional historical vignettes by Ann Walsh, Barbara Haworth-Attard, Beverley Brenna, Constance Horne, Margaret Thompson, Anne Metikosh, Carolyn Pogue, Margaret Florczak, Jean Rae Baxter, Catherine Goodwin, Victoria Miles, Susan Lee, Laura Morgan and Cathy Beveridge.

The Blue Camaro 
Written by R.P. MacIntyre
Thistledown Press
160 pp.
Ages 12-15
1994
Ten short stories dealing with youth and their problems and concerns.

The Blue Jean Collection 
Edited by Peter Carver
Thistledown Press
240 pp.
Ages 12-15
1992
Nineteen stories selected from a national writing contest.

The Book of Changes
Written by Tim Wynne-Jones
Puffin
160 pp.
Ages 8-12
1997
Seven stories about change.

Boys' Own: An Anthology of Canadian Fiction for Young Readers
Edited by Tim Wynne-Jones
Penguin Canada
320 pp.
Ages 9-14
2001
Twenty stories and excerpts from novels by authors including Sarah Ellis, Martha Brooks, Tim Wynne-Jones, Monica Hughes, Brian Doyle, Ken Roberts, Richard Scrimger, Jordan Wheeler, John Cuthand and William Bell.

A Christmas to Remember: Tales of Comfort and Joy (Dear Canada)
Edited by Sandra Bogart Johnston
Scholastic Canada
241 pp.
Ages 9-14
2009
Eleven stories of historical short fiction that revisit characters from the Dear Canada books including those of Carol Matas, Maxine Trottier, Julie Lawson, Sarah Ellis, Perry Nodelman, Jean Little, Karleen Bradford and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch.

City of the Dead
Written by Sharon Stewart
Red Deer Press
240 pp.
Ages 12+
2002
Dark stories to scare and terrify.

Cleavage: Breakaway Fiction for Real Girls
Edited by Deb Loughead and Jocelyn Shipley
Sumach Press
192 pp.
Ages 12+
2012
Fifteen stories of girls navigating puberty and adolescence by Kellee Ngan, Wendy A. Lewis, Claire Tacon, Ann Sutherland, Lisabeth Jackson, Jennifer Filipowicz, Karen Krossing, Robin Stevenson, Marce Merrell, Amanda Hartley, Ev Bishop, Patricia McCowan, Anne Ptasznik, Anna Warje and Valerie Hunter.

Close Ups: Best Stories for Teens
Edited by Peter Carver
Red Deer Press
223 pp.
Ages 14+
2000
Stories by Bonnie Blake, Rick Book, Martha Brooks, Anne Carter, Gillian Chan, Brian Doyle, Sarah Ellis, Bernice Friesen, Linda Holeman, Jillian Horton, Sheley A. Leedahl, Alsion Lohans, R.P. McIntyre, Kevin Major, Kathy Stinson, Budge Wilson and Tim Wynne-Jones.

The Complete Chronicles Of Avonlea 
Written by L. M. Montgomery
Wilder Publications
350 pp.
Ages 8-12
2010
Stories from The Chronicles of Avonlea and The Further Chronicles of Avonlea, all based in the town of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island.

The Courtship 
Written by Budge Wilson
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
160 pp.
Ages 13-17
2003
Nine short stories about the trials and tribulations of life.

Dark Times 
Edited by Ann Walsh
Ronsdale Press
184 pp.
Ages 12+
2005
Twelve stories about young people’s experience of loss and grief with contributions by Sarah Ellis, Lee Maracle, Alison Lohans, Diana Aspin, Carolyn Pogue, Gina Rozon, Jessie Mae Keller, Libby Kennedy, Donna R. Gamache, Patricia McCowan, Betty Jane Hegerat and Carrie Mac.

Dead Man's Gold And Other Stories
Written by Paul Yee
Illustrated by Harvey Chan
Groundwood
104 pp.
Ages 11+
2003
Ten ghost stories of Chinese immigrants struggling to make new lives in North America.

Feeding at Nine
Written by R.P. MacIntyre
Thistledown Press
187 pp.
Ages 14+
2006
Fourteen short stories about adolescence.

First Times
Edited by Marthe Jocelyn
Tundra Books
191 pp.
Ages 11-15
2007
Fourteen stories by Martha Slaughter, Curtis Parkinson, Susan Juby, Alan Cumyn, Susan Adach, Ted Staunton, Richard Scrimger, Gillian Chan, Bill Habeeb, Nancy Hartry, Bill Richardson, Tim Wynne-Jones, Marthe Jocelyn and Sarah Ellis.

Fractures: Family Stories
Written by Budge Wilson
Penguin Canada
195 pp.
Ages 13-17
2002
Twelve stories about families and dealing with family issues.

Garbage Creek and Other Stories 
Written by W. D. Valgardson
Groundwood Books
132 pp.
Ages 8-12
1997
Eight short stories involve children coming to terms with a variety of problems.

Girls’ Own: An Anthology of Canadian Fiction for Young readers
Edited by Sarah Ellis
Puffin
360 pp.
Ages 9-14
2002
Twenty stories and excerpts from novels by a variety of Canadian authors including Cora Taylor, Jan Hudson, Kit Pearson, Deborah Ellis, Joan Bodger, Jean Little, Teresa Toten, Joan Clark and Linda Holeman.

Glory Days and Other Stories 
Written by Gillian Chan
Kids Can Press
118 pp.
Ages 12-15
1996
Stories about high school.

God Loves Hair
Written by Vivek Shraya
Illustrated by Juliana Neufeld
Arsenal Pulp Press
110 pp.
Ages 14-17
2014
Twenty-one stories about sexuality, gender, racial politics, religion, and belonging.

Golden Girl and Other Stories 
Written by Gillian Chan
Kids Can Press
119 pp.
Ages 12-15
1994
More stories about high school.

Henry Chow and Other Stories
Edited by R. David Stephens
Tradewind Books
134 pp.
Ages 14-17
2009
Stories of Asian Canadian writers Annie Zhu, Kwai-Yun Li, Marty Chan, Evelyn Lau, Kellee Ngan, Tony Wong, Fiona Tinwei Lam, Paul Yee, Hanako Masutani, Kagan Goh, Taien Ng-Chan, Linda Mah and Kentaro Ide.

How We Were
Written by Teddy Jam
Illustrated by Ange Zhang
Groundwood Books
64 pp.
Ages 8-13
2008
Four illustrated stories of Canada in the past century.

Laws of Emotion 
Written by Alison Lohans
Thistledown Press
208 pp.
Ages 14+
1993
Eleven short stories that deal with young people’s emotions.

Leslie McFarlane’s Hockey Stories
Written by Leslie McFarlane
Edited by Brian McFarlane
Key Porter Books
138 pp.
Ages 10-12
2005
Four hockey stories from 1930s Canadian towns.

Lord of the Fries and Other Stories
Written by Tim Wynne-Jones
Groundwood books/Douglas and McIntyre Ltd.
208 pp.
Ages 10-14
1999
Seven stories perfect for middle grades.

Lunch with Lennon and Other Stories
Written by Deborah Ellis
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
169 pp.
Ages 12-17
2008
Ten stories dealing with drugs and addictions.

Metis Spirits
Written by Deborah L. Delaronde
Pemmican Publications
106 pp.
Ages 8-10
2006
Six short stories with time travel or ghost elements to them.

Notes Across the Aisle 
Edited by Peter Carver
Thistledown Press
188 pp.
Ages 12-15
1995
Seventeen stories from the 1994 cross Canada Young Adult Short Story Competition.

Opening Tricks 
Edited by Peter Carver
Thistledown Press
177 pp.
Ages 12+
1998
Thirteen humourous stories from Cheryl Archer, Karen Krossing, R.P. MacIntyre, Eric Nicol, Jacqueline Pearce, Diana C. Aspin, Sharon Stewart, Beverley Brenna, Shelley A. Leedahl, Barry Mathias, Janice Scott, Jennifer Taylor and Ed Yatscoff.

Paradise Cafe and Other Stories
Written by Martha Brooks
Thistledown Press
110 pp.
Ages 12+
1988
Fourteen stories about teens.

Rude Stories 
Written by Jan Andrews
Illustrated by Francis Blake
Tundra Books
88 pp.
Ages 6-9
2010
Eight irreverent stories from around the world.

A Season for Miracles: Twelve Tales of Christmas (Dear Canada)
Edited by Sandra Bogart Johnston
Scholastic Canada
256 pp.
Ages 8-13
2006
Twelve stories of historical fiction from Dear Canada authors by Jean Little, Kit Pearson, Michelle Trottier, Gillian Chan, Sarah Ellis, Barbara Haworth-Attard, Julie Lawson, Karleen Bradford, Janet Lunn, Carol Matas and Sharon Stewart.

Secrets
Edited by Marthe Jocelyn
Tundra
184 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005
Twelve stories by Susan Adach, Anne Carter, Gillian Chan, Nancy Hartry, Marthe Jocelyn, Julie Johnston, Dayal Kaur Khalsa, Loris Lesynski, Anne Gray Sarndal, Martha Slaughter, Teresa Toten and Elizabeth Winthrop

Some of the Kinder Planets
Written by Tim Wynne-Jones
Groundwood Books
136 pp.
Ages 10-13
2000
Nine stories full of humour, surprise, fear and wonder.

Stories at the Door
Written by Jan Andrews
Illustrated  by Francis Blake
Tundra Books
80 pp.
Ages 6-9
2007
Fun stories based on tales from around the world.

Take the Stairs
Written by Karen Krossing
Second Story Press
184 pp.
Ages 12+
2003
Fourteen stories of limitations experienced by inner-city teens who live at 64 Wilnut Street.  A teacher's guide is available http://karenkrossing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/take-the-stairs-teachers-guide.pdf

Takes: Stories for Young Adults
Edited by R.P. MacIntyre
Thistledown Press
152 pp.
Ages 15 +
1996
Fourteen short stories present a character’s take on an unfamiliar or negative experience.

A Time for Giving: Ten Tales of Christmas (Dear Canada)
Edited by Sandra Bogart Johnston
Scholastic Canada
216 pp.
Ages 8-13
2015
Ten stories as epilogues to the Dear Canada books of Jean Little, Barbara Haworth- Attard, Sarah Ellis, Susan Aihoshi, Norah McClintock, Karleen Bradford, Janet McNaughton, Carol Matas and Ruby Slipperjack.

Toxic Love (originally Saying Goodbye, 1995)
Written by Linda Holeman
Tundra Books
184 pp.
Ages 10+
2003
Stories about love and the various ways it can express itself.

Traveling On Into the Light and Other Stories
Written by Martha Brooks
Scholastic
146 pp.
Ages 12+
1994
Eleven stories about teens facing adversity.

Up All Night
Edited by R.P. MacIntyre
Thistledown Press
160 pp.
Ages 15+
2001
Fourteen stories from Thistledown’s young adult short story competition.

Weeds and Other Stories 
Written by Jacqueline Pearce
Thistledown Press
208 pp.
Ages 13-16
2003
Twelve stories about teens and their relationships with others.

What Happened This Summer
Written by Paul Yee
Tradewind Books
178 pp.
Ages 13+
2006
About the turbulent lives of Asian-Canadian youth.

What If...?: Amazing Stories
Edited by Monica Hughes
Tundra Books
208 pp.
Ages 10+
1998
Stories that answer and ask, “What if?” by Alison Baird, Edo van Belkom, Lesley Choyce, Joan Clark, Charles de Lint, Sarah Ellis, Marcel Gagné, Priscilla Galloway, James Alan Gardner, Monica Hughes, Jason Kapalka, Eileen Kernaghan, Alice Major, Robert Priest, Jean-Louis Trudel and Tim Wynne-Jones.

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew: Tales of Ti-Jean
Written by Jan Andrews
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Groundwood Books
72 pp.
Ages 7-10
2011
Three stories based on Ti-Jean, Quebec’s traditional folktale hero (or perhaps anti-hero would better describe him).

When I Went to the Library: Writers Celebrate Books and Reading
Edited by Debora Pearson
Groundwood Books
128 pp.
Ages 8-12
2002
Nine stories about books and libraries and reading by authors Sarah Ellis, Budge Wilson, Ken Roberts, Celia Barker Lottridge, Jean Little, Ken Setterington, Paul Yee, Marc Talbert and Tim Wynne-Jones.