Showing posts with label young adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label young adult. Show all posts

July 01, 2026

Upcoming Releases for Summer and Fall 2026

I can't even count the number of books coming out from Canadian authors and illustrators this summer and fall. There are hundreds. Yes, hundreds. It would be impossible for me to review even ten percent of titles released. (This is an apology for all those authors, illustrators, publicists, marketing directors, and publishers who generously share books with me. I try my best to review the books sent to me, especially when I've wanted to check out those titles, but I can't even get to those. I do my best.)

So what do we have coming out this summer and fall? Everything. Humour and sweet. Scary and romantic. Mysterious and thrilling. Sports stories, war stories, and historical fiction. There are graphic novels, early readers, YA, non-fiction, picture books, and short story anthologies. I'm pleased to share these titles with readers of CanLit for LittleCanadians so that they might find their next best read of youngCanLit. And I'm delighted to make everyone aware of new authors and favourite ones who have books coming out.


❤️ 🇨🇦 📚
 



Picture Books
The Cow in the Dark at Night by Jess Hannigan (HarperCollins)
Dear Classroom 1B by Lynn Leitch, illus. by Christine Battuz (Scholastic Canada)
Dear Prophet Muhammad: A Letter to the Beloved by Jenny Molendyk Divleli (Ketebe Publishing) 
The Explorers by Dee Hahn, illus. by Ashlyn Anstee Makade Asin (Dial Books) 
The House with Nobody in It by Jon Klassen (Candlewick) 
Love, Panda by Elaine Su, illus. by Charlene Chua (Orchard Books) 
Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Jennica Lounsbury (Tundra Books) >>> poetry 
The Scariest House on the Street by Joel A. Sutherland, illus. by Terry Pearson (North Winds Press) 

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Froggy: Autumn Antics! by Paige Walshe (Flying Eye Books) >>> Froggy 2 graphic novel 
Remember Me, Daphne by Celia Krampien (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
Scaredy Squirrel Scared Silly by Melanie Watt (Tundra Books) >>> Scaredy's Nutty Adventures
The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James Scott (HarperCollins) 
Sleepless by Gordon Korman (Scholastic)  
Twice the Trouble by Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) >>> Spirit Service series

 
Young Adult
The Bad Boyfriend Curse by Farah Heron (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
We Were Never Here by Sophia Hannan (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers) 

 
Non-Fiction
Around the Circle: Celebrating the Church Year by Laura Alary, illus. by Claire Westwood (Beaming Books)
Let's Meet the Ancient Egyptians by Ben Hubbard and Dan Gartman (DK Kids) 
Whale Man: The story of Jon Lien by Robert Chafe, illus. by Katie Arthur (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)

 
 
 
 


 
Picture Books
Backpack by Katie Arthur (Owlkids Books) 
Eon: My Pet Tardigrade by Cybèle Young with Nell Jocelyn (Tundra Books) 
Fall: A Seasons Story by Kelsey E. Gross, illus. by Renata Liwska (Beach Lane Books) >>> The Solstice & Seasons Series 
Have You Ever Seen a Ghost? by Daniel Kwan and Julia Pott, illus. by Sean Lewis (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
The Magnificent Banyan and the Green Tong Lau by Stephanie Ellen Sy, illus. by Ishita Jain (Kokila)
Makade Asin / Black Stone by Darcy Whitecrow and Cail Judy, illus. by Maya McKibbin, trans. by Pamela Johnson (Groundwood Books) 
The Only Way to Dance by Cristina Quintero, illus. by Eugenia Mello (Tundra Books) 
Our Spectacular Sukkah by Sidura Ludwig, illus. by Sophia Vincent Guy (Candlewick) 
Tommy’s Race by Riley Windeler, illustrated by Nora Kelly (Caitlin Press) 
Twas the Night Before Shinny: A Pond Hockey Tale by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illus. by Erica J. Chen (Sleeping Bear Press)

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
About a Home Child by Caroline Fernandez (DCB Young Readers) 
Brianna Banana, New Cheese Girl by Lana Button, illus. by Suharu Ogawa (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Echoes, Brianna Banana 3
The Color of My Difference by McKnoell Alexis, trans. by Ann Marie Boulanger (Orca Book Publishers)
Diary of a Dinoghost: Unlikely Friends by Monica Arnaldo (Scholastic) >>> Book 1 
Dreamfurs: A Tale of Two Journeys by Malaika Ongwae (Bookland Press)
Fangs of Fear by Dom Pelletier (Scholastic Canada) >>> The Lunch Club 9
Finding My Spark by Isabelle Jameson, illus. by Sylvain Cabot, trans. by Ann Marie Boulanger (Orca Book Publishers)
How to Wrestle a Kraken by Andy Tolson (Nimbus Publishing) >>> The Quests of Tiny Wilde 3
Little Bee: The Storytime Extravaganza by Danny Neville, illus. by Colleen McKeown (Annick Press) >>> Little Bee 2 
Lost Harbor by Nancy Deas, illus. by Mike Deas (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Sueño Bay Adventures
Not Myself Today by Mahtab Narsimhan (Orca Book Publishers) >>>  Orca Currents
Reach for the Stars! by Julie Couture (Auzou Canada) >>> Friends for Life 2 
Sadi's Dragons by Beverly Brenna (Thistledown Press) 
The Shadow on the Wreck by Claire Hatcher-Smith (Tundra Books) >>> The Mizzy Mysteries
The Third Period Comeback by E. K. Johnston (Dutton Books for Young Readers) 
Unexpected Guest by Dominic Pelletier (Bookland Press) 
Vinh Tran Is Cursed by Hai G.M. Doan (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Currents
We Must Save Halloween!: 13 chapters to open before Halloween by Magali Laurent, illus. by Sabrina Gendron (Auzou Canada) 
Werewolves Don’t Need Babysitters by Suzanne Sutherland, illus. by Dharmali Patel (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Echoes

 
Young Adult
A Clash of Carnivores by Liselle Sambury (Margaret K. McElderry Books >>> Mastery of Monsters Trilogy 2
A Dangerous Game by Sigmund Brouwer (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Anchor
Everything Comes Back to You by Jackie Khalilieh (Tundra Books)
Frostbite: A Graphic Novel by Ian Boothby, illus. by Pia Guerra (Graphix)
Ordeal at Orleans by Andrew Varga (Imbrifex Books)>>> A Jump in Time Novel 5
The Truth About Maura by Melinda Di Lorenzo (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Soundings
Whenever You Are by Martine Leavitt (Groundwood Books) 

 
Non-Fiction
Be Kind: It Can Change Everything by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Julie McLaughlin (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Feel Good, Do Good 2
Discovering and Understanding The Haida by Michel Noël and Sylvie Roberge, illus. by Marie de Monti (Auzou Canada) 
Tide In, Tide Out: Explore the Bay of Fundy by Jeffrey C. Domm (Nimbus Publishing)
What Do We Know About Fairies? by Ben Hubbard, illus. by Laurie A. Conley (Penguin Workshop) 
Winnie Harlow, Supermodel, Entrepreneur, Activist by Amy Land (Plumleaf Press) 

 
 

 
 
 
 
Picture Books
Because I'm Big by Kim Fernandes (Firefly Books) 
The Big Black Cat by Sae Kimura (Plumleaf Press) 
Bompa's Intertidal Adventure by David Suzuki and Sarika Cullis-Suzuki with Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illus. by Qin Leng (Greystone Kids) >>> Nature Adventures with Bompa 2
Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew by Kathy Stinson, illus. by Mark Hoffmann (Groundwood Books) 
Cemetery Game by Alan Woo, illus. by Rachel Wada (Kids Can Press)
Chicken of the Woods by Natasha Pilotte (Monster House Publishing) 
Children Are Medicine by Jackie Traverse (Roseway Publishing) >>> colouring book
The Girl Who Loves Trees by Nancy Cooper, illus. by Hawlii Pichette (Owlkids Books) 
Goodbye, Koi by Jack Wong (Orchard Books)
The Graveyard Cat by Lynn Davies, illus. by Jillian Thalman (Nimbus Publishing)
Grey is Very Quiet by Kelly Cooper, illus. by Jennifer DesRoche (Monster House Publishing) 
Holiday Hannah by Cassie Silva, illus. by Leila Nabih (Clavis Publishing)
Here Come the Grandmas! by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illus. by Aphelandra (Heartdrum)
How Not to Rescue a Snail by Naseem Hrab, illus. by Kelly Collier (Owlkids Books) >>> Snail & Stump 4 
I Am a Growl by Kari-Lynn Winters (Pajama Press) 
I Am Indigenous by Anne Tenning, illus. by Aedan Corey, Emily Côté, Lynne Hardy, Emma Hassencahl-Perley, Aaron Kaleinani Kai, Soni López-Chávez, Kelsey Mata Foote, Lannie McCullough, Onedove, Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Madeson Singh-Whiteknife, Jordan Stranger, and Kameron White (Orca Book Publishers)
If You Kiss a Kohkom by Tonya Simpson, illus. by Mando Littlechild (Orca Book Publishers) >>> bilingual edition in English and Plains Cree
The Inactivity Book by Kyo Maclear, illus. by Tracy Subisak (Random House Studio)
Juni and the Anything Tree by Hayley Lowe (Orca Book Publishers) 
Lila Makes a Monster by Laurie Elmquist, illus. by Anna Bron (Orca Book Publishers)
Little Fish by Meaghan Smith (Nimbus Publishing) >>> board book
Lonely Me by Sandra V. Feder, illus. by Ashley Barron (Groundwood Books) 
Loons on The Lake by Eric Watling, illus. by Jaimie Shelton (Monster House Publishing) 
Mags MacDonald Had a Jetpack by Jen MacGregor, illus. by Suharu Ogawa (Owlkids Books) 
The Medicine Way by William Dumas, illus. by Rhian Brynjolson (HighWater Press) >>>  The Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Ithiniwak
The Mini Stanley Cup by Alain M. Bergeron, illus. by Caroline Soucy (Auzou Canada) >>> The Hockey Team 5 
Mooz / Moose by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, translated by Mary Ann Corbiere (Groundwood Books)
More Us by Elizabeth Withey, illus. by Ellen Rooney (Orca Book Publishers) 
Muriel and the Mystery by Charlotte Parent (Tundra Books) 
My Book of Sounds: Canadian Animals illus. by Sophie Benmouyal (Auzou Canada) >>> sound board book 
My Neighborhood by Delano Brown, illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu (Random House Studio) 
Never Again, for Anyone by Stacy Friedman, illus. by Elly Stern (Arsenal Pulp Press) 
Nora at Night by April dela Noche Milne (Kids Can Press)
Ollie's Hat by Julia De la Puente, illus. by Alex Swanson (Clavis Publishing) 
Paisley and Peck: Pizza Barn by J. Torres, illus. by Mike Deas (Owlkids Books) >>> Paisley and Peck 2 
A Perfect Word to Gift the Moon by Megan Carey, illus. by Kat Cearns (Heritage House)
Rebecca by Kate Beaton, illus. by Sydney Smith (Roaring Brook Press) 
Sage and the Snowshoe Express by Louise Bradford, illus. by Maya McKibbin (Kids Can Press)
Spirit Bear's ABCs by Cindy Blackstock, illus. by Spotted Fawn Productions (First Nations Child & Family Caring Society) 
Stray by Cale Atkinson (Tundra Books) 
Tummy Time Farm Friends by Carol McDougall and Shanda LaRamee-Jones (Nimbus Publishing) >>> a fold-out book in Baby Steps series
Tuutarjuk: The Spirit of the String Figures by Louise Flaherty and Neil Christopher, ed. by Jaypeetee Arnakak, illus. by Kagan McLeod (Inhabit Media)
What A Baby Can Do by Jennifer Maruno (Pajama Press)
Willow Finds Her Wag! by James Mullinger, illus. by Doug Graham (Pottersfield Press)
Young Cat, Old Cat by Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books) 

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Alina in Her Roots by Shenaaz G. Nanji, illus. by Beena Mistry (Second Story Press) >>> The Alina Books 3 
Bernice and the Wild Waters by Jessica Outram (Second Story Press) >>> The Shining Waters 2 
The Burn Beast by Mary Averling (G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers)
Candy Queen by Katherine Battersby (Margaret K. McElderry) >>> A Cranky Chicken Book
Catch, Drive, Release, Recover by Olivia Pillai Quinney (DCB Young Readers)
The Continuation of Summer Dillon by Sarah Everett (HarperCollins)
The Dog Heist by Dani Jansen (Second Story Press) 
Escape from Hillcrest House by Sandra Dussault, illus. by Martin Côté, trans. by David Warriner (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Shivers 10
Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales by Joel A. Sutherland, illus. by Sara Harding, Maya McKibbin, Jackie Reynolds, and Josh Rosen (Scholastic Canada)
Katie Crumble and the Case of the Terrible Naughty by Oksanna Crawley, illus. by Lydia Ramsey (Plumleaf Press) >>> Katie Crumble
Letti in Progress by Wendy Proverbs, illus. by Alyssa Koski (Wandering Fox)
Luckily Ever After Olive Tran by Phuong Truong, illustrated by Christine Wei (Second Story Press) >>> Olive Tran 3 
Mac and Croc by Jami Gigot (Kids Can Press) >>> graphic novel
Meg and Greg: The Unknown Knight by Elspeth Rae and Rowena Rae, illus. by Elisa Gutiérrez (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Meg and Greg 8
Pet Project by Heidi Tattrie Rushton (Nevermore Press) 
Poh Poh's Sword by Julia Hune-Brown, illustrated by Hayley Lowe (Second Story Press) 
Quest of the Drowned Lands by Linda Trinh, illus. by Quynh Anh Nguyen (Annick Press) >>> Legendary Allies 2 
Salma Keeps Her Word by Danny Ramadan, illus. by Anna Bron (Annick Press) >>> The Salma Series 5 
The Shapeshifter's Guide to Gym Class by Kai Cheng Thom (Simon & Schuster) 
Skull Cat and the Vampires Amulet by Norman Shurtliff (Top Shelf Productions) >>> Skull Cat 2 graphic novel
Skygull Calamity by Bronwyn Fairchild (Annick Press) 
S'Witch Back by Sophie Escabasse (Random House Graphic) >>> Book 6 of graphic novel series Witches of Brooklyn 
The Vanished Kingdom: The War of the Maps by Jonathan Auxier (Tundra Books) >>> The Vanished Kingdom 3 
What If There Are Alligators? by Beverley Brenna (Pajama Press) 
Willa and Wade Are Definitely Not Spies by Judith Henderson, illus. by Sara Sarhangpour (Kids Can Press) >>> Willa and Wade 3
The Witch of the Dark Wood by Sarah Van Goethem (Kids Can Press)
Witchward Bound by Erin Bow, illus. by Kelly Murphy (Scholastic Canada) >>> A Butter and Owl Adventure

 
Young Adult
A Cause to Fight For by Janet Nicol (Wandering Fox)
Demon in the Sand by E.K. Johnston (Tundra Books) >>> Titan of the Stars 2
Isle of Teeth by Tessa Barbosa (Simon & Schuster)
A Thousand Nights edited by Nafiza Azad and Intisar Khanani (Candlewick) >>> anthology of short stories

 
Non-Fiction
Asahi: Japanese-Canadian Baseball Heroes by Carolyn Nakagawa, illus. by Erica Isomura (Heritage House)
Buffalo Ways: The Enduring Story of Buffalo and the First Peoples of North America, by Deidre Havrelock, illus. by William Burns (Holiday House) >>> Books for a Better Earth series
Krill: Tiny Giants of the Ocean by Yolanda Ridge (Orca Book Publishers)
Time Is Wild: The Life Cycles of Animals and You by Erin Silver, illus. by Samantha Dixon  (Orca Book Publishers) 
What Is a Sculpture? by Diane Borsato, illus. by Laura Carlin (Tundra Books)
Why Earth Needs Engineers: Problem Solving for People and the Planet by Helen Liang, illus. by Victor Wong (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Timeline 15

 






 
Picture Books
Ah Ma's Home by Gillian Sze, illus. by Leah Hong (Groundwood Books) 
Astina and the Quest for Medicine by Grant Berg, illus. by Phoebe Riel (WaveMaker Press)
Blanket Saves the Day by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Brady Sato (Orca Book Publishers)
The Big Blue Book of Munsch Books by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko (Annick Press) >>> Five previously-published books in one volume 
Carrots Make Me Suspicious by Robin Mitchell Cranfield (Greystone Kids) 
Counting Bugs / Aambe Gindaasdaa Mnidooshag by Gretchen Sands-Gamble, illus. by Storm Angeconeb (Second Story Press) >>> dual-language board book in English and Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe, Bkejwanong/Walpole Island dialect) 
Dele and Aminata’s Jollof War by Yewande Daniel-Ayoade, illus. by Bri Marie McNish (Owlkids Books) 
Different Good by Thao Lam (Owlkids Books) 
Fred Rex by Joaquin Camp (Kids Can Press)
Hello, Beautiful Animal by Lauren Soloy, illus. by Janie Hao (Kids Can Press)
The Hockey Song by Stompin' Tom Connors, illus. by Gary Clement (Greystone Kids)
How Do You Enter A Room? by Madeline Harris Chan, illus. by Dawn Lo (Scribble)
I Don't Care What Simon Says by Alessandra Requena, illus. by Aki (Tundra Books)
I Hope by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard (Orca Book Publishers)
I Love You Millions by Laura Baker, illus. by Sean Julian (Tiger Tales)
I Wonder If I'm Growing by Raffi, illus. by Jon Klassen (Tundra Books)
King of the Castle by Heather Smith, illus. by Andrea Armstrong (Kids Can Press) 
The Land Speaks by Jadyn Williams (Kegedonce Press)
Marian’s Big Dig by Laura Bontje, illus. by Scot Ritchie (Groundwood) 
Melanie and the Wheelie Friends Save the Day by Dorothy Ellen Palmer,  illustrated by Maria Sweeney (Groundwood Books) 
Midnight Manor: A Backwards Bedtime Book by Sid Sharp (Annick Press) 
Moon Lullaby by Briana Corr Scott (Nimbus Publishing) >>> board book 
Munsch Minis 6 Pack #2 by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko (Annick Press) >>> Mini Book Annikins of six Robert Munsch stories 
My Friend Fear by Elise Gravel (Scholastic Canada)
Ninang's Here! by Analene Go, illus. by Alexis Young (Kids Can Press)
Night Night Hockey by Doretta Groenendyk (Acorn Press)
No Ungapatchka! by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Yaara Eshet (Owlkids Books) 
Oto and the Little Yellow Train by Suharu Ogawa (Annick Press) 
Puffin Christmas by Lori Doody (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Reel, Reel, Reel by Maria de Bueil (Orca Book Publishers) 
Santa's Little Fairy by Lucie Papineau, illus. by Josée Masse (Auzou Canada) 
Shake This Book! by Dave Whamond (Owlkids Books) 
The Twelve Days of Jamaican Christmas by Zalika Reid-Benta, illus. by Mariyah Rahman (Tundra Books)
The Ultimate Robert Munsch Sticker and Activity Book by Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko (Annick Press) 
A Very Munsch Christmas: A Holiday Collection by Robert Munsch, illus. by Michael Martchenko (North WInds Press) >>> Finding Christmas and Sounds Like Christmas
We All Cast Shadows by James Gladstone, illus. by Salini Perera (Owlkids Books)
A Whale at My Window by Nancy Mann (Acorn Press)
Your Horse by Jon Klassen (Candlewick) >>> Your Things series 

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Àkànní by Jessica Tagbajumi, illus. by Jason Lamy (Kugali Ink)
David's Diary #3: The Big Bully by Bunmi Laditan, illus. by Elisa Rocchi (Waterbrook Children's)
Far from the Tree by Eric Walters (Scholastic Canada)
Francine Garcia and the Recipe for Joy by Beverley Brenna (Yellow Dog)
Hitting the Target by Lorna Schultz Nicholson (Scholastic Canada) 
How to Walk a Dog by Joanne Levy (Union Square Kids)
Listening for Tigers by Michelle Kadarusman (Pajama Press) >>> sequel to Music for Tigers 
Namaste, Santa by Rahul Chaturvedi, illus. by Sunita Balsara (Kids Can Press) >>> graphic novel
Phoebe Ogawa and the Art of Not Caring by Sara Truvert (Annick Press) 
The Return of the Spirit Rabbit by Alan Barillaro (Candlewick) >>> Bunns Rabbit 2
Rumor Has It by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat, illus. by Madi Wong (Scholastic) >>> The Luckies 1
Steve, Into the Great Unknown by Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press) >>> Steve the Horse 4
The Stolen Statue by Colleen Nelson, illus. by Peggy Collins (Pajama Press) >>> Mystery at the Biltmore 5
The Total Eclipse of Me by Leslie Gentile (DCB Young Readers) 
The War Lantern by Philippa Dowding (DCB Young Readers) 
The Whole Wide World of Mabel Mulligan by Victoria Jamieson (Dial Books) >>> graphic novel

 
Young Adult
Fangs and All by Tas Mukanik (G. P. Putnam's Song Books for Young Readers) >>> graphic novel
A Good Daughter’s Ghost by Sam Wilket (Annick Press) 
In the Long Shadows by Bear Meawasige (Second Story Press) >>> The Long Shadows 1 
It's Not Over Yet by Salma Hussain (Tundra Books)
Last Night I Dreamed of Home by Sophie Li (Norton Young Readers)
Like Glass by Jen Ferguson (Heartdrum)
The Queen's Command by Sarah Raughley (HarperCollins) >>> companion novel to The Queen's Spade
The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches by Camille Perron-Cormier (Second Story Press) >>> The Willbrook Witches graphic novel series 2 
We Wayward Beasts by Kate Story (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides) 
Wondrous by Heather Fawcett (Random House/Disney)

 
Non-Fiction
Animals Illustrated: Arctic Hare by Monica Ittusardjuat, illus. by Hwei Lim (Inhabit Media)
Beyond Words: The Meaning and Impact of Signs and Symbols by Heather Camlot illus. by Mayi Mosaver (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Orca Think 23
Fired Up About Unions by Cole Rockarts (Between the Lines) 
Little Volcano: The Science of Earth's Eruptions by Johanna Wagstaffe, illus. by Julie McLaughlin (Orca Book Publishers) >>> Little World, Big Science 3
The Matilda Effect: How 25 Women Were Erased from History by L. E. Carmichael, illus. by Roxanne Rainville (Kids Can Press)
Meet Rosemarie Kuptana by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada) >>>  Scholastic Canada Biography
Natalie Spooner by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illus. by David Bishop (Scholastic Canada) >>> Amazing Hockey Stories
This Is a Library Book: Check Out the Places and People Sharing Knowledge and Building Communities by Joyce Grant, illus. by Chanelle Nibbelink (Kids Can Press)
Stop AntiBlack Racism: 8 Ways to Act Now by Nadia L. Hohn, illus. by Arden Taylor (Orca Book Publishers)

 
 







Picture Books
Simmy and Maddy’s Snow Day by Pawan Singh, illus. by Meneka Repka (Owlkids Books) 
Skating Day by Karen Autio, illus. by Laura Watson (Scholastic Canada)

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Diary of a Dinoghost: Sworn Enemies by Monica Arnaldo (Scholastic) >>>Book 2
Sunwing: The Graphic Novel by Kenneth Oppel, illus. by Christopher Steininger (HarperCollins)

 
Young Adult
A Thief to Die For by Melissa Poett (HarperCollins)
Trove: A Graphic Novel by Danie Stirling (HarperCollins)
 
 
Non-Fiction
Have a Bite!: How Food Connects Us by Heather Camlot, illus. by Ally Jaye Reeves (Owlkids Books) 
Uliaq's Amazing Dinosaurs from the North: Nanuqsaurus by Kelly Ward-Wills, illus. by Amiel Sandland (Arvaaq Press)

 


 
 

 
Picture Books
Where There Is Hope: A Story in African Proverbs by Shauntay Grant, illus. by Letícia Moreno (Penguin Workship)
 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Glam Popstar Surprise by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel (Scholastic) >>> The Party Diaries 6
 
Young Adult
Heat of Fashion by Lilah Sturges, illus. by Natalie Nardozza (Maverick)
 








 
Picture Books
Chippy’s Hungry by Analene Go, illus. by Diana Santos (Annick Press) 
The Falafel Who Felt Awful by Alan Silberberg (Viking Books for Young Readers) 
Heartbeat, Wingbeat by Jen Lynn Bailey, illus. by Andrea Blinick (Groundwood Books) 
The King's Court by Beth Elliott, illus. by Ginger Ngo (Groundwood Books)
Rakhi Sisters by Priti Birla Maheshwari, illus. by Kavita Ramchandran (Groundwood Books) 
Snowshoes Laugh, Mukluks Dance by Jean B. Erasmus, illus. by James Wedzin (Orca Book Publishers) 
Umingmak and Fox: What's Going On with the Sky? by Jamesie Fournier, illus. by Tim Mack (Arvaaq Press) 
Wanted: Imaginary Friend by Christina Van Starkenburg, illus. by Jennica Lounsbury (Orca Book Publishers)
The Whooping Cranes of Wood Buffalo National Park by Deborah Hodge, illus. by Karen Reczuch (Groundwood Books)
Your Rock by Jon Klassen (Candlewick) 
Zoomies! by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Udayana Lugo (Orca Book Publishers)  

 
Early Readers and Middle-Grade Fiction
Again by Tziporah Cohen (Groundwood Books)
A Bunderful World by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Irma Kniivila (Tundra Books) >>> Fluffle Bunnies, Book 3
Goth Unicorn by Ashley Spires (Tundra Books) >>> Book 1 in new graphic novel series 
Here We Glow Again by Joanne Levy and Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends)
The Honeybee Speech by Sam Bollinger, illus. by Michelle Simpson (Orca Book Publishers) 
Just Skating By by Alma Fullerton (Peachtree)
Last Stand by David Starr (Formac Lorimer) 
Madam Morta's Phantasmagoria by Marina Cohen (DCB Young Readers) 
Me and Roo by Eric Walters (Orca Book Publishers) 
Nanyoostenla by Leon Erickson (Wandering Fox)
Vikram Vanishes by Mahtab Narsimhan, illus. by Damini Gupta (Orca Book Publishers) 
Zevi Takes the Plunge by Carol Matas (Orca Book Publishers) 


Young Adult
After the Water by Lori Weber (Groundwood Books) 
The Clay by Jeff Szpirglas (Orca Book Publishers) 
Swerve by Marthe Jocelyn (Orca Book Publishers) 
Tip Jar by Gael Anderson-Dargatz (Orca Book Publishers) 


Non-Fiction
Animal Talent Show: Celebrating Artists and Performers in the Wild by Maria Birmingham, illus. by Bambi Edlund (Orca Book Publishers)  
Feel Empathy: Be the Best You Can Be by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Julie McLaughlin  (Orca Book Publishers) 
Just a Piece of String: An Invention That Changed the World by Claire Eamer, illus. by Xulin Wang (Orca Book Publishers) 
Made from Scrap: New Life for the Big Things We Throw Away by Raquel Rivera, photographs by Stacey Tenenbaum (Groundwood Books)
More than Books: Why the World Needs Libraries by Margriet Ruurs, illus. by Charmaine Yu (Orca Book Publishers) 


❤️ 🇨🇦 📚



May 01, 2026

A Deadly Inheritance

Written by Kelley Armstrong
Tundra Books
978-1-77488-803-2 
424 pp.
Ages 14+
March 2026 
 
Understanding where you fit in the world is rare here. Embracing it is even rarer. (pg. 45)  

For seventeen-year-old Liliana Green, getting by since her mother died recently is everything to her. That and avoiding the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. She works two part-time jobs, works hard at school to get that full scholarship to college in September, and she sells stuff to make rent. When lawyer Cecilia Robbins appears on her doorstep and announces that Liliana to be the grandchild of the billionaire Chamberlains, Liliana's financial troubles appear to be over. She's whisked away to Westdale, her mother's alma mater and a school that only admits the wealthiest of students. 
 
Of course Liliana has lots of questions, especially why her mother never went to her parents for help, but once she's at Westdale, Lili just has more questions. She may be enjoying the perks of being part of a billionaire family—". . . I'll enjoy what I can, while I can" (pg. 20)—but she still has to navigate meeting new peers who see her as the new Chamberlain girl. She becomes friendly with Maddox Moreno, son of a tech wizard, and Theo Dubois, son of an actor and a director, although the two boys have a cool relationship with each other. And Lili is invited to join Allegra Khan, Polly Reeves, and Isolde Brandt in the Lilith society, one of four societies on campus. 

Soon Lili is being recruited to join the race for that year's Optima, a prestigious competition that would win her a place in an elite networking group outside the school. Even before she has agreed, she's targeted and told to watch herself. Would her competitors really try to eliminate her? But Lili has another mystery to solve when she learns her mother was the Dux (leader) of the Liliths, and ran away with her father before she graduated. Why did they run away? What does it have to do with the death of a scholarship student? And what secrets is Westdale keeping?
 
Like many boarding schools, Westdale is a microcosm of good and bad and ugly. There is a clear class structure and distinct peer groups. There are secrets from the past and mysteries from the present. There are rules to be broken and a system to work in. And there is danger hiding everywhere. Kelley Armstrong takes us into a school of the fabulously wealthy and lets us watch as the students form alliances and friends, tread cautiously around others, and do what they can to safeguard themselves and support those for whom they care. But no one is ever safe. So, as we learn more about the secrets behind Liliana's parents, Rose (Rosalyn) Chamberlain and Will Green, and several suspicious deaths, including that of Maddox's sister and that of a friend of Rosalyn's, Kelley Armstrong twists and turns the reader into believing no one is to be trusted. She gives us all the clues but she cleverly tangles us into seeing connections where there are none and ignoring key players because they seem inconsequential. Still, even if you pay attention, Kelley Armstrong will surprise you, both with her ending and the solution to the mystery. And there's nothing better than the unraveling and intertwining of plot threads leading to a refreshing and a gratifying denouement, which is what you always get with Kelley Armstrong's suspenseful reads.

February 19, 2026

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 From the Fire (2026)