Goldibooks and the Wee Bear

Written by Troy Wilson

Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor

Running Press Kids

978-0-7624-9620-4

32 pp.

Ages 4-8

January 2021

 

When Goldibooks and her reading-loving parents head to the library to exchange their books, they spot a wee bear that the girl thinks is adorable. Though her parents caution her away because adult bears can be protective of their young, she needn't have worried as the cub is just desperate to find something to read.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the wee bear comes across the humans' cottage, he can't resist peeking in and is elated to spot three packed bookshelves. As in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, upon which Troy Wilson has based his story, the wee bear tries out the books on each case. Of course, Mom's are too hard, and Dad's are too soft, but Goldi's are just right.

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

Similarly, the wee bear looks for a comfy spot to read and finally finds that Goldi's chair is just right, though he does have a bit of a fumble with it. So he tries the beds because what better place to read, right? And as every reader knows, when gets comfortable reading, he falls asleep.

 

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

When the family returns from the library, they are shocked to see the mayhem with their books, and their chairs, and beds. Just as Goldibooks discovers the wee bear who knows he shouldn't have trespassed, his bear parents show up, distressed that he didn't stay away from the wee human whose parents could be dangerous if you get near their kids. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

From Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor

But books can do so much to help us overcome fears and discrimination, and soon enough the wee ones, human and bear, have encouraged their families to enjoy reading together.

 

By writing this story as a fractured fairy tale, Troy Wilson is able to incorporate important messages about reading and the coming together of cultures in a familiar narrative that kids will love. They'll know where the story should go—i.e., the first is too hard, the next is too soft and the last is just right—but they won't exactly know where Troy Wilson will take them. And by blanketing the story about a little bear who wants to read and parents who want to protect their young, even if their fears are unfounded, Troy Wilson gives us more to the story than just respecting other's stuff. 

American Edwardian Taylor's cartoon illustrations, with his apple-cheeked characters and fairy-tale setting of forests and cottages, keep the story light and cheerful. Even when the wee bear causes a bit of damage and the bears and humans meet, his colours and shapes add whimsy and brightness.

 

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear, Troy Wilson's second fractured fairy tale (Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf  in 2019 was his first) among his rich collection of picture books, releases today. With it, Troy Wilson is becoming a stand out in twisting a classic tale into a more contemporary and more meaningful story for teaching and entertaining young readers.

Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School)

Written by Lana Button

Illustrated by Hatem Aly

Owlkids Books

978-1-77147-340-8

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

August 2020

Rules are often put in place to keep us safe. Some are imposed by others and adopted by everyone, and some are very personal and created to meet our own needs and preferences. The latter is the case for Raj whose reluctance to use the bathrooms at school compels him to adhere to some very strict and strange rules. But, some rules are doomed to be broken.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

Not unlike a lot of people, Raj is reluctant to use any bathroom other than the one at home. In order to abide by this rule, Raj offers some charming and very practical tips to prevent the need for school bathroom breaks. He avoids drinking at school, not from the water fountain or from juice boxes. He may wash his hands at the sink but quickly and he avoids the water table. 

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

He definitely stays away from the very funny Kyle and avoids distractions and movements that might keep him from sitting still, often squeezing his knees together. But, when a sneeze necessitates a visit to the school bathroom, all his rules are for naught and Raj learns that the outcome is better than he thought.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

You have to wonder how many people deny themselves the opportunities for happiness because of the fear of the "what ifs." Raj is obviously afraid of something associated with using a public washroom–and nowadays with COVID19, who isn't?–but the distress on his poor little body as he attempts to keep it from its natural functions is apparent. (Doctors would probably advise against this as well.) But Lana Button's gentle text doesn't poke fun at Raj and his predilection. She offers a compassionate, even rational, perspective and allows Raj the opportunity to problem solve his own solutions, both how not to use the bathroom and how to manage when he must use it.  As she has unequivocally accomplished in her earlier books like Willow Finds a Way (2013), My Teacher's Not Here! (2018) and What If Bunny's Not a Bully? (2020), Lana Button is respectful of how young children think, emphasizing their very legitimate struggles with bullies, friends, routines, and change but still giving them the vehicle to find their own solutions. And, as all teachers and parents should know, by allowing children the opportunity to problem solve their own answers, they are encouraging them to accept them.

 

New Brunswick illustrator Hatem Aly, who also created the art for The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (2019), is no stranger to blending lightness with the important messages of authors. He never makes Raj look silly or insignificant, instead making Raj just one of the kids whose issue just happens to be not wanting to use the bathroom at school. It could have been never eating the crusts on bread, or wearing his favourite red socks every day, or carrying a stuffie everywhere. But Hatem Aly has made the adorable Raj, the boy with a bounty of dark wavy hair, big eyes and wish to avoid a public bathroom, just another kid in diverse class of kids of different sizes, colours and abilities. They're boisterous and quiet, impetuous and cautious, and Raj is just one of them.

From Raj's Rule (For the Bathroom at School) by Lana Button, illus. by Hatem Aly

At a time when being vigilant in public is the norm, little Raj is wise to consider how to avoid potential problems by strategizing ways to bypass his school bathrooms. But, more importantly, Raj can still find a way to ease his worries while becoming happier at school, both physically and emotionally, by simply tweaking his rules so they work with his new reality.

The Desert Prince (Secrets of the Sands, Book 2)

Written by Alisha Sevigny

Dundurn

978-1-45974-432-5

364 pp.

Ages 8-13

September 2020 

"I know what it is like, how acting on your conscience can bring you into conflict with higher powers." (pg. 52)

 

When middle-grade readers first met Sesha in The Lost Scroll of the Physician, she was studying with other scribes and searching for the lost scroll of the Great Imhotep. Though those in power viewed the scroll as a tool of influence, whether for military surgery or more, Sesha needed it to help save the life of her younger brother Ky. So, even though Pharaoh's queen Anat stole the scroll and tried to kill Sesha and fellow scribes Paser and Reb, the Pharaoh's physician Ahmes was able to help Ky. Now the trio of teens are on the run and searching for Pharaoh's daughter, Merat, who'd been given to the Hyskos chieftain in betrothal.

 

To improve their chances of escape and survival, Sesha helps free a Hyskos spy who'd been in the pits alongside them. Under Pepi's guidance, Sesha, Paser and Reb are able to cross the dangerous desert of scorching heat, deadly quicksand, negligible water and terrifying sandstorms to reach the Chieftain's oasis community. Under the ruse of Sesha being betrothed to Pepi who is the Chieftain's cousin, and Reb and Paser being her brothers, they ingratiate themselves into the community and look for ways to free Merat and save themselves. 

But freeing Merat is not as easy as it sounds, especially at a secluded oasis where they all become integrated: Merat working with children, Sesha helping as a physician, and Paser and Reb training as Hyskos soldiers. When the Chieftain's right-hand man Akin is badly injured, Sesha devises a plan to retrieve the scroll from Thebes, ostensibly to help in his recovery, and to get them all to the city of Avaris from which they might escape. But will her scheme to return to Thebes and see her brother, recover the scroll, warn the Thebans about the Chieftain's plans for war, and return safely to her friends be as easy as she plots, especially with Pepi by her side? And will the skills he has taught her as a spy be enough to ensure their success?

If The Lost Scroll of the Physician was a thriller, then The Desert Prince is action adventure. By taking the action out of Thebes and into the desert, where survival requires skills beyond understanding how and why people act as they do, Alisha Sevigny has added a new dimension to her story. There is still the myriad of characters, some of whom we don't trust and learn to trust, and others whose motives are questionable all along, and they are key to the plot of the story and how it progresses but place and time become even more prominent. Being set in Ancient Egypt, the Secrets of the Sands series is already historical fiction with a different landscape, and Alisha Sevigny adds richness to her story by infusing it with the Ancient Egyptians' belief system, cultures, medical and funereal practices and more. But now she also brings us into the desert and to an oasis and introduces a new culture, that of the Hyksos, and an imminent new conflict. Alisha Sevigny has taken us to Ancient Egypt, making everything so real that young readers will be tempted to check how much is authentic (Thebes, Hyskos, Imhotep, Avaris, and Ahmes all are) and even if Sesha might be found in Wikipedia (she is not). 

That's the context of Alisha Sevigny's The Desert Prince but the story, of a prophetic scroll, of allegiances and spies, betrothals and family, and war and accord, provides us with the action and the mystery that will keep readers reading, especially as even more secrets are revealed. She may have left us satisfied with her story's resolution but, just as she did at the conclusion of The Lost Scroll of the Physician, Alisa Sevigny knows how to keep us wanting more and, with a secret prophecy and a looming war along with some budding romances, she's hooked us into anticipating Book 3.

Upcoming Releases for Winter and Spring 2021

I love sharing these lists of upcoming releases of #youngCanLit. I learn about new authors and illustrators, introduce others to Canadian creators, and get the buzz out about new books for young readers. It's a win-win-win for all.  Here's hoping you find a picture book, early reader, middle-grade fiction, graphic novel, young adult novel, book of poetry, or non-fiction title that strikes your fancy and makes you a fan of a Canadian writer or illustrator or reminds you how awesome you always knew they were. ❤️🇨🇦📚

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Goldibooks and the Wee Bear by Troy Wilson, illus. by Edwardian Taylor (Running Press Books)
i? siw?kw nkwancin?m k'?l suli? / The Water Sings to Suli? by Harron Hall, illus. by Shianna Allison (Theytus) >>>dual language edition in English & nsyilxc?n
k?xntim s?anixw k'?l nixwtitkw i? acxw?l?xwalt / We Go with Muskrat to Those Living
Underwater by Harron Hall, illus. by Ron Hall (Theytus)>>>dual language in English & nsyilxc?nkwu?c'?x?w?ntim t?l stunx isck'wuls / Lessons From Beaver's Work by Harron Hall, illus. by Bill Cohen (Theytus)>>>dual Language in English & nsyilxc?n
Outside Art by Madeline Kloepper (Tundra)
Puppy in My Head: A Book about Mindfulness by Elise Gravel (HarperCollins)
sk?p'lk'mitkw / Water Changeling by Harron Hall, illus. by Phyllis Isaac (Theytus)>>> dual language in English & nsyilxc?n
Ten Little Dumplings by Larissa Fan, illus. by Cindy Wume (Tundra)
Water Water by Jessica Bromley Bartram (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Camping Chaos by L. M. Nicodemo, illus. by Graham Ross (Formac)>>> The Secret Games of Maximus Todd series
The Crosswood by Gabrielle Prendergast (Orca)>>> Orca Currents
The Fabulous Zed Watson by Kevin Sylvester and Basil Sylvester (HarperCollins Canada)
Finders Keepers by Melanie McFarlane (Orca)>>>Orca Currents
Hoppy Go Lucky (Bunbun & Bonbon #2) by Jess Keating (Graphix)>>>graphic novel
The Ice Chips and the Grizzly Escape by Roy MacGregor and Kerry MacGregor, illus. by Kim Smith (HarperCollins Canada) >>>Book 5 in The Ice Chips series
Maria and the Plague: A Black Death Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Natasha Deen (Stone Arch Books)
School Trip Squirmies by L. M. Nicodemo, illus. by Graham Ross (Formac)>>> The Secret Games of Maximus Todd series
Unleashed by Amy McCulloch (Sourcebooks)>>>sequel to Jinxed
Up the Creek by Natalie Hyde (Scholastic Canada)

Young Adult

Drone Chase by Pam Withers (Dundurn)
Given by Nandi Taylor (Wattpad)>>>audiobook
Mr. Universe by Arthur Slade (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings
Pickpocket by Karen Spafford-Fitz (Orca) >>> Orca Soundings
The Rules Have Changed by Lesley Choyce (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings
Tornado by Sharon Jennings (Orca)>>> Orca Soundings

Non-Fiction

Amazing Black Atlantic Canadians: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Achievement by Lindsay Ruck, illus. by James Bentley (Nimbus)>>>Amazing Atlantic Canadians series
Charles Tupper: Warhorse by Paula Johanson (Doublejoy Books)
Pierre Elliott Trudeau: Child of Nature by Paula Johanson (Doublejoy Books)
Proud to Play by Erin Silver (Lorimer)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Anonymouse by Vikki VanSickle, illus. by Anna Pirolli (Tundra)
A Good Day for Ducks by Jane Whittingham, illus. by Noel Tuazon (Pajama Press)
Goodnight, Noah by Eric Walters, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes (Orca)
Happy Dreams, Little Bunny by Leah Hong (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
M is for Moose: A Canadian Word Book (Scholastic Canada)
Maya's Big Scene by Isabelle Arsenault (Tundra)>>>A Mile End Kids Story 3
Painted Fences by Sara Cassidy, illus. by Sydney Barnes (Heritage House)
The Secret Fawn by Kallie George, illus. by Elly Mackay (Tundra)
Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell, illus. by Carrielynn Victor (HighWater Press)
This is Crab by Harriet Evans, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
This is Frog by Harriet Evans, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
This is Owl by Libby Walden, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Puffin Canada)>>>This Is series
We Adopted a Baby Lamb by Lori Joy Smith (Tundra)

 

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Call Across the Sea by Kathy Kacer (Annick)>>>The Heroes Quartet 4
Firefly by Philippa Dowding (DCB)
Genie Meanie by Mahtab Narsimhan, illus. by Michelle Simpson (Orca)
Last Pick by David Star (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Lone Runner by Dirk McLean (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Open Ice by David Trifunov (Lorimer)>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Pasture Bedtime: Charlie's Rules by Sigmund Brouwer, illus. by Sabrina Gendron (Orca)
Rugby Rookies by Mike Levitt (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Sports Stories
Sully, Messed Up by Stephanie Simpson McLellan (Red Deer Press)
Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson (Tundra) >>> Simon and Chester Book 1
Trip of the Dead by Angela Misri (DCB)
Unplugged by Gordon Korman (Scholastic Canada)
Unravel by Sharon Jennings (Red Deer Press)
Wild Bird by Leanne Baugh (Red Deer Press)

Young Adult 

Athabasca by Harry Kleinhuis (Red Deer Press)
Bendy: The Illusion of Living by Adrienne Kress (Scholastic)
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Deception (The Dark Matter Trilogy) by Teri Terry (Charlesbridge)
The Love Code by Mette Bach (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Real Love
Nothing But Life by Brent van Staalduinen (Dundurn)
Open Secrets by Jennifer Manuel (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer SideStreets
The Player by Paul Coccia (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer SideStreets
The Project by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books)
Torch by R. J. Anderson (Escape Enclave) >>> conclusion to Flight and Flame Trilogy (earlier books were Swift and Nomad)

Non-Fiction

Body Image: Deal with it because all bodies are great bodies by Tierra Hohn, illus. by Marne Grahlman (Lorimer)>>>Lorimer Deal With It series
How to Change Everything by Naomi Klein, illus. by Rebecca Stefoff (Puffin Canada)
How to Promenade with a Python (and Not Get Eaten) by Rachel Poliquin, illus. by Kathryn Durst (Tundra)>>>Polite Predators Book 1
Kid Innovators: True Tales of Childhood from Inventors and Trailblazers by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Allison Steinfeld (Quirk Books)
Louis Riel Day: The Fur Trade Project by Deborah L. Delaronde, illus. by Sheldon Dawson (Theytus)
Meet Thérèse Casgrain by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada)>>>Scholastic Canada Biography
Nature Out of Balance: How Invasive Species Are Changing the Planet by Merrie-Ellen Wilcox (Orca)>>>Orca Footprints
What Makes Us Unique?: Our First Talk About Diversity by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Cindy Revell (Orca)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valérie Fontaine, illus. by Nathalie Dion, trans. by Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood)
Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built by Susan Hughes, illus. by Marianne Ferrer (Owlkids)
Easter Morning, Easter Sun by Rosanna Battigelli, illus. by Tara Anderson (Pajama Press)
Kimmy & Mike by Dave Paddon, illus. by Lily Snowden-Fine (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Malaika's Surprise by Nadia L. Hohn, illus. by Irene Luxbacher (Groundwood)
Mi'kmaq Alphabet Book by Shyla Augustine, illus. by Braelyn Cyr (Monster House)
Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know: Niibing, dgwaagig, bboong, mnookmig dbaadjigaade maanpii mzin’igning / A Book about the Seasons by Brittany Luby, illus. by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, trans. by Alvin Ted Corbiere & Alan Corbiere (Groundwood)
The Night is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze, illus. by Sue Todd (Orca)
On the Other Side of the Forest by Nadine Robert, illus. by Gérard DuBois (Greystone)
Ride with Me by Emily Parsons Dickau, illus. by Andrea Armstrong (Kids Can Press)
Riley Can't Stop Crying by Stéphanie Boulay, illus. by Agathe Bray-Bourret (Orca)
Spark by Ani Castillo (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
This House is Home by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Yong Ling Kang (Owlkids)
Toucania by Marianne Ferrer and Valérie Picard (Orca)
The Wind and the Trees by Todd Stewart (Owlkids)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Birdspell by Valerie Sherrard (DCB)
Cuckoo's Flight by Wendy Orr (Pajama Press)
The Egyptian Mirror by Michael Bedard (Pajama Press)
Elvis, Me and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile (DCB)
Jacob and the Mandolin Adventure by Anne Dublin (Second Story Press)
Like a Duck by Deborah Kerbel (Scholastic Canada)
Megabat and the Not-Happy Birthday by Anna Humphrey, illus. by Kass Reich (Tundra) >>>Megabat Book 4
My Best Friend is Extinct by Rebecca Wood Barrett, illus. by Cornelia Li (Orca)
Peter Lee's Notes from the Field by Angela Ahn, illus. by Julie Kwon (Tundra)
Wild Waters, Inside a Voyageur's World by Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenden (Indigenous Education Press)

Young Adult

Bruised by Tanya Boteju (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

Non-Fiction

The Bare Naked Book by Kathy Stinson, illus. by Melissa Cho (Annick)>>>revised
The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed the World of Bumble Bees by Dana L. Church (Scholastic)
Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet by Megan Clendenan and Kim Ryan Woolcock (Orca)>> Orca Footprints
Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees by Jen Sookfong Lee, illus. by Drew Shannon (Orca)>>>first book in new series Orca Think
Fired Up About Consent by Sarah Ratchford (Between the Lines)
Journey Around the Sun: The Story of Halley's Comet by James Gladstone, illus. by Yaara Eshet (Owlkids)
Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics by Marilee Peters (Annick) >>>revised
Snooze-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Sleep by Maria Birmingham, illus. by Kyle reed (Owlkids)
Treaty Words: For As Long As the Rivers Flow by Aimée Craft, illus. by Luke Swinson (Annick)
Why Does My Shadow Follow Me?: More Science Questions from Real Kids by Kira Vermond, ills. by Suharu Ogawa (Annick)
Wild Outside: Around the World with Survivorman by Les Stroud, illus. by Andrew P. Barr (Annick)

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

48 Grasshopper Estates by Sara de Waal, illus. by Erika Medina (Annick)
A Is for Anemone: A First West Coast Alphabet by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd (Harbour Publishing)>>>First West Coast Books 5
Barnaby by Andrea Curtis, illus. by Kass Reich (Owlkids)
The Dog's Gardener by Patricia Storms, illus. by Nathalie Dion (Groundwood)
The Doll by Nhung N. Tran-Davies, illus. by Ravy Puth (Second Story Press)
Dragon! by Caroline Adderson, illus. by Alice Carter (Owlkids)>>>Pierre & Paul, Book 2
Frogness by Sarah Nelson, illus. by Eugenie Fernandes (Owlkids)
Hare B&B by Bill Richardson, illus. by Bill Pechet (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, illus. by Michaela Goade (Owlkids)
Lala's Word by Gracey Zhang (Scholastic Canada)
Leopold's Leotard by Rhiannon Wallace, illus. by Risa Hugo (Orca)
Mr. Mole Moves In by Lesley-Anne Green (Tundra)
My Heart Beats by Rina Singh (Orca)
Nye, Sand and Stones by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Marion Arbona (Orca)
Outside, You Notice by Erin Alladin, illus. by Andrea Blinick (Pajama Press)
Percy's Museum by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Carmen Mok (Groundwood)
Read Talk Play: Baby Steps to Reading by Carol McDougall and Shanda LaRamee-Jones (Nimbus)
The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen (Candlewick Press)
Sleep, My Baby by Dr. Lena Allen-Shore with Jacques J. M. Shore, illus. by Jessica Courtney-Tickle (Simon & Schuster)
The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie Simpson McLellan, illus. by Zoe Si (Owlkids)
The Sun is a Shine by Leslie A. Davidson, illus. by Slavka Kolesar (Orca)
Tough Like Mum by Lana Button, illus. by Carmen Mok (Tundra)
We Dream Medicine Dreams by Lisa Boivin (HighWater Press)
When Mom's Away by Layla Ahmad, illus. by Farida Zaman (Second Story Press)
Wildflower by Briana Corr Scott (Nimbus)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Away Games by Craig Battle (Owlkids)>>>Camp Average Book 3
The Case of the Burgled Bundle by Michael Hutchinson (Second Story Press)>>> A Mighty Muskrats Mystery Book 3
The Family Way by Laura Best (Nimbus)>>>Cammie #4
The Frog Mother by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson), illus. by Natasha Donovan (HighWater Press) >>>Book 4 of Mothers of Xsan
Good as Gold by Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)>>>Whatever After #14
The Great Cookie War by Caroline Stellings (Second Story Press)
The Good Fight by Ted Staunton (Scholastic Canada)
Lost on the Prairie by MaryLou Driedger (Heritage House)
The Monster Sisters and the Mystery of the Stone Octopus by Gareth Gaudin (Orca)>>>Book 2 in the Monster Sisters series
Otter Lagoon by Nancy Deas and Mike Deas (Orca)>>>graphic novel in Sueño Bay Adventures series
Rescue at Lake Wild by Terry Lynn Johnson (HMH Books for Young Readers)
Road Allowance Era by Katherena Vermette, illus. by Scott B. Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk (HighWater Press) >>>Vol. 4 in A Girl Called Echo graphic novel series
Shark Bait! by Jeff Szpirglas, illus. by Danielle Saint-Onge (Orca)>>>Orca Echoes
Spill the Beans by Sarah Mlynowski (Scholastic)>>>Whatever After #13
The Sun Will Come Out by Joanne Levy (Orca)

Young Adult

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur (Feiwel & Friends)
The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. by Colleen Nelson (Dundurn)
My Body in Pieces by Marie-Noëlle Hébert, trans. by Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood)>>> graphic novel
My Indian by Mi'Sel Joe and Sheila O'Neill (Breakwater Books)
Travesia: A Migrant Girl's Cross-Border Journey/ El viaje de una joven migrante by Michelle Gerster, illus. by Fiona Dunnett (Arsenal Pulp Press) >>> graphic novel
Zara Hossain is Here by Sabina Khan (Scholastic)

Non-Fiction 

50 Things To Know About the International Space Station by John A. Read (Formac)>>> The Beginner's Guide to Space series
Butterflies Are Pretty...Gross! by Rosemary Mosco, illus. by Jacob Souva (Tundra)
Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants by Various Contributors, illus. by Rogé Girard (Owlkids)
The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, illus. by Belle Wuthrich (Orca)>>>Orca Issues
The East Coast Nature Activity Book: Games, facts, quizzes and more by Kara Turner (Formac)
Forest Magic: A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers by Sarah Grindler (Nimbus)>>> Little Explorers series
How to Become an Accidental Activist by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky (Orca)>>>new Accidental Series
Indigenous Filmmakers & Actors by Gary Robinson (Second Story Press)>>>First Nations Book for Young Readers
The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire (Annick)
Seeing Stars: The Secret Life of Starfish by Denise Adams (Nimbus)
Thao by Thao Lam (Owlkids)

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

1, 2, 3 Off to School! by Marianne Dubuc (Kids Can Press)
Ballewiena by Rebecca Bender (Pajama Press)
Brady Brady and the Missed Hattrick by Mary Shaw, illus. by Chuck Temple (Scholastic Canada)
Carol and the Pickle-Toad by Esmé Shapiro (Tundra)
A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories by John Martz (Tundra)
City Baby by Laurie Elmquist, illus. by Ashley Barron (Orca)
Come, Read with Me by Magriet Ruurs, illus. by Christine Wei (Orca)
Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem by Lauren Soloy (Tundra)
Here Babies, There Babies in Summer by Nancy Cohen, illus. by Carmen Mok (Nimbus)
The Land Puffin by Lori Doody (Nimbus)
Little You / Gidagaashiinh by Richard Van Camp, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca) >>>dual-language edition (English and Anishinaabemowin)
Little Wolf by Teoni Spathelfer, illus. by Natassia Davies (Heritage House)
Meet Your Family / Gikenim Giniigi'igoog by David Bouchard, illus. by Kristy Cameron (Medicine Wheel Education)>>> English with Ojibwe
My Heart Fills With Happiness / Nijiikendam by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Julie Flett (Orca) >>> dual-language edition (English and Anishinaabemowin)
No More Plastic by Alma Fullerton (Pajama Press)
On the Trapline by David A. Robertson, illus. by Julie Flett (Tundra)
Out into the Big Wide Lake by Paul Harbridge, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Tundra)
Peace Train by Cat Stevens, illus. by Peter H. Reynolds (HarperCollins)
Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson, illus. by Julie McLaughlin (Orca)
Raymond the Buffalo by Lou Beauchesne, illus. by Kate Chappell (Orca)
ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words by Robert Heidbreder, illus. by Dušan Petričić (Kids Can Press)
The Shaman's Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk, illus. by Megan Kyak-Monteith (Inhabit Media)
Show Us Where You Live, Humpback by Beryl Young, illus. by Sakika Kikuchi (Greystone)
Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle by Cathy Ballou Mealey, illus. by Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press)
Sonata for Fish and Boy by Milan Pavlović (Groundwood)
Sunny Days by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Miki Sato (Pajama Press)
Think Big! by Robert Munsch, illus. by Dave Whamond (Scholastic Canada)
This is Ruby by Sara O'Leary, illus. by Alea Marley (Tundra)
This is What I’ve Been Told / Mii Yi Gaa-Bi-Wiindmaagooyaan by Juliana Armstrong (Medicine Wheel Education)>>>with Anishnaabemowin
We All Play by Julie Flett (Greystone)
What the Kite Saw by Anne Laurel Carter, illus. by Akin Duzakin (Groundwood)
Yorick and Bones: Friends by Any Other Name by Jeremy Tankard and Hermione Tankard (Quill Tree Books)
You Hold Me Up / Gimanaadenim by Monique Gray Smith, illus. by Danielle Daniel (Orca) >>>dual-language edition (English & Anishnaabemowin)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney (Puffin Canada)
Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady by Darlene Foster (Central Avenue Publishing)>>> Book 8 in Amanda series that includes Amanda in Alberta and Amanda in New Mexico
Anna Analyst by Patti Edgar (Yellow Dog)
Awesome Wildlife Defenders by Martha Attema (Ronsdale)
Every Home Needs an Elephant by Jane Heinrichs (Orca)
The Fabled Stables: Trouble with Tattle-Tails by Jonathan Auxier, illus. by Olga Demodova (Puffin Canada)>>>sequel to Willa the Wisp
I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman (Scholastic Canada)
Once Upon an Iceberg: Errol's Twillingate Adventure by Sheilah Lukins, illus. by Laurel Keating (Breakwater Books)>>> Errol's Adventures #3
Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell by Melanie Watt (Tundra)>>>Scaredy Squirrel is back in a graphic novel
The Street Belongs to Us by Karleen Pendleton Jiménez, illus. by Gabriela Godoy (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas (Amulet Books)
Thrive by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins)>>>conclusion to The Overthrow trilogy that began with Bloom and Hatch
The Traitor's Blade by Kevin Sands (Aladdin)>>>Blackthorn Key Book 5
Travels in Cuba by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel, illus. by Marie-Louise Gay (Groundwood)

Young Adult

Aetherbound by E. K. Johnston (Dutton Books for Young Readers)
The Boi of Feather and Steel (Metamorphosis 2) by Adan Jerreat-Poole (Dundurn)>>>sequel to The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass
Crest (The Call of the Rift Book 3) by Jae Waller (DCB)
Don't Breathe a Word by Jordyn Taylor (HarperTeen)
Green Glass Ghosts by Rae Spoon, illus. by Gem Hall (Arsenal Pulp Press)
Home Wrecker by Deanna Cameron (Wattpad Books)
Just a Boy and a Girl in a Little Canoe by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen)
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk (Simon & Schuster) 

Misfit in Love by S. K. Ali (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)>>>sequel to Saints and Misfits
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story by David A. Robertson, illus. by Scott B. Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk (HighWater Press) >>>10th anniversary edition
Tainted Amber by Gabriele Goldstone (Ronsdale)
Tremendous Things by Susin Nielsen (Penguin Teen)
When You Get the Chance by Tom Ryan and Robin Stevenson (Running Press Kids)>>>delayed release ( I reviewed it early here)

Non-Fiction

Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers by Frances Backhouse (Orca)>>>Orca Wild
City of Water by Andrea Curtis, illus. by Katy Dockrill (Groundwood)
Growing Up Elizabeth May: The Making of an Activist by Sylvia Olsen and Cate May Burton (Orca)
Her Epic Adventure: 25 Daring Women Who Inspire a Life Less Ordinary by Julia De Laurentiis Johnston, illus. by Salini Perera (Kids Can Press)
Mad for Ads: How Advertising Gets (and Stays) in Our Heads by Erica Fyvie, illus. by Ian Turner (Kids Can Press)
See Where We Come From!: A First Book of Family Heritage by Scot Ritchie (Kids Can Press)
Sounds All Around: The Science of How Sound Works by Susan Hughes, illus. by Ellen Rooney (Kids Can Press)>>>The Science of How series

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

A is for Anemone by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd (Harbour Publishing)
Arnold the Super-ish Hero by Heather Tekavec, illus. by Guillaume Perreault (Kids Can Press)
Burt the Beetle Doesn't Bite! by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
Hidden Treasure by Elly MacKay (RP Kids)
Jonathan and the Giant Eagle by Danny Christopher (Eye of Newt Books)
Poem in My Pocket by Chris Tougas, illus. by Josée Bisaillon (Kids Can Press)
This Is a Dog Book! by Judith Henderson, illus. by Julien Chung (Kids Can Press)
T. Rexes Can't Tie Their Shoes by Anna Lazowski, illus. by Stephanie Laberis (Random House Kids)
Wingmaker by Dave Cameron, illus. by David Huyck (Kids Can Press)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Dusty Dreams and Troubled Waters: A Story of HMCS Sackville and the Battle of the Atlantic by Brian Bowman, illus. by Richard Rudnicki (Nimbus)>>>graphic novel
Hide and Seek by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins (Scholastic)>>> Upside-Down Magic #7
Long Distance by Whitney Gardener (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)>>>graphic novel
The Serpent's Fury by Kelley Armstrong (Puffin Canada)>> A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying, Book 3
Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business by Bree Galbraith, illus. by Morgan Goble (Kids Can Press)>>>new early chapter book series Wednesday Wilson

Young Adult

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury (Margaret K. McElderry)
The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
Four Faces of the Moon by Amanda Strong (Annick)
The Last Time I Saw Her by Alexandra Harrington (Nimbus)
The Momentous Expiration of Tremmy Sinclair by Michael F. Stewart
Rising Like a Storm by Tanaz Bhathena (Penguin Teen)>>>The Wrath of Amber, Book 2
Royal Blood by Arthur Slade (Scholastic Canada)>>>Dragon Assassin series
Tell Me When You Feel Something by Vicki Grant (Penguin Teen)

Non-Fiction

Extremely Gross Animals: Stinky, Slimy and Strange Animal Adaptations by Claire Eamer (Kids Can Press)
The Girl Who Loved Giraffes by Kathy Stinson, illus. by François Thisdale (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
That's No Dino! Or Is It?: What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur by Helaine Becker, illus. by Marie-Ève Tremblay (Kids Can Press)
Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality by Susan Hughes, illus. by Nicole Miles (Kids Can Press)>>>CitizenKid series

 

 

 

 

 

Picture Books and Board Books

Bear Wants to Sing by Cary Fagan, illus. by Dena Seiferling (Tundra)
A Calf for Olive by Cheryl Dawn Buchan (Chocolate River Publishing)
Can You Imagine by Wallace Edwards (North Winds Press)
Catalina by Lori Doody (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)

Choose Kindness by Ruth Ohi (North Winds Press)
The Cow Said Boo! by Lana Button, illus. by Alice Carter (Pajama Press)
Disaster at the Highland Games by Riel Nason, illus. by Nathasha Pilotte (Chocolate River Publishing)
Evie and the Truth about Witches by John Martz (Tundra)
Five Busy Beavers by Stella Partheniou Grasso, illus. by Christine Battuz (Scholastic Canada)
Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins (Pajama Press)
Mr. Beagle and the Georgestown Mystery by Lori Doody (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Oliver Bounces Back! by Alison Hughes, illus. by Charlene Chua (North Winds Press)
The Rocking Horse by Sheryl McFarlane, illus. by François Thisdale (Pajama Press)
Sweetgrass by Theresa Meuse, illus. by Arthur Stevens (Nimbus)>>> Indigenous Knowledge series
Swish Slosh by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Jacqui Lee (Orca)
The Wall and the Wind by Veselina Tomova (Running the Goat Books & Broadsides)

Early Readers and Middle Grade Fiction

Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Dead Man in the Garden by Marthe Jocelyn (Tundra) >>>Book 3 in Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen series
Anne's School Days by Kallie George, illus. by Abigail Halpin (Tundra) >>>An Anne Chapter Book 3
Arlo & Pips: Join the Crow Crowd by Elise Gravel (HarperAlley)>>>Book 2 in this early graphic novel series
Boo! Hiss! by Cyndi Marko (Aladdin Pix)
The Curse of the Scarewolf (The Lunch Club #2) by Dom Pelletier (Scholastic Canada)
Escape to Witch City by E. Latimer (Tundra)
Fred & Marjorie by Deborah Kerbel, illus. by Angela Poon (Owlkids Books)
Linked by Gordon Korman (Scholastic)
Making Seaker by Karen Autio (Crwth Press)
Over the Top by Alison Hughes (Running Press Kids)
Screamers by Joel A. Sutherland (Scholastic Canada)
Sloth Sleuth by Cyndi Marko (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Wolf Mother by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson), illus. by Natasha Donovan (HighWater Press) >>> Mothers of Xsan series, Book 5

Young Adult 

The Degrees of Barley Lick by Susan Flanagan (Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides)
Shoot Out by Maureen Ulrich (Wood Dragon Books) >>> fourth book in Jessie Mac Hockey series
Sisters of the Wolf by Patricia Miller-Schroeder (Dundurn)

Non-Fiction

Lights Day and Night: The Science of How Light Works by Susan Hughes (Kids Can Press)
Math Hacks 2: Do Better + Stress Less by Vanessa Vakharia, illus. by Hyein Lee (Scholastic Canada)
Meet David Suzuki by Elizabeth MacLeod, illus. by Mike Deas (Scholastic Canada) >>> Scholastic Canada Biography
Race with Me by Andre De Grasse and Robert Budd (Scholastic Canada)
Same Here! The Differences We Share by Susan Hughes (Owlkids Books)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

 With so many wonderful upcoming releases of #youngCanLit,
there's something for every young reader.
Happy Reading!

 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

Any omissions or errors in details, including release dates, are my own. Please share any additions or corrections with me in the comments below. I'm always happy to make the listing more complete and accurate. 

 

The Library Bus

Written by Bahram Rahman

Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard

Pajama Press

978-1-77278-101-4

32 pp.

Ages 5-8

November, 2020

While education should be a right for all everywhere, sometimes someone has to step up to make sure those without access because of gender inequality or location or some other restriction get the schooling they should be receiving. That someone in The Library Bus is Pari's mother.

From The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard

Little Pari, who will not be starting school until the following year, is going to help her mother on the library bus she takes around to villages and refugee camps without access to schools. Pari knows this is a privilege and takes her role seriously, repeating to herself that she should, "Arrange the books...clean up...be nice to the other girls." For the girls who wait patiently for the bus's arrival and cherish their time with the books and their teacher, the library bus is their school.

From The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard

They exchange their library books for new ones and sit down with Pari's mother who teaches them the alphabet and their numbers in English. For the children of the refugee camps, they provide school supplies like notebooks and pencils. Pari is impressed by how much the girls know and want to learn. As she helps, she listens and learns too, ably reading the important acronyms of WFP and UNHCR by the time they leave the camp.

From The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard

When Pari asks her mother where she learned the alphabet, she is told how Grandpa taught her mother in the basement as girls were prohibited from attending school. For that reason, she insists that Pari study well when she gets to school so that she might experience the freedom that learning gives.

The encouragement of learning is always powerful but by embodying it in Afghanistan, a country impacted by war and restrictive policies, Bahram Rahman's first children's book tells it gently but with influence. Many Canadian children will not appreciate the privilege that attending school and receiving an education entails. It is the norm for them. But for Bahram Rahman's characters, education is everything, and the generosity and impact of the library bus and its in-house teacher are significant.

From The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman, illus. by Gabrielle Grimard

Illustrated by award-winning artist Gabrielle Grimard with watercolour and digital media, Bahram Rahman's gentle strength of message is emulated. The softness of the watercolour and the openness of Gabrielle Grimard's character's faces invite the readers in to the story and the bus, allowing them to travel with Pari and her Mama and join the girls to be part of something bigger and meaningful.

While Bahram Rahman claims to have taken liberties to rearrange the details in the telling of the story of The Library Bus, based on his own experiences and meeting others in Afghanistan, I see only the truth about the hope gifted to the girls with the books and teaching that came with the bus's weekly visits. Now, by Bahram Rahman and Gabrielle Grimard's hands, the travels of The Library Bus will lead to even greater learning.