Did you know that July 31st is not only J.K. Rowling’s birthday but Harry Potter’s as well! To celebrate this magical day, here are four books you should read based on your Hogwarts house.
“You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;”
The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes (The Adventurer’s Guide, Book 1) by Wade Albert White, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016) IL: Ages 8-13 RL: Grades 5-6
Anne and her best friend, Penelope, are finally leaving Saint Lupin’s Institute for Perpetually Wicked and Hideously Unattractive Children. Unexpectedly, a twist of fate leads to Anne being charged with an epic quest. Now Anne, Penelope and questing partner Hiro must solve perplexing riddles, travel to strange places, defeat devious foes and endure surprising plot twists. Readers will cheer on the courageous companions as they face seemingly insurmountable odds on their journey.
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The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion, illustrated by Eric Fan and Terry Fan (Tundra Books, 2016) IL: Ages 4-7 RL: Grades 2-3
Chris loves rockets and planets and pretending he’s an astronaut! Only one problem — at night, Chris doesn’t feel so brave. He’s afraid of the dark. But when he watches the first moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is — and it is beautiful and exciting when you have big dreams to keep you company. This title is also available in French as Plus noir que la nuit.
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Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (Penguin Teen Canada, 2018) IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8
In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons can be whomever they choose. Tess is none of these things. Tess is… different. She speaks out of turn, has wild ideas, and can’t seem to keep out of trouble. Then Tess goes too far. What she’s done is so disgraceful, she can’t even allow herself to think of it. Unfortunately, the past cannot be ignored. So Tess’s family decide the only path for her is a nunnery. But on the day she is to join the nuns, Tess chooses a different path for herself. She cuts her hair, pulls on her boots, and sets out on a journey. She’s not running away, she’s running towards something. What that something is, she doesn’t know. Tess just knows that the open road is a map to somewhere else — a life where she might belong.
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You Are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World by Caroline Paul, illustrated by Lauren Tamaki (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2018) IL: Ages 8-13 RL: Grades 5-6
Being a good citizen means standing up for what’s right—and here’s just the way to start. From the author of The Gutsy Girl comes a book for those with a fierce sense of justice, a good sense of humour, and a big heart. This guide features change-maker tips, tons of DIY activities, and stories about the kids who have paved the way before, from famous activists like Malala Yousafzai and Claudette Colvin to the everyday young people whose habit changes triggered huge ripple effects. So make a sign, write a letter, volunteer, sit-in or march! There are lots of tactics to choose from, and you’re never too young to change the world.
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“You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;”
The Agony of Bun O’Keefe by Heather Smith, (Penguin Teen Canada, 2017) IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 8-9
It’s Newfoundland, 1986. Fourteen-year-old Bun O’Keefe has lived a shuttered, lonely life with her negligent mother, who is a hoarder. One day, Bun’s mother tells her to leave, so she does. Hitchhiking out of town, Bun learns that the world extends beyond the walls of her mother’s house and discovers the joy of being part of a new family — a family of friends who care.
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Bent Not Broken: Madeline & Justin (One-2-One, Book 3) by Lorna Schultz Nicholson (Clockwise Press, 2017) IL: Ages 13 and up RL: Grades 6-7
Since her traumatic brain injury, Madeline has grown apart from her twin sister. Her Best Buddy Justin is coping with troubles at school and his mother’s depression since the death of his autistic sister. Together, Justin and Madeline find peace at the miniature-horse therapy barns, helping each to face their fears — and reconnect with the lives that they thought they’d lost.
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A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy (Groundwood Books, 2016) IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4
When the new boy in Evelyn’s fifth-grade class tells everyone his name is Queen, Evelyn doesn’t know what to think. Evelyn and Queen become friends and, although she cringes when he draws attention to himself, he is the most interesting person Evelyn has ever met. Evelyn’s friendship with Queen opens her eyes to a whole new world, and she discovers some cool things about herself along the way.
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Buddy and Earl by Maureen Fergus, illustrated by Carey Sookocheff (Groundwood Books, 2015) IL: Ages 4-7 RL: Grades 2-3
A dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits! Buddy doesn’t know what’s in the mysterious box that Meredith leaves in the living room. But when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate — and that Buddy is a pirate, too — the two mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.
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“Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;”
Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Dow Phumirik (Henry Holt and Co., 2018) IL: Ages 5-9 RL: Grades 2-3
As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count. She counted the steps on the road, the number of dishes and spoons she washed in the kitchen sink, everything! Boundless, curious and excited by calculations, young Katherine longed to know as much as she could about math, about the universe. From Katherine’s early beginnings as a gifted student to her heroic accomplishments as a prominent mathematician at NASA, Counting on Katherine is the story of a groundbreaking American woman who not only calculated the course of moon landings but, in turn, saved lives and made enormous contributions to history.
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Emily of New Moon by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Tundra Books, 2014) IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 4-5
Emily Starr never knew what it was to be lonely — until her beloved father died. Now Emily’s an orphan, and her snobbish relatives are taking her to live with them at New Moon Farm. Although she’s sure she’ll never be happy there, Emily deals with her stern aunt Elizabeth and her malicious classmates by using her quick wit and holding her head high. Things slowly begin to change for the better when Emily makes some new friends. There’s Teddy Kent, who does marvellous drawings; Perry Miller, the hired boy, who’s sailed the world with his father yet has never been to school; and above all, Ilse Burnley, a tomboy with a blazing temper. With these wonderful companions at her side and adventures around every corner, Emily begins to find her new home beautiful and fascinating — so much so that she comes to think of herself as Emily of New Moon.
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Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier (Puffin Canada, 2017) IL: Ages 10-13 RL: Grades 5-6
Two years ago, Peter Nimble and Sir Tode rescued the kingdom of HazelPort. Now they have been summoned for a new mission: find Sophie Quire — 12-year-old bookmender and Storyguard. Sophie repairs old books and also rescues storybooks from Inquisitor Prigg’s pyres, but when Peter and Sir Tode appear with a mysterious book, she finds herself pulled into an adventure beyond anything she has ever read.
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Wonder Women by Sam Maggs, illustrated by Sophie Foster-Dinino (Quirk Books, 2016) IL: Ages 12-16 RL: Grades 6-7
Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers and inventors. Plus, interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations — all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help to build the future.
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Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
Across the Floor (Orca Limelights) by Natasha Deen (Orca Book Publishers, 2016) IL: Ages 11-14 RL: Grades 3-4
Luc thought he knew what his passion was: football. He lives it, breathes it. So when his coach orders him to sign up for contemporary-dance classes to improve his game, Luc agrees. He never expected to fall in love with dance. Now Luc faces a tough decision. Is he willing to give up a future in pro football to pursue a new dream?
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The Landing: 10th Anniversary Edition by John Ibbitson (Kids Can Press, 2018 ©2008) Ages 12 and up
Will Ben ever escape the Landing? The hardscrabble farm on the shores of Lake Muskoka can’t generate a living, so Ben’s Uncle Henry sells goods and gas to cottagers from the dock known as Cooks Landing. Ben’s thinking a lot these days, and it’s making him miserable. He’s thinking about how unfair it is that his uncle only cares about work. He’s thinking about what he really wants to do: play the violin. A new job fixing up the grand old cottage on nearby Pine Island seems at first to be just one more thing to keep Ben away from his violin. After he meets the island’s owner, Ben changes his mind. Ruth Chapman is a cultured and wealthy woman from New York who introduces Ben to an unfamiliar, liberating world.
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Maud: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Melanie J. Fishbane (Penguin Teen Canada, 2017) IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 6-7
Fourteen-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery dreams of going to college and becoming a writer. When she leaves PEI to live with her father and his new wife and daughter in Saskatchewan, her dream seems possible. Here Maud has another chance at love, as well as attending school… until Maud discovers her stepmother’s plans that threaten Maud’s future — and her happiness.
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This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel (HarperCollins Canada, 2011) IL: Ages 12-16 RL: Grades 7-8
Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one. The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life. The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.
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