Welcome back to Young Adulting! I don’t know about you, but this fall has flown by and I can hardly believe it’ll be December this week. As far as I’m concerned, December 1st calls for festive decorations, yummy market pop-ups around town, and cozy fireplace reading.
While that’s all on the rise, we at Young Adulting want to finish off this month with a recap on what you missed, industry events, calls for submissions, job postings, and November’s First Page Feature!
Since we last wrote…
- Jacqueline Thomas reviewed Jami Gigot’s picture book, The World in Our Backyard. This charming read will take you back to springtime where the narrator shares all the wondrous things found in your very own backyard. Gigot’s book will let readers slow down and appreciate the world around them. You can check out the review here!
- Ash Wahking reviewed Julie Berry’s thrilling YA novel, If Looks Could Kill. This book features some incredible women on the hunt for revenge. “Set on the cutthroat streets of Manhattan, Julie Berry’s novel, If Looks Could Kill, follows a murderer who finds himself on a collision course with a wrathful sisterhood of Medusas, whom his killings have unintentionally awakened.” You can read the full review here!
- Last, but certainly not least, Ross Christopher Fairbairn reviewed the fourth instalment of Katherine Battersby’s early reader graphic novel series, Cranky Chicken: The Cranky-Verse! Ross shared that “[t]he magic of this world lies in the balance between its playful silliness and genuine emotional beats. Young readers will laugh alongside the banter, humour and word play, but they will also see familiar challenges of friendship and understanding as Cranky and Speedy learn, trip, and grow, in spite of it all.” Check out the full review here!
Keep an eye out for our upcoming reviews!
Industry Events
For all you creative writers in grades 3-7, Vancouver Public Library has drop-in creative writing sessions Wednesday afternoons from 3:45-4:45pm at the Marpole location! Take the hour to practice your writing, think creatively, engage in writing prompts, and develop your poetry! For more information, you can check out the details here.
If you’ve ever wanted to find out how to make a book, drop by the Dunbar Branch of VPL tomorrow evening, Thursday, November 27 at 3:30pm-4:30pm to discover how to make pop up books, accordian books, and tiny books for writing and drawing. Check out the specs here.
If you’re a writer in grade 3 or 4, and can’t make it to the library, you’re in luck! VPL is also hosting a four week writing workshop online. Sessions will be conducted via zoom and takeplace Thursday evenings from 3:45-4:45pm. For more information and registration information, click here!
Submissions
- The CCBC is still open for submissions for their spring 2026 selection period for Best Books for Kids & Teens (BBKT). The submission deadline is December 1, 2025.
To find out all about guidelines, prep materials, and eligibility, check out their webpage here.
- Kids Can Press is currently open for submissions and accepting:
- Non-rhyming picture books for ages 3–5 / 3–7 / 4–8
- Nonfiction for ages 5–8 / 7–10 / 8–12 / 10–14
- Fiction for ages 6–9 / 7–10 / 8–12 /10–14
- Graphic novels (fiction and nonfiction) for ages 5-8 / 6-9 / 7-10 / 8-12
They are currently only open to Canadian writers and the full specs can be found here!
- Annick Press is open for submissions as well! They share that “Annick Press is currently accepting submissions of picture books, early chapter books, middle grade fiction, YA fiction, graphic novels, and non-fiction for kids of all ages. We also encourage illustrators to submit their portfolios for consideration. Our books aim to empower readers, open minds, and create a lifelong love of reading. They feature contemporary themes (even if the setting is historical) and center kids’ perspectives and experiences.” So, if you’ve got your manuscripts ready, polish them up and follow the submission guidelines found here.
Job Opportunities:
Pivoting from children’s literature for a minute, Playwrights Canada Press is hiring a publishing assistant!
This part time role is a great way to get involved with the Canadian theatre industry and make new connections. If you have experience with administrative, sales, and marketing support, this 15-hours-a-week role might just be for you! To learn more, follow the link here. The deadline to apply is February 4th, 2026.
Vancouver Fringe is currently looking for their next Managing Director. If you’ve every wanted to work from Granville Island, this may be your ticket in. “The Managing Director is responsible for day-to-day management, including providing
administrative and financial oversight for the Society as well as supporting the overall
operations of the Festival. The Managing Director is a connector, bringing together our dynamic
community of volunteers, staff, and artists. This process-oriented role supports the multifaceted
nature of our festival.” To learn more, follow the link here. This listing is open until the position has been filled.
Penguin Random House Canada is looking for a Central Canada Sales Representative! This application will be open until December 10th. If you have two years of experience in sales, love books, have connections with booksellers in your community, PRH wants to hear from you! Check out the full specs here.
Finally, we’re ending off the month with a fantastic First Page Feature by UBC alum, Chiara Dissanayake. If you’re new to our First Page Features, this segment of YAing is a chance for emerging writers to feature the first few pages of their works-in-progress (ranging from Middle Grade to New Adult) in our monthly newsletter. Interested in featuring your first pages? Read our First Page Feature guidelines here, and submit here!
Chiara Dissanayake is a recent graduate of UBC with a major in Psychology and a minor in creative writing. Her favourite genres to write include young adult and middle grade fantasy that explore sensitive and/or overlooked topics. Her current work-in-progress is a young adult fantasy developed around two sisters who rediscover what it means to be family when the world is shattering around them. When she isn’t writing, Chiara can be found listening to music, watching anime or going on walks.
Please enjoy the first few pages of her work, Stormbound, followed by a brief interview with Chiara!
Stormbound
“It’s raining again,” Kyleish reports from her spot at the window.
Abandoning the wires I’ve been criss-crossing into garlands all morning, I join her at the
window.
“Again? We’ve had so much rain this week already.”
Kyleish hums in reply and when I look over, I find her gaze fixed on something far away.
“There’s something weird about this rain,” she muses, making me frown. “It’s different.”
I follow her gaze to the skyline in the distance where a malignant aura seems to radiate from its
rapidly darkening hue. The sound of water droplets pattering against the window fills my ears. A
few meters away, the trees look like they’re dancing while the sky overhead darkens and shades
of grey streaking the pale blue expanse. I watch as the horizon is swallowed up by the turbulent
storm.
“It’s really coming down, isn’t it?” I ask, looking back at my older sister who nods, the
beginnings of concern setting into her expression. Water lashes against the window as the trees
outside groan in defiance, forced to bend dangerously by the wind. When my gaze finds the
horizon once more, I realise the storm is no longer gathering but overhead, luminescent flashes
of violent violet and electric blue lighting the now dark sky overhead. There isn’t any logical
reason for the spark of fear kindling but it pricks uncomfortably beneath my skin all the same.
We have been looking for any signs of the veil between our world and the nether realm thinning
for weeks and it seems like we’ve found it now.
I retrieve my emergency satchel, making sure my chains are inside before fastening my chakris
to the belt on my hips. As I reach for my cloak, I look at Kyleish who is pulling on her boots.
Strapped tight to the outside of her thigh, the silver blades of her double talwars gleam
dangerously.
The sight is strangely comforting.
The rain is heavy on my face, my head, my skin as we step into the storm and I pull my cloak
tighter around me. Closing my eyes for a moment, I search inwardly for the singular ember that
holds all of my magic. It isn’t long before the flame within me flares to life and warmth
surrounds me, the rain no longer able to reach me. Relieved, I open my eyes to find Kyleish has
shielded herself too. She smirks when she sees me looking, tossing the long rope of silver-gilt
hair over her shoulder.
“Someone’s come aways since last year,” she teases and I snort.
“Hardly a compliment but thanks,” I retort, grinning before tilting my head in the direction of the
Palinyde forest. “Leyline?”
“Leyline,” Kyleish confirms.
What drew you to writing for younger audiences?
I have always enjoyed reading for as long as I can remember and, as I grew up, I was drawn to young adult fantasy novels. They have constantly been a source of both excitement and comfort for me and I find that I enjoy being able to discuss sensitive topics such as bullying or mental health struggles in a different way. Involving fantasy just means there is magic sprinkled into a new world and what’s not to love about a magical escape from reality?
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
My favourite part of the writing process would have to be the first free write. Whenever I have an idea or inspiration comes to me, I give myself a few minutes to write as much as I can without worrying about formatting, punctuation or spelling. I simply focus on building the world derived from the initial idea and penning it before editing, writing more drafts and proofreading.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
The best writing advice I have ever been given was by my english teacher in high school. “You are writing for yourself, not for anyone else. People might not always love your work; they may not always understand what you’re trying to say but they don’t have to. Don’t write for someone else’s praise. Write because it is for you.” It is advice I have never strayed from and has kept me wanting to write, even when it gets tough or I am struggling to continue a story.
We hope all of you enjoyed reading Chiara’s work and hearing from her as much as we did at Young Adulting!
As always, please do send us your news related to children’s and young adult literature at young.adulting@ubc.ca so we can feature them in future newsletters. And remember to keep up with us on on Instagram!
Take care, and happy reading,
The Young Adulting Editors
YOUNG ADULTING 