The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) has compiled a list of great Canadian books, for kids and teens of all ages, for the 2017 winter holidays. The books featured in this list are starred selections from the Fall 2017 edition of Best Books for Kids & Teens. While the CCBC does not sell these items, they can be purchased directly from the online booksellers linked below each book, from your local bookseller or from a wholesaler. Alternatively, you can borrow these titles from your local library.
Interest Level (IL) is listed by age; Reading Level (RL) is listed by grade.
Binding Code:
BD Board | EB eBook | HC Hardcover | HC (jacket) Hardcover with jacket | HC (jacket & PLC) Hardcover with jacket and picture laminated to cover | LIB Reinforced library binding | PB Paperback
BOARD BOOKS |
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Atlantic Animal ABC Animals | Atlantic Canada | Abecedarium | Alphabet From Atlantic puffin to zooplankton, this board book includes lots of interesting Atlantic Canadian animals like the lobster, brown bat, moon jellyfish, porcupine and more! This animal ABC book, with buoyant, colourful paper-collage illustrations, is the perfect way to introduce little ones to both the diversity of the region’s wildlife and the alphabet! |
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PICTURE BOOKS |
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Carson Crosses Canada Canada | Geography | Journeys | Adventure | Humour | Landscapes Annie and her dog Carson, who live in Tofino, British Columbia, are setting out to visit her sister in Newfoundland. They travel in Annie’s rattlebang car, province by province, taking in each unique landscape and experiencing something special in each particular region, before finally arriving in Witless Bay. There they are greeted by Elsie — with a special surprise for Carson! |
Colette’s Lost Pet Imagination | Empathy | Friendship | Fibbing | Montreal | Early Graphic Novel Colette, a new Mile End resident, is bored and lonely. So when two kids show up outside her yard, Colette tells a fib: she’s lost her parakeet, and could someone please help her find it? Soon, every kid in the neighbourhood is helping search for her mythical bird. Do they really believe her? Or is it just more fun to pretend? |
Town Is by the Sea Cape Breton | Coal Mining | Family | Mining Town | Historical Fiction | Gratitude | Acceptance In this poignant picture book, a young boy wakes up one sunny morning to the sound of the sea. He calls on a friend, visits his grandfather’s grave and goes to the store, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep under the sea. One day, it will be his turn. He is a miner’s son. |
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EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS |
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Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel Friendship | Animals | Imagination | Adventure | School Life June and her dog Sammy are on a mission: to find a new friend who is fun, friendly and full of adventure! New neighbour Mae might just fit the bill, but can June be friends with Mae if Mae is also friends with April? With the help of her grandma’s gift — the amazing Wonder Wheel — June and Sammy might just complete their mission! |
The Mysterious Librarian Reading | Books | Humour | Determination | Magic When the mysterious and eccentric Miss Charlotte arrives to run their tiny village library, her enthusiasm helps transform the neglected library into the children’s treasured reading room! But, one day, the children find her on the floor, unconscious. Has Miss Charlotte been sucked into the story? Can they bring her back? This title is also available in French as La Mystérieuse Bibliothécaire. |
JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE FICTION |
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Cammie Takes Flight Family | Determination | Friendship | Secrets | Visually Impaired | Belonging In this sequel to Flying with a Broken Wing, Cammie navigates life at her new school, armed with her estranged mother’s address. She enlists a new friend’s help in tracking down her mother. Will Cammie learn why she was abandoned and be able to start her new life? Or will she find more secrets? Can she ever put the past behind her? |
From Ant to Eagle Cancer | Siblings | Coming of Age | Death | Friendship | Loss | Grief | Family | Guilt It’s the summer before grade six, and Calvin Sinclair occupies his time tormenting his six-year-old brother, Sammy. When Calvin meets Aleta, who shares his love for Goosebumps books and adventure, Sammy is pushed aside. Cal feels guilty but not enough to change. Then a diagnosis changes everything, and Cal learns that the only thing worse than dying is living without hope. |
Hannah and the Magic Eye Treasure Hunt | Jerusalem | Friendship | Tolerance | Religion | Action | Secret Codes Hannah and Samir are two unlikely friends who embark on an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunt through modern-day Jerusalem to find King Solomon’s treasure. Also hunting is the mysterious secret society, Cancellarii, that kidnapped Hannah’s archeologist grandfather. The friends must decipher an enchanted map, follow clues, evade the Israeli police and outfox the Cancellarii in their search for the gold! |
Innocent Heroes: Stories of Animals in the First World War World War I | Battle of Vimy Ridge | Canada | Animals | First Nations | Racism | Human-Animal Relationships | War Heroes Based on true stories of real animal war heroes, Sigmund Brouwer skilfully weaves fact and fiction together in this unique exploration of Canadian soldiers and their courageous and loyal animal companions at the battle of Vimy Ridge. Animals include a sniffer dog, a war horse, a cat and a pigeon! Eight compelling stories of bravery and the bonds between soldiers and their animals. |
Knock About with the Fitzgerald-Trouts Mystery | Siblings | Belonging | Home | Adventure | Determination In this second instalment of the adventures of the plucky Fitzgerald-Trouts, the self-reliant siblings set out to discover what’s behind a series of bizarre happenings on their island. Their pursuit will bring them face to face with a flood, illegal carnivorous plants and the chance to win an extraordinary prize at a carnival. But will they finally find the place where they truly belong? |
Love, Ish Dreams | Mars | Aspirations | Friendship | Love | Family | Cancer Mischa (Ish) dreams of being one of the first settlers on Mars, becoming a real-life Martian and maybe reuniting with her old friend, Tig. But on the first day of grade seven, Ish collapses and the diagnosis is not good. Mars might only ever be a dream… but maybe a dream is all Ish needs to make the most important discoveries of all. |
Mary Anning’s Curiosity Fossils | Scientific Discoveries | Mary Anning | Women in Science | Fossil Hunting In 1811, 12-year-old Mary, with her brother Joe, found what they believed to be the skeleton of a gigantic crocodile, the Great Croc of legends. Mary took almost a year to excavate what would later be termed the Ichthyosaurus. Now considered the world’s greatest fossilist, Mary Anning and her world are brought to life in this story about scientific discovery for young readers. |
Restart Second Chances | Bullying | Identity | Redemption | Amnesia | Middle School Life After falling off a roof, Chase wakes up with no memory of his life. At school, he’s shocked to discover what kind of person he was. Determined to reinvent himself, Chase learns redemption doesn’t come easily. Soon it becomes not only a question of who Chase is — but of who he was… and who he’s going to be. |
Stay Novels in Verse | Family Relationships | Cancer | Coming of Age | Divorce | Dogs A moving, personal novel-in-verse about 11-year-old Millie who dreams about having her own puppy and puts down all her hopes and fears in a diary written to her twin Billy who died in utero. Millie faces new challenges amidst the traditional tribulations of growing up, including wanting to have a dog and keep her family together after her parents separate. |
Stealth of the Ninja Tsunamis | Ninjas | Survival | Choices | Pollution | Friendship | Courage | Environment En route to Japan in his homemade submarine, Alfred befriends an ancient ninja teacher clearing plastic on his near-derelict freighter. While helping clean up the ocean, Al learns ninja techniques of stealth and battle. But Al finds his loyalty and courage tested when he and his sensei are caught up in the 2011 tsunami. Al faces a difficult decision… and time is running out. |
MIDDLE YEARS FICTION (HI-LO) |
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Golden Goal Hardship | Teamwork | Friendship | Loss | Refugees | Immigrants | Soccer After his father dies, Dylan and his mom move to a poor part of Vancouver. He acts out at his new school and, as punishment, he’s forced to join the school’s soccer team — a group of immigrant and refugee students who play on a rough gravel field. Dylan becomes determined to bring his new team to the finals. |
He Who Dreams Racism | Indigenous Dance | Family | Identity | Bullying | Belonging | Biracial | Secrets | First Nations John stumbles into an Indigenous dance class and, after he attends his first powwow, he is hooked. But if he really wants to dance, he’ll have to stop hiding it from his friends, teammates and family. Now he must learn to balance his responsibilities, confront his fears and embrace both his Irish and Cree heritage. |
Run for Your Life Cross-Country Running | First Nations | Friendship | Refugees | Stereotyping | Charity Chris runs cross-country to win, and he runs fastest by imagining scary figures chasing him. When forest fires displace many First Nations families, Chris meets and befriends Jason, an Indigenous kid whose family was evacuated. Chris is surprised by his dad’s interest in helping Jason and his family. For the first time, Chris wonders about his father’s emigration from Iran. |
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YOUNG ADULT FICTION |
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Duels & Deception Historical Fiction | Intrigue | Mystery | Romance | Deception Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out and has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, with the particulars. Everything is going according to plan until someone after her fortune kidnaps Lydia — along with Robert. The two escape, and as their investigation deepens, their affection for each other grows, and Lydia starts to wonder what she truly wants. |
The Fashion Committee Fashion | Humour | Competition | Socioeconomic Status | Family | Determination Charlie Dean is a style-obsessed girl who eats, sleeps and breathes fashion. John Thomas-Smith is a boy who forges metal sculptures in his garage and couldn’t care less about clothes. But they share one thing in common: both are gunning for a coveted scholarship to a private art high school. And whoever wins the fashion competition will win the scholarship. |
The Hundredth Queen Fantasy | Courage | Rebellion | Romance | Friendship | Loyalty | Magic Eighteen-year-old Kalinda, an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, is destined for a life of seclusion and prayer until she is ripped from her home and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s 99 wives and numerous courtesans. Facing a tournament to the death, Kalinda’s only hope for escape lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her. |
Maud: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery Historical Fiction | Ambition | Obligation | Independence | L.M. Montgomery 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. |
Optimists Die First Loss | Tragedy | Pessimism | Romance | Guilt | Friendship | Forgiveness Feeling responsible for her baby sister’s death, Petula, once a crafting fiend with a happy life, has shut herself off from the world. Then Jacob, a boy with a prosthetic arm and darkness behind his sunny surface, joins Petula’s art-therapy group. Forced to collaborate on a project, she slowly opens up to Jacob… until a hidden truth threatens to derail everything. |
Saints and Misfits Faith | Family | Islam | Identity | Shame | Courage | Coming of Age | Sexual Assault There are three kinds of people in Arab Indian-American Janna Yusuf’s life: saints, misfits and monsters. Janna sees herself as a misfit, belonging neither to her father’s new family, nor with her closely connected mother and brother. Between a saint, who reveals himself to be a monster, and her crush, a non-Muslim boy, liking her back, Janna has a lot to deal with. |
Traitor to the Throne Fantasy | Adventure | Magic | Romance | Revenge | War | Betrayal | Rebellion Amani Al’Hiza fled Dustwalk on a mythical horse with the mysterious foreigner, Jin, seeking only her freedom. Now she’s fighting to liberate the entire desert nation of Miraji from a bloodthirsty sultan who killed his father for the throne. But the longer she’s in the Sultan’s court, the more questions she has… who’s the real traitor to her sun-bleached, magic-filled homeland? |
The Way Back Home Intergenerational Relationships | Grandparents | Alzheimer’s Disease | Love | Family | Secrets | LGBTQ | Transgender | Bullying Zoe Bird is going nowhere fast. She’s angry and lonely, and her only true friend is her granny, whose Alzheimer’s is worsening. When her parents put Granny in a home, Zoe decides now is the time to break free. She smuggles Granny out and they hit the road, taking an unforgettable trip to Toronto to find her long-lost uncle. |
TEEN FICTION (HI-LO) |
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Rez Rebel Suicide | Indigenous Communities | Depression | Alcoholism | Healing | Family | Friendship Floyd Twofeathers has always trusted his mom and his dad, hereditary chief of their band, to take care of the people on their reserve. But when depressed and despairing teens in the community start to take their own lives, his father refuses to listen to his ideas. With his father overwhelmed by the situation, Floyd steps up to take action against the suicide epidemic. |
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GRAPHIC NOVELS |
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Brave Middle School Life | Bullying | Friendship | Diversity | Belonging | Courage In his daydreams, Jensen is a hero, saving his friends and the world daily. But in his middle school reality, everything is hard — from math to friendships. Jensen thinks of school as a video game and he’s always played one level at a time, but suddenly the difficulty level is cranked up. Can Jensen find real solutions to his real-life problems? What does it mean to be brave? This is the sequel to Awkward. |
Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me Memoir | Philippines | 1980s | Family | Pop Culture | People Power Revolution | History | Loss When she learns of her beloved father’s fatal car accident, Mapa flies to Manila to attend his funeral. His sudden death sparks childhood memories. Weaving the past with the present, Mapa entertains with stories about religion, pop culture, adolescence, social class and politics, including her experiences of the 1986 People Power Revolution that made headlines around the world. |
The Stone Heart Adventure | Friendship | Fantasy | Politics | Loyalty | Choices This thrilling continuation of the Nameless City series is jam-packed with adventure! Kai and Rat now have to deal with deep conflicts within the Dao nation and a possible war. To make matters worse, Kai discovers the key for a mysterious and vast weapon hidden by the monks that may lead to complete chaos… and to share the secret would betray his friendship with Rat. |
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BIOGRAPHY |
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Lines, Bars and Circles: How William Playfair Invented Graphs William Playfair | Biography | Science | Mathematics | Inventors | Inventions | Infographics | Graphs | Creative Thinking William Playfair was a dreamer, but his dreams didn’t translate into fame and fortune. However, Will’s vision inspired an amazing idea: he created charts, turning numbers into pictures by creating line graphs, bar graphs and pie charts! William had invented valuable tools for sharing hard-to-understand information. Too bad for Will it took 100 years for his charts to catch on. |
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist Eugenie Clark | Biography | Sharks | Women in Science | Discovery | Conservation | Determination This is the story of Shark Lady — a woman who dared to dive, defy, discover and inspire. Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks on her first trip to the aquarium and she devoted her life to learning about them. Eugenie taught the world that sharks were to be admired, not feared, and that women could do anything they set their minds to. |
HEALTH & WELLNESS |
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Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eat Vegetarianism | Diet | Health | Meal Planning | Environmentalism This book explores the history of meat-based diets and the varied reasons more people are choosing a meatless lifestyle. Important tips on how to stay healthy without meat in your diet and a primer on how to plan vegetarian meals are included. Whether you are a meat eater, vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian, this book offers lots of food for thought. |
Ready, Set … Baby! Family | Siblings | Babies | Humour | Newborns Anna and Oliver, big siblings extraordinaire, are here to tell you about what to expect when a new baby is on the way — and what life will be like when your baby sister or brother arrives! This story offers a funny, loving and reassuring peek into the life of a big brother and sister — with real information, helpful tips and kid-friendly humour! |
HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY & CULTURE |
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The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World Play | Sports | Refugees | Social Justice | Bullying | Belonging | Soccer | Hope | Tanzania Separated from his family when they are forced to flee their home in Burundi, young Deo lives alone in a refugee camp in Tanzania. Resources are scarce and gangs steal what they can. One gang leader has begun targeting Deo, who finds comfort in making a banana-leaf ball. When a coach arrives and organizes a soccer game, everything begins to change. |
A Book of Bridges: Here to There and Me to You Bridges | Construction | Transportation | Connection | Architecture Bridges are fascinating structures and they come in all forms. From towering suspension bridges to humble stone crossings, bridges, from California’s Golden Gate Bridge to Peru’s Puente de Piedra, do more than connect one place to another, they bring the whole world together! Whether they are covered or moveable, stone or wood, bridges connect countries, neighbourhoods and even families! |
A Refugee’s Journey from Afghanistan Refugees | Afghanistan | Displacement | Conflict | Challenges | Global Responsibility Sonita was born in a refugee camp in Pakistan after her family fled Afghanistan during the war in the early 2000s. Unwelcome in Pakistan, her family returned to Afghanistan, where they faced new challenges. Readers will learn about the decades of conflict in Afghanistan and how they can help refugees in their communities and around the world, struggling to find permanent homes. |
A Refugee’s Journey from Iraq Refugees | Iraq | Displacement | Conflict | Challenges | Global Responsibility Zainab has never known peace in her homeland of Iraq. When her father is threatened by a group fighting against the government, her family seeks safety in Jordan and, later, the United States. Readers will learn about the ongoing conflict in Iraq and how they can help refugees in their communities and around the world who are struggling to find permanent homes. |
A Refugee’s Journey from Syria Refugees | Syria | Displacement | Conflict | Challenges | Global Responsibility Five-year-old Roj’s home is bombed during the civil war in Syria. He and his family must flee the country secretly by boat, and they end up in a refugee camp in Europe. Readers learn about the efforts being made around the world to assist the millions of refugees and are encouraged to consider how they can help refugees in their own communities and globally. |
A Refugee’s Journey from the Democratic Republic of the Congo Refugees | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Displacement | Conflict | Challenges | Child Soldiers | Global Responsibility Eight-year-old Etienne was forced to become a child soldier in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When he is reunited with his family, they flee the country, arriving as refugees in Canada. Readers will learn about the experiences of child soldiers and how they can help refugees in their communities and around the world who are struggling to find permanent homes. |
The Vimy Oaks: A Journey to Peace World War I | Battle of Vimy Ridge | Oak Trees | Hope | Canada | Commemoration Standing amidst the devastation of Vimy Ridge, Canadian soldier Leslie Miller picked up some acorns and mailed them home where they grew into majestic oaks — a legacy of hope, renewal and remembrance. But what if Vimy Ridge could be green again with oaks descended from Leslie’s trees? This title is also available in French as Les chênes de Vimy : La route vers la paix. |
Where Will I Live? Refugees | Children | Home | War | Conflict | Hope Every child deserves a home. But many children around the world have had to leave their homes because of war and conflict. Written by UN Ambassador Rosemary McCarney, this book offers young readers a glimpse into what life is like for child refugees. Simple text and incredible photographs convey the dangers of their situation but also their inspiring resilience and hope. |
SCIENCE |
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Alison’s Fishing Birds Natural World | Nature | Conservation | Wildlife | Fishing Birds Roderick Haig-Brown, a well-known conservationist and naturalist, taught children to explore and respect our forests, oceans and rivers for years. This story tells of a girl’s encounters with the birds that live on the river shore near her home. Each bird, from the osprey to the heron, shares lessons of its life and the natural world it inhabits. |
Different? Same! Animals | Classification | Animal Characteristics | Similarities | Living Things This picture book introduces the concept of animal characteristics by highlighting both differences and similarities within a group. For example, the zebra gallops, the bumblebee flies, the lemur leaps and the tiger prowls — “But look closer now … We all have STRIPES!” Young readers will have fun uncovering surprising similarities in this playful exploration of animal classification. |
Eat Up! An Infographic Exploration of Food Food | Nutrition | Healthy Living | Food Production | Environment | Food Security Who grows our food? How does it get to us? How do food companies advertise to children? Encouraging “food literacy,” this book is a colourful infographic look at the many surprising and fascinating facts about food. Readily accessible graphics, diagrams and photos along with brief but clear explanations address topical issues such as food waste, nutrition and the environmental impact of food. |
Let’s Eat! Sustainable Food for a Hungry Planet Green Living | Eating Local | Urban Farming | Sustainability | Food | Diversity | Food Production Everything you eat, whether it’s an apple, a steak or a chocolate-coated cricket, has a story. Through exploring alternative, even bizarre, farm technology and touring gardens in unusual places, readers will uncover the secret life of their groceries. This informative title is packed with interesting facts on global agriculture — from aquaculture to GMO foods, food deserts to urban farms. |
Water’s Children: Celebrating the Resource That Unites Us All Water | Diversity | Natural Resources | Global Citizenship With lyrical text and vibrant illustrations, water’s universal importance is celebrated in the voices of young people from 12 different regions of the world. Their differing descriptions of what water means to them are united by the phrase “water is life,” which has been translated into each of their languages. This title is also available in French as Les enfants de l’eau. |
What a Waste! Where Does Garbage Go? Environment | Pollution | Garbage | Recycling | History When we throw something away, where exactly is “away”? While humans have always made garbage, today we are producing more than ever. There is garbage in the ocean, on mountain tops and even in space. This highly visual title includes topics such as water pollution, modern “throwaway” culture, landfills, human waste and recycling. An engaging, kid-friendly introduction to an important issue. |
Wolf Island Great Bear Rainforest | Wolves | Animal Stories | Nature Photography Majestic Great Bear Rainforest is full of tall trees, huge bears and endless schools of salmon. Ian McAllister’s luminous photographs illustrate the story of a lone wolf who swims to a small island that provides him with everything he needs. When a female wolf arrives, they start a family and introduce their pups to the island’s bounty. |
The Wolves Return: A New Beginning for Yellowstone National Park Wolves | Ecosystems | Biodiversity | Yellowstone National Park | Top Predators Twenty-three Canadian grey wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995–1996. The Yellowstone Wolf Project has been an overwhelming success. To researchers’ surprise, the introduction of the wolves changed an entire ecosystem, improving biodiversity and altering the very landscape. This true story offers an important lesson about the difference one creature can make in creating a healthy, thriving world. |
MAGAZINES |
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Brainspace Math | Technology | Engineering | Science | Environment | Activities This fully interactive magazine offers extra digital content for kids to read, listen to and watch with the use of a mobile device and the free Blippar app. Offering a multi-sensory journey, fusing digital and print media in a dynamic and compelling way, this magazine allows kids to explore topics such as space, Earth sciences, biology, math and technology on a deeper level. |
chickaDEE Science | Stories | Natural World | Humour | Activities Filled with interactive stories, puzzles, facts and crafts, this magazine satisfies its young readers’ thirst for knowledge and appetite for humour while acknowledging the growing independence of primary-aged children. Kids can make a Discovery, check out the Green Scene or try Mini-Jon’s experiments! Each issue features a fun theme, engaging fiction, science experiments, crafts, comics, thought-provoking facts and fascinating articles. |
Chirp Preschool Activities | Crafts | Reading Skills | Animals | Humour This magazine, designed for the youngest readers, is packed with stories, comics and activities to inspire laughter and a love of learning. Youngsters join the curious chick, Chirp, on adventures as he encourages them to play, imagine and explore their world. Illustrations and stories by some of North America’s most talented authors and artists entertain and engage children while preparing them to read on their own. |
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