Looking forward to some of the books for young readers (and readers of all ages) that we're going to be falling in love with in the first half of 2021.
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Picture Books
Seeing Stars (April), by Denise Adams, is a quirky, fun book exploring the secret underwater life of starfish, in the style of The Secret Life of Squirrels. Told half in French and half in English, Pierre and Paul: Dragon (April), by Caroline Adderson and Alice Carter, the second book in the Pierre & Paul series, uses simple phrases and clues in the illustrations to make the story accessible to readers in both languages. The Covid-19 pandemic, which seems to be taking some time to go away, has meant big changes for one little girl’s family in When Mom’s Away, (April), by Layla Ahmad and Farida Zaman. Outside, You Notice (April), by Erin Alladin, illustrated by Andrea Blinick, is a lyrical celebration of the outdoors pairing childlike observation with facts about the natural world. Maya’s imagination sets the stage for her friends to act out her feminist play. Can she make room in her queendom for the will of the people? Maya's Big Scene (February), by Isabelle Arsenault, is a funny picture book about leadership and fair play for fans of King Baby and Olivia. And a young boy discovers strange prehistoric-like creatures in his town after a heavy snowfall in My Best Friend Is Extinct (March), by Rebecca Wood Barrett, illustrated by Cornelia Li.
Easter Morning, Easter Sun (March), a bouncing rhyme by Rosanna Battigelli, illustrated by Tara Anderson, tells the story of a cat family’s spirited celebration of Easter traditions. Rebecca Bender, award-winning creator of the Giraffe and Bird books, introduces Dotty the dancing dachshund to celebrate the gifts of those who struggle to “sit” and “stay” in Ballewiena (May). Discover the strange—and sometimes familiar—ways animals settle down for bed with Snooze-O-Rama (March), by Maria Birmingham and Kyle Reed. From Dene artist and bioethicist Lisa Boivin comes We Dream Medicine Dreams (May), a healing story of hope, dreams, and the special bond between grandfather and granddaughter. Riley Can’t Stop Crying (March), by Stéphanie Boulay, illustrated by Agathe Bray-Bourret, translated by Charles Simard, is a charming story about a child’s search for his true self under the compassionate eye of his older sister. And in Tough Like Mom (April), by Lana Button, illustrated by Carmen Mok, a mother and daughter learn that in order to support and truly take care of each other, they need to be tough—and that sometimes being tough means showing vulnerability and asking for help.
Award-winning storyteller Nicola I. Campbell shows what it means “to stand like a cedar” in Stand Like a Cedar (March), illustrated by Carrielynn Victor, a beautiful journey of discovery through the wilderness. In What the Kite Saw (May), by Anne Laurel Carter and Akin Duzakin, a young boy finds solace flying his kite from the rooftop after soldiers take his father and brother away. I Am a Peaceful Goldfish (April), by Shoshana Chaim, illustrated by Lori Smith, teaches even the youngest readers fun ways to be mindful and regain control over their bodies and actions. A vain blue budgie flies the coop only to find that there's no place like home in Andrea Curtis’s Barnaby (April), illustrated by Kass Reich. Curtis also releases City of Water (May), illustrated by Katy Dockrill, the second book in the ThinkCities series exploring water as a precious, finite resource, tracing its journey from source, through the city, and back again. Young readers will enjoy meeting children from around the globe and experiencing the phenomena of the sky as each child—in many languages—thanks Mother Earth for bringing the sun, wind, rain, snow, lightning and thunder to them in The Sun Is a Shine (April), by Leslie A. Davidson and Slavka Kolesar.
With help from his grandfather and the internet, a young boy travels back in time to discover how the fur trade began, a new people emerged, the Métis’ role in the fur trade, Louis Riel and the Red River Resistance, and the reason behind a holiday named Louis Riel Day in Louis Riel Day (February), by Deborah L. Delaronde and Sheldon Dawson. And a little girl uses imagination and inventiveness to spread friendship through her community in 48 Grasshopper Estates (April), by Sara de Waal and Erika Medina, but will she find a friend of her own?
The Land Puffin (May), by Lori Doody, is a good-humoured yarn with a subtle message about the importance of celebrating our differences. In 1, 2, 3, Off to School! (May), a playful take on school readiness by award-winning author-illustrator Marianne Dubuc, a child visits their friends' schools and discovers how many wonderful things kindergarteners do in a day! Bustling streets, lively squares and busy restaurants are baby’s playground when they are in the big city in City Baby (May), by Laurie Elmquist, with paper collage illustrations by Ashley Barron.
If one son is lucky, then ten must be great luck indeed! But where does that leave an only daughter? Based on a true family story, Ten Little Dumplings (January), by Larissa Fan, illustrated by Cindy Wume, tells the tale of a girl determined to be seen, who finds her own voice and makes her own luck. Brimming with whimsical illustrations of imaginary animals, Toucania (March), by Marianne Ferrer and Valerie Picard, translated by Charles Simard, a delightful tale of an independent young woman is sure to encourage your own little explorers to dream of their own big adventures. Award-winner Julie Flett offers a joyful romp through nature with an abundance of wild animals in We All Play (May). A young girl describes what it’s like when her mom’s new friend comes to stay in The Big Bad Wolf in My House (March), by Valérie Fontaine and Nathalie Dion, translated by Shelley Tanaka—a moving story about domestic violence that ends on a hopeful note. And in No More Plastic (May), a young girl takes action against ocean pollution in a timely story with unique plastic-waste diorama art by award-winner Alma Fullerton.
Through Nye, Sand, and Stones (April), by Bree Galbraith and Marion Arbona, a story about injustice and challenging the status quo, readers will be inspired to think deeply about why and how we can bring about change in the world. The Secret Fawn (February), by Kallie George, illustrated by Elly Mackay, beautifully captures the power of nature to inspire children and show how connecting with animals can help kids who feel left out or overlooked. Halley’s Comet, visible from Earth only once every 75 years, tells its own story in the unique informational picture book Journey Around the Sun (March), by James Gladstone and Yaara Eshet. Sarah Grindler follows up Seaside Treasures with Forest Magic (April), a compact, interactive nature guide to exploring the forest for young readers. Out Into the Big Wide Lake (May), by Paul Harbridge, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon, is an empowering and necessary picture book about a young girl with Down syndrome who gains confidence and independence through a visit to her grandparents. In ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words (May), by Robert Heidbreder and Dusan Petricic, an animated conductor and his orchestra of animals let the words move them in this engaging exploration of some beautiful and inspiring musical terms. And Nadia L. Hohn continues Malaika's story with Malaika's Surprise (March), written in a blend of standard English and Caribbean patois, with Irene Luxbacher’s colorful collage illustrations.
Written by award-winning aquanaut Jill Heinerth, with illustrations by Jaime Kim, The Aquanaut (January) encourages readers to explore their world, build their self-esteem and imagine what they can do and become when they grow up. A story about friendship, adventure, and never being afraid to be yourself, hybrid graphic novel Every Home Needs an Elephant (May), by Jane Heinrichs, is the perfect introduction to chapter books for all the young animal-lovers in your life. This Is a Dog Book (June), by Judith Henderson and Julien Chung, is a rib-tickling display of duplicity and diversion, in which a bunny tries to show he has what it takes to be included in this dog book. And Carmen and the House that Gaudí Built (March), by Susan Hughes and Marianne Ferrer, is a joyful celebration of the nature-inspired work of architect Antoni Gaudí.
Another book by Susan Hughes, Walking for Water (June), illustrated by Nicole Miles, is an inspiring story of individual activism with a boy who recognizes gender inequality when his sister must stop attending school—and decides to do something about it. The Frog Mother (May), Book 4 of the Mothers of Xsan series, by Brett D. Husan and Natasha Donovan, follows the life cycle of the Columbia Spotted Frog, exploring why this species is of special significance to the Gitxsan and how Nox Ga'naaw and her offspring are essential to the balance that is life. A mix of humor and fact keep the interest high in Wingmaker (June), by David Huyck and Dave Cameron, a creative take on the ever-popular subject of metamorphosis, in which a curious—and inventive—old caterpillar has an unusual technique for transforming into a moth.
With enticing collage art and sparkling rhymes, Sunny Days (May), by Deborah Kerbal, illustrated by Miki Sato, celebrates sunny weather and all the activities it makes possible. Kerbal also releases This House Is Home (March), illustrated by Ying Ling Kang, an empowering story about coming to terms with change through creative problem solving. Outside Art (January) is a gorgeous and gently humorous exploration of art, creativity and nature by up-and-coming author-illustrator Madeline Kloepper. The renowned Napoleon Bonaparte faces an army of a different sort in Anna Kwan’s Napoleon vs. the Bunnies, a witty, unconventional telling of a true event in his life. Thao (April) is a funny, eye-opening story about the challenges of growing up with an unfamiliar name and learning to be true to yourself, from the critically acclaimed Thao Lam. And an Anishinaabe child and her grandmother explore the natural wonders of each season in the lyrical, bilingual story-poem Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This Is How I Know (March), by Brittany Luby, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley.
Internationally acclaimed writer Kyo Maclear has partnered with printmaker Chris Turnham to create a colourful and lively celebration of rain with Hello Rain (April). An impulsive little boy experiences the power of unconditional love in The Sorry Life of Timothy Schmoe (April), by Stephanie Simpson McLellan and Zoe Si. A speedy squirrel and a sleepy sloth try to get the job done in Sloth and Squirrel in a Pickle (May), by Cathy Ballou Mealey, illustrated by Kelly Collier, a funny, heartwarming tale of two lovable, but unlikely, friends. An exuberant frog hunt, full of mud, muck, and wonder, leads to a playful exploration of mindfulness in Frogness (April), by Sarah Nelson and Eugenie Fernandes. And This Is Ruby (May), by Sara O'Leary, illustrated by Alea Marley, is a delightful picture book celebration of science and creativity, and a welcome companion to O’Leary’s This Is Sadie. O'Leary also releases Percy's Museum (April), illustrated by Carmen Mok, a story about embracing change, the excitement of discovery and the wonder of nature and new friends.
Dave Paddon and Lily Snowden-Fine team up in Kimmy and Mike (March), a hilarious tall tale about a brother and sister who set out to find some fish for their father's supper. Music inspires friendship and a life full of dreams and adventure in Sonata for Fish and Boy (May), a wordless picture book from Milan Pavlovic. Award-winning author Bill Richardson and acclaimed artist Bill Pechet join forces in Hare B&B (April), a funny tale about self-reliant young hares and a coyote who gets her comeuppance. Nadine Robert recalls the work of Beatrix Potter in On the Other Side of the Forest (March), illustrated by Gerard Dubois and translated by Paula Ayer, about the importance of community and cooperation to achieve a big dream. And a picture book celebrating Indigenous culture and traditions, On the Trapline (May), by David A. Robertson and Julie Flett, the Governor General Award-winning team behind When We Were Alone, honours connections to our past and our grandfathers and fathers.
Join two young children as they begin an adventure through a world of books in Come Read With Me (May), by Margriet Ruurs and Christine Wei, a story-within-a-bedtime-story. Wildflower (April), by Brianna Corr Scott, is a modern reimagining of Thumbelina with an environmental message from the author/illustrator of The Book of Selkie and She Dreams of Sable Island. Carol and the Pickle-Toad (May), a delightful picture book from Ooko creator Esmé Shapiro, is a quirky and funny fable about overcoming self-doubt and finding your inner voice. We Adopted a Baby Lamb (February), by Lori Joy Smith, is a unique twist on the pet story and for fans of cute baby animals. Etty Darwin and her famous father go for a walk to ponder life, science…and fairies in Etty Darwin and the Four Pebble Problem (May), by Lauren Soloy, inspired by the real-life daughter of Charles Darwin. And I Sang You Down from the Stars (April), is an Own Voices love letter from an Indigenous mother to her new baby, new from 2021 Caldecott winning illustrator Michaela Goade and celebrated author Tasha Spillett-Sumner.
Ashley Spires brings her signature deadpan humour to Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite (June), a story about one bug's quest for greatness (with some cool insect facts mixed in!). Pride Puppy (May), by Robin Stevenson and Julie McLaughlin, is an affirming and inclusive book offering a joyful glimpse of a Pride parade and the vibrant community that celebrates this day each year. Todd Stewart’s The Wind and the Trees (March) is a gentle meditation on the cycle of life, told by two trees. A dog delights in a summer day spent in the garden with his owner, an avid gardener, in The Dog's Gardener (April), by Patricia Storms, illustrated by Nathalie Dion. And nice guys finish first in Arnold the Super(ish) Hero (June), by Heather Tekavec and Guillaume Perreault, an endearing story about a humble kid in a family of superheroes who discovers his superpower may not be what everyone (even him!) is expecting.
Jan Thornhill’s latest is Is This Panama: A Migration Story (March), illustrated by Soyeon Kim, a STEM introduction to migration through one bird's quest to find its winter home. Poem in My Pocket (June), by Chris Dougas and Josée Bisaillon, is a charming picture book allegory of the creative writing process, happenstance and weather events symbolizing the emotional ebb and flow of writing a poem. A simple act of kindness welcomes two little girls, both refugees, to their new homes generations apart in The Doll (April), by Nhung N. Tran-Davies and Ruth Pavy. Anonymouse (February), by Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Anna Pirolli, mixes street art, animals and gorgeous illustrations to create a meditation on how art can uplift any creature's spirit when it speaks directly to them. And bestselling and award-winning collaborators Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd come together again to create a colourful West Coast Alphabet board book, A Is For Anemone (April).
A young boy is determined to show his passion for dance in Leopold’s Leotard (April), by Rhiannon Wallace and Risa Hugo. An afternoon in the playground introduces different kinds of walls: a brick wall to draw on with chalk, a water wall, and a climbing wall, and what follows is a playful yet profound exploration of the many ways walls can divide us or bring us together in Sometimes a Wall (October), by Dianne White and Barroux. Show Us Where You Live, Humpback (May), by Beryl Young, illustrated by Sakika Kikuchi, compares the parent-child relationship with the bond between a mother humpback whale and her calf. And no matter who you are or where you’re from, step in and discover all the rituals and wonders of the mosque in In My Mosque (March), by M. O. Yuksel, illustrated by Hatem Aly.
Middle Grade and Early Chapter Books
Eleven-year-old Peter Lee has one goal in life: to become a paleontologist, but in one summer, that all falls apart in Peter Lee's Notes from the Field (March), by Angela Ahn. Rowan faces her most dangerous monster-slaying challenge yet, confronting what could be the most infamous monster of all in The Serpent's Fury (June), the third book in a fantastical series by bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong. A ghost and a kid team up to solve mysteries and kick butt in Cale Atkinson's Super Detectives (April), a graphic novel series for fans of Bad Guys and Dog Man. In the final book of the Craig Battle’s Camp Average Series, Away Games (April), the summer is definitely not average, with Mack and Andrew spending the summer at a rival camp. And The Fabled Stables: Trouble with Tattle-Tails (May) is the second book in the chapter-book adventure series by Jonathan Auxier, Governor General Award-winning author of Sweep.
Michael Bedard’s The Egyptian Mirror (March) is a darkly fantastic middle-grade mystery with the ominous atmosphere loved by fans of Jonathan Auxier and Jonathan Stroud. Set in 1930 and based on true events, Laura Best’s The Family Way (April) explores family secrets, set at the Ideal Maternity Home. Dusty Dreams and Troubled Waters: A Story of HMCS Sackville and the Battle of the Atlantic (June), by Brian Bowman and Richard Rudnicki, illustrated by Susan Tooke, is a graphic novel exploring the Battle of the Atlantic from a young prairie boy's perspective. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Luke Swinson and an author’s note at the end, Aimée Craft affirms the importance of understanding an Indigenous perspective on treaties in Treaty Words (March), an evocative book for readers of all ages. When Alice agreed to appear in a reality cooking show with her father, she has no idea she’d find herself in the middle of a mystery in Alice Fleck's Recipe for Disaster (May), by Rachelle Delaney. And in Philippa Dowding's Firefly (February), Firefly leaves an unsafe home to live with her Aunt Gayle, who owns a costume shop. She might be suffering from PTSD, but she can get used to taking baths, sleeping on a bed again, and wearing as many costumes as she can to school. But where is “home” and what is “family”?
In Jacob and the Mandolin Adventure (March), by Anne Dublin, young Jacob’s life is hard in 1920s Poland, where he lives in an orphanage for Jewish children, but his days are brightened by playing in the mandolin orchestra, and the promise of a new life in Canada at a Farm School—and even the dream of playing a benefit concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. On the last day of elementary school, Anna finds a leather-bound book about handwriting analysis in Patti Edgar’s Anna Analyst (May)—and Anna could use help deciphering people: her best friend has started wearing mascara, and her parents threaten to give away her tortoises just because she's a little forgetful about taking care of the sick one.
Mad for Ads (May), by Erica Fyvie and Ian Turner, is an amusing and engaging behind-the-scenes look at advertising and will help kids decode the ads that surround them every day and make smart decisions. In Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business (June), by Bree Galbraith and Morgan Goble, the first entertaining instalment in a new early chapter book series, one unfortunate kale incident isn't enough to stop the unbeatable Wednesday Wilson from pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams—or is it? And even for an experienced traveler like Charlie, Cuba is a place unlike any he has visited before—an island full of surprises, secrets and puzzling contradictions—in Travels in Cuba (May), by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel. In Elvis, Me and the Lemonade Stand Summer (March), by Leslie Gentle, it’s the summer of 1978 and 11-year-old Truly Bateman knows Elvis is alive and well and living in the Eagle Shores Trailer Park—it's just that no one ever thought to look for him on an Indigenous reserve on Vancouver Island. And The Mighty Muskrats, four cousins from the Windy Lake First Nation, are back for another mystery in Michael Hutchinson’s latest, The Case of the Burgled Bundle (April).
Karleen Pendleton Jimenez’s The Street Belongs to Us (May) portrays two best friends who transform their torn-up street into a world where imaginations can run wild. The fourth book in Kathy Kacer’s Heroes Quartet series, Call Across the Sea (April), brings to life a little-known part of World War Two and highlights the unsung acts of heroism that moved history forward. In rewriting the narrative of William Epps Cormack’s journey from the perspective of his Mi’kmaq guide, My Indian (April), by Mi’sel Joe and Sheila O’Neill, reclaims Sylvester Joe’s identity. And How to Change Everything (February) is a long-awaited guide to climate action and justice for young readers by bestselling, award-winning, internationally acclaimed writer and climate activist Naomi Klein.
The Sun Will Come Out (April), by Joanne Levy, is a funny and heartwarming account of a shy girl’s first summer away from home, where she learns she really can do anything and that silver linings can be found just about anywhere. With his new-found friend Gus, Errol travels to Twillingate to help search for Gus’s father in Once Upon an Iceberg (May), by Sheilah Lukins and Laurel Keating. And a 12-year-old girl and her two best friends determine to rescue two orphaned beaver kits—and soon find themselves trying to solve a local environmental crisis in Rescue at Lake Wild (April), by Terry Lynn Johnson.
How to Become an Accidental Activist (April), by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky, profiles almost 100 activists from around the world, including change-makers like Greta Thunberg, Pete Seeger, and Lilly Singh to show how ordinary people have persevered throughout history to do extraordinary things to help themselves and others. Trip, the clumsy but streetwise raccoon, has managed to survive the zombie apocalypse with the help of animal friends and a few kind humans in Angela Misri's Trip of the Dead (February), but things are just beginning to get complicated. And when 8-year-old Kiara discovers that her recently deceased grandmother left her a genie trapped in a bottle of garam-masala, things get very complicated in Genie Meanie (February), by Mahtab Narsimhan.
Part biography and part blueprint for activists in the making, Growing Up Elizabeth May (May), by Sylvia Olsen and May’s daughter Cate May Burton, shows how May continues to inspire young people today to stand up for the planet. Cuckoo’s Flight (March) is a gripping Bronze Age story from Wendy Orr, acclaimed author of Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. A savvy cockroach shares wise tips and tricks to surviving an encounter with a charming predator who may (or may not) want to be your friend in How to Promenade With a Python (And Not Get Eaten) (February), by Rachel Poliquon and Kathryn Durst. And the latest from acclaimed writer Valerie Sherrard is Birdspell (March), about a boy whose mother struggles with mental illness and finds it harder and harder to hold their lives together.
Shark-obsessed Orly is signed up for sailing lessons, but she has other ideas about how she’s going to spend her time there: she's going to use her tablet to track Delta, a great white shark in Shark Bait (April), by Jeff Szpirglas and Danielle Saint-Onge. Beth's predictable life in her Mennonite family is disrupted by a cross-border cookie war in The Great Cookie War (April), by Caroline Stellings. And The Fabulous Zed Watson (January) is a vibrant and enormous-hearted story about friendship, identity and belonging featuring illustrations by celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Sylvester, and an Own Voices perspective based on Basil Sylvester’s experience.
YA
In Misfit in Love (May), a fun and fresh sequel to S.K. Ali's Saints and Misfits, Janna hopes her brother’s wedding will be the perfect start to her own summer of love, but attractive new arrivals have her more confused than ever. Men’s heels are a statement of pride in the face of LGTBQ+ discrimination, while ribbon shirts honor Indigenous ancestors and keep culture alive, and Christian Allaire takes the reader through boldly designed chapters to discuss additional topics like cosplay, make up, hijabs, and hair, probing the connections between fashion and history, culture, politics, and social justice in The Power of Style (April). Rising Like a Storm (June), by Tanaz Bhathena, is the exciting follow-up to the riveting Hunted by the Sky, set in a fantasy world inspired by Indian history and myth. And in Bruised (March), a vibrant coming-of-age story, a teen girl navigates first love, identity, and grief when she immerses herself in the colorful, brutal, beautiful world of roller derby—from Tanya Boteju, acclaimed author of Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens.
In Hurricane Summer (May), actress Asha Bromfield takes readers to the heart of Jamaica, and into the soul of a girl coming to terms with her family, and herself, set against the backdrop of a hurricane. Everyone has something to hide and no one is safe in Tell Me When You Feel Something (June), by Vicki Grant, a contemporary thriller that exposing the dark reality of #MeToo in the world of medicine, for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson. Alexandra Harrington’s debut novel is The Last Time I Saw Her (June), with friends and family pitted against each other after a tragic accident leaves behind shattered relationships and shocking secrets. Marie-Noëlle Hébert's My Body in Pieces (April), translated by Shelley Tanaka, is a graphic memoir of a young woman’s struggles with self-esteem and body image issues.
Set in 13th-century Korea, June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls (April) is a haunting historical mystery sure to keep readers guessing until the last page. And Cam must battle extreme weather conditions to find his brother, as his already fragile family is being torn apart by secrets in award-winner Sharon Jennings’ Tornado (January). Tav struggles to come to grips with who they are—and who they are becoming—in Adan Jerreat-Poole’s The Boi of Feather and Steel (May), the sequel to the queer witchy fantasy The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass. Jasmin Kaur’s If I Tell You the Truth (January) is a novel in verse speaking to #MeToo & the plight of the undocumented immigrant. And The Disability Experience (April), by Hannalora Leavitt and Belle Wuthrich, celebrates the triumphs and achievements of people with disabilities and shares the powerful stories of those who have fought for change.
Nate Silva is back battling monsters in The Medusa Deep (May), the long-awaited follow-up to David Neil Lee's award-winning young adult novel, The Midnight Games. From Governor General’s Literary Award-winning author Susin Nielsen comes Tremendous Things (May), a funny and heartfelt story about learning how to rise above your most embarrassing moment with humor, best friends and a killer triangle solo. Colleen Nelson’s latest is The Life and Deaths of Frankie D (April), about a girl who wonders if her recurring dreams of a hundred-year-old carnival sideshow are her way of working through her trauma—or is there a more sinister plan at work? Louisa Onomé’s debut is Like Home (February), an ode to Toronto youth about love, friendship, community & the individual effects of gentrification. And 17-year-old Michael goes to visit his eccentric mad-scientist uncle who, busy working on yet another time-travel experiment in his cluttered lab and things get interesting in true Arthur Slade fashion in Slade’s latest Mr. Universe (January).
From writer and musician Rae Spoon, Green Glass Ghosts (May) is a rollicking yet introspective young adult adventure about screwing up, finding yourself, and forging a new life on your own. Adapted from the acclaimed stop-motion animated film of the same name, Four Faces of the Moon (June), by Amanda Strong, brings the history of the Michif, Cree, Nakoda, and Anishinaabe Peoples alive on the page. Frankly in Love meets Shark Tank in Made in Korea (May), by Sarah Suk, a feel-good romantic comedy about two entrepreneurial Korean American teens who butt heads—and maybe fall in love—while running competing Korean beauty businesses at their high school. From Courtney Summers, the bestselling author of the 2019 Edgar Award Winner and breakout hit, Sadie, comes The Project (February), a sensational follow-up—another pulls-no-punches thriller about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister from a cult. And during a sweltering summer, Dills must come to terms with a horrific crime and the parent he loves who committed it in Nothing But Life (February), by Brent van Staalduinen.
In Road Allowance Era (May), the final instalment of Katherena Vermette's "A Girl Called Echo" series, Echo is reminded of the strength and resilience of her people, forged through the loss and pain of the past, as she faces a triumphant future. In Crest (May), the third book in "The Call of the Rift" series, Jae Waller invites readers into another dimension and introduces an alternate version of her captivating heroine in a world full of familiar and unknown faces, including many we thought long dead. And drones, bears, and outdoor adventure collide in Drone Chase (January), a high adrenaline teen adventure story by Pam Withers.