The Dog Heist by Dani Jansen Dani Jansen’s first book – The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life – made me laugh out loud. I promised myself to read her next book, which is The Dog Heist. The Dog Heist is about more than stealing Lyra the dog: it is the intricate story of two tweens,…
True Crime: A Memoir by Patricia Daniels Cornwell Who knew that the first book I’d pick up by Patricia Cornwell wouldn’t be one of the installments in her famous Scarpetta series, but her deeply personal memoir, True Crime? Cornwell begins her story one winter morning when she wakes up to find her mother burning all…
If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Choyeop Kim A brilliant collection showcasing the outskirts of futures – those who are left behind by technologies, or isolated by advancements and achievements. This whole collection is very quietly sad, centering stories of women isolated in thought, in space, in their one-of-a-kind experiences. Woman at…
The Third Period Comeback by E. K. Johnston In an almost dystopian – indeed, apocalyptic – current events news cycle – even for children – this book is an oasis, a balm. It is a funny, quirky-character driven book with Canadian in-jokes, wonderful inclusiveness, Canadian settings and activities – cottages/cabins, hockey, camping, etc. And, it also has…
The Truth About Maura by Isabelle Jameson Maura makes a careful plan – how, when, where to get it done so that no one will find out. Her plan works perfectly, except that there’s a class mate at the abortion clinic, and they see each other. Social media explodes. Maura’s mother is embarrassed; her best friend is…
Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li There are few writers I know who have mastery and full control over words as Yiyun Li. This qualification, I believe is necessary when you write two books upon the loss of two sons to suicide. The first book Where Reasons End is written for Vincent. The second, Things…
Finding My Spark by Isabelle Jameson Alex, the protagonist of this picture book, knows he is a boy. He can’t bring himself to say – out loud – the words in his head. His feelings begin his story – worried, afraid, unhappy. The illustrations convey these very well. Eventually, Alex writes a letter to his mom. She…
The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, an Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water by Chris Ballard A look at cold water swimming, from solo and community quick dippers to events organized by the nascent International Ice Swimming Association, held around the world. As with “Born to Run,” this is very much a character study of…
Young World by Soman Chainani As a teenager, I can remember imagining who I’d thank if I won an Academy Award. To be clear, I had no ambition then or ever, to be an actor. Still, one daydreams… Imagine a teenager daydreaming about being in charge… say President of the United States. Then imagine the light…
In Trees: An Exploration by Robert Moor A wonderfully broad and digressive look at trees in biology, history and culture. This nature writing at its finest, comparable to Charles Bowden, and Barry Lopez, that combines philosophy, biology and reportage, in original ways. Note that while American by birth, Moor lives in Halfmoon Bay, BC and hopes to…
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe A melange of true crime, history, political science and the portrait of a family, London Falling is another masterclass in narrative non-fiction from the author of Say Nothing. A young man leaves the balcony of a luxury apartment…
Our Little Secret by Edward Kay & Mikhael Klassen-Kay This book grabs the reader by the throat. It opens with a textbook case example of “in medias res”. Truly, the opening sentences are among the best I’ve ever read, for any age level, ever. Our Little Secret reveals said secret in the final words of the book…