Reviews of 10 new Canadian books by Beverley Brenna, Sarah Everett, Mc Knoell Alexis, Martine Leavitt and more!
Picture Books | Middle Grade | YA/Teen | Non-Fiction
Picture Books
Backpack
written and illustrated by Katie Arthur
Owlkids Books, 2026
978-1-77147-725-3 (hc) $ 22.95
for Preschool to Grade 2
Picture Book | Backpacks | Self-Expression | Family | Diversity
Izzy loves wearing her backpack because it means she’s going somewhere, mostly someplace fun, such as the first day back to school. From leaves, rocks, and feathers to craft items, stickers, and love notes from mom, there are all kinds of treasures that can fit in it, all the “bits and bobbles” of Izzy’s life. Her backpack can be filled with the joy of a picture she draws of her family or with the sorrow of a muddy giraffe after it has fallen into a puddle. No matter what, though, Izzy knows that her backpack carries her as much as she carries it. For it’s a comfortable shell, a warm hug, or a home that’s with her all the time—until she arrives home.
Arthur’s book is a delightful ode to backpacks over the course of a year, beginning when Izzy starts grade one and ending when she commences grade two. The text is spare and conversational, a dialogue between Izzy and the reader in which she shares her personal thoughts and experiences with her backpack, something unique to her that connects her to so many special moments and places. Arthur’s fabulous illustrations are fun and engaging, drawing us into each experience, stirring up our own memories, and offering us the same kind of love that the hug Izzy gives her backpack does. Throughout the book, Izzy’s brother is a constant presence, and his envy of her backpack is obvious—until he gets his own distinctive one when it’s his turn to start school.
Ken Kilback is a writer and retired primary teacher in Vancouver.
Makade Asin / Black Stone
written by Darcy Whitecrow and Judy Cail
illustrated by Maya McKibbon
Anishinaabemowin translation by Pamela Johnson
Groundwood Books, 2026
978-1-77946-015-8 (hc) $21.99
978-1-77946-016-5 (ebook) $16.99
for Preschool to Grade 3
Picture Book | Family | Indigenous | Ojibwe | Anishinaabemowin
A beautifully crafted story, Makade Asin / Black Stone is an English/Anishinaabemowin bilingual picture book that explores courage and self-discovery. The book begins with a young boy who seeks his grandfather's help after awakening from a frightening nightmare. Guided by his Mishoomis's words, he embarks on a perilous quest to find the black stone and learn how to overcome his fears.
Maya McKibbon's richly coloured illustrations convey both the energy and emotion of the boy's journey, helping to make his quest accessible to young readers. The inclusion of Anishinaabemowin throughout the text not only supports language revitalization but also offers readers a chance to engage with Ojibwe culture in a meaningful way.
When the boy returns, his grandfather says, "Welcome home, Black Stone." The boy realizes that he possessed the strength he sought all along, which is a powerful message. Through both the engaging story and the illustrations, young readers will be encouraged to reflect on their own challenges and the inner resilience they possess.
The book includes an author's note explaining Whitecrow's connection to the story and to Ojibwe vision quests, as well as a translator's note discussing the translation process and the text's meaning.
Makade Asin / Black Stone is highly recommended for home, school, and public libraries.
Colette Poitras is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, holds a Master's degree in Library and Information Science and is the Indigenous Public Library Services Advisor for the Government of Alberta.
Our Spectacular Sukkah
written by Sidura Ludwig
illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy
Candlewick Press, 2026
978-1-5362-3510-4 (hc) $26.99
978-1-5362-5347-4 (ebook) $26.10
for Kindergarten to Grade 3
Picture Book | Family | Community | Traditions | Celebrations | Identity
Our Spectacular Sukkah is a meaningful story about Sukkot, a Jewish holiday focused on the harvest festival. A family is working together to prepare for the holiday, which involves building a sukkah, a temporary outdoor shelter where they will spend time, gather to eat, celebrate and reflect on all of the things that make them grateful. All family members are gathering special decorations and meaningful religious and cultural items to prepare for the festival. The family finishes and admires their hard work when strong winds suddenly destroy the sukkah! The items fly to different homes in the community, leaving the family feeling sad, confused, and a little let down by the turn of events. But soon, different community members come together to bring back the items that have flown to their homes, and they also share some of their own. Together they rebuild the sukkah! Now the sukkah is even more beautiful and meaningful because of everyone’s love, hard work and commitment.
This is such a special book that shares a religious and cultural tradition in a very detailed and engaging way for readers. It will affirm Jewish identities and experiences and serve as a lens for others to learn about the important festival. The embedded messages of community and relationships are the heart of the story. The problem in the story is handled in ways that young readers can understand and empathize with the characters. Readers will learn about the importance of solving problems and resilience. The illustrations in the book bring the story to life as they are joyful, warm and detailed. The author’s note at the end of the book provides more details about Sukkot and readers can also engage in a connected activity.
Rabia Khokhar is an elementary teacher in Toronto and a PhD student at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She is passionate about issues of equity and representation in children’s literature.
Middle Grade
The Color of My Difference
written by Mc Knoell Alexis
translated by Ann Marie Boulanger
Orca Book Publishers, 2026
978-1-45984-248-9 (pb) $14.95
978-1-45984-250-2 (ebook) $11.99
for Grades 4 to 6
Fiction | Novel in Verse | Racism | Identity | Belonging
Inspired by the author’s childhood and a “wish for people to listen and believe others when they share their pain,” The Color of My Difference is a compelling free verse account of a Black teen navigating life at his new school and in his Montreal community. Experiences of anti-Black racism and the effects of repeated negative interactions on his well-being are honestly presented, alongside those of community and family support.
We do not learn the main character’s name, only that their teacher slowly reads each syllable of it, and that the class responds with laughter. He is Canadian, born in Montreal, with Haitian roots, yet is asked where he is from and complimented on his ability to speak the language. As the assaults escalate, so do his reactions. Ultimately, with his mother's support, he embraces his Black identity as his strength.
The Color of My Difference is visually engaging, with variations in font, text size, text placement and the use of black and white pages, which add emphasis and emotion to author Mc Knoell Alexis’ words. Many Black readers will relate to the microaggressions and overt racism faced by the main character, while non-Black readers will have a window into understanding their impact.
Translated from French (La couleur de ma différence), this novel in verse is compact, impactful, and uniquely suitable for both upper elementary and secondary students as a conversation starter for discussions of racism and as an example of poetry's evocative power to communicate. Translator Ann Marie Boulanger has managed to include rhyme, a tricky process when moving between languages.
While marketed for ages 9 to 12, the character’s age and grade level are not specified, keeping it relevant to readers beyond age 12. The vocabulary level and spare text make the book highly accessible, including for those learning English as a new language. Parents and educators will use this short text as a springboard for discussions, and libraries will want to include it in their novel-in-verse and anti-racism collections.
Tara Truscott is a teacher-librarian with the York Region District School Board.
Sadi’s Dragons
written by Beverley Brenna
Thistledown Press, 2026
978-1-771-87296-6 (pb) $16.95
for Grades 4 to 7
Fiction | Homelessness | Memory | Friendship | Art |
Brain Injury | Grief
Sadi and her mother have been living in a tent by the river for the last several months, but now Sadi’s mother has been gone for days, and Sadi doesn’t know when—or if—she’ll be coming back. An older lady named Marguerite lives on her own nearby, and she is having a hard time: for some reason, she can’t paint anymore. Neither can she remember her dog's name. One day, in a fit of frustration, she throws a bowl of fruit, her paints, and a canvas out into her yard. When Sadi happens by and finds the paints and canvas, she takes them back down to the river, paints a dragon, and then returns it to the yard. As a hesitant connection forms between Sadi and Marguerite, readers are treated to a poignant, life-affirming story of dragons, memory, and friendship.
Sadi’s Dragons is a propulsive and engaging story that will keep readers turning the pages. It’s told from alternating viewpoints—Sadi’s and Marguerite’s—allowing readers to spend some time empathizing with both. Sadi’s predicament is heart-wrenching, and Marguerite’s grouchy, reclusive nature makes their connection that much more special. There is a mystery at the heart of this story, and it rests with Sadi’s painted dragon, who serves as a reminder that Sadi has forgotten something important, something she’s not supposed to remember. As Sadie’s memories slowly return to her, Marguerite continues to lose her own, and it is this juxtaposition—the finding and the losing at the same time—that is so affecting: life is about both. How do we live with our dragons? How can we make each day not only bearable, but joyful . . . together? Beverley Brenna uses words to paint a nuanced and difficult and, ultimately, hopeful story that readers are sure to remember.
Ildiko Sumegi is a reviewer from Ottawa.
YA/Teen
A Good Daughter’s Ghost
written by Sam Wilket
Annick Press, 2026
978-1-83402-115-7 (pb) $19.99
978-1-83402-116-4 (ebook) $18.99
for Grades 8 to 12
Fiction | Horror | Ghosts | Chinese Culture | Grief | Family | Bullying
When Rachel Bei starts babysitting for the Morin family, she sees their perfect house and family dinners as an escape from her messy life. Coming from a family of spiritual practitioners, Rachel is not convinced that her grandmother’s and mother’s beliefs hold true and wants nothing more than to be part of a “normal” family. As she gets to know the Morins and Blythe, their youngest daughter, she begins to realize their life is not as perfect as she’d once imagined, especially once Blythe tells Rachel she’s been speaking to her dead sister, Maddie. When strange things begin happening to Rachel, she’s forced to acknowledge that some of her family’s teachings might just help her deal with the malevolent creature that has her in its clutches.
This is an excellent read for teens who love the horror genre and want to be kept on the edge of their seats. Wilket’s first novel will keep readers turning the pages to see how the protagonist resolves the many issues she’s grappling with—from her family’s beliefs to the school bully and the ghost that does not want her in their house. Wilket also introduces readers to fascinating aspects of Chinese culture related to death and ghosts. A great read to take you into the spooky fall season.
Sandra O’Brien is a former teacher and editor.
The Romance Rewind
written by Sarah Everett
Penguin Teen, 2026
979-8-217-00298-6 (pb) $17.99
for Grades 9 to 12
Fiction | Romance | Relationships | Time Slip
Zadie Cartwright has her future perfectly planned. She is a straight-A student destined for Princeton and eagerly awaiting her fairytale future with her boyfriend Jason Riddick, the other half of Sterlingwood High’s greatest couple. Her golden-boy high school sweetheart’s family carries a tradition of exchanging promise rings, and Zadie is confident that their one-year anniversary marks the day she and Jason will commit to their plans together. But before she can spread the grand news on her socials, Jason upends all her hopes for a romantic future by revealing that he wants to end their picture-perfect relationship.
Utterly devastated and seeking answers from Jason, the ill-fated couple’s arguing leads them to a car crash. With Jason now fighting for his life in a coma, it’s up to Zadie to determine what went wrong in their romance without letting anyone know that Jason broke up with her. In a fantastical twist, fate has intervened a step further by catapulting Zadie back in time to witness her love story with Jason from an outsider’s perspective. The only person privy to her secret is Jason’s cousin, the underdog Marcus, with whom Zadie shares a complicated history.
Sarah Everett’s feel-good love story will easily earn a spot on the must-read shelves of romance fans. The chemistry between our heroine Zadie and the exasperating Marcus is palpable, and the plot is full of Easter egg references for longtime rom com fans. Highlights include needle drops of “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer, famously featured in She’s All That, and the undeniable influence of Sandra Bullock’s holiday romance, While You Were Sleeping.
Kayla O’Brien is a graduate of Queen’s University law school who obtained her B.A.H. and M.A. in English Literature.
We Were Never Here
written by Sophia Hannan
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026
978-1-6659-5833-2 (hc) $27.99
978-1-6659-5835-6 (ebook) 14.99
for Grades 9 and up
Fiction | Paranormal | Thriller | Friendship | Loyalty | 2SLGBTQIA+ | Ghosts | Loss | Grief
Jules, Circe, Georgia and James were four friends who hosted a popular ghost-hunting YouTube show while covertly working as art thieves, stealing paintings for a shadowy older accomplice named Lark. Jules was the mastermind, Georgia her cohost and secret girlfriend, Circe painted the replacement forgeries, and James was the tech whiz. But everything shattered the night they entered a brooding, haunted manor to steal a painting. That night ended with Jules in a pool of blood, a knife in her chest, Georgia with no memory of what occurred, and no painting.
Without Jules to bind them together, and traumatized by grief, Circe, Georgia and James retreat from each other, each drowning in their own heartache, anguish and fear. Circe can’t paint. James obsesses over getting a full-ride scholarship to secure his future. And Georgia is losing her memories of Jules, her grip on reality and herself. Then Lark reappears to blackmail them into completing the task of stealing the painting. Forced back together, the three must confront unspoken accusations and the ghost of Jules who lives in the spaces between them. Haunted by ghosts both literally and figuratively, Circe, James and Georgia must find their way back to each other.
In her debut novel, Sophia Hannan offers readers a modern-day Gothic thriller steeped in grief, loss, fractured friendships, and the paranormal. Languidly paced, tension builds slowly but relentlessly, as fissures between the friends deepen, and all their hopes and aspirations seem to unravel. Moody and evocative, this haunting story is, at its heart, a love story and a story of learning how to deal with the ghosts of the past and find a way forward.
Tracey Schindler is a book reviewer and former teacher living in Bethany, Ontario.
Whenever You Are
written by Martine Leavitt
Groundwood Books, 2026
978-1-77946-109-4 (hc) $19.99
978-1-77946-110-0 (ebook) $16.99
for Grades 9-12
Fiction | Youth Justice | Friendship | Incarceration | Mystery | Science Fiction
As he nears the end of his youth sentence, Clem is asked to mentor a new detainee, Finn. In an attempt to effect positive change, Clem decides to advocate for his peers' health needs, resulting in Clem and Finn being sentenced to segregation. As the two boys’ mental health rapidly deteriorates in isolation, Finn tells Clem during yard time that he has discovered a time loop. Then, during a prison stand-off, Finn disappears. Now Clem finds himself before a committee trying to locate the whereabouts of Finn. Had Finn discovered a time loop, or was something more sinister responsible for Finn’s disappearance?
Told through both poetry and prose, Whenever You Are is a unique story focusing on the significantly overlooked area of youth detention, and leaves readers to question, much like Clem, whether these are actual systems of rehabilitation or punishment. As Clem recounts to the warden, social worker, doctor, and “mysterious man” the happenings leading up to Finn’s disappearance, readers are given a glimpse into the guilt, empathy, and trauma that surrounds young offenders. A counter-narrative that gives voice to the silenced, Whenever You Are explores the damage and hope of these forgotten youth.
An excellent novel to incorporate poetry and its use for social justice, Whenever You Are will raise questions that young adult readers can ask beyond the plot. An intriguing ending that leaves open more questions than answers, this is a captivating, well-paced novel that will engage even the most reluctant reader.
Mellissa Connolly is an English teacher specializing in alternative education.
Non-Fiction
Tide In, Tide Out: Explore the Bay of Fundy
written and illustrated by Jeffrey C. Domm
Nimbus Publishing, 2026
978-1-77471-576-5 (pb) $14.95
for Kindergarten to Grade 2
Non-Fiction | The Bay of Fundy | Sea Creatures | Coastal Animals | Coastal Communities
The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world and visited by thousands of tourists every year. At low tide, you can walk along the rocky coast and amongst the Flower Pot Rock formations that have been sculpted over thousands of years by the tides going in and out. During low tide, you can see periwinkles, sea stars and moon snails clinging to rocks or search for crabs as they scuttle away to hide. At high tide, you can kayak or canoe along the coast and possibly spot auks or sandpipers, walruses and minke, humpback or northern right whales. The Bay of Fundy is also home to many fishing communities who take advantage of low tide to repair their boats and high tide to fish or take tourists out to spot marine life.
Having just visited The Bay of Fundy this spring, it gave me great pleasure to review this title by Jeffrey C. Domm. For young readers who may never get the chance to visit the area, it’s an excellent introduction to the marine life that inhabit this coastal area and teaches them about the science of tides. And for those who have visited, it’s a wonderful reminder of the sights and some of the wildlife they may have encountered. The engaging text and colourfully accurate illustrations will grasp and hold young readers’ attention. An excellent resource for young students who are studying Canada and its many unique natural areas.
Sandra O’Brien is a former teacher and editor who enjoys visiting areas of natural beauty.