32 Canadian books for children to check out in spring 2024

Here are some of the picture books, chapter books and middle-grade novels we are excited to read this spring!

Super Friends! by Cale Atkinson

In the fourth instalment of the Simon and Chester early chapter book series, Super Friends!, the wonder duo is back!Chester is an adventurous boy who lives with his grandma, Mr. Pickles the cat and Simon the ghost. When Chester invites his new human friend, Amie, over to work on a science project Chester's friendship with Simon isput to the test. Will Chester be able to explain the mysterious bumps and boos of his home to Amie?

Super Friends! is for ages 6 to 9 and is out now.

Cale Atkinson is a Kelowna, B.C.-based illustrator, writer and animator. His work has appeared in numerous children's books, animated shorts, games and on television. Atkinson was areader for CBC Books'2023 The First Page student writing challenge.

Still My Tessa by Sylv Chiang, illustrated by Mathias Ball

Still My Tessa is a book about practicing with pronouns and accepting people for who they are. Evelyn is worried about Tessa they don't want to play the same games they used to play together anymore. Determined to find new ways to connect with her older sibling, she learns to see Tessa as a non-binary person by practicing using new pronouns for them.

Still My Tessawon the 2024 edition of CBC Kids Reads. It was championed byGary the Unicorn duringthe second edition of 'Canada Reads for kids.'

Still My Tessa is for ages 3 to 8 and is out now.

• Still My Tessa by Sylv Chiang & Mathias Ball wins CBC Kids Reads 2024

Sylv Chiang is a teacher and a children's book author. She also wrote the middle-grade series, Cross Ups, which includes the books Rising Star, Anyone's Game and Tournament Trouble. Still My Tessa is Chiang's first picture book. She grew up in Toronto and now lives in Pickering, Ont.

Mathias Ball is a trans-identified illustrator from Goderich, Ont. Other picture books they've illustrated include Every Body Is a Rainbow by Caroline Carter and What If Bedtime Didn't Exist? by Francine Cunningham.

The War of the Witches by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Cherise Harris

In the fifth and final book in the middle-grade series, Dragons in a Bag, Jax is finding a balance between regular life in Brooklyn and the magical world of Palmara where dragons roam. When an ancient monster called the Scourge wishes to make all magic vanish, a war begins to brew. In The War of the Witches Jax must fight alongside his mystic friends to save both worlds.

The War of the Witchesis for ages 8 to 12 and is out now.

• Zetta Elliott writes stories that centre Black characters and confront systemic racism

Zetta Elliott is a writer, teacher and poet born in Ajax, Ont., and now based in the U.S. She is the author of the children's fantasy series Dragons in a Bag and the longform poem A Place Inside of Me.

Cherise Harris is an illustrator and artist from Barbados. She has also illustratedCarla and the Christmas Cornbread and Jerry Changed the Game!.

Night of the Living Zed by Basil Sylvesterand Kevin Sylvester

Night of the Living Zed is the middle-grade sequel to The Fabulous Zed Watson!. The smart and sleuthing best friend duo, Zed and Gabe are back and on the hunt to crack another cryptic case. The Glydebourne Manor was once home to a great opera designer and is hosting a ghoulish challenge solve the puzzles in each room before midnight over three days. Can Zed and Gabe conquer their fears and win the prize money for their friends' wedding?

Night of the Living Zed is for ages 8 to 12 and is out now.

• Basil Sylvester is judging the First Page student writing challenge and wants you to get creative!

Basil Sylvester is a non-binary writer based in Toronto. Their father, Kevin Sylvester, is a broadcaster and the award-winning illustrator and writer of middle-grade books such as the Neil Flamb Capers series and the MiNRS space adventure series.

The Racc Pack by Stephanie Cooke, illustrated by Whitney Gardner

Dusty, ReRe and Scrap, also known as the Bin family, are the best dumpster diving raccoons in the city. When they come across a fancy grocery store throwing away good food each day, they plan a grand heist to claim enough trash to last them through the winter. Up against the rodent-averse Jeff Beans and advanced grocery technology, The Racc Pack is a hilarious middle-grade graphic novel about family and treating trash as treasure.

The Racc Pack is for ages 7 to 10 and is out now.

Stephanie Cooke is a Toronto-based graphic novel writer. Her other books include Oh My Gods!, ParaNorthern and the My Little Pony: Camp Bighoof series.

Whitney Gardner is an illustrator based in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of YA novels You're Welcome, Universe and Chaotic Good. Gardner's other graphic novels include Long Distance and illustrations for Debbie Levy's Becoming RBG.

A Garden Called Home by Jessica J. Lee and Elaine Chen

In A Garden Called Home, a young girl travels alongside her mother to visit family in the country she emigrated from. When they arrive, she notices her mother is happy exploring the beautiful landscape she grew up in. She learns about the i ho, or mugwort, that is used to make dumplings, the mountains and all the plants and animals that inhabit them.

After their visit ends, the young girl is determined to show her mother that there is wonder to be found in the nature of their home too.

A Garden Called Home is for ages 3 to 7 and is out now.

• Canada Reads author Jessica J. Lee to publish first picture book, A Garden Called Home

Jessica J. Lee is a British Canadian Taiwanese writer and environmental historian. She is best known for her memoir, Turning and her genre-defying book Two Trees Make a Forest, which won the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction in 2020and waschampioned by singer-songwriter Scott Helman onCanada Readsin 2021.

Elaine Chen is a Chinese Canadian illustrator currently based in Vancouver.

Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua, illustrated by Natalya Tariq

When Khadija goes to a science fair she sees many scientists walking around in lab coats and safety goggles, but none wearing hijab like she does. Inspired by a fun and messy experiment she witnessed, Khadija wants to try it for herself at home. Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment centres a young Muslim girl exploring her love for science as her family celebrate Eid.

Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment is for ages 6 to 8 and is out now.

Farah Qaiser is a genomics researcher with a passion for making science accessible. Hajer Nakua is a neuroscience researcher at the University of Toronto. Qaiser and Nakua are both based in Mississauga. Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment is their first children's book.

NatalyaTariq is an illustrator who has previously worked in translation. She is currently living in Ottawa.

This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake by Nicholas Ruddock, illustrated by Ashley Barron

This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake is a picture book that explores various encounters with animals through 15 poems and illustrations. The book encourages its readers to respond with tenderness when coming across those animals.

This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake is for ages 3 and up.

• Books by past CBC Nonfiction Prize finalists being published in 2024

Nicholas Ruddock is a physician and writer who has worked in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Yukon and Ontario. Hisnovels, short stories and poetry has been published in Canada, U.K., Ireland and Germany. He is married to the artist Cheryl Ruddock, with four children. He is the author of the 2021 novel Last Hummingbird of West Chile and previously made the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Storm as well as the 2016 CBC Nonfiction Prize longlist for The Hummingbirds. Most recently, Ruddock was shortlisted for the 2023 CBC Short Story Prize for his story Marriage.

Ashley Barron is a multimedia artist and children's book illustrator for over twelve picture books including Chaiwala!by Priti Maheshwariand Pretty Trickyby Etta Kaner. She currently lives in Toronto.

Swimming Into Troubleby Angela Ahn and illustrated by Julie Kim

Julia Nam is the youngest Vipers Swim Team member at the Mountainview Community Centre and is almost always in the pool. As Julia trains for Personal Best Day, a swimming qualifier to determine if each swimmer is quick enough to enter regionals, she's hit with a major setback: an ear infection that sidelines her from the pool for 10days. In the first early chapter book in the series Julia on the Go!,Swimming Into Trouble,Julia lands herself in choppy waters as she goes against her parents and her earache to get back to the sport she loves most.

Swimming Into Trouble is for ages 7 to 10 and is out now.

Angela Ahn is a writer and former teacher and librarian who lives in Vancouver. Her books include Krist Kim-Bap and Peter Lee's Notes from the Field, which was on the shortlist for the 2021 Governor General's Literary award for young people's literature text.

Julie Kim is an American illustrator and writer. She has illustrated for other children's books, like My Special Space and Mysterious Spinners.

Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs by Paulette Bourgeois and Alex G. Griffiths

As the great niece of the infamous Mother Goose, Professor Goose is set on fact-checking all of the classic fairy tales. In the second STEM-focused tale, Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs, she reveals the flaws in the story of the three little pigs and shares how to build a strong house (even though it's not scientifically possible for a wolf to blow a house down anyways).

Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs is for ages 3 to 7 and is out now.

Paulette Bourgeois is best known for creating Franklin the Turtle, the character who appears in the bestselling picture books illustrated by Brenda Clark. She is also the author of other children's books for children including Oma's Quilt, and more than two dozen nonfiction science books. The Winnipeg-born, Toronto-based author is a member of the Order of Canada.

Alex Griffiths is a children's book illustrator originally from London, U.K., now living in Canada.

I Do Not Eat Children by Marcus Cutler

In I Do Not Eat Children a looming orange monstrosity appears in a busy playground. With each page of this picture book, the creature insists he loves kids as slowly but surely there are fewer on the playground than the page before. Where did they go and what is this funny monster really up to?

I Do Not Eat Children is for ages 4 to 8 and is out now.

Marcus Cutler is a Windsor-based children's writer and illustrator. Some of his other works include The Three Canadian Pigs by Jocelyn Watkinson, Dear Polar Bears by Gabrielle S. Prendergast and Pirate Bill by Katie Woolley.

All That Grows by Jack Wong

All That Grows follows a young boy and his older sister as they take notice of all the plants they come across on their walks in the neighbourhood. His sister shares all the fun facts she knows about plants, from what could be edible, to why some might smell and how to care for them. As he learns more he is amazed at all that there is out there to learn and lets his love for learning flourish alongside nature.

All That Grows is for ages 3 to 6 and is out now.

• Halifax-based author Jack Wong publishes a new children's book

Jack Wong is a Halifax-based author and illustrator who was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Vancouver. His debut picture book is When You Can Swim. CBC Books named Jack Wong a Writer toWatch in 2023.

The Only Lonely Fairy by Lana Button, illustrated by Peggy Collins

Leah's only wish is to find a friend to play fairies with her, but when none of her classmates say yes she is left all alone. In the picture book, The Only Lonely Fairy, Leah is in turmoil as she realizes she is the only one reading fairy tales and becomes overwhelmed with sadness when suddenly she catches the faint voice of someone, or something, who might want to be her friend after all.

The Only Lonely Fairy is for ages 3 to 6 and is out now.

Lana Button is a children's writer and educator based in Burlington, Ont. Her other books include Willow Finds a Way which was shortlisted for the Blue Spruce Award and Percy's Perfect Friend.

Peggy Collins is a children's author and illustrator of over 35 books including Hungry for Math and In the Garden. She is currently living in Newburgh, Ont.

Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

In Butterfly on the Wind, Aurora is nervous about using sign language at the talent show and cannot seem to steady her hands until she spots a butterfly. Magically, as she signs the word "butterfly", Aurora creates one of her own who then travels across the globe and is joined by a flock of butterflies made by the international Deaf community.

Butterfly on the Wind is for ages 3 to 6 and is out now.

Adam Pottle is a Deaf writer, teacher and advocate based in Saskatoon. His other books include the novel Mantis Dream and the poetry collection Beautiful Mutants.

Ziyue Chen is a Deaf illustrator born and living in Singapore. She has also illustrated the children's books How Women Won the Vote and Mela and the Elephant.

Call Me Al by Wali Shah and Eric Walters

Call Me Al follows the adolescence of Ali, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant and teenager who just wants to please his parents and maybe get noticed by his crush Melissa. Ali struggles to feel comfortable in his community as his classmates make fun of food or his skin colour. When his mom and young brother are assaulted, Ali is altered forever and must learn to find his voice through trusted loved ones and his love for poetry.

Call Me Al is for ages 9 to 12 and is out now.

Wali Shah is a Pakistani Canadian poet and public speaker. He was previously the poet laureate for the city of Mississauga. Call Me Al is his first book.

Eric Walters is one of Canada's most prolific writers for young people. He's penned over 100 books, including Bear in the Family, The Power of Three and Run. His 2006 novel We All Fall Down came in at #88 on the list of the bestselling 150 Canadian books of the past 10 years. Walters won the 2020 Governor General's Literary Prize for young people's literature text for The King of Jam Sandwiches.

Circle of Love by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt

In Circle of Love, young Molly spends the day at the intertribal community centre where they're preparing for a feast. She introduces readers to the people she knows and loves, including her grandmother and her grandmother's wife, her uncles and their baby, her cousins and her cherished friends. Throughout, Molly explains how at the centre, everyone is welcome and "love is love."

Circle of Love is for ages 4 to 8 and is out now.

• Monique Gray Smith explores the power of love and community in picture book Circle of Love

Monique Gray Smith's many other books include the novels Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience and Tilly and the Crazy Eights, the picture books When We Are Kind and My Heart Fills with Happiness.

Neidhardt is Din (Navajo) of Kiiyaa'anii clan and works in a variety of media, including book illustration, mylar stenciling, installation and mural painting and design.

So Loud! by Sahar Golshan, illustrated by Shiva Delsooz

In this charming picture book about owning your voice, Rudbeh, or Rudy, is known for being lively and joyful which makes many of the adults around her often say she's being too loud. Mmn Bozorg, comes to visit from Iran and Rudy decides to try to be quieter for her grandmother but realizes she might be so loud too. So Loud! is Rudy's journey of embracing the noise and knowing when to take up space.

So Loud! Is for ages 4 to 7 and is out now.

Sahar Golshan is a writer and filmmaker living in Mississauga, Ont. She previously received the 2019 Air Canada Short Film Award for her documentary Kar.

Shiva Delsooz is an Ontario-based Iranian-Canadian illustrator.

Oma's Bag by Michelle Wang, illustrated by Sam Nunez

Oma's Bag is a bittersweet picture book about a family navigating the reality of a grandparent living with Alzheimer's. All five of the Lim children are excited when Oma and Opa come to visit them, but something feels different to their past visits. As Oma begins repeating questions and items from around the house go missing, they all realize she's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. As Opa and the Lim family are filled with sadness, they find joy in the day to day reminders that Oma is still herself.

Oma's Bag is for ages 3 to 8 and is out now.

Michelle Wang is a writer and elementary school teacher currently based in Toronto.

Sam Nunez is an artist based in Peterborough, Ont. Oma's Bag is his first book.

Club Microbe by Elise Gravel

Club Microbe is an introductory book for young kids into the realm of microorganisms. Through colourful illustrations and science, Elise Gravel shares how and why certain microbes help our bodies and our planet function.

Club Microbe is for ages 4 and up and is out now.

• Elise Gravel is committed to creating books that help children change the world

Elise Gravel is a Quebec author and illustrator who has written and illustrated over 50 books for children. Her books include The Bat, The Worst Book Ever, The Mushroom Fan Club, I Want a Monster! and What Is a Refugee. Gravel won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People in 2022 for her body of work. She lives in Montreal.

The Walk of the Field Mouse by Nadine Robert, illustrated by Valerio Vidali

Met with a classic Sisyphean problem, The Walk of the Field Mouse follows a field mouse who finds a blue robin's egg fallen far away from its nest at the top of a hill. When the surrounding animals laugh at the field mouse for daring to roll the egg back up to its home, it becomes determined to prove them wrong.

The Walk of the Field Mouse is for ages 4 to 8 and is out now.

Nadine Robert is a children's book writer and illustrator currently based in Montreal. Her other books include On the Other Side of the Forest and Bruno, the Standing Cat.

Valerio Vidali is an Italian artist and illustrator. He currently lives in Berlin.

I Am A Rock by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut

At bedtime, Pauloosie asks his Anaana, or mother, what rocks would say to us if they could. In I Am A Rock, Pauloosie's pet rock, Miki Rock describes all that it can see, feel and hear as part of the land in the Arctic from the winds to the animals, the Northern lights and more.

I Am A Rock is for ages 3 to 5 and is out now.

Ashley Qilavaq-Savard is an Inuk writer and artist from Iqaluit. She is the author of Where the Sea Kuniks the Land and I Am A Rock is her first picture book. Qilavaq-Savard also makes sealskin and beaded jewellery and studies Inuktitut.

Pelin Turgut is a children's book illustrator from Turkey.

The Kodiaksby David A. Robertson

The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage follows 11-year-old Alex Robinson who moves from a close-knit community to a bigger city after his dad gets a new job. Alex is struggling to fit in at his new school when he realizes that his teachers and peers don't know a lot about Indigenous culture and traditions. When he joins the local hockey team, the Kodiaks, Alex is hopeful but still forced to deal with ignorant players, as he balances his Indigenous identity and his new reality.

The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage is for ages 9 to 12 and is out now.

David A. Robertson is a writer and graphic novelist based in Winnipeg. Previous books in Roberson's Misewa Saga series include The Barren Grounds, The Great Bear and The Stone Child. Other books by Robertson include the graphic novels Will I See? and Sugar Falls, YA book Strangers, the memoir Black Water and the Governor General's Literary Award-winning picture books called When We Were Alone and On the Trapline, both illustrated by Cree-Mtis artist Julie Flett.

Rumie Goes Rafting by Meghan Marentette

Told through photographs of handmade critters against a real woodland backdrop, Rumie Goes Rafting is a picture book about an adventurous creature, Rumie, who is curious about where the nearby stream leads. With their Uncle Hawthorne's help, they build a raft for their journey and set out together, encountering many hiccups and wonders along the way.

Rumie Goes Rafting is for ages 3 to 7.

When you can read it: April 15, 2024

Meghan Marentette is an artist and writer who lives near the woods in Nova Scotia. Rumie Goes Rafting is her first picture book.

A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich by Mark David Smith, illustrated by Kari Rust

In the third chapter book of The Weird Sisters series, A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich, Hildegurp, Glubbifer and Yuckmina are in charge of a Flying Broom ride at the yearly fall fair. When a prized show chicken disappears from the fair, the sisters must solve another mystery, learning more about their magic and the power of apologizing.

A Coop, Some Goop, and a Sandwich is for ages 6 to 9.

When you can read it: April 15, 2024

Mark David Smith is a writer and high school teacher in B.C. He is most known for the Weird Sisters Detective Agency series and The Deepest Dig.

Kari Rust is the author and illustrator of Tricky and The House at the End of the Road. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art and Design, shelives in Vancouver.

Let's Go! by Julie Flett

In Let's Go! a mother surprises her son with an old skateboard so he can be like the other kids who always skate by. After practicing anywhere and anytime he can, he still feels nervous about joining other kids at the skatepark. Told through a mix of English and Cree words, this picture book is about building confidence through the support of one's family.

Let's Go!is for ages 3 to 8.

When you can read it: May 7, 2024

• Julie Flett is reclaiming Indigenous themes of community and language through her children's books

Julie Flett is a CreeMtis author and illustrator. She has won two Governor General's Awards, the American Indian Library Association Award and the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. Her other books include We All Play and When We Were Alone.

Oddbird's Chosen Family by Derek Desierto

Oddbird's Chosen Family is a colourful picture book about Oddbird, who has always been by himself. As he longs for a family, his friends organize a fun-filled surprise for him and Oddbird takes note of those already in his life that make him happy.

Oddbird's Chosen Family is for ages 2 to 5.

When you can read it: May 28, 2024

Derek Desierto is a children's book illustrator based in Vancouver. He is also the illustrator of Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes.

The Green Baby Swing by Thomas King, illustrated by Yong Ling Kang

In the picture book The Green Baby Swing, Xavier, his mom and his kitten named Comet are tasked with cleaning up Nana's attic after she passes away. Although uneasy at first, Xavier ends up finding old treasures like a rocking horse, scrapbooks and a piece of fabric that brings back memories for his mother. Together, Xavier and his mom learnabout the power of intergenerational love.

The Green Baby Swing is for ages 3 to 7.

When you can read it: May 28, 2024

Thomas King is a Canadian-American writer of Cherokee and Greek ancestry. His books include Truth & Bright Water; Green Grass, Running Water, which was on Canada Reads in 2004; The Inconvenient Indian, which was on Canada Reads in 2015; and The Back of the Turtle, which won the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction in 2014. He also writes the DreadfulWater mystery series.

Yong Ling Kang is a children's book illustrator from Singapore. She has illustrated the books Rodney Was a Tortoise, Tanna's Owl and This House Is Home. She currently lives in Toronto.

The Sun Never Hurries by Roxane Turcotte, illustrated by Lucie Crovatto

The Sun Never Hurries tells the tale of Papa Jo and his granddaughter Charlie learning the value of patience and appreciating the small details of life. Charlie doesn't understand why her grandfather uses an hourglass to mark time and so he takes her on a calming walk through nature, taking note of all the wondrous things around them.

The Sun Never Hurries is for ages 3 to 7.

When you can read it: May 28, 2024

Roxane Turcotte is a Canadian author of over 40 children's books in French. She was born and resides in Montreal.

Lucie Crovatto is a French children's book illustrator based in Quebec.

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin

Inspired by artist Cassandra Calin's own immigration story, The New Girl is a middle-grade graphic novel about Lia and her family's move to Canada from Romania. Alongside all the complicated feelings Lia has about moving to somewhere completely different from home, when she arrives she experiences her first period. Now, as Lia navigates a new school with new classmates and new languages she is also faced with the daunting task of puberty.

The New Girl is for ages 8 to 12.

When you can read it: June 4, 2024

Calin is an artist and popular webtoon cartoonist who has amassed over 2.5 million followers on social media. She was born in Romania and now lives in Montreal. The New Girl is her debut graphic novel.

Willa and Wade and the Way-Up-There, by Judith Henderson, illustrated by Sara Sarhangpour

In the early reader graphic novel Willa and Wade and the Way-Up-There two best friends have dreams of flying. The only problem is that Willa's an ostrich and Wade's a penguin, which happen to be two of the kinds of birds that don't often fly. Trying everything from big leaps to pogo-sticks, Willa and Wade give it their all and learn that having a friend by your side makes adventures all the better.

Willa and Wade and the Way-Up-There is for ages 5 to 7.

When you can read it: June 4, 2024

Judith Henderson is a writer and composer known for creating the theme song to the PBS Kids show, Arthur. She is also the author of Dee and Apostrofee and AAAligator!.She lives in Montreal.

Sara Sarhangpour is an illustrator and comic artist based in Toronto.

Lobster's Vacation by Michelle Robinson,illustrated by Paul G. Hammond

After escaping the ocean and fleeing the cooking pot, this Lobster sets his sights on the Nova Scotian shore! In Lobster's Vacation, Lobster tries everything the summer has to offer from ice cream to camping to kite-flying. Will he ever want to go home again?

Lobster's Vacation is for ages 3 to 7.

When you can read it: June 8, 2024

Michelle Robinson is a writer of over 50 books for children including the Food With Feelings series, Goodnight Spaceman and Daddy's Footsteps. She is based in Nova Scotia.

Paul G. Hammond is an illustrator and artist also based in Nova Scotia.

Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas

In the middle-grade graphic novel Gamerville, Max Lightning is destined to compete in a video game championship when his plans are thwarted by his parents, who decide to send him to a camp where electronics are not allowed. Stuck in Camp Reset, Max is forced to spend time outside in nature with other people and longs to escape and level up once again.

Gamerville is for ages 8 to 12.

When you can read it: July 16, 2024

Johnnie Christmas is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, raised in Florida and currently based in Vancouver. He is the illustrator of Angel Catbird, a graphic novel series written by novelist Margaret Atwood and the creator of Swim Team. CBC Books named Johnnie Christmas a Writer to Watch in 2022.