When the weather outside is frightful, curl up with a new book
Inclement weather is keeping the family inside. What to do? Check out these 10 new reads by Canadian authors and illustrators.
Books for Babies and Toddlers
ABCs For a Peaceful Me
By Shelly Becker
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Aug. 2024
About the book: A unique ABC book about mindfulness, ABCs for a Peaceful Me features bold, colourful art. Young readers learn the alphabet and new ways to self-soothe and express themselves.
About the Canadian author: Toronto’s Shelly Becker is the author of more than 20 children’s books, which have been translated into multiple languages.
Monsters at Bedtime
By Laura Baker, illustrated by Nina Dzyvulska
Publisher: Happy Yak, Aug. 2024
About the book: This picture book features mischievous monsters who are getting ready for bed. Accompanied by bright artwork, this simple narrative with fun wordplay and a gentle rhyme is perfect for reading aloud.
About the Canadian author: Laura Baker grew up with a passion for stories. She now lives in a coastal town in Wales.
Books for Young Children
The Heartbeat Drum
By Deirdre Havrelock
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, Sept. 2024
About the book: This is the biography of Carol Powder, a Cree activist and musician who founded Chubby Cree, an Indigenous hand drumming group led by women. The group uses music to advocate at climate events, honour residential school survivors at special ceremonies and to spread healing.
About the Canadian author: The author of the picture book Buffalo Wild! and co-author of Indigenous Ingenuity: A Celebration of Traditional North American Knowledge, Deirdre Havrelock is a member of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. She lives in Saskatoon, SK on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis with her family.
Gwendolyn and the Light
By Susan Yoon, illustrated by Audrey Helen Weber
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, Oct. 2024
About the book: This picture book explores the hope and excitement of finding a new friend, sometimes in the places you least expect.
About the Canadian author: Toronto resident Susan Yoon is the author of Waiting for Tomorrow. Her essays have appeared in The Globe and Mail and The New York Times.
Milo the Knight
By Grégoire Laforce, illustrated by Charlotte Parent
Publisher: Milky Way Picture Books, Oct. 2024
About the book: In this empowering story, Milo the knight’s chance encounter with a court jester leads him to emotionally shed the only identity he’s ever known to discover his true self.
About the Canadian author: Gatineau resident Grégoire Laforce is also the author of The Lost Drop.
About the Canadian illustrator: Charlotte Parent is a freelance illustrator and comic artist based in Montréal. She holds a BFA from Concordia University, where she specialized in drawing. She works as an archaeological and world cultures conservator.
Leonard Cohen
By Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illustrated by Alette Straathof
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, Aug. 2024
About the book: Poet and singer Leonard Cohen, who grew up in Montreal, moved the world with his songs. Cohen’s father died when the singer was nine, which led him to begin writing poems. His haunting melodies and powerful lyrics gained him a worldwide following.
About the Canadian illustrator: Born and raised in Montreal, Agathe Bray-Bourret majored in film animation at Concordia University. She illustrates for magazines, books and ads and her music videos and short movies have played in festivals worldwide.
There’s a Ghost in the Garden
By Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Katty Maurey
Publisher: Enchanted Lion, Oct. 2024
About the book: A young boy loves spending time with his grandfather in the garden, enjoying the natural world, listening to memories of how things used to be and making up stories about the friendly ghost.
About the Canadian Author: Toronto resident Kyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist, and children’s author. She has written over 25 books, many of which have been translated internationally.
About the Canadian illustrator: Governor General Award-nominated illustrator Katty Maurey is passionate about painting, sculpting and printmaking.
Fall Feast: Nature’s Harvest
By Sean Taylor and Alex Morss, illustrated by Cinyee Chiu
Publisher: Happy Yak, Aug. 2024
About the book: A seasonal non-fiction picture book featuring an imaginative narrative and scientific information, Fall Feast encourages children to discover more about nature and the seasons. This is the final book in a series which includes Winter Sleep, Busy Spring, and Wild Summer.
About the Canadian illustrator: Vancouver resident Cinyee Chiu earned her MFA in illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Books for Teens
Stephen King: His Life, Work, and Influences (Young Readers’ Edition)
By Bev Vincent, Foreword by Sarah-Jane Smith
Publisher: becker&mayer! Kids, Sept. 2024
About the book: This illustrated guidebook explores the legacy of the king of horror and his path from scare-seeking child to one of the best-selling—and most recognizable—authors of all time. The book includes photos, exclusive memorabilia and personal and professional correspondences from the author, handwritten manuscript pages, book covers, movie stills, and never-before-seen poetry excerpts.
About the author of the foreword: New Brunswick resident Sarah-Jane Smith has been teaching high school English for over 15 years.
The Ultimate Book of Would You Rather Questions: 1001 Family-Friendly Challenges for Kids, Teens and Adults
By Kimberly McLeod
Publisher: Page Street Kids, Oct. 2024
About the book: One thousand and one questions—sorted into categories including “Eww,” “Make Believe,” “Animals” and “Food”—allow readers to learn more about family and friends on car rides, during long line waits and at the dinner table.
About the Canadian author: The author of Fun and Easy Crafting with Recycled Materials (previously featured in Parenting Times) and the founder of activity website The Best Ideas for Kids, Kimberly McLeod lives outside of Toronto.
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