The longlist for the 2025 edition of CBC Kids Reads—featuring 15 Canadian picture books—was recently announced. This year's program will celebrate five of Canada's best picture books, with each title being championed by a CBC Kids character—Gary the Unicorn, Cottonball the Cat, Mr. Orlando the Moose, Stuffy the Dog and Mosey Monster—and read by a notable Canadian. The shortlist will be revealed on September 17. The longlist is listed below.
The winner will be announced on a special TV broadcast on Saturday, October 4, on CBC TV and CBC Gem at 10:20 AM ET, in a live-to-tape special recorded at the Civic Centre Resource Library in Vaughan, Ontario, where an audience of kids and families will vote for the winning book. The special will also be replayed as a radio broadcast on Monday, October 13.
CBC Kids Reads Longlist
Benny the Bananasaurus Rex, written by Sarabeth Holden, illustrated by Emma Pedersen (Inhabit Media)
Cone Dog, written by Sarah Howden, illustrated by Carmen Mok (Owlkids Books)
Getting Glam at Gram's, written by Sara Weed, illustrated by Erin Hawryluk (Arsenal Pulp Press)
The Hockey Skates, written by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng (HarperCollins Publishers)
How to Staycation Like a Snail, written by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier (Owlkids Books)
I Am a Rock, written by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut (Inhabit Media)
The Little Green Envelope, written by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Claudine Crangle (Groundwood Books)
Mad at Dad, written and illustrated by Janie Hao (Kids Can Press)
The Mango Monster, written by Derek Mascarenhas, illustrated by Meneka Repka (Owlkids Books)
Oh! Look, a Boat!, written and illustrated by Andrew J. Ross (Flying Eye Books)
The Only Lonely Fairy, written by Lana Button, illustrated by Peggy Collins (Pajama Press)
Shark Girl, written and illustrated by Kate Beaton (Roaring Brook Press)
So Loud!, written by Sahar Golshan, illustrated by Shiva Delsooz (Annick Press)
When You Can Swim, written and illustrated by Jack Wong (Orchard Books/Scholastic)
When You Meet a Dragon, written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Udayana Lugo (Orca Book Publishers)
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