Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly (Scaredy's Nutty Adventures, Book 4)

Written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

Tundra Books

978-1-77488-884-1 (pb)

84 pp.

Ages 4–8 

July 2026

 

I didn't get a chance to review this book of Scaredy's Nutty Adventures when it was released as a hardcover in 2024, so I'm pleased to review it now that a paperback edition was just released this month. When Scaredy Squirrel was first released in 2006, he became a beloved character. Mélanie Watt brought us a little squirrel who was overwhelmed, seeing threats everywhere. Now the star of his own animated series, as well as picture books and this early reader graphic novel series, Scaredy Squirrel is a much beloved character to helps young children see beyond their worries by laughing with him.

From Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

In Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly, Mélanie Watt shares five short graphic stories about Scaredy and his relationship with Halloween. In the first chapter, titled "October 31st," our sciurine friend is actually looking forward to the un-scary aspects of the holiday. He likes the decorations and the lighting, but he's terrified of haunted houses, crows, vampire bats, and more. So, he's happy to stay in his cheerfully decorated tree, along with some unusual preventative measures.

From Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

The next stories have Scaredy planning a cute, but not scary pumpkin carving activity with his friends, working on his costume, considering going trick-or-treating—hard candy, gummy worms, and chocolate all have drawbacks—before heading out in search of candy apples.

From Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

It may seem a little early to be thinking of Halloween, but I suspect there are many for whom the holiday is a big deal and who are already planning their costumes and parties. Whether you get Scaredy Squirrel now in anticipation of the holiday or keep it to read in October, Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly will give young children a lot of laughs about his wacky but legitimate worries. Scaredy Squirrel may seem like an excessive bundle of anxiety, but he emulates the many children who have misgivings and fears about the familiar and the unknown. With a lighthearted approach and quirky and colourful illustrations, Mélanie Watt will let children see that many anxieties can be lessened and even alleviated with some friendly intervention and a new perspective.

From Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly, written and illustrated by Mélanie Watt

Mélanie Watt's Scaredy Squirrel will always charm. She has created him as sweetly guileless—check out his toothy grin—and oddly expressive. And with detailed illustrations that give young readers much to enjoy, from costumes to decorated homes, readers will be looking forward to their own nutty Halloween adventure and all that it entails.

 

🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 

 

This is Book 4 in Scaredy's Nutty Adventures series. Here are all published titles:

Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell (2021)
Scaredy Squirrel Gets a Surprise (2022)
Scaredy Squirrel Gets Festive (2023)

Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly (2024) 

Looking at the Sky: How Dr. Janusz Korczak Fought for Children's Rights

Written by Amanda West Lewis

Illustrated by Abigail Rajunov

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1024-9

80 pp.

Ages 8–12

June 2026 

 

From Looking at the Sky: How Dr. Janucz Korczak Fought for Children's Rights, written by Amanda West Lewis, illustrated by Abigail Rajunov

In the early 1920s, Izaak Dembinski is living with his Mama, and sisters Chana, Zofia and Sara in Warsaw, Poland. Izaak's father was a soldier who'd died before Izaak was born. The family's life is one of austerity but there are moments of togetherness that brings respite from everything. But when Mama dies from tuberculosis, seven-year-old Izaak goes to Dom Sierot (which means Home for Orphans), while his sisters go to work at a laundry and a store. 

From Looking at the Sky: How Dr. Janucz Korczak Fought for Children's Rights, written by Amanda West Lewis, illustrated by Abigail Rajunov

Unlike the orphanages of many fictionalized stories, Dom Sierot gives Izaak opportunities. Under the directorship of Dr. Korczak, Izaak is able to receive health care, schooling, time for play, and safety. He gets food with meat which he hadn't had for ages and he is allotted a bed and a small dresser. He learns the value of doing chores and about justice at the weekly children's court. Compared to his sisters, whom Izaak gets to visit on weekends, and who work so hard for so little, Izaak is experiencing a childhood of stability, of care, and of learning.

 

When he is released from Dom Sierot at age fourteen and is anxious about what he will do next, Dr. Korczak advises him that... 

We can give you only one thing: hope. Hope of a better life, a life of truth and justice. (pg. 47)

Regardless of how difficult their lives have been, Izaak's sisters have saved carefully so that he might travel to Canada to stay with their mother's sister and to continue his schooling and get a good job. With the life lessons he has learned from Pan Doctor and matron Pani Stefa, Izaak has learned how to work hard and how to deal with people, and succeed. But when Hitler invades Poland in 1939, Izaak finds it near impossible to keep connected them and his sisters.

From Looking at the Sky: How Dr. Janucz Korczak Fought for Children's Rights, written by Amanda West Lewis, illustrated by Abigail Rajunov

Looking at the Sky is based on the remembrances of a former Dom Sierot child whom Amanda West Lewis befriended. While Izaak and the other children in the story are fictional, their experiences would have been very real. And Dr. Janusz Korczak, a man who founded several orphanages in Warsaw, one Catholic and one Jewish, published stories for children, had a national radio program, and gave hope to many through his good  work, was quite authentic. Looking at the Sky tells his story through that of a child who might have been at Dom Sierot and who may have been blessed with the caring and life lessons extended to him there. By telling Dr. Korczak's story from the perspective of one who benefited from his kindness and compassion, Amanda West Lewis makes Looking at the Sky less of a biography and more of a tribute to an extraordinary man.

From Looking at the Sky: How Dr. Janucz Korczak Fought for Children's Rights, written by Amanda West Lewis, illustrated by Abigail Rajunov

Abigail Rajunov is an American illustrator who embeds the mood of Izaak and Dr. Korczak's story through her use of colour and line. Her palette is very limited and subdued. It is primarily sepia tones for a hard but routine life. Blacks and greys are reserved for the worst of situations—like travel to Treblinka—while bits of blue bring the infrequent joys of cheerful skies, new clothes, or a fresh bed. Abigail Rajunov makes us feel Izaak's story, not just show us it.

 

Perhaps Looking at the Sky gives us but a glimpse into the remarkable legacy of Dr. Korczak—his reputation as a pediatrician, author, educator, and children's rights advocate could fill books—but it is a personal and tender look at how the man influenced and inspired others with his warmheartedness and his insight. And, with Amanda West Lewis's appended note and bibliography, young readers can look beyond to learn more about this great man.

Best Friend, Worst Bully: Based on a True Story

Written and illustrated by Mei Yu

Union Square Kids

978-1-4549-5993-9

144 pp.

Ages 7–10

April 2026 

 

This is the story of friends, or it was until it wasn't. But that's the thing about friendships: they are dynamic. They change with circumstances both self-controlled and unplanned. It's why they are the source of much joy but also carry the potential for despair, as a young Mei Yu learns.  

From Best Friend, Worst Bully, written and illustrated by Mei Yu

Mei Yu wants to be best friends with Maggie forever. Along with Sophie, Maggie's best friend before Mei came along, Mei is hopeful that she'll have lifelong friends. But when Maggie moves away, Mei and Sophie become new friends, hanging out at Mei's house—though Mei is super embarrassed by her mother's heavily accented English that makes everything sound a little weird—shopping together, and more. Still, when Ella and Rola, two older girls in their split class, become jealous of Mei's drawing ability, they approach Sophie, convincing her that she can be cool like them if she does what she's told in dealing with Mei.

 

And though she's reluctant at first, Sophie is pleased to be more popular with the older girls and rudely snubs Mei. Mei's Happy Meter—one of the graphic meters she uses to depict her emotions—shatters. She discusses it with her sidekick Meiow as she's too scared to talk to anyone else about the bullying. But even though she feels completely alone, Eve and Izzy, two girls from another class, tell her they've had the same experiences with Ella and Rola, particularly their "bathroom game." After inviting Mei to be their friend, they advise her to just ignore Sophie and her fellow bullies. 

From Best Friend, Worst Bully, written and illustrated by Mei Yu

But then Sophie and her "friends" escalate their bullying, phoning Mei's home and leaving horrible messages. Determined to deal with the bullies, Mei uses her artistic talents to express her feelings, and expose Sophie, Ella, and Rola in her own way. 

From Best Friend, Worst Bully, written and illustrated by Mei Yu

I'm sad to think about all the kids out there targeted by bullies. For Mei and her friends, they are picked on for being talented, or tall, wearing glasses or liking hearts. The reasons bullies attack others are countless and meaningless. But when they involve more people, steal friends away, intrude on your home life, cause fear and sleepless nights, it's not "just" bullying. It is persecution. And for Mei Yu, main character and author-illustrator who debuted with her Silver Birch Express award-winning Lost and Found, that bullying is overwhelming and very realistic. And thank you, Mei Yu, for not giving us an unimaginable ending where all is right between Mei and Sophie. There was still forgiveness, but it is sheltered in the safety that Mei has in her art, in her new friends, and in her family. And in her understanding of what bullying is all about.

. . . and then I realized that bullies are silly! They can pick on anyone because of anything! (pg. 120)

Mei Yu's story is based on her own experiences, and her advice, to be strong and be yourself, will resonate with young readers, many of whom will have experienced or witnessed bullying. Coupled with Mei Yu's charming artwork—check out her YouTube channel for videos on her drawing—Best Friend, Worst Bully will speak to young readers with empathy for the bullying they have seen and with colour and cheer for the friendships they enjoy. Best Friend, Worst Bully is the best outcome coming from the worst situation.

Kaboom!: Blast Off

Written by Jay Odjick

Illustrated by KC Oster

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9836-3 

142 pp.

Ages 8–12

February 2026 

 

Zack seems like a regular kid. He likes riding his bike and imagining himself as a superhero. He is lured by ads for the snack Choco Pops and the energy drink Splurge and is impressed with the fabulously rich like Konstantin Pierce. Compared to his boring parents who sell refrigerators, Pierce looks pretty exciting. But there seems to be another story that the imaginative Zack does not know. While he believes his parents are at a trade show and he's staying with his Auntie Jess, his mom and dad, calling each other Shadowbird and Greywolf, are working for F.U.S.I.O.N. as true superheroes, currently stopping those who steal ancient artifacts. As for Konstantin Pierce, he's more villain than entrepreneurial genius.

From Kaboom!: Blast Off, written by Jay Odjick, illustrated by KC Oster

Pierce is looking to extort world powers by controlling the weather and he's concerned that F.U.S.I.O.N. agents are going to get in the way. He arranges for them to be eliminated. Not surprising that Zack is shocked when flying robots and a masked man come and take his parents and aunt away. Thankfully his parents have a household security system to protect Zack and he, along with a cute robotic dog rejected by Pierce, are whisked to his parents' underground headquarters where he virtually meets Tana a.k.a. Teknik from New Zealand. Tana/Teknik explains that, like his parents and her Māori father, she is an agent of F.U.S.I.O.N., the First Universal Secret Indigenous Operatives Network, which is tasked with working against any threat to Indigenous Peoples, cultures, and ways of life.

From Kaboom!: Blast Off, written by Jay Odjick, illustrated by KC Oster

So, as Zack and his new robot sidekick Rusty poke around his superhero parents' secret den, Pierce is threatening the U.N. even though he realizes that a thumb drive with the activation codes is missing. But, after finding a special Lycra suit fit for a superhero, Zack, who becomes known as Kaboom, works to help get his parents back and thwart Konstantin Pierce and his villainous henchman and drones. 
 

Looks like there's a new superhero in town as Blast Off! is just the first book in the new Kaboom! graphic novel series. Zack a.k.a Kaboom is a little impetuous, a lot funny, and kind of sweet, and he's a character whose adventures middle graders will want to follow. Jay Odjick, who'd previously illustrated Robert Munsch's Bear for Breakfast / Makwa kidji kijebà wìsiniyàn (2019), gives us a story in which a kid becomes a hero. But Jay Odjick also blends Zack's story with Indigenous superheroes from around the world—Māori, Inuit, Nahua, Khalka, and Algonquin appear in Blast Off—and the importance of doing good. Still Kaboom!: Blast Off is not a story that is told to preach or convey messages of how to live. It's about superhero fun with lots of humour, like when Zack starts pushing buttons he shouldn't or when he mishears Tana when she says kinetic and he hears Connecticut. With Zack just being Zack and Jay Odjick getting all the voices just right for all his characters, Kaboom!: Blast Off entertains completely.

From Kaboom!: Blast Off, written by Jay Odjick, illustrated by KC Oster

But, without the artwork of KC Oster, a new illustrator for me, Kaboom!: Blast Off just wouldn't be the hit it is. I like the style of this Ojibwe-Anishinaabe comic artist, who previously did the art for Rabbit Chase (written Elizabeth LaPensée, 2022). Their graphics are not cluttered, focusing on Zack and the other characters, keeping the details for lively interactions like altercations with the bad guys and fight scenes. And by not limiting their palette of colours, KC Oster makes the art exciting and lavish.

 

An Indigenous superhero organization, a kid hero, a robotic dog, and operations to stop the bad guys sounds like the kind of graphic novel that middle-grade readers will latch onto. I think Kaboom! has just made a dynamite arrival.

The Cedar Mother (Mothers of Xsan)

Written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
HighWater Press
978-1-77492-158-6
32 pp.
Ages 9–12

February 2026

 

Eight years ago, Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, who is also known as Brett D. Huson, started his Mothers of Xsan graphic novel series to share his knowledge of the stories of the Gitxsan Nation of the Northwest Interior of BC. This series, now of eight books, has covered insects, fish, birds, amphibians, and mammals, and now I'm delighted to share his book about the cedar tree. Not only does The Cedar Mother speak to the life cycle of a cedar tree and its connection with other living things, but Hetxw'ms Gyetxw also shares his knowledge of the Gitxsan Nation and their Moons.

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

This story of the western red cedar begins in April and the Spring Salmon's Returning Home Moon (Lasa ya'a). This tree, which has been around for over 300 years, now sits by a road that was "only a trail used by the Gitxsan, who had never seen a car, wagon, or horse." (pg. 2) Its growth from a tiny seed is helped by nutrients, rain, and sun. (Words that might be new to young readers, including nutrients, foliage, photosynthesis, and reverence, are defined in info boxes throughout the book.) 

 

But Hetxw'ms Gyetxw also explains how Nox Sim Gan (the cedar mother) is connected to other organisms in the ecosystem. She provides shelter and feeds animals with foliage and oxygen. She gives materials to the Gitxsan for clothing, for home-building, for medicines and, at the end of her life cycle, she will become a story pole. Because of her persistence and vitality, "she is a beacon of hope and a symbol of the enduring strength of the natural world. (pg. 15)

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Hetxw'ms Gyetxw writes with reverence for Nox Sim Gan in The Cedar Mother and for the role she plays in the environment and for the Gitxsan Nation. From birth through death, she provides. And, because of this, Hetxw'ms Gyetxw gently reminds us that attention must be paid, and our stewardship is required so that she may continue to share herself with the earth and its living things. Not a boring life cycle story, The Cedar Mother tells us how a western red cedar is a part of something far greater. It is part of a community.

From The Cedar Mother, written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw, illustrated by Natasha Donovan

Natasha Donovan, who illustrated the earlier books in Mothers of Xsan series and Tasha Spillett's Surviving the City series, takes readers into the forests where Nox Sim Gan grows and flourishes, giving and sharing. Its majesty is evident from the scale at which she draws it, and the benevolence of its presence is clear in all illustrations as it interacts with other species. Natasha Donovan keeps the focus on Nox Sim Gan always, whether at the base of its trunk or buried in its foliage, preserving the natural elements in earthy colours of browns and greens. With Natasha Donovan's illustrations and Hetxw'ms Gyetxw's occasional contributions of formline art (see the spirit pole above), as well as his text, The Cedar Mother is a respectful acknowledgement of the connection between the natural world and the Gitxsan, and the reverence necessary to appreciate and to sustain its place.

 • • • • • • •

 

Mothers of Xsan series

The Sockeye Mother (2018)

The Grizzly Mother (2019)

The Eagle Mother (2020)

The Frog Mother (2021)

The Wolf Mother (2021)

The Raven Mother (2022)

The Bee Mother (2024) 

The Cedar Mother (2026) 

The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne

Written by Sonya Ballantyne

Illustrated by Rhael McGregor

Coloured by Azby Whitecalf

Lettering by Kielamel Sibal 

HighWater Press

978-1-77492-137-1

64 pp.

Ages 12–14

Releases March 10, 2026 

 

Sonya Ballantyne, a Swampy Cree filmmaker based in Winnipeg, did not just spring onto the scene with her first movie Crash Site or as a writer for The Walking Dead: Last Mile or Acting Good. Her origin story helped make her who she is. But what is that story?

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

As a child, Sonya Ballantyne had a lot of dreams of what she would be when she was older. She considered being Bret Hart or a marine biologist or a musician, but becoming a writer was a special dream. Problem was that Sonya knew that girls like her—Indigenous—didn't often finish high school or get to fulfill their dreams. And though she had incredible support from her parents and much family love, there were others who reminded her that her options were limited by being an Indigenous girl. Sonya was determined to find a way.

 

Sonya imagined herself as a superhero who'd arrived on Earth as an alien whom her parents found and protected, along with her grandparents. After all, the origin stories of all superheroes were clouded with tragedy, and they still went on to do good.

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

From her connection with her mother through a shared love of movies—"The trouble with seeing your life as a movie is that nothing can ever live up to your expectations" (pg. 33)—to her love of hockey, Sonya started to see her life in terms of what she could get, not what she wanted. Her journal writings speak of her questioning her sexuality, her anger, depression, and suicidal ideation. But she finds a way to make her anger her superpower, becoming an activist, finishing high school, going to university, and never limiting herself as others might. 

From The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, written by Sonya Ballantyne, illustrated by Rhael McGregor, coloured by Azby Whitecalf, lettered by Kielamel Sibal

Sonya Ballantyne's story is laid out in The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne, though it is not presented as a linear one. I suspect that, as with the challenges of racism and bullying she faced, it wasn't straightforward. There were those who set her back time and time again and then circumstances that propelled her forward in her self-discovery. She works to explain her own origins and understand them as they might have been and how they were. It's obvious that there is still much story to be told of Sonya Ballantyne, but this is a good start, particularly for older middle grade and young teen readers who might better understand some of her challenges and the grittiness of a world in which bullying, racism, abuse, and crass language exist.

 

Because The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne is a graphic novel, the art gives much of the story, supporting it with visuals of Sonya's real life and that of her superhero alter ego. Rhael McGregor shows us both a child and then teen who enjoys the warmth of those who care for her but also has struggles against those who bully, anger, insult, or wrong her. And they give us very real depictions of Sonya from a young child to middle grader to teen so that she is recognizable and still changing as she grows up. But it is the context of that development, from Sonya imagining herself as a superhero rescued as a baby, to a child enjoying play—versus an overprotective grandmother—and a teen journalling her angst that Rhael McGregor makes us see Sonya through all her phases and faces. With the art coloured by Azby Whitecalf and lettered by Kielamel Sibal, these graphic elements enhance the storytelling of the life of Sonya Ballantyne, while making us want to know more.

Visions From the Fire (Dreams, Book 2)

Written by Wanda John-Kehewin

Illustrated by nicole marie burton

Colour by Rhael McGregor 

Lettering by Kielamel Sibal

HighWater Press (Portage & Main)

978-1-77492-065-7

80 pp.

Ages 12+

Releases February 24, 2026 

 

Visions From the Fire starts with a bang. Damon and his classmates are preparing to graduate from high school. And Damon, his mom, and his friend Journey are then heading out to his mom's reserve, which she hasn't visited for fifteen years, for a powwow. And Damon's classmate and bully, Marcus, who'd taunted the teen relentlessly about his Indigenous heritage, has recently learned this his own mother is Cree, part of the Sixties Scoop, though she shrugs it off as "not a big deal." (pg. 2) If that isn't enough happening in Damon's life, then there is the gifting of a bear claw necklace made by his mom that gives him visions of her abandonment on the reserve. He asks her but she doesn't want to talk about it.

What's there to talk about? When stuff hurts, Indians try to forget about it. They bury it deep inside 'til it stops hurting. Counsellors call it suppression. I call it survival. Still not ready, son. (pg. 13)

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

Unfortunately, they do have a blow up when Damon's mom inadvertently learns her son has contacted his dad and intends to meet up with him at the powwow. She's angry at him for not trusting her enough to tell her, and he's angry at her for her reaction and trying to control him. It's not a good way to arrive at the reserve. 

 

Soon after, Damon's mom takes off in his car, and he worries she might be drinking and driving. He goes for a walk and meets an older man who seems almost otherworldly, turning rain off and on, making fire of wet wood, and knowing more than Damon thinks he should. 

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

But this man is wise, and he has some choice words for Damon about listening instead of talking, about sitting on the fence, and more. When the man is gone, Damon finds the bear claw necklace in his pocket and is transported by vision to see what his mother experienced, what Journey experienced, and even what his ancestors discussed when faced with starvation or signing a treaty.  

When you don't know who you are, life becomes a tough journey. Same for your mother and your father. (46) 

Still, it's what happens afterwards, meeting family he'd never known but who know him and his gifts, attending a sweat lodge, and learning that he has been chosen, that leads Damon into his next story.

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

Road trips are often transformative. They give opportunities for discussions either previously avoided or finally deemed necessary. A little thing, like Damon asking his mother why she hated being called, "Ma," opens up a lot about her mother, about Damon's dad and about his mom's relationship with him and with drink. Unfortunately, with the arrogance of youth, Damon goes after his mother, accusing her of trying to control him, never recognizing she knows more than he does about her situation. But this journey is but one step in Damon's exploration of self: where he comes from, and perhaps where he is going. Wanda John-Kehewin, who introduced Damon and Journey and others in Visions of the Crow is taking Damon slowly to where he needs to find himself. And while he sees himself through his experiences and through those of his mother, of Journey, and of others who interact with him, his visions of what has happened to them and his ancestors give him insight into his own actions and needs. This richness of self is embedded in Damon's Cree heritage, especially once he arrives at the reserve in Saskatchewan. From the language—kindly translated as needed—to the cultural traditions like the sweat and the offering of tobacco, Wanda John-Kehewin lets us know that being Cree is part of Damon, though there is still much for him to learn.

From Visions From the Fire, written by Wanda John-Kehewin, illustrated by nicole marie burton

nicole marie burton, who also illustrated Book 1 in the Dreams series (Visions of the Crow, 2023), blends realism with the intangible. Damon is a contemporary teen who listens to his music, goes to school, argues with his mom, and deals with life. But, he sees into the past and into the lives of others, experiencing surreal episodes that nicole marie burton makes believable. They use darkness and textured iridescence to transport the reader to different places and times, convincing us that Damon's vision has shifted. There are hints in the clothing and the scenery, as well as in Wanda John-Kehewin's words, but nicole marie burton shows us without telling us that Damon is going through something cathartic.

 

There is still story to be told, including Damon meeting his father, Damon and Journey's relationship, and Marcus's identification as Cree. But I know that, like Damon's journey, it will happen in due course, with help from those past and present, and be revealed as necessary. Wanda John-Kehewin cares enough to ensure the story is told in its time, making sure that Damon's self-actualization is real, personal, and complete.

 

• • • • • • •

 

Dreams 

 

Visions of the Crow (2023)

Visions From the Fire (2026)

 

Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales

Written by Joel A. Sutherland

Illustrated by Hannah Barrett, Mike Feehan, Maya McKibbin, and Matt Salisbury

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9630-7

144 pp.

Ages 9–12

September 2025 

 

To follow up on Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 1): Four Terrifying Tales (2024), Joel A. Sutherland brings us another four Canadian ghost stories that will thrill, shock, scare, and even delight young readers, especially those who can't get enough horror reading.

 

The first story is "The Bog Wraith," which is illustrated by Maya McKibbon (she illustrated The Song That Called Them Home, 2023). At Pelly River Crossing, Yukon Territory, in 1897, a man leaves his wife and daughter to find gold in the riverbeds of Dawson. When Jerry and his dog Max come across three old-timers, he is warned about crossing the Pelly River because of the muskeg and the ghosts. But when Jerry is forced by a bear to cross, he finds both terror and assistance from spirits trapped there.

From "The Bog Wraith" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Maya McKibbin

St. John's artist Mike Feehan illustrates the second story which is titled, "The Etobicoke Poltergeist." Set in 1968 Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto, a family of parents, two young daughters and a baby son is plagued by the ghost of an old woman. The menacing ghost warns the oldest daughter of hardship, sickness, and death. When Dad goes on a strike and the baby is hospitalized, the family brings in a minister to perform and exorcism.

From "The Etobicoke Poltergeist" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Mike Feehan

The third story is called, "The Bloody Neck Man" and apparently took place in 1802 in the village of Myrnam, Alberta. Matt Salisbury illustrates the story of two fathers who cannot get along and refuse to let their two children, the daughter of one and the son of the other, associate. The two kids, however, like to help each other, sharing fish they've caught and more. When their two fathers and other men go off to trade furs, the two young people realize they've both had a dream about a man with a bloody neck. Pierre believes it is a fetch i.e., a supernatural double of someone and a bad omen. Soon, Lizzie realizes that dream, and the pool of blood she discovers on the floor, has more to do with their fathers than might be expected.

From "The Bloody Neck Man" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Matt Salisbury

"The Doll That Wouldn't Die" is the final story and the most recent, taking place in 1980s Gatineau Hills, Quebec. In this story, illustrated by Hannah Barrett, a family of three moves into their new house, and the very young son Timothy finds a doll. The pregnant mom thinks it's creepy and intends to get rid of it but Timothy, who has been talking to the doll, demands it back. Whether they can destroy the doll or separate the child from it may not be under their control.

From "The Doll That Wouldn't Die" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Hannah Barrett

Author Joel A. Sutherland knows how to tell a scary story or five. Just check out his numerous Haunted Canada short story collections (e.g., Haunted Canada: The Second Terrifying Collection) or his middle-grade horror (e.g., The House Next Door). I especially appreciate his highlighting of Canadian ghost stories. In this collection, we travel from Alberta to Ontario, from the Yukon to Quebec. And the stories take us from the time of the fur traders to those seeking their fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as more contemporary stories. Each has their own supernatural element, though all have frightening natures that need to be braved. And the way Joel A. Sutherland tells these stories makes us believe these things could happen to anyone. Shudder.

 

Because each story is different, each illustrator delivers us to a different time and place. Maya McKibbin gives us remote landscape of bogs and forests, while Matt Feehan takes us to the swinging '60s of sideburns, fabric chokers and peasant dresses. Matt Salisbury gives us the remoteness of Alberta when people fished and trapped, and the men travelled far to trade. Finally, Hannah Barrett delivers us to our most contemporary setting and gives us a creepy doll that is an unlucky, cherished moppet and more the kind of nightmares.

 

It doesn't matter that Halloween is just days away. Maybe Halloween will be a great time for sharing these ghost stories, but young readers who appreciate horror will find Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales a fabulous read anytime. I just might recommend not saving them for a bedtime reading, especially with illustrations that might pervade your sleep and emerge in your nocturnal visions. 

 

• • • • • • • 

 

Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 1: Four Terrifying Tales (2024)

Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 2: Four More Terrifying Tales (2025) 

Ghost Circus

Written by Adrienne Kress

Illustrated by Jade Zhang

Union Square Kids

978-1-4549-4829-2

256 pp.

Ages 9–13

August 2025 

 

When Casey, a living boy, finds himself in the stands of a ghost circus, he is confused, as is Creepy Girl, a ghost with hollow eyes, who finds him. He'd already had a weird day where the school bus driver didn't see him and his classmate Emily presented their project without him. Now he's at the circus, which is filled with ghost performers, and Creepy Girl, with a little friend called Polterghost, is trying to help him, though not understanding herself why a boy who is not dead can interact with the ghost world.

From Ghost Circus, written by Adrienne Kress, illustrated by Jade Zhang

Being the only ghosts who can leave the circus, Creepy Girl and Polterghost follow Casey as he heads home. There he finds his distraught parents and a clue that leads him to the hospital where Casey lays in a coma. But he cannot re-enter his body, though he tries. When Casey realizes the Headless Horseman is following him, he and his new friends return to the Ghost Circus  where the Horseman cannot enter. 

 

At the Ghost Circus, Creepy Girl introduces Casey to several performers, hoping they might help them. First, there is Madame Avenire, the fortune teller, who had always told Creepy Girl that she had a mission to help a lost child. 

In my living days I told people their future. Now I tell them their pasts. 

The living and the dead are the same in that way...never existing in the present. (p. 79)

From Ghost Circus, written by Adrienne Kress, illustrated by Jade Zhang

It's only when they speak with the Elephant, who reveals how he joined the circus and how it has evolved over time, that Casey and Creepy Girl realize what has been happening, who the Headless Horseman seeks, and what they must do.

While Ghost Circus is in essence a ghost story, it has greater depth to it. Both Creepy Girl and Casey are on the hunt for answers. Creepy Girl doesn't know who she was and why she cannot cross over while Casey wants to know if he is going to die because he can't re-enter his body. Both are immersed in fear for what has happened and what will happen. That fear pervades their attitudes in different ways. At the onset, Casey is rude, annoyed that Creepy Girl doesn't understand what he's feeling and that she doesn't have all the answers he needs. Creepy Girl, on the other hand, seems to be nonchalant about his situation, not understanding what's happening and why she's involved when she's not a part of his story. But with time, Creepy Girl begins to understand her mission and Casey sees that others have their own stories and fears. By seeing beyond themselves and helping others, the two with Polterghost, who always has a benevolence to others, gain in understanding and start to make things right. 

From Ghost Circus, written by Adrienne Kress, illustrated by Jade Zhang

It's been too long since I've reviewed an Adrienne Kress story, and I'm so pleased to review Ghost Circus, her debut graphic novel. (Her bibliography to date includes young adult novels like The Friday Society and Outcast, and middle grade series like The Explorer Society, Ticket to Ride and Bendy.) She does have a wonderful penchant for the fantastical and I'm seeing a little more creepiness in her stories, but it's not creepy. It's the kind that titillates and entertains and will engage young readers completely. While not a horror story, Ghost Circus has the supernatural elements that might evoke unease, especially when dealing with the ghosts—Creepy Girl has hollow eyes, there's a guy with a giant hole in his torso as if from a cannon ball, and the Headless Horseman is definitely one to fear—but never scares. Rather, Adrienne Kress and Ghost Circus make us think. They make us think about the Between, that space between living and crossing over; about those who take all our energy for themselves; and how by helping others we can do much to help ourselves.  

From Ghost Circus, written by Adrienne Kress, illustrated by Jade Zhang

Jade Zhang, a Toronto visual artist, keeps the chill of Adrienne Kress's story but she makes it playful and fresh with her choice of colours and softness of line and shape. Creepy Girl has creepy elements to her, as do most of the ghosts, especially when depicted in their blueness, but Creepy Girl generally looks like a naive girl with big eyes. And Polterghost is adorable. He's small and friendly and helpful. (See him try to give an apple to the Headless Horseman's horse in the illustration above.) Jade Zhang keeps the yucky for those characters that are truly vile. 

 

Though Adrienne Kress resolves Casey's story, and relatively happily, it looks like there will be a sequel to Ghost Circus. Casey tells Creepy Girl that "We'll figure out what's going on" (p. 247) and I foresee another "lively" story (pun intended) starring our new favourite trio of characters, perhaps to discover Creepy Girl's origin story. (I'll just be happy to call her something other than Creepy Girl.)