Plague Thieves

The dying wish of Rose’s father is that she and her brother survive the plague rampaging through London in 1665. Armed with the last creation their father made in his apothecary, Rose and Lem hope to protect themselves against the sickness, but as word about the special oil blend spreads, they must also protect themselves against thieves.

Picture a Girl

In this middle-grade novel, Addie has to draw on all her resilience to look after herself and her little brother, Billy, when their mother, who struggles with depression and alcoholism, leaves unexpectedly.

Blue to the Sky

Multiple food allergies destroy 12-year-old Ella’s confidence, especially when it comes to public speaking. She plans to conquer her fear by participating in a CN Tower climb and reading her poetry when she gets to the top.

Two Pieces of Chocolate

Illustrated By: Gabrielle Grimard

In 1945, Francine and her maman are sent to the Bergen-Belsen Nazi prison camp. Life is gray and hopeless, but Maman has two secret pieces of chocolate that give them both hope. When Francine meets Hélène, a fellow prisoner who must hide her pregnancy, Francine realizes she may be able to help.

Bird Brain

Even though Arden always wanted a pet, taking care of her uncle's parrot, Ludwig, was NOT what she had in mind. But as Arden gets to know Ludwig, she realizes he is not only incredibly smart but loyal—and the best pet she could have asked for.

Call Me Al

In this middle-grade novel, eighth-grade student Ali Khan finds that writing poetry—first about his crush, then about what it means to be an immigrant and the anti-Muslim racism around him—helps him discover who he truly is.

The Case of the Pilfered Pin

Windy Lake First Nation has long been shared with cottagers, but now everyone’s arguing over who really owns the land. When the Mighty Muskrats learn that a stolen surveyor’s pin could solve the conflict, the four cousins make it their mission to find it and prove that the land belongs to their people!

The Club

Star trumpet player Jaxson gets a duet partner, Liv, who has more in common with Jax than his best friend, his first girlfriend, or even his mom. Both the only child of single mothers, Jaxson and Liv soon learn they share something that makes them rethink the meaning of “family.”

Obaasan's Boots

Lou and Charlotte don’t know much about their grandmother’s life. Their Obaasan invites them to spend time with her, sharing her experience as a Japanese Canadian during WWII and a painful story of their family's internment. The girls begin to understand how their identities have been shaped by racism, and that history is not only about the past.

Book of Screams

Illustrated By: Steven P. Hughes

A delightfully creepy collection of tales about everything from a Jekyll/Hyde homeroom teacher to a boiler-room ghoul to a kid's wobbly "baby eye," woven between excerpts from a central story about a girl whose favorite horror author is stealing children's nightmares for his books.

Shamus the Urban Rez Dog, P.I.

Jewellery is missing from the store where Mom works and she’s the main suspect. With Shamus’s help, the kids set out to catch the real thief, with surprising and hilarious results, including a false closet wall, a lucky bowling ball, and a vicious poodle named Hepzibah.

The Hippie Pirates

Illustrated By: Caroline Clarke

Kent, Ryan, and Amy love to hear their eccentric grandparents' stories of travel and adventure. At last, they will join them on a trip—but their grandparents' worthy "ship" the SS Fiona is more than meets the eye, and soon the three children are caught up in the dramatic history of Birchtown and Shelbourne, Nova Scotia.

The Rock Box

Illustrated By: Sally McKay

When her parents give her a special rock collection, Petra is thrilled. She loves rocks, and she pours over every sample in the box. But is one of those rocks winking at her? Soon Petra has connected with the rock box in a way she'd never have imagined possible.

Up for Grabs

Thirteen-year-old Frida discovers a mysterious painting hidden in a desk in the house she and her brother inherited from their late grandmother. She tries to find out who the woman in the painting is and why she was hidden away for so many years.

Mission to Mars

In this novel for middle readers, after tragedy strikes, fourteen-year-old Houston and two other teen astronauts must complete a mission to Mars on their own.

Boldly Go

In this novel for middle readers, fourteen-year-old Houston is on his way to the International Space Station as part of a NASA study.

Oculum Echo

As Echo1 wakes from an 83-year sleep to search for life in the wasteland, the children of Oculum flee the Unruly and their stolen weapons, desperately trying to reach the safety of MedFell Hall.

Weird Rules to Follow

In this novel for middle readers told in vignettes, Mia and her best friend, Lara, have very different experiences growing up in a northern fishing community in the 1980s.

Hidden on the High Wire

From celebrated author Kathy Kacer comes the story of Irene, a young Jewish girl raised at the circus in Nazi Germany, who must perform the balancing act of her life to keep herself and her mother alive.