Reviews of 12 new Canadian books by Judith Henderson, Mark Leiren-Young, Robin Stevenson, Meaghan McIsaac and more!
Picture Books | Middle Grade | YA/Teen | Non-Fiction
Picture Books
Along Came an Aardvark
written by Vi Hughes
illustrated by Lydia Ramsey
Plumleaf Press, 2026
978-1-9978-7201-6 (hc) $22.95
for Grades 1 to 3
Picture Book | Dictionaries | Vocabulary | Nursery Rhymes | Belonging
Sam O. Dictionary is living a lonely life atop a dusty shelf in the Tumble Hill Library. He spends his days wondering why the children are so much more interested in nursery rhymes than exploring his pages. After repeated and unsuccessful attempts to get their attention, he finally gathers up the courage to check out the children’s storybooks for himself. As he reads through some nursery rhyme classics, Sam starts to feel a tickle in his belly and before long, he’s laughing out loud and leaving his own logophilic spin on the traditional tales. He eventually concedes to welcoming a little bit of silliness into his repertoire, and, at the same time, inspires a thirst for knowledge in the children who seek to define the new vocabulary sprinkled throughout their favourite books.
This is a hilarious account of a long-forgotten dictionary just trying to rekindle some interest in everything he has to offer. There are plenty of great connections to vocabulary-building and dictionary use, including a list of activities that can be done at home or school as well as endpapers filled with an entire alphabet worth of linguistic nursery rhyme connections.
Along Came an Aardvark is the perfect anchor text for introducing new vocabulary, synonyms, dictionary use, or simply having fun with words. With colourful, fun-filled illustrations that will undoubtedly capture the attention of young readers, this is a title for every school, library and home bookshelf.
Danny Neville is an educator, children’s author, and editor-in-chief of The Teaching Librarian magazine.
I Built a Rocket Ship
written by Anna Lazowski
illustrated by Jennica Lounsbury
Kids Can Press, 2026
978-1-5253-1131-4 (hc) $21.99
978-1-5253-1322-6 (ebook) $13.99
for Kindergarten to Grade 3
Picture Book | Death | Grief | Memories | Imagination | Feelings
"... I'm building a rocket ship out in the backyard. But it feels like something's missing." Or should that be someone missing?
As a young child constructs a rocket ship out of cardboard, tape, tinfoil and batteries in the backyard, she addresses an individual who is no longer there. "I built it because I made you a promise to remember. And I do. I remember everything." Reflecting on past shared experiences—building projects, camping, stargazing—the child, with the assistance of her father, fills the rocket with items needed for the journey... articles that also serve as mementos of the absent loved one. "Now you feel as far away as the stars," the protagonist exclaims, the direction to which the rocket is destined. "It just needs one more thing. We're painting it your favorite color so you'll be sure to see me coming."
Sensitively expressed in a first-person narrative told through the actions and voice of a bereaved child, Anna Lazowski has written a compassionate story which addresses the nuances of childhood grief. Here, sadness leads to creation, thus signifying that youthful imagination can also serve as a beacon of solace and hope.
Jennica Lounsbury's muted artwork, rendered in coloured pencils and finished digitally, mirrors the text's poignancy while transporting us beyond the reaches of the earth to the distant, yet comforting, universe above and beyond us.
Senta Ross is a former elementary teacher and teacher-librarian in Kitchener, Ontario.
I Told a Little Lie
written and illustrated by Judith Henderson
Holiday House, 2026
978-0-8234-6161-5 (hc) $ 24.99
for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1
Picture Book | Social-Emotional Learning | Honesty | Humour
As a balloon is about to blow past a nameless girl, she grabs hold of it, proclaiming it’s her lucky day. When two ants ask her whether it’s her birthday, she says nothing, allowing them and others to incorrectly assume it is her special day. The girl adds to the problem by verbally confirming that there will indeed be cake for them. While misunderstandings and misinformation about what the cake will look like run rampant through the ant colony, the girl realizes she’s made a promise she can’t deliver on. Unfortunately, the ants notice the lack of cake and demand the girl explain herself. After going to Think-About-It, the girl confesses her lies and then bakes cupcakes for the colony, hoping there’s enough for everyone.
Judith Henderson’s spare text and mixed-media illustrations combine perfectly in this expertly crafted tale about how little lies easily spiral out of control. The girl’s first lie is one of omission, committed because she’s touched by the special attention when the ants believe it’s her birthday, and her second is one of commission, told when she herself gets caught up in the moment’s excitement.
From the Official Rock on top of which important information is announced to the ant colony to the Blue Boulder on which shameful acts are denounced by the ants, and from the ants demanding an ‘investicaketion’ into why there’s no cake to an ant council expressing concerns over a replacement dessert that does not fit with the law, delicious humour abounds throughout the book. And just as the girl makes compensatory amends for what she has done, so in the end the ants concede by declaration that cupcakes are acceptable.
Ken Kilback is a writer and retired primary teacher in Vancouver.
Middle Grade
Absolutely No Body Parts
written by Valerie Sherrard
DCB Young Readers, 2026
978-1-77086-833-5 (pb) $14.95
978-1-77086-834-2 (ebook) $13.99
for Grades 4 to 8
Fiction | Friendship | Foster Families | Addiction | Abuse | Grief | Summer Jobs
Needing to raise enough money for tickets to see a Boston Bruins NHL game, best friends Nick and Khenan agree to start their own business cleaning out people’s garages, sheds or attics. With jobs coming in at an unprecedented rate, they decide to hire Florrie, an eccentric 11-year-old girl who responds to their ad. As the boys get to know Florrie better, they discover she has a tough home life and try to do what they can to help her out.
On their biggest job of the summer, they accidentally discover a skeleton hidden away in an old schoolhouse. While speculation in their small town is rampant about the identity of the body, Nick has bigger problems to deal with. Having lost his mom a year ago in a car accident, Nick has to learn to deal with his grief, and Florrie might just be the person who can help him with that.
Author Valerie Sherrard has written an engaging story for middle-grade readers that explores friendship, grief, abusive relationships, and addiction. While one might expect this to be a lot of heavy topics to cover in a novel, Sherrard has done so with sensitivity, compassion and humour, leaving readers with hope that even through dark times friends and family can provide comfort and support. Reluctant readers will appreciate the short chapters and those looking for the perfect summer read will not be disappointed.
Sandra O’Brien is a former teacher and editor.
The Book of Jupiter
written by Robin Stevenson
Kids Can Press, 2026
978-1-5253-1302-8 (hc) $21.99
978-1-5253-1499-5 (ebook) $12.99
for Grades 5 to 9
Fiction | Courage | Family | Self-Discovery | Cults | Secrets
“We are stardust,” he said. “We will be called. We will Ascend.” “We are stardust,” I repeated. “We will return to the stars.”
Ara and her 16-year-old brother Leo live with their family in a compound called Jupiter Station, isolated from the outside world. For her 13th birthday, Father Jupiter, the charismatic head of their family, presents Ara with an unsettling gift – a newborn baby. Tiny Nova is placed in her arms, and Ara alone is responsible for her. On top of this crushing responsibility, Leo secretly admits to Ara that memories from ‘before’ are coming back to him. He is questioning everything they’ve been taught. But in Jupiter Station, Questions and Doubts are discouraged. Only the Pure, those without Doubt, will Ascend. Fearing for her bother, Ara believes Father Jupiter can ‘fix’ Leo.
But everything changes the following morning, when Father Jupiter announces that Leo has ascended and become stardust. Devastated, Ara is caught in a loop: Leo Ascended. Father Jupiter says only the Pure can Ascend. Father Jupiter says Doubts are impure. Leo had Doubts. Leo Ascended… Despite her ardent belief in Father Jupiter, doubts creep in. As she replays her last conversations with Leo, a slow unravelling of everything she thought she knew begins.
This unravelling plunges Ara (and the reader) into a cascade of events that propel the story relentlessly into darker territory. Like scraping off layers of paint, Ara begins to glimpse murkier, messier realities lurking just beneath the surface of Jupiter Station and the adults she had always trusted.
Deftly exploring interwoven themes of love and loyalty, secrecy and manipulation, guilt and grief, and blind faith and personal autonomy, author Robin Stevenson has crafted a story of intense emotional depth and, in Ara, a character whose journey of self-discovery feels agonizingly real. An engaging, haunting read.
Tracey Schindler is a book reviewer and former teacher living in Bethany, Ontario.
YA/Teen
A Great and Powerful Tyranny
written by Victoria Carbol
Page Street Publishing, 2026
979-8-89003-488-5 (hc) $28.99
for Grades 9 and up
Fiction | Fantasy | Found Family | Grief and Loss | Identity | Family Legacy | Loyalty and Trust
Thia has always tried to be the perfect granddaughter, especially after a tragedy left her grandmother Winnie as her only family. But when she discovers evidence that her grandmother has been hiding the truth about her late mother, everything she thought she knew shifts. Following a heated argument, she accidentally falls through a mysterious mirror into a dangerous land ruled by the cruel Mage King. Desperate to find a way home, Thia joins forces with a group of unlikely allies and embarks on a quest that will force her to confront family secrets, challenge a tyrant, and discover where she truly belongs.
Victoria Carbol's debut YA novel is an ambitious reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, but it stands firmly on its own. The mystery surrounding Thia's family gives the story emotional resonance, and readers will enjoy uncovering the truth alongside her. Thia is an engaging protagonist, while the supporting cast is equally compelling. Each member of the group feels distinct, and the found-family dynamic that develops between them is one of the novel's greatest strengths.
The pacing may feel slow to readers who prefer a faster-moving story, but those who enjoy detailed world-building will appreciate the care Carbol puts into developing both the setting and its history. Themes of belonging, grief, family legacy, and identity are thoughtfully woven throughout the narrative. The enemies-to-lovers romance is a slow burn that romantasy fans will enjoy, though it takes a back seat to the larger quest.
First in a duology, A Great and Powerful Tyranny will appeal to teens who enjoy character-driven fantasy, found-family stories, and reimagined classics, particularly fans of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince.
Rachel Seigel has worked in the children’s book world for 25 years and has a passion for children’s and YA books. She is currently the Sales & Distribution Manager at Page Two Books.
Honor
written by Nataliia Mariichyn, Leon Buchwald and Susan McClelland
Astra Young Readers, 2026
978-1-6626-2108-6 (hc) $26.99
978-1-6626-2109-3 (ebook) $14.99
for Grades 7 and up
Fiction | Memoir | World War II | Letters | Holocaust
Life has taken a turn for Nataliia, a teenager living in 2013 Ukraine. Her father has suffered a life-altering stroke, and she is afraid to return to school after striking the girl who continually bullies her. Then her grandmother leaves a box of yellowed letters in Nataliia’s room. The letters date between 1940 and 1945 – before and during her country’s Nazi invasion, before and during the murder of much of her country’s Jewish population.
Nataliia becomes immersed in the letters of Eliezer Buchwald, a Jewish boy who went into hiding during the Holocaust, in forests, caves, abandoned buildings, and farms. But she’s left wondering why her grandmother has these letters, and just what side of the war her family was on.
Honor is based on the true story of two families connected through war and is told in alternating voices – Nataliia’s during the Euromaidan protests and Eliezer’s during World War II. As Nataliia does her own research, her grandmother’s buried trauma is driven to the fore.
Eventually, her grandmother and her aunts fill in the gaps for Nataliia: how Nataliia’s great-grandparents hid Eliezer, his sister and mother; how the Nazis came searching; how one pointed a gun to her grandmother’s head as her great-grandfather swore no Jews were in his home. And how Eliezer, who later immigrated to Montreal, sent provisions to her great-grandparents even though they were behind the Iron Curtain.
The mystery of the two families and their lifelong commitment to each other is a fascinating read. (The afterword presents more information and a heartwarming full-circle moment.) The three people sharing writing credit give the story even more appeal: the late Leon (Eliezer) Buchwald through his letters, Nataliia Mariichyn at the centre of the mystery, and author and journalist Susan McClelland (Boy from Buchenwald).
The first few chapters are front-loaded with history and explanation, along with a timeline of Ukraine from 1915 to today, which makes for a weighty start for young readers. Push through. Published at a time of dangerously high antisemitism and willful ignorance, Honor is a story of humanity, hope, courage and survival. “We fight for more than survival,” says Eliezer’s sister. “We fight for … a future where no one is hunted for their name or their faith.”
Heather Camlot is the author of The Prisoner and the Writer and One Goal: How Soccer Can Help Save the Planet. She is also a freelance journalist, editor and translator.
Lydia Cooper is a Lie
written by Meaghan McIsaac
Aladdin, 2026
979-8-3471-0334-8 (hc) $26.00
979-8-3471-0333-1 (pb) $12.50
979-8-3471-0335-5 (ebook) $9.99
For Grades 7 and up
Fiction | Family Secrets | Trust | Abandonment | Identity | Impact of Social Media | Survival
Lydia Cooper is a Lie by Meaghan McIsaac is a young adult thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The novel begins with a young girl living with her overprotective father. On the day of her 14th birthday, all she wants is a cell phone like her peers’. She has been left out of so many activities and friend groups, but still her dad will not budge. Instead of a phone, she receives a laptop with parental controls. But Lydia is ready to push back and gain independence. When she finds a way to bypass parental controls, she downloads the app her friends use to communicate. For once, she is not on the outside looking in and joins a new group with a friend named Theo. After she creates a social media post that makes her face visible to everyone, her life begins to fall apart. Soon after, there is an intruder in her home, coming straight for her, and both she and her father must flee.
At first, the two are separated but secretly plan a meeting place. As Lydia tries to get there, many others, including Theo and his family, are willing to help. However, her father always warned her that no one can be trusted, which Lydia is beginning to understand. This is the one rule she must follow to find her father and understand who she truly is.
Meaghan McIsaac takes the reader on a gritty thrill ride with Lydia as she races against time, unsure whom to trust, including her own family. Lydia begins to realize that her entire life is a lie, starting with exactly what her father does for a living. This novel was an engaging read that had me thinking about it between chapters. The novel is also a great lesson about the dangers of public posts on social media, as it only took one post to unleash a manhunt. McIsaac reminds the reader that you never know who is watching and who you can trust.
Christine O’Sullivan is a secondary school teacher-librarian in Brantford, Ontario.
Thornbird
written by E. Kennedy
Delacort Press, 2026
979-8-2170-2650-0 (hc) $29.99
979-8-2170-2652-4 (ebook) $11.99
979-8-2172-9528-9 (audiobook) $37.50
for Grades 11 and up
Fiction | Mystery | Family | Death | Trauma
Seventeen-year-old Ryan Shipley (aka Gabrielle Thorn) has just lost the grandmother who raised her since she was seven – the age she witnessed her mother murdered by her father, Gabriel Thorn. Now she must live with her estranged aunt in the very town where her mother was killed – and where Gabriel Thorn murdered six other women. Desperate to finish her graduation year and escape, Ryan assumes an alias to protect herself and her family, which includes her 16-year-old twin cousins. Days from his execution, Gabriel refuses to disclose the location of his victims’ remains. Ryan must decide if she can face her past to bring closure for others, including herself.
Thornbird is a riveting novel told through the unique perspective of a serial killer’s child. Amid the protagonist’s tribulations of ordinary high school life lies an extraordinary mystery with multiple layers of tension, guaranteed to capture the interest of even the most reluctant reader. Ryan’s complexities are believable, and the depictions of high school social life are relatable for many young adults.
In a society intrigued by true crime podcasts, Thornbird offers a unique glimpse into all victims of crime, including the family of the criminal. The novel examines themes of guilt, judgement, resilience, and healing. With fictional social media posts interspersed throughout the text, readers will be given an opportunity to reflect on the role of media in personal lives, the call for empathy, and the sensationalism of tragedy.
Mellissa Connolly is an English teacher specializing in alternative education.
Non-Fiction
All the Water on Earth
(CitizenKid)
written by Rochelle Strauss
illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
Kids Can Press, 2026
978-1-5253-1088-1 (hc) $23.99
978-1-5253-1487-2 (ebook) $15.99
for Grades 1 to 3
Non-Fiction | Water Conservation | Hydrologic Cycle | Hydrology
All the Water on Earth is an engaging book, loosely inspired by Rochelle Strauss’ One Well, that helps young readers understand the vital importance of water conservation. Strauss notes, “For millions of years, the amount of water on Earth has been the same. There’s no more water now than when the dinosaurs roamed the planet.” She builds on this concept by explaining that the water sources on our planet are all connected with one another, showing that the water running from our taps today is the very same water used by people and animals around the world – even dinosaurs. Ultimately, the text delivers a clear message: all living things depend on clean water to survive.
From the very first page, young readers will be drawn into a world of beautiful flora and fauna, thanks to Madelyn Goodnight’s stunning illustrations. Goodnight showcases people and animals around water and happily using it for work and play.
Beyond the visual splendour, children will delight in discovering hidden animals within the detailed artwork on each page. However, because a wide range of species is featured together, adults may wish to guide young readers in explaining that these animals do not all share the same habitats. For readers eager to delve deeper, the backmatter includes a helpful resource list to spark further curiosity.
This book would be a good read-aloud choice for primary school educators looking to introduce concepts of environmental stewardship and water conservation to their students.
Krista Jorgensen is a former public librarian currently residing in Calgary, Alberta. She is homeschooling her two children.
Amazing 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Atlantic Canada: Stories of Activism, Education and Pride
(Amazing Atlantic Canadians)
written by Rebecca Rose
illustrated by James Bentley
Nimbus Publishing, 2026
978-1-7747-1512-3 (pb) $24.95
for Grades 4 to 6
Non-Fiction | 2SLGBTQIA+ | Gender Non-Conforming | Atlantic Provinces
The latest addition to the Amazing Atlantic Canadians series features the lives of 50 2SLGBTQIA+ people from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador. Their achievements are described within six general categories: Community Activism, Increasing Representation, Doing Drag, Creating Space, Making Art, and Education. The phrase, ‘We are everywhere,’ indicates the variety of backgrounds, nationalities, religions and time periods from which the subjects originate.
The introduction includes definitions of terms such as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, and transgender, as well as the use of prepositions such as he, she, and they. Each readable biographical article is prefaced by quotes from some of those profiled and interspersed with helpful definitions of terms that arise in their biography, such as Take Back the Night events, pinkwashing and gender markers.
Through deft biographical depictions, the reader meets a variety of individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, each with passionate beliefs and interests. They include politicians, authors, environmentalists, drag performers, actors, playwrights, artists, teachers and founders of pride groups and collectives. We meet advocates for women prisoners, gay rights and those with disabilities, as well as people who fight to correct injustices and overcome prejudice. A glossary, index and resource list are included, and 20 vibrant, colourful illustrations of selected protagonists add richness to the book.
While the subjects portrayed are from one specific area of Canada, they represent people who used their strength and resilience to follow through on their beliefs, often in the face of resistance. Their determination will encourage readers to follow their dreams.
Aileen Wortley is a retired children’s librarian from Toronto.
One Ocean: Seven Ways to Save the Seas
(Orca Take Action!)
written by Mark Leiren-Young
illustrated by Bithi Sutradhar
Orca Book Publishers, 2026
978-1-4598-4293-9 (hc) $19.95
978-1-4598-4295-3 (ebook) $16.99
for Grades 4 to 8
Non-Fiction | Ocean | Marine Conservation | Marine Animals
In an era where climate anxiety weighs heavily on our youth, Mark Leiren-Young’s One Ocean offers an empowering, action-oriented perspective for middle-grade readers. This latest addition to the Orca Take Action series of informational non-fiction books offers real steps readers can take to help protect the ocean, while also introducing them to some of the 250,000 creatures that live within it.
The text is thoughtfully organized around seven core strategies for environmental stewardship: falling in love with marine life, thinking small by understanding the effects of microplastics on microscopic creatures, sharing global resources, cleaning up the areas around our oceans, taking political action, considering the climate crisis, and using your own words to spark change.
Leiren-Young speaks to his audience in a conversational, respectful tone, treating young readers as capable change-makers who hold a stake in the future of the planet. Rather than relying on doomsday statistics, he spotlights inspiring young activists who have gained momentum at an early age, such as Ta’Kaiya Blaney (a Canadian singer-songwriter from the Tla'amin Nation) and youth activist Finlay Pringle. He also offers interesting little-known facts to keep readers engaged and entertained.
Bithi Sutradhar’s vibrant illustrations beautifully balance the text, providing dynamic visual breaks that help maintain an uplifting tone despite the gravity of the subject matter.
This book is an excellent resource for any young reader eager to take action to save our oceans and marine life. It is recommended for both public and school library collections.
Krista Jorgensen is a former public librarian currently residing in Calgary, Alberta. She is homeschooling her two children.