Social Issues
A Bend in the Breeze
By Valerie Sherrard
When eleven-year-old Pascale Chardon finds herself on a lifeboat drifting toward an uncharted island with no memory of how she got there, all she wants is to get back to her family. The islanders, however, have a different objective.
For many decades, the islanders have been ... Read more
Animalphabetical Adventures
Illustrated by Kinga White
After having children of her own she rediscovered the magic and adventure in children's books. Highly passionate about little people and creating memorable experiences for them through the world of stories, she wrote and illustrated her debut book, Animalphabetical Adventures ... Read more
Birdspell
By Valerie Sherrard
Shortlisted for the 2022 Mrs. Dunster's Award for Fiction
Corbin Hayes has felt alone for as long as he can remember. His mom’s illness means lost jobs, constant moves, new schools and friendships that never get to grow. There’s a gap in his life that’s been waiting to ... Read more
Blue Knight, The
By Raymond McGregor
"The Blue Knight" reveals problems in our society related to racism and bullying, which is an important topic that is currently at the forefront of many lives and is being discussed at great lengths around the world. The main character, a teenage boy named Owen, lives in a small ... Read more
Cancer is a C Word
By Sunita Pal
Illustrated by Cody Andreasen
Teaching tough and scary topics to children, especially to the very young, is not easy. Dealing with Cancer is a sad reality that many families have to face and explaining it to little children can be very difficult--and hard to do without creating a Monster of Fear. Cancer ... Read more
Catalina
By Lori Doody
Catalina has an almost purrrfect life, although sometimes she is sand and sometimes she is a little bit lonely. Then one day her owners come home with not one, not two, but three puppies. now she isn't lonely; she's cranky! What's a cat to do? It takes a while, but Catalina ... Read more
Cursed by the Sea God
By Patrick Bowman
The second volume in the trilogy that revisions Homer’s Odyssey is once again told from the viewpoint of Alexi, the young Trojan boy. Captured by Odysseus after the fall of Troy, Alexi is forced to accompany the Greeks on their sea journey home to Ithaca. Cursed by the Sea ... Read more
Dancing with the Cranes
By Jeannette Armstrong
Illustrated by Ron Hall
Dancing with the Cranes gives an understanding of birth, life and death. Chi's momma is soon to have a baby, but Chi is having a hard time being happy about it. Chi misses Temma (her grandma), who has passed away. Chi's momma and daddy help ease the pain of losing Temma and help ... Read more
Dark Times
Edited by Ann Walsh
The result of a cross-Canada contest for the best short stories about young people's experience of loss and grief, Dark Times is a superb anthology about a topic that often remains hidden but is crucial in the development of a child's sense of identity.
Dear Black Girls
By Shanice Nicole
By (artist) Kezna Dalz
Dear Black girls all around the world, this one is for you -- for us.
Dear Black Girls is a letter to all Black girls. Every single day poet and educator Shanice Nicole is reminded of how special Black girls are and of how lucky she is to be one. Illustrations by Kezna Dalz support ... Read more