Book Reviews: Canadians Reads (list) by Leanne Dyck

Compiling this list wasn't difficult because I have many favourite books by Canadian authors; the real challenge was selecting my best book reviews. To make the cut, each review had a history of earning over 1,000 page views and went through a careful re-read.  Please click the links to read my reviews.

photo by ldyck

Fiction

Crow Winter by Karen McBride, published by HarperCollins Canada (fiction)

We Spread by Ian Reid, published by Simon & Schuster Canada (fiction)

The List of Last Chances by Christina Myers, published by Caitlin Press (fiction)

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood, published by Penguin Random House (fiction)

Historical Fiction

In the Belly of the Sphinx by Grant Buday, published by Touchwood Editions (historical fiction)

The Birth House by Ami McKay, published by Harper Perennial (historical fiction)

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan, published by HarperCollins Canada (historical fiction)

The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe, published by Vagrant Press (historical fiction)

Madame Zee by Pearl Luke, published by HarperCollins Canada (historical fiction)

Short Story Collections and a novel in stories

How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa, published by McClelland & Stewart (short story collection)

Something for Everyone by Lisa Moore, published by House of Anansi (short story collection)

Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood, published by McClelland & Stewart (short story collection)

That Time I Loved You by Carrianne Leung, published by Penguin Random House Canada (a novel in stories)

Children's and YA

The Barren Grounds by David A Robertson, published by Puffin Canada (children's)

Stones by William Bell, published by Seal Books, an imprint of Random House Canada (YA)

The Parkour Club by Pam Withers and Arooj Hayat, self-published (YA)

Non-fiction

All the Little Monsters by David A. Robertson, published by HarperCollins Canada (self-help)

From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle, published by Simon & Schuster Canada (memoir)

And...

Canadian Book Reviewers...

Picture Book, eh!

CanLit for Little Canadians

YA Dude Books

Canadian Bookworm

The British Columbia Review

The Ottawa Review of Books

Montreal Review of Books

I've Read This

49th Shelf

CanReads

The Nelligan Reviews

Please help me add to this list of Canadian Book Review sites.

photo by ldyck

My fingers

on my keyboard

My head 

in the clouds

I relish

my days

photo by ldyck

The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog

Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa with Coast Salish Contributors

Published by Harbour Publishing

2025

Book blur: This book tells Mutton's story and explores what it can teach us about Coast Salish Woolly Dogs and their cultural significance.

I love it when authors visit Mayne Island, my remote home. I just returned from Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa's engaging and informative author talk.

photo by ldyck

On this blog, starting in July...

Book Review: Two Tricksters Find Friendship by Johnny Aitken and Jess Willows (children's book)

photo by ldyck

Two Tricksters Find Friendship is a year in the life of a new mutually supportive friendship between Jessie, a white girl, and Johnny, an Indigenous boy.

Two Tricksters Find Friendship

Johnny Aitken and Jess Willows

Orca Book Publishers

Recommended for ages 6 to 8

first book of a series

2025

Jessie is new to the island. Her family moved there after her father became the new fire chief. Johnny lives on the reserve, and Jessie meets him in the summer when she is beachcombing. They bond over their love of nature and mutual interest in the Indigenous culture. When Jessie finds a feather, Johnny identifies it as a raven feather. Inspired by their mutual apprehension about returning to school after the summer break, Johnny invites Jessie to participate in a smudging ceremony, an Indigenous healing ritual. The friends are guided through their year of discovery by Jessie's aunt Chris and elders Grannie Annie and Steven.

In June, during the National Indigenous Peoples Day ceremony, Steven gives a short speech...

"'Johnny and Jessie clearly demonstrated support, caring, friendship and the importance of listening to each other. I've witnessed these two friends work through challenging times with love and respect.'" (p. 84-85) 

He's clearly proud of the friendship Johnny and Jessie have begun to build.

Two Tricksters Find Friendship is a cleverly written book. Authors Johnny Aitken and Jess Willows employ various techniques to bring the reader into the story, such as engaging the reader's sense of sound, sight, smell, and taste. Choosing to have the main characters walk into the story is an inviting way to begin the story. Additionally, Aitken and Willows have left threads throughout this story that they can use to recast and knit another installment to this series.

Illustrator Alyssa Koshi has significantly enhanced reader engagement. I loved searching for Raven on the pages of this book. Mayne Islanders will appreciate seeing Johnny and Jessie in front of "our" welcoming figure.

Huy ch q'u, Johnny, Jess and Alyssa for this finely crafted book.

 

photo by ldyck

 On this blog in June...

Sunday, June 29

Book Reviews: Canadian Reads (list)

a list of my book reviews of my favourite books written by Canadian authors

photo by ldyck

My fingers

on my keyboard

My head 

in the clouds

I relish

my days