In 1975, at a meeting of Canadian-owned publishers, a scrappy offshoot of literary presses decided to form a subgroup to work on issues unique to them. Fifty years later, that bold move lives on as the Literary Press Group of Canada—a collective of 65+ publishers who work together to amplify the outstanding literature coming out of our country.
And of course, the best way we know how to celebrate is with books! We rounded up 50 books from 50 publishers that are emblematic of their achievements in literary publishing, in Canada and all around the world.
Bestselling Canadian Books
Week-after-week, chart-after-chart, these books scaled the nation’s bestseller lists and remained there for months (or even years)! Check out these homegrown bestsellers below:
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A View into Canada
Independent Canadian literary publishers are the voices of the varied and diverse communities and towns within this big country: and these books shed a light on their uniqueness.
Indigenous Reads
LPG members have been publishing Indigenous literature for decades and helped launch the writing careers of lauded Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit authors across Turtle Island. Browse these eight reads (and for more recommendations, check out All Lit Up’s Indigenous Litspace):
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Download the 50 for 50 poster!
Want to revel in the 50 Books for 50 Years collection? Download our print-ready poster here.
As seen on screen!
These books have been – or soon will be – adapted into films or television series. (Of course, we don’t have to tell you it’s always worth it to read the book, first!)
The film adaptation of Catherine Hernandez’s bestselling, award-winning novel Scarborough (Arsenal Pulp Press) won eight Canadian Screen Awards!
Suzy Krause’s speculative novel I Think We’ve Been Here Before (Radiant Press) has been slated for development with producer Paul Davidson.
The French film adaptation of Samuel Cantin’s graphic novel Vile and Miserable (Pow Pow Press) just released this February – and got its own beer (the Vil & Miserable hazy IPA, from Dieu du ciel), too!
CanLit classics
Whether classic-classic or contemporary classic, these books captured Canadian imaginations and continue to be read, taught, and discussed to this day.
Career-launching reads
Think of your favourite Canadian author. More often than not, they published their first book with an independent publisher. This sampling of books from the 50 for 50 collection speak to that – see how many names you recognize!
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Canadian independent publishers release books that matter to them: and share important opinions and points of view with the world.
50 for 50 for kids
Literary publishing isn’t just for adults! LPG publishers create beloved and cherished books that make
lasting memories for families across Canada.Poetry with Pizazz
Nearly all published Canadian poetry comes from independent literary publishers. Here’s a selection of collections that made a splash:
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worthy whodunitCanadian locations make great settings for these award-winning mysteries.
Award-winning books
Many of the featured books on the 50 for 50 list have won awards, and these nine reads are no exception!
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Reading guides & other materials
Book Club Guides
- Scarborough book club kit (from St. Albert Public Library)
- The Future reader’s guide (from Biblioasis)
- Moon of the Crusted Snow book club guide (from ECW Press)
- The Salvation of Yasch Siemens book club questions (from Turnstone Press)
Educator Resources
- The Marrow Thieves teacher’s guide (from 49th Kids)
- The Loxleys and the War of 1812 teacher’s guide (from Renegade Arts)
