Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

July 13, 2023

Cheese sandwiches, Crocs, and PlayStation. These are eleven-year-old Green Bennett’s favourite things. Green is excellent at math, reads a lot of books such as The Hardy Boys, and is happy with who he is. Oh, and he has autism spectrum disorder, also known as Asperger’s Syndrome, but that is his least defining quality of all. However, when Coach Nelson’s necklace holding his late wife’s ring goes missing, Green is the first person everyone suspects because he’s different. His older brother, Cedar, is the thirteen-year-old star player on the basketball team and the only one who believes Green’s innocence. … More Butt Sandwich and Tree by Wesley King

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

July 6, 2023

Every adult knows the awe and wonder make-believe stories instilled in us as young children. We all imagined ourselves riding a unicorn or fighting a dragon or dancing with fairies. But what if these magical beings turned out to be real? And you were the only one who could help save them? This is exactly what happens to Marjan Dastani in Kiyash Monsef’s book, Once There Was. In this epic debut, readers follow Marjan as she begins to discover a secret world of mythical creatures– and all the dangers that come with it. … More Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

The Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy

June 29, 2023

At some point or another, every kid wishes for exciting adventures, real magic, and a trusty animal sidekick. Janelle McCurdy’s The Lightcasters encompasses all those childhood dreams but with a twist. The umbra—hybrid animals made of shadows and magic—come to life in McCurdy’s prose with a unique reimagining of the bond between humans and animals. The novel begins with 12-year-old Mia’s first-day training to be an umbra tamer, a first day which quickly turns dangerous as Mia’s city falls under attack and most of its people are captured. Thrown into an adventure outside the city walls, Mia must learn to tame umbra in the field with only her wits and Jada—an older girl and taming mentor—to guide her. It’s up to Mia, Jada, her best friend TJ, her little brother Lucas, and her newly bonded umbra to brave all kinds of new dangers in the name of saving their world. … More The Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy

he called me kid by Tita M. Kyrtsakas

June 22, 2023

The way I picture the relationship between 22-year-old Turner and 18-year-old Clementine can be explained via citrus: Turner is a rather pompous orange, while Clementine is, well, a clementine. Despite being a smaller fruit, a clementine is not inferior to its larger citrus counterpart. However, an impressionable clementine might be convinced that it should marvel at the orange’s pretense of maturity and knowledge – claims leaning on the simple fact that it is bigger. To solidify this dynamic, the pompous orange might even call the  clementine “kid.” … More he called me kid by Tita M. Kyrtsakas

My Lala by Thomas King, illus. Charlene Chua

June 20, 2023

As any harried parent or caregiver will tell you, stickers are perfect for rewarding and placating children’s behaviour. Didn’t cry at preschool today? You deserve a sticker! Ate all your broccoli? Take two! Whether they are used as a reward or to motivate behaviour, stickers are popular with young children and a boon for parents. In My Lala, a picture book by Governor General Award-winning author, Thomas King, stickers are used to denote possession. Not a terrible thing, especially when you have siblings or are forgetful. However, Lala uses them everywhere, and I mean everywhere. … More My Lala by Thomas King, illus. Charlene Chua

Heart Sister by Michael F. Stewart

June 15, 2023

Emmitt’s world comes crashing down the day his twin sister Minnie is officially declared brain-dead following a devastating accident. His family is on the brink of falling apart, and the thread holding them together has snapped. With nothing to lose, Emmitt sets out to make a film starring all the fortunate recipients that received an organ from his 16-year-old twin — a film that he hopes will piece his family back together and mend his mother’s shattered heart.  … More Heart Sister by Michael F. Stewart