Now I See . . . board book series

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Tundra Books

24 pp.

Ages 2–5

April 2026 

 

There are only 35 words in the four board books in Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen's new series, Now I See. That's because each book has the same 35 words, in the same order, and describing almost the same things. What changes is what is happening to the people and places over the four different seasons, and that is communicated with the dramatic and yet straightforward artwork of Jon Klassen.

 

The four books are as follows:

 

Now I See Spring

978-1-77488-673-1

Now I See Summer

978-1-77488-677-9

 

 

 

 

Now I See Fall

978-1-77488-665-6

 

 

 

Now I See Winter

978-1-77488-669-4

 

 

 

 

In each book, a double-page spread focuses on an illustration of one element and then its identification. They are the house; the tree; the garden; me (shadow of a child on the side of a house); some birds; a treat (that's nice and sweet); the farm; the sky; the wise old cat; something red; and the perfect hat. The final text is a declaration that, "it's my favorite time of the year." But, in each book, each element is a little different. The tree might be leafing out in Now I See Spring, fully green in summer, losing its red leaves in the fall, and bare in the winter. Each season brings something different in where we live, what we wear, what we like to eat, and what we see. And they are all true.

From Now I See Spring, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen collaborate to produce extraordinary books. There's their Caldecott Honor books Extra Yarn (2012) and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (2014)—Jon Klassen won the Caldecott Medal for his own This Is Not My Hat (2012)—and their Shape trilogy of Triangle (2017), Square (2018) and Circle (2019). The Now I See books equal these earlier books in their verve, teaching an important concept without instruction. They teach by helping children make observations and connect to that which they experience in their own lives. And, by reading all four books together, children will see how the seasons change and their reading of simple words, repeated in each book, will be reinforced.

From Now I See Winter, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Mac Barnett gets the text right by keeping the words simple—mostly articles and nouns—and giving them rhythm, though not necessarily rhyme. The text has a quiet pep to it, carrying the reader from one scene to another. And Jon Klassen's watercolour and digital art is the ideal medium for giving a lot in an unambiguous way. His lines and shapes give us the seasons with their distinctions, emphasizing both colour and shape to the familiar and perhaps less familiar. 

From Now I See Summer, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Exceptional concept books are those that do more than teach. They delight with their words, they charm with their artwork, and they engage readers by inviting them to be part of the story. Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen's Now I See series is fresh in its exceptionality.

30+ Must Reads for Babies and New Parents

Recently, I heard about the good news of friends expecting their first grandchild and realized that, with this pandemic, there are many new little ones entering the world to the delight of their family and friends. While there are many concept books out there that will be useful for teaching letters and colours and such, those are best for slightly older children, and are not included here.  Here I include picture or board books that celebrate new babies and those first years of parenting that new bundle of joy.

 

Baby Cakes

Written by Theo Heras
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
Pajama Press
24 pp.
Ages 1-4
2017

Reviewed here

Baby's First Treasury

(4 stories: Welcome, Baby; Read Me a Book; Sing a Song of Mother Goose; and Zoe’s Year)

Written and illustrated by Barbara Reid

Scholastic Canada

136 pp.

2016

 

Beach Baby

Written by Laurie Elmquist

Illustrated by Elly MacKay

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 2-4

2016

 

 

Before You Were Born

Written by Deborah Kerbel
Illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Pajama Press
32 pp.
Ages 4-7

2019

Reviewed here

A Bedtime Yarn

Written by Nicola Winstanley
Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
Tundra Books
32 pp.
Ages 3-7
2017

 

The Best Gifts

Written by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

2013 

Reviewed here 

Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby

Written by Maureen Fergus
Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-7

2016

Reviewed here

Checkers and Dot

Written by J. Torres

Illustrated by J. Lum

Tundra Books

16 pp.

Ages 0-3

2012

 

Checkers and Dot at the Beach

Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Lum
Tundra Books
16 pp.
Ages 0-3
2013

 

Checkers and Dot at the Zoo

Written by J. Torres

Illustrated by J. Lum

Tundra Books

16 pp.

Ages 0-3

2012

 

Checkers and Dot on the Farm

Written by J. Torres
Illustrated by J. Lum
Tundra Books
16 pp.
Ages 0-3
2013

Cinnamon Baby

Written by Nicola Winstanley

Illustrated by Janice Nadeau

Kids Can Press

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

2011

Forest Baby

Written by Laurie Elmquist

Illustrated by Shantala Robinson

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-4

2018

Goodnight, Sleepy Animals (A Nightlight Book)
Illustrated by Christine Battuz
CrackBoom
14 pp.
Ages 0-3
2016

 

Hat On, Hat Off

Written by Theo Heras
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
Pajama Press
24 pp.
Ages 1-3

2016 

Reviewed here

Here Babies, There Babies

Written  by Nancy Cohen
Illustrated by Carmen Mok

Nimbus Publishing
14 pp.
Ages 0-2

2015 

Reviewed here

 

I Sang You Down from the Stars 

Written by Tasha Spillett-Sumner

Illustrated by Michaela Goade

Owlkids Books

32 pp.

Ages 2-5

2021

King Baby

Written and illustrated by Kate Beaton
Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic
40 pp.
Ages 4-8

2016

Reviewed here

Kiss Tickle Cuddle Hug

Written by Susan Musgrave

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-2

2012

 

Little You 

Written by Richard Camp

Illustrated by Julie Flett

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-4

2013

 

Lots of Kisses

Written by Lorna Crozier

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-2

2014

 

Love You Forever

Written by Robert Munsch

Illustrated by Sheila McGraw

Firefly Books

32 pp.

Ages 0-4

1995

Love You Head to Toe

Written and illustrated by Ashley Barron

Owlkids Books

28 pp.

Ages 0-5

2020

Please Don't Change My Diaper!

Written by Sarabeth Holden
Illustrated by Emma Pedersen
Inhabit Media
28 pp.
Ages 0-4

2020 

Reviewed here 

So Many Babies!

Written by Lorna Crozier

Illustrated by Laura Watson

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-2

2015

Sweetest Kulu
Written  by Celina Kalluk
Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis
Inhabit Media
32 pp.
Ages 0-6
2014 

Reviewed here

Time for Bed: Baby’s Bedtime Routine (Baby Steps)
Written by Carol McDougall & Shanda LaRamee-Jones
Nimbus
18 pp.
Ages 0-2
2018

 

Toesy Toes

Written by Sarah Tsiang

Orca Book Publishers

26 pp.

Ages 0-2

2018

 

Up! How Families Around the World Carry Their Little Ones

Written by Susan Hughes
Illustrated by Ashley Barron
Owlkids Books
24 pp.
Ages 2-5

2017 

Reviewed here

 

The Ways I Will Love You

Written by Rachel Boehm

Illustrated by Mary Jane Gerber

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-6

2010

Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns

Written by Richard Van Camp

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-4

2007 

We Sang You Home

Written by Richard Van Camp

Illustrated by Julie Flett

Orca Book Publishers

24 pp.

Ages 0-4

2016

Where's Bunny?
Written by Theo Heras
Illustrated by Renné Benoit
Pajama Press
24 pp.
Ages 1-3
2018 

Reviewed here

Upcoming releases for Summer and Fall 2020

Oh my! There are a lot of new books coming out. But are they really? The reason I'm asking is because sometimes a book gets scheduled and then isn't ready for publication. Or the publication date gets bumped up or deferred because of circumstances, and COVID19 could certainly be one of those circumstances. After all, not everything is working at speed or at all, some businesses have closed or are functioning at reduced staffs, or... it could be anything. I really hope that all these books get published in a timely manner for the authors, illustrators, and publishers who continue to give us great Canadian books. But, in case things do change, please know that some releases may not happen as scheduled.

Regardless, summer and fall of 2020 is looking like a great season for picture books, early readers, middle grade, YA and non-fiction for all ages. I'm sure you'll find something to read here. Enjoy!

Picture Books
Gary the Seagull  by Christian Johnston, illus. by Paul Hammond (Nimbus) 
It Happened on Sweet Street by Caroline Adderson, illus. by Stéphane Jorisch (Tundra) 
Summer Feet by Sheree Fitch, illus. by Carolyn Fisher (Nimbus)

Chapter Books
Hide and Seek (Upside-Down Magic #7) by Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle (Scholastic)
Nikki Tesla and the Traitors of the Lost Spark (Elements of Genius #3) by Jess Keating, illus. by Lissy Marlin (Scholastic)
One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks (First Second)>>>graphic novel
Sent from Above by Adrienne Kress (Scholastic)>>>Bendy and the Ink Machine, Book 2
War Stories by Gordon Korman (Scholastic)

Young Adult
He Must Like You by Danielle Younge-Ullman (Penguin Teen) 
Salvation by Caryn Lix (Simon Pulse) >>>final book in the Sanctuary trilogy 

Non-Fiction
The Mosquito by Elise Gravel (Tundra)>>>newest in Disgusting Critters series
So Imagine Me: Nature Riddles in Poetry by Lynn Davies, illus. by Chrissie Park-MacNeil (Nimbus)

Picture Books
Alice and Gert: An Ant and Grasshopper Story by Helaine Becker, illus. by Dena Seiferling (Owlkids) 
Cone Cat by Sarah Howden, illus. by Carmen Mok (Owlkids) 
The Egg by Geraldo Valério (Owlkids) 
ekospi ka ki pekowak/When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson, illus. by Julie Flett (HighWater Press)>>>Bilingual (Cree) edition 
Gurple and Preen: A Broken Crayon Cosmic Adventure by Linda Sue Park, illus. by Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) 
I Found Hope in a Cherry Tree by Jean Pendziwol, illus. by Natalie Dion (Groundwood) 
Louis Riel Day: The Fur Trade Project by Deborah L. Delaronde, illus. by Sheldon Dawson (Orca) 
Maggie’s Treasure by Jon-Erik Lappano, illus. by Kellen Hatanaka (Groundwood) 
Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Kenard Pak (Tundra) 
Meg and Greg: Frank and the Skunk by Elspeth Rae, illus. by Rowena Rae (Orca)>>>Orca Two-Read 2 
Monsters 101 by Cale Atkinson (Tundra) 
Nice Try, Charlie! by Matt James (Groundwood) 
Once Upon an Hour by Ann Yu-Kyung Choi, illus. by Soyeon Kim (Orca) 
Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly (Owlkids)

Chapter Books
Canadian Sabotage (Countdown to Danger) by Jeff Szpirglas (Scholastic Canada) 
Clan by Sigmund Brouwer (Tundra)
Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Lisa Cinar (Owlkids) >>>Clara Humble 3
Double Dog Dare by Ian Boothby, illus. by Nina Matsumoto (Scholastic Graphix) >>>sequel to graphic novel Sparks!
Fish Out of Water by Joanne Levy (Orca)>>>Orca Currents 
Harvey Holds His Own by Colleen Nelson (Pajama Press)>>>sequel to Harvey Comes Home
Haunted Hospital by Marty Chan (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
Head to Head by Jennifer Manuel (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Jelly Roll by Mere Joyce (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen (Groundwood)
Open Ice by David Trifunov (Lorimer) >>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Pia's Plans by Alice Kuipers (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
Screech! Ghost Stories from Old Newfoundland by Charis Cotter (Nimbus) 
Volleyball Vibe by Karen Spafford-Fitz (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Sports Stories

Young Adult
Confessions of a Teenage Drag King by Markus Harwood-Jones (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Real Love 
Double or Nothing by Brooke Carter (Orca)>>>Orca Soundings 
Dreaming in Color by Melanie Florence (Orca)>>>Orca Soundings 
Facing the Sun by Janice Lynn Mather (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) 
Hey Jude by Star Spider (Orca)>>>Orca Soundings  
Love, IRL by Tracy Goldfarb (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Real Love 
No Known Address by Steven Barwin (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Side Streets 

Stranded by Jocelyn Shipley (Orca)>>>Orca Soundings

Swift by R. J. Anderson (Enclave Escape)

Non-Fiction
If You Want to Visit a Sea Garden by Kay Wiseman, illus. by Roy Henry Vickers (Groundwood)
Lake: A See to Learn Book by Kate Moss Gamblin, illus. by Karen Patkau (Groundwood) 
Meet Terry Fox by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada)>>>Scholastic Canada Biography 
Mega Rex: A Tyrannosaurus Named Scotty by W. Scott Persons IV (Harbour Publishing) 
More Scary True Stories (Haunted Canada #10) by Joel A. Sutherland (Scholastic Canada) 
Righting Canada's Wrongs: MS St. Louis and Canada's Anti-Semitic Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century by Rona Arato (Lorimer)>>>Righting Canada's Wrongs 
Terry Fox and Me by Mary Beth Leatherdale, illus. by Milan Pavlovic (Tundra)

Picture Books
The Barnabus Project by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan (Tundra)
Bobby Orr and the Hand-me-down Skates by Bobby Orr and Kara Kootstra, illus. by Jennifer Phelan (Tundra)
The Boy Who Moved Christmas by Eric Walters and Nicole Wellwood, illus. by Carloe Liu (Nimbus)

Broken Crayons by Patsy Dingwell, illus. by Marla Lesage (Nimbus)

Give It! by Cinders McLeod (Penguin Random House)>>>newest Moneybunny Book

Hockey ABC by Julien Chung (Scholastic)
Hockey Night in the Wild by Nicholas Oldland (Kids Can Press) >>> another volume in Life in the Wild series
Hug? by Charlene Chua (Kids Can Press)
I Am Loved by Mary and Kevin Qamaniq-Mason, illus. by Hwei Lim  (Inhabit Media)
The Ice Shack by Katia Canciani, illus. by Christian Quesnel (Breakwater Books)
I Do Not Like Stories by Andrew Larsen, illus. by Carey Sookocheff (Owlkids)
If You Were Night by Muon Thi Van, illus. by Kelly Pousette (Kids Can Press)
Kits, Cubs and Calves: An Arctic Summer by Suzie Napayok-Short, illus. by Tamara Campeau (Inhabit Media)
The Last Loose Tooth by Tyler Clark Burke (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Lilliana and the Frogs by Scot Ritchie (Harbour Publishing)
The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt by Riel Nason, illus. by Byron Eggenschwiler (Tundra)
Little You / Gidagaashiinh by Richard Van Camp, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca)>>>English & Anishinaabemowin dual-language edition
Mom Marries Mum! by Ken Setterington, illus. by Alice Priestley (Second Story Press)
My Day with Gong Gong by Sennah Yee, illus. by Elaine Chen (Annick)
My Family, Your Family! by Kathryn Cole, illus. by Cornelia Li (Second Story Press)
My Heart Fills With Happiness / Nijiikendam by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca)>>> English & Anishinaabemowin dual-language edition
Night Walk by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Ellie Arscott (Groundwood)
Not Me by Elise Gravel (North Winds Press)
The Nut That Fell from the Tree by Sangeeta Bhadra, illus. by France Cormier (Kids Can Press)
Nye, Sand and Stones by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Marion Arbona (Orca)>>>also French language Nye de l’île de Sable
The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz, illus. by Nahid Kazemi (Groundwood)
Once I Was a Bear by Irene Luxbacher (Scholastic)
The One with the Scraggly Beard by Elizabeth Withey, illus. by Lynn Scurfield (Orca) >>>also French language L’Homme à la barbe hirsute
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story by Thao Lam (Owlkids)
Perfect Pigeons by Katherine Battersby (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Please Don't Change My Diaper! by SaraBeth Holden, illus. by Emma Pedersen (Inhabit Media)
Princesses Versus Dinosaurs by Linda Bailey, illus. by Joy Ang (Tundra)
Shape Up, Construction Trucks! by Victoria Allenby (Pajama Press)
Slow Moe by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Marianne Ferrer (Orca)>>>also French langueage Lent Roland
Snow Doves by Nancy Hartry, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard (Second Story Press) 
Solid, Liquid, Gassy (A Fairy Science Story) by Ashley Spires (Tundra) 
Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas, illus. by Maya McKibbin (Annick) 
Teaching Mrs. Muddle by Colleen Nelson, illus. by Alice Carter (Pajama Press) 
Teamwork by Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko (North Winds Press) 
This Is the Path the Wolf Took by Laura Farina, illus. by Elina Ellis (Kids Can Press) 
The Three Brothers by Marie-Louise Gay (Groundwood) 
Two Tough Trucks Get Lost! by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illus. by Hilary Leung (Scholastic) 
What If? by Doretta Groenendyk (Nimbus) 
When Pumpkins Fly by Margaret Lawrence, illus. by Amanda Sandland (Inhabit Media) 
When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Nicole Neidhardt (Orca)>>>also French (Nous sommes gentils) and English and Diné dual-language (When We Are Kind / Nihaa ádahwiinít’i?´´igo) editions 
Why Are You So Quiet? by Jaclyn Desforges, illus. by Risa Hugo (Annick) 
The Wrench by Elise Gravel (Orca) 
You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Danielle Daniel (Orca)>>>also in French (Tu es là pour moi) and English & Anishnaabemowin (You Hold Me Up/Gimanaadenim) dual-language editions

Chapter Books
Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: Peril at Owl Park  by Marthe Jocelyn, illus. by Isabelle Follath (Tundra)>>>Book 2 in Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series
The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson (Puffin) >>>Book 1 in The Misewa Saga fantasy series
The Brushmaker's Daughter by Kathy Kacer (Second Story Press)>>>Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers
Bunbun & Bonbon: Fancy Friends by Jess Keating (Graphix) 

Ciel by Sophie Labelle, illus. by David Homel (Second Story Press)

The Desert Prince by Alisha Sevigny (Dundurn)>>>sequel to The Lost Scroll of the Physician

Farm Crimes: Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg by Sandra Dumais (Owlkids) 
Genie Meanie by Mahtab Narsimhan, illus. by Michelle Simpson (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes 
Hatch by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins)>>>sequel to Bloom
Jay Versus the Saxophone of Doom by Kara Kootstra, illus. by Kim Smith (Puffin Canada) 
Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort of) by Kathleen Gros (HarperCollins)>>>graphic novel
Jurassic Peck (Kung Pow Chicken #5) by Cyndi Marko (Scholastic) 
Kah-Lan and the Stink-Ink by Karen Autio, illus. by Emma Pedersen (Crwth Press) >>>sequel to Kah-Lan The Adventurous Sea Otter 
The King of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters (Orca) 
Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath (Puffin Canada) 
The Puck Drops Here (Hockey Super Six) by Kevin Sylvester (Scholastic Canada) 
Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade (Puffin Canada) 
Shark Bait! by Jeff Szpirglas, illus. by Danielle Saint-Onge (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes 
The Stray and the Strangers by Steve Heighton, illus. by Melissa Iwai (Groundwood)

Young Adult
Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Heather T. Smith (Penguin Teen Canada)  
The Call of the Rift: Veil by Jae Waller (ECW Press)
Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe (Balzer + Bray)
Drone Chase by Pam Withers (Dundurn)
God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya, illus. by Juliana Neufeld (Arsenal Pulp Press)>>>10th anniversary edition
The Greats by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood)
Heart Sister by Michael F. Stewart (Orca) 
Throwaway Girls by Andrea Contos (Kids Can Press) 
The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life by Dani Jansen (Second Story Press) 

Non-Fiction
50 Space Missions that Changed the World by John A. Read (Formac)
Catch the Sky: Playful Poems on the Air We Share by Robert Heidbreder, illus. by Emily Dove (Greystone)
CRISPR: A Powerful Way to Change DNA by Yolanda Ridge, illus. by Alex Boersma (Annick)
If a Tree Falls: The Global Impact of Deforestation by Nikki Tate (Orca)>>>Orca Footprints
Inconvenient Skin/nayêhtâwan wasakay by Shane L. Koyczan (Orca)>>>IndigLits, dual language (English & Cree)
In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night by Lisa Deresti Betik, illus. by Josh Holinaty (Kids Can Press)
Islamophobia: Deal with it in the name of peace by Safia Saleh, illus. by Hana Shafi (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Deal With It series
The International Day of the Girl: Celebrating Girls Around the World by Jessica Dee Humphreys and Rona Ambrose, illus. by Simone Shin (Kids Can Press)
Nature All Around: Birds by Pamela Hickman, illus. by Carolyn Gavin (Kids Can Press)
Pretty Tricky: The Sneaky Ways Plants Survive by Etta Kaner, illus. by Ashley Barron (Owlkids)
This Is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science is Tackling Unconscious Bias by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illus. by Drew Shannon (Kids Can Press)

Picture Books
AAAlligator! by Judith Henderson, illus. by Andrea Stegmaier (Kids Can Press)
The Bad Chair by Dasha Tolstikova (Groundwood)
The Case of the Buzzing Honey Makers by Eric Hogan, illus. by Tara Hungerford (Firefly Books)>>>A Gumboot Kids Nature Mystery
The Case of the Singing Ocean by Eric Hogan, illus. by Tara Hungerford (Firefly Books)>>>A Gumboot Kids Nature Mystery
Doggone Magic! (Go Away, Unicorn #2) by Emily Mullock (Scholastic)
A Family for Faru by Anitha Rao-Robinson, illus. by Karen Patkau (Pajama Press) 
Glory on Ice: A Vampire Hockey Story by Maureen Fergus, illus. by Mark Fearing (Knopf Books for Young Readers) 
Happy Little Dreamer by Peter H. Reyonolds (Cartwheel Books) 
The Lady with the Books: A Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman
by Kathy Stinson, illus. by Marie Lafrance (Kids Can Press) 
The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard (Pajama Press) 
The Name I Call Myself by Hasan Namir, illus. by Cathryn John (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Painted Fences by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Sydney Barnes (Heritage House) 
Snow Song by Katie Riley, illus. by Dawn Lo (Kids Can Press) 
Two Drops of Brown in a Cloud of White by Samiya Balasubramaniam, illus. by Eva Campbell (Groundwood) 
What Do You See? by Sarah N. Harvey, illus. by Jane Heinrichs (Orca) 
Why Can't We Be Bestie-corns? by Jessika Von Innerebner (North Winds Press) 
A World of Mindfulness from the Editors and Illustrators of Pajama Press (Pajama Press) 
Your House, My House by Marianne Dubuc (Kids Can Press)

Chapter Books
Because of That Crow by Beverley Brenna (Red Deer Press)
The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier, illus. by Olga Demidova (Puffin Canada)>>>first book in The Fabled Stables series 
The Hermit by Jan Coates (Nimbus) 
How Jack Lost Time by Stéphanie Lapointe, illus. by Delphie Côté-Lacroix, trans. by Arielle Aaronson (Greystone) 
It Came from the Basement (The Lunch Club) by Dom Pelletier (Scholastic Canada)>>>graphic novel 
Izzy in the Doghouse by Caroline Adderson, illus. by Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press) 
Journal of a Travelling Girl by Nadine Neema (Heritage House) 
Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el, illus. by Kelly Pousette (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)>>>sequel to The Very, Very Far North 
Maurice and His Dictionary: A True Story by Cary Fagan, illus. by Enzo Lord Mariano (Owlkids)>>>graphic novel 
Pasture Bedtime by Sigmund Brouwer, illus. by Sabrina Gendron (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes 
Planet Hockey: First Star of the Game by J. Torres and Tim Levins (Scholastic Canada)>>>graphic novel 
Poppy and Sam and the Search for Sleep by Cathon, trans. by Susan Ouriou (Owlkids) >>>third book in the Poppy and Sam picture book/graphic novel series  
Trapped in Hitler's Web by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (Scholastic)  
Yara's Spring by Jamal Saeed and Sharon E. McKay (Annick) 

Young Adult

Breakdown by David A. Robertson, illus. by Scott B. Henderson (HighWater Press) >>>first book in new graphic novel series, The Reckoner Rises, based on the series The Reckoner
The Girl Who Was Convinced Beyond All Reason That She Could Fly by Sybil Lamb (Arsenal Pulp Press)

Kid Sterling by Christine Welldon (Red Deer Press)

Nothing But Life by Brent van Staalduinen (Dundurn)

The Other Side by Heather Camlot (Red Deer Press)

Shadow Mission by Shamim Sarif (HarperTeen)>>>sequel to The Athena Protocol

Spell Starter by Elsie Chapman (Scholastic) >>>sequel to Caster

Surviving the City: From the Roots Up by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, illus. by Natasha Donovan (HighWater Press)>>>sequel to Surviving the City graphic novel

Underland by Colleen Nelson and Nancy Chappell-Pollack (Yellow Dog)>>>sequel to Pulse Point

You Were Never Here by Kathleen Peacock (HarperTeen)

Non-Fiction
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl by Rina Singh, illus. by Marianne Ferrer (Kids Can Press)>>>new Citizen Kid books 
The Cheerleading Book: The Young Athlete's Guide by Ali Moffatt  and Alana Potter (Firefly Books) 
Do Lizards Eat Ice Cream? How Animals Beat the Heat by Etta Kaner, illus. by Jenna Piechota (Owlkids) 
Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You've Never Heard Of by Helaine Becker, illus. by Kari Rust (Kids Can Press) 
Follow Your Breath: A First Book of Mindfulness by Scot Ritchie (Kids Can Press) 
Hockey Superstars 2020-2021 by Paul Romanuk (Scholastic Canada) 
Mi'kmaw Daily Drum: Mi'kmaw Culture for Every Day of the Week by Alan Syliboy (Nimbus) 
Mitch Marner (Amazing Hockey Stories) by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illus. by D. A. Bishop (Scholastic Canada) 
How I Survived: Four Nights on the Ice by Serapio Ittusardjuat, illus. by Matthew K. Hoddy (Inhabit Media)
The Old Man and the Penguin: A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery, illus. by Pierre Pratt (Kids Can Press) 
Return from Extinction: The Triumph of the Elephant Seals by Linda L. Richards (Orca)>>>Orca Wild 
Teatime Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth, illus. by Chelsea O’Byrne (Greystone)

Picture Books
Find Fergus by Mike Boldt (Doubleday Books for Young Readers)
The Most Amazing Bird by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, illus. by Andrew Qappik (Annick Press)
Raven, Rabbit, Deer by Sue Farrell Holler, illus. by Jennifer Faria Lipke (Pajama Press)
Snow Days by Deborah Kerbel, illus by Miki Sato (Pajama Press)
Time for Bed's Story by Monica Arnaldo (Kids Can Press)

Chapter Books
Duck Days by Sara Leach, illus. by Rebecca Bender (Pajama Press)>>>Book 3 in Slug Days series
On Thin Ice (Hockey Super Six) by Kevin Sylvester (Scholastic Canada)

Young Adult
Finding Avalon by Pamela MacDonald with Valerie Sherrard (Nimbus) 

Four Faces of the Moon by Amanda Strong (Annick)

Nomad by R. J. Anderson (Enclave Escape)

(Surprisingly, nothing that I discovered is scheduled for release in December.  Please let me know if there is something of which I am unaware.)

• • • • • • •

Though there are undoubtedly titles that I have missed for 2020 and some that may be delayed until 2021 (always happens), there are some titles already slotted for 2021 that I'm sure you'll need to note:

Picture Books
Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built by Susan Hughes, illus. by Marianne Ferrer (Owlkids)

Imagine That by Wallace Edwards (North Winds Press)

Mr. Beagle Goes to Rabbittown by Lori Doody (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides)
The Wall and the Wind by Veselina Tomova (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides)

Chapter Books
Blackthorn Key, Book 5 by Kevin Sands (Aladdin)
The Fabulous Zed Watson by Kevin Sylvester and Basil Sylvester (HarperCollins Canada)
Hockey Night in Kenya by Eric Walters and Danson Mutinda, illus. by Claudia Dávila (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes

Young Adult

The Project by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books)

Torch by R. J. Anderson (Escape Enclave)>>>final book in trilogy that started with Swift and Nomad

Non-Fiction
That's No Dino!: Or Is It? What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur by Helaine Becker, illus. by Marie-Ève Tremblay (Kids Can Press)

 • • • • • • •

As always, please contact me about books that I have omitted from this listing.  Some catalogues were not available at the time of posting and I'm sure I've missed some. I'm happy to add books by Canadian authors and illustrators of books for younger readers to make this listing of upcoming releases for the summer and fall of 2020 more complete.