Emilio, another Cuban kid whose family owns the bike shop across the street from La Rosa Blanca, has always been in Clary’s life. And despite Clary’s insistence that she hates him, it is evident they know each other inside and out, from what food the other likes and dislikes, inside jokes, and clever and funny banter that kept me wanting more. … More With Love, Echo Park by Laura Taylor Namey
While life and happiness might be defined differently for every reader, this story encourages observation and patience, and will inspire readers to reflect on their own connections to life, food, time, and care. … More I Would Give You My Tail by Tanya Tagaq, illus. by Qavavau Manumie
Magic amongst the trees, a rumour of a devil, and friends going missing—Camp Twisted Pine is not the pleasant summer camp that was promised. Booksmart Naomi, who prefers the indoors, was already hesitant about the camp before hearing of its legends… … More Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch
Khodi is a biracial Afro-Caribbean writer, rapper, spoken word artist and educator based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Growing up in Moose Jaw, Khodi was often the only Black person in his school and one of few in his community, experiencing a wealth of microaggressions.
Reading the stories of Khodi’s life made me more aware of how important it is to have a Black Canadian perspective on anti-blackness and anti-racism. … More Stay Up: Racism, Resistance, and Reclaiming Black Freedom by Khodi Dill, illus. Stylo Starr
Jessie is the heart of the story and it was easy to follow along with her and to understand and sympathize with her choices as she discovered how to deal with crushes, friend troubles, and the general chaos of the first year of high school. … More Something More by Jackie Khalilieh
Wang’s story revolves around one of Oma’s new habits: putting things in her bag, even when they belong in a different time or place. It is a homage to the unusual moments of joy and solace that can be found in living with parents or grandparents with dementia. … More Oma’s Bag by Michelle Wang, illus. Sam Nunez
Sometimes when YA novels embrace societal issues such as cultural diversity or the sexuality spectrum, it can come across as self-righteous or as forced into the plot to convey a message. Finding Famous is the opposite of that. Josie is simply Iranian-American, and Farsi words and Iranian foods and traditions are naturally woven into the narrative. … More Finding Famous: A Mashad Family Novel, by Candice Jalili
Wab Kinew has created a beautiful world that intertwines virtual reality and Anishinaabe culture in a wonderful way. Descriptions of the Floraverse are stunning and I felt myself get sucked into the ‘Verse, captured by Bugz’ adventures. Chapters often ended on cliffhangers, and I was unable to put the book down. … More The Everlasting Road by Wab Kinew
While Airlock is a short book, it has just the right amount of worldbuilding to make it a satisfying science fiction novella. The state of the planet is described in enough detail for the story to be logical without lingering too much on unnecessary information. … More Airlock by Tash McAdam
Qayum’s storytelling is straightforward and direct. She refrains from exploring the inner terrains of her characters’ minds, or using literary devices to convey the gravity of grief and pain. Instead, she states the facts of the events of their lives using a subdued tone, and that in itself is enough to put readers in the characters’ shoes. … More Zia’s Story by Shahnaz Qayumi, illus. Nahid Kazemi
YOUNG ADULTING 