Book Lists

The Silver Birch Award® is meant for readers aged 8 to 12, (Grades 3-6). The Forest of Reading® is Canada's largest recreational reading program! This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers ten reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages.

The Silver Birch Express Award is comprised of fiction and non-fiction titles and is geared to reluctant readers and is typically suited for Grades 3 and 4. The Forest of Reading® is Canada's largest recreational reading program! This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers ten reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages.

The Blue Spruce Award™ program brings recently published Canadian children's picture books to children between the ages of 4 and 7 (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2). For many children, this is their first introduction to the world of books. This program promotes reading for enjoyment and begins to develop a child’s skill in evaluating a picture book based on story, text and pictures. The Forest of Reading® is Canada's largest recreational reading program! This initiative of the Ontario Library Association (OLA) offers ten reading programs to encourage a love of reading in people of all ages.

Essay collections and other creative nonfiction about parents

Some students can be reluctant to bundle up and head outside in the cold and snow. These books showcase the winter season and all the fun that can be had in the great outdoors.

The 2019 theme for the UN’s Human Rights Day is Youth Standing Up for Human Rights. These books help your students explore this important theme: the leadership role of youth in collective movements as a source of inspiration for a better future.

A collection of picture books featuring diverse characters and storytellers. #WeNeedDiverseBooks #OwnVoices

Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a moment of silence to honour and remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. We remember the more than 2,300,000 Canadians who have served throughout our nation’s history and the more than 118,000 who made the ultimate sacrifice. Here is a selection of K–12 books to help celebrate, honour, and learn about history and Remembrance Day with your classroom or library.

K–12 books to help students understand Canadian politics and how government works.

Before there were narwhals, there were unicorns, those mythical creatures who've been capturing hearts since time immemorial. And they're still all the rage—check out the latest in unicorn-lit for proof!