The Errand

LaFleur, Leo (Author)

Oehlers, Adam (Illustrator)

Simply Read Books 2017. 40 pages

First published: 2017

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

courage, danger, forests, giants, heroes, illustrations (monochrome), journeys, mystery, second-person narration, suspense, witches

Summary: In this spooky graphic story/picture book, an errand boy delivers a package through the dark and dangerous Whispering Woods to a suspected witch.

The Whole Story of Half a Girl

Hiranandani, Veera (Author)

Penguin Random House 2013. 218 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

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Keywords:

economic disparity, family life, first-person narration, friendship, identity, mental health, multicultural heritage, peer pressure, school life, self-esteem

Summary: Notions of identity, class and friendship are split wide open when a change in a family’s economic situation means that a young girl must suddenly change schools.

The Wonder

Hanson, Faye (Author/Illustrator)

Candlewick Press 2015. 40 pages

First published: 2014

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

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Keywords:

art, creativity, dreams, imagination, school life

Summary: Having his head in the clouds can cause trouble, but when the boy’s daydreams are finally set free, they grow and grow and grow... An incredible adventure into the world of one boy’s imagination.

Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty

Heppermann, Christine (Author)

HarperCollins 2014. 114 pages

First published: 2014

Book type: Anthology

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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Keywords:

beauty myth, body image, fairy tale adaptations, fairy tales, feminism, gender roles, identity, metafiction, multimodal, poetry, power, self-esteem

Summary: A powerful collection of free verse poems explore how girls are taught to think about themselves, their bodies, their friends—as consumers, as objects, as competitors. Based on classic fairy tale characters and fairy tale tropes, the poems range from contemporary retellings to first person accounts set within the original stories.

Missing Nimâmâ

Florence, Melanie (Author)

Thisdale, François (Illustrator)

Clockwise Press 2015. 32 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

Cree, family life, First Nations history, free verse, Indigenous peoples, magic realism, missing persons, mothers, mothers and daughters, multiple narrators, social justice, women

Summary: Little Kateri loves her grandmother, but she also yearns for her mother, one of many missing indigenous women.

Adrift at Sea: A Vietnamese Boy’s Story of Survival

Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk (Author)

Ho, Tuan (Author)

Deines, Brian (Illustrator)

Pajama Press 2016. 40 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

childhood, courage, family life, illustrations (oil paint), immigration, journeys, refugees, survival, Vietnam

Summary: In their escape from post-war Vietnam in 1981, Tuan and his family brave bullets, thirst, and days adrift in a leaky boat on open sea.

My Map Book

Fanelli, Sara (Author/Illustrator)

HarperCollins 2001. 24 pages

First published: 1995

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

diagrams, everyday life, family tree, identity, interesting illustrations, maps, non-linear stories, non-traditional text layout

Summary: Vibrant and playful illustrations are labeled to create a variety of maps—including a diagram, family tree and flowchart—on fun themes such as, “Treasure Map” and “Map of My Face.”

Sunny Side Up

Holm, Jennifer L. (Author)

Holm, Matthew (Illustrator)

Scholastic 2015. 220 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Graphic Text

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

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Keywords:

1970s, addiction, dysfunctional families, family life, Florida, friendship, grandfathers, memories, vacation

Summary: Sunny is visiting Gramps at his retirement home in Florida. It seems a terrible fit for a child’s holiday, but Sunny finds her place in the community, with the help of the groundskeeper’s son. Flashbacks on life at home eventually reveal the reason for the visit. Her older brother has a substance abuse problem, and her parents are taking this time to address it.

Laika

Abadzis, Nick (Author/Illustrator)

Macmillan 2014. 224 pages

First published: 2007

Book type: Graphic Text

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

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Keywords:

dogs, exploration, heroes, military history, Nikita Khrushchev, propaganda, Russia, space travel, Sputnik, USSR

Summary: This is the journey of Laika, the abandoned puppy destined to become Earth’s first space traveler. With the blending of fact and fiction, this story intertwines three compelling lives. Along with Laika, there is Korolev, a driven engineer at the top of the Soviet space program and Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika’s health and life.

Once a Shepherd

Millard, Glenda (Author)

Lesnie, Phil (Illustrator)

Candlewick Press 2014. 24 pages

First published: 2014

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

country life, death, family life, illustrations (watercolours), loss, peace, poetic language, soldiers, tragedy, war, World War I

Summary: In poignant verse, Millard and Lesnie share the story of a young shepherd who must leave his beloved wife and his unborn child to fight in the Great War.

Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White

Sweet, Melissa (Author/Illustrator)

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2016. 162 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

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Keywords:

authors, creativity, E.B. White, illustrations (collage), narrative non-fiction, scrapbooking, writers, writing

Summary: "SOME PIG," Charlotte the spider’s praise for Wilbur, is just one fondly remembered snippet from E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. In this book, Melissa Sweet mixes White’s personal letters, photos, and family ephemera with her own artwork to tell his story, from his birth in 1899 to his death in 1985.

This Is Our Story

Elston, Ashley (Author)

Disney/Hyperion Books 2016. 314 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

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Keywords:

criminal justice, death, first-person narration, friendship, hunting, investigations, multimodal, multiple narrators, mystery, social classes, tragedy

Summary: When a hunting accident claims a boy’s life, his best friends all come under suspicion.

Heartless

Meyer, Marissa (Author)

Macmillan 2016. 456 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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Keywords:

adventure, Alice in Wonderland, baking, dystopia, female protagonist, friendship, love, parental authority, retelling, self-determination

Summary: In this prequel to Alice in Wonderland, Cath would rather open a bakery and marry for love than accept a proposal from the King of Hearts, especially after meeting the handsome and mysterious court jester.

This Is Not My Hat

Klassen, Jon (Author/Illustrator)

Candlewick Press 2012. 36 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

first-person narration, fish, humour, lost and found, morals, open-ending, stealing

Summary: A tiny minnow wearing a pale blue bowler hat has a thing or two up his fins in this underwater light-on-dark chase scene.

Spaceopedia: The Complete Guide to Everything Space

DePrisco, Dorothea (Author)

Time 2015. 192 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

exploration, facts, infographics, outer space, planets, solar system, space travel, universe

Summary: This compendium of all things astrophysical provides introductory scientific material about outer space and regales the eye with innumerable photographs.

The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim

Peacock, Shane (Author)

Tundra Books 2016. 346 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

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5

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Keywords:

adventure, Gothic, horror, intertextuality, monsters, mystery, Romantic literature, school life, self-determination, Victorian England

Summary: Fearful Edgar Brim is sent to a harsh boarding school in the remote moors, to make a man of him. But in this tale of mystery, suspense and gothic horror, supernatural forces of evil seem to follow him everywhere—and it’s up to Edgar and his friends to destroy them.

Hyena in Petticoats: The Story of Suffragette Nellie McClung

Dawson, Willow (Author/Illustrator)

Penguin Random House Canada 2011. 96 pages

First published: 2011

Book type: Graphic Text

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

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Keywords:

Canadian history, civil rights, illustrations (black and white), Nellie McClung, politics, suffragette movement, temperance movement, voting rights, war, women’s rights

Summary: Tells the story, in graphic novel format, of Canadian suffragette Nellie McClung.

Seen Art?

Scieszka, Jon (Author)

Smith, Lane (Illustrator)

Penguin Random House 2005. 48 pages

First published: 2005

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

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Keywords:

art, art appreciation, artists, Museum of Modern Art (New York), museums, New York City, preferences, word play

Summary: On the way to meet his friend Art, a boy encounters a dazzling array of visual art at the MoMA.

Visitor in the Field

Lepp, Royden (Author/Illustrator)

Archaia 2016. 176 pages

First published: 2011

Book type: Graphic Text

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

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4

5

6

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Keywords:

agriculture, dystopia, family life, farms, photography, point of view, robots, soldiers, technology, war

Summary: Roman Taylor struggles to keep his family’s small farm afloat as the area heals from a devastating world war. While the rest of his family may not trust the mysterious boy with the jetpack, Roman believes the secrets of Jet’s past may be the key to their survival.

Comparative Religion

Mooney, Carla (Author)

Chandhok, Lena (Illustrator)

Nomad Press 2015. 120 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

Buddhism, Christianity, comparative religion, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, philosophy, religions, traditions

Summary: The five major world religions,Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are examined here to foster shared understanding.

Rules of the House

Barnett, Mac (Author)

Myers, Matthew (Illustrator)

Disney/Hyperion Books 2016. 48 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

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Keywords:

brothers and sisters, courage, humour, monsters, rules, vacation

Summary: Ian always follows the rules and his older sister Jenny is quite the opposite. When they go on a family vacation to a log house in the woods, she breaks one rule too many, and her brother has to save her from monsters, breaking a rule himself.

Ugly

Hoge, Robert (Author)

Robinson, Keith (Illustrator)

Penguin Random House Canada 2016. 202 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

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4

5

6

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Keywords:

bullying, differences, discrimination, illustrations (black and white), memoir, overcoming adversity, personal appearance, physical disabilities, resilience, self-determination, surgeries

Summary: Robert Hoge was born with a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs, but he refused to let what made him different stand in the way of leading a happy, successful life. This is the true story of how he embraced his circumstances and never let his "ugly" stop him from focusing on what truly mattered.

Wonder

Palacio, R.J. (Author)

Penguin Random House 2012. 316 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

K

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

acceptance, courage, family life, friendship, identity, leaders, loneliness, multiple narrators, personal appearance, school life, self-esteem

Summary: Anchored by the strong voice and strong character of a young boy living with disfigurement, this novel explores the bonds of friendship and family.

Italian Canadian Internment in the Second World War

Hickman, Pamela (Author)

Cavalluzzo, Jean Smith (Author)

Lorimer 2012. 112 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

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ELA

K

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Keywords:

apologies, Canadian history, civil rights, discrimination, facism, family life, illustrations (photographs), immigrants, internment, Italian Canadians, War Measures Act, World War II

Summary: When Canada declared war on Italy on June 10, 1940, the government used the War Measures Act to label all Italian citizens over the age of eighteen as enemy aliens. Those who had received Canadian citizenship after 1922 were also deemed enemy aliens. Using historical photographs, paintings, documents, and first-person narratives, this book offers a full account of this little-known episode in Canadian history.

Comics Confidential: Thirteen Graphic Novelists Talk Story, Craft, and Life Outside the Box

Marcus, Leonard S. (Editor)

Candlewick Press 2016. 176 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Anthology

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

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Keywords:

city life, comic strips, creative process, creativity, interviews, multiple authors, multiple illustrators, storytelling

Summary: Thirteen prominent cartoonists discuss their creative processes and the experiences and influences that led to their success in one of today’s most vibrant art forms. Each interview is followed by an original graphic short on the common theme of "the city."

I See Reality: Twelve Short Stories About Real Life

Kendall, Grace (Editor)

Macmillan 2016. 296 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Anthology

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

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4

5

6

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Keywords:

addiction, adolescence, breakups, brothers and sisters, choices, first romantic relationships, friendship, identity, LGBTQ, multiple authors, sexuality, short stories, violence

Summary: This short story collection features contemporary tales of everyday teen life, addressing topics such as sexuality, immigration, addiction, violence and identity.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

King, A.S. (Author)

Penguin Random House 2012. 328 pages

First published: 2010

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

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3

4

5

6

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Keywords:

breakups, fathers and daughters, first romantic relationships, friendship, grief, identity, loss, multiple voices, occupations, post-modern, school life, self-esteem

Summary: Reeling from the violent death of her neighbour and best friend Charlie, 18-year-old Vera looks back on their lifelong friendship, their family challenges and their terrible breakup just before he died. As Vera juggles getting top grades, a full-time pizza delivery job and an interesting guy, she’s haunted by Charlie—until she’s strong enough to tell the truth and clear his name.

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories

Stiefvater, Maggie (Author)

Gratton, Tessa (Author)

Yovanoff, Brenna (Author)

Lerner 2014. 296 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Anthology

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

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6

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Keywords:

annotations, collaboration, friendship, horror, humour, multiple authors, multiple stories, paranormal, romantic relationships, short stories

Summary: Fiction and meta-fictional devices conspire to create a collaborative collection of ambitious short stories that is simultaneously a book about the craft and camaraderie of creative writing.

Indian Horse

Wagamese, Richard (Author)

Douglas & McIntyre 2012. 224 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

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4

5

6

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Keywords:

1960s, discrimination, family life, first-person narration, grief, healing, hockey, Indigenous peoples, loss, Ojibwa, residential schools, self-determination

Summary: In 1961, eight year-old Saul Indian Horse has grown up in the Ojibway culture; then he’s captured. Subjected to a residential school’s neglect and abuse, playing hockey becomes his salvation. But rampant racism—in the leagues, the fans and society at large—require an adult Saul to seek true healing among his own people.

Animal Babies

Hédelin, Pascale (Author)

Herrbach, Stéphanie (Illustrator)

Owlkids 2010. 36 pages

First published: 2010

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

1

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5

6

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ESL

1

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6

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

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Keywords:

animal adaptations, animal behaviour, animals, baby animals, growing up, interactive books, lift-the-flap books

Summary: Describes how different animal babies grow, and includes information on animal nests, caring for animal babies, communication, and animal lifespans.

Placebo Junkies

Carleson, J.C. (Author)

Penguin Random House 2015. 298 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

1

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5

6

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Keywords:

economic disparity, ethics, first-person narration, friendship, health, medicine, mental health, pharmaceutical testing, research, survival

Summary: This novel explores the blurry moral and existential boundaries of pharmaceutical testing and mental-health treatment. The topsy-turvy story of Augie, in her own, strident words, challenges what is ethical, and even what is real.

On the Shoulder of a Giant: An Inuit Folktale

Christopher, Neil (Author)

Nelson, Jim (Illustrator)

Inhabit Media 2015. 40 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

1

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ESL

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

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Keywords:

adoption, Arctic, fathers and sons, giants, Inuit, mistaken identity, point of view, tundra

Summary: In this traditional tale about mistaken identities and different perspectives, Inukpak is a giant who adopts an Inuit hunter, thinking he is a child.

Dan Versus Nature

Calame, Don (Author)

Candlewick Press 2016. 378 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

1

2

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5

6

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Keywords:

fathers and sons, first romantic relationships, first-person narration, friendship, humour, identity, nature, stepfamilies, summer camps, survival, wilderness

Summary: When Dan comes home, he finds that his mother is engaged to Hank, a Hugh Jackman look-alike, and she is sending Hank and Dan on a survivalist camping trip in order to "bond."

Lullabies for Little Criminals

O'Neill, Heather (Author)

HarperCollins 2016. 352 pages

First published: 2006

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

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ELA

K

1

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6

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Keywords:

addiction, city life, dysfunctional families, fathers and daughters, first-person narration, identity, loss, Montréal, prostitution, romantic relationships, street life, substance abuse, survival

Summary: Baby’s hard life leads her all too easily to a life of drugs and prostitution. The vivid voice of this self-aware young girl clinging to childhood touches on broad themes such as paternal love and the nature of family.

The Three Musicians

Massenot, Véronique (Author)

Hié, Vanessa (Illustrator)

Prestel 2013. 28 pages

First published: 2013

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

K

1

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ESL

1

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ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

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Keywords:

fear, illustrations (collage), kings, music, Pablo Picasso, painting, tricks

Summary: The Pablo Picasso painting Les trois musiciens (“Three Musicians”) comes to life: this imaginative tale features three travelling musicians who save a kingdom from an evasive, horrible beast.

The King of Little Things

Lepp, Bil (Author)

Wenzel, David T. (Illustrator)

Peachtree Publishers 2013. 32 pages

First published: 2013

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

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3

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ELA

K

1

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ESL

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6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

alliteration, humour, kings, lists, Middle Ages, poetic language, seek-and-find book, size, vocabulary

Summary: When bully King Normous sets out to conquer the King of Little Things, he learns that small can be mighty, too.

I Used to Be Afraid

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro (Author/Illustrator)

Macmillan 2015. 36 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

anxiety, brothers and sisters, everyday life, fear, first-person narration, illustrations (collage), interactive books, overcoming fears

Summary: A little girl conveys the contrast between experiencing fears (of spiders or shadows) and overcoming them.

Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Lightfoot, Gordon (Author)

Wallace, Ian (Illustrator)

Groundwood Books 2010. 56 pages

First published: 1967

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

Canada, Canadian culture, Canadian history, Canadian Pacific Railway, economic development, illustrations (pastels), railroads, songs

Summary: Portrays the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway in a series of dreamlike paintings accompanied by the lyrics of Lightfoot’s 1967 song commemorating Canada’s centennial year. Includes music and lyrics to twelve verses, illustrator’s notes, and a brief history of the railroad.

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Ward, Helen (Author/Illustrator)

Candlewick Press 2012. 40 pages

First published: 2012

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

Christmas, city and country life, comparisons, cousins, envy, fables, mice, New York City

Summary: Aesop’s fable of the country mouse and the city mouse is artfully retold and simply illustrated.

Residential Schools

Florence, Melanie (Author)

Lorimer 2016. 128 pages

First published: 2016

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

assimilation, Canadian history, child labour, children, cultures, discrimination, family life, healing, illustrations (photographs), Indigenous peoples, primary documents, residential schools, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Summary: Through historical photographs, documents, and first-person narratives from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people who survived residential schools, this book offers an account of the injustice of this period in Canadian history. It documents how this official racism was confronted and finally acknowledged.

Belzhar

Wolitzer, Meg (Author)

Penguin Random House 2015. 266 pages

First published: 2014

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

alternative schools, boarding schools, first romantic relationships, first-person narration, friendship, healing, loss, mental health, school life, Sylvia Plath, trauma, writing

Summary: Jam Gallahue cannot get over the death of her boyfriend and is sent to a boarding school for emotionally fragile teenagers. In her English class focused on the writing of Sylvia Plath, she discovers an unusual path to healing through a journaling process that transports her back to her original trauma, where she learns to let go.

Uglies

Westerfeld, Scott (Author)

Simon & Schuster 2011. 406 pages

First published: 2005

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

conformity, dystopia, first romantic relationships, friendship, identity, personal appearance, popularity, self-determination, self-esteem

Summary: Just before their sixteenth birthdays, when they will will be transformed into beauties whose only job is to have a great time, Tally’s best friend runs away and Tally must find her and turn her in, or never become pretty at all.

Why’d They Wear That?: Fashion as the Mirror of History

Albee, Sarah (Author)

National Geographic Society 2015. 192 pages

First published: 2015

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

art, costumes, fashion, fashion trends, history, illustrations (photographs), textiles, uniforms

Summary: Ancient Greece is presented in fun tabloid format, with grabby frames and headlines that purport to have the denizens of that historic civilization telling their own tales of politics, theatre, war, and poetry.

Terezín: Voices From the Holocaust

Thomson, Ruth (Author)

Candlewick Press 2013. 64 pages

First published: 2011

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

art, community, Czech Republic, discrimination, ghetto, illustrations (photographs), Jewish history, primary documents, survival, Terezin, war, World War II

Summary: Prisoners’ artwork and writings provide the basis for this fully illustrated history of Theresienstadt Concentration Camp.

Canadian Festivals

Hughes, Susan (Author)

Scholastic Canada 2007. 58 pages

First published: 2007

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

Canadian culture, celebrations, diversity, food, holidays, illustrations (photographs), multiculturalism, religions

Summary: This book introduces you to six holidays from various cultures. The holidays featured are: Eid-ul-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan), Diwali, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Chinese New Year. Let the celebrations begin!

Summerland

Chabon, Michael (Author)

HarperCollins 2016. 502 pages

First published: 2002

Book type: Novel

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

archetypes, baseball, divorce, ecology, fantasy, intertextuality, metaphors, mythological creatures, mythology, parent-child relationships

Summary: Ethan Feld, the worst baseball player in the history of the game, finds himself recruited by a 100-year-old scout to help a band of fairies triumph over an ancient enemy.

Strange Creatures: The Story of Walter Rothschild and His Museum

Judge, Lita (Author/Illustrator)

Disney/Hyperion Books 2011. 36 pages

First published: 2011

Book type: Non-Fiction

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

animals, childhood, collecting, individuality, museums, natural history, science, Walter Rothschild, zoos

Summary: Walter Rothschild should have followed in his family’s banking footsteps. Instead, from childhood, he was drawn to natural history. This biography of the black sheep of the richest family in the world provides a convincing argument for following one’s own path.

The Duke Who Outlawed Jelly Beans and Other Stories

Valentine, Johnny (Author)

Schmidt, Lynette (Illustrator)

Alyson Books 2004. 32 pages

First published: 1991

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

diversity, fairy tales, gender roles, LGBTQ, multiple stories, parent-child relationships

What Am I? Where Am I?

Lewin, Ted (Author/Illustrator)

Holiday House 2013. 24 pages

First published: 2013

Book type: Picture Book

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

animals, habitats, illustrations (watercolours), questions, recurrent language

Summary: Simple, minimal text and realistic images lead beginning readers through a discovery of different animals in their natural habitats.

See Saw Saskatchewan

Heidbreder, Robert (Author)

Ritchie, Scot (Illustrator)

Kids Can Press 2003. 32 pages

First published: 2003

Book type: Anthology

Cycle

Elementary

Secondary

1

2

3

1

2

ELA

K

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

ESL Intensive & Enriched

5

6

1

2

3

4

5

Keywords:

Canada, Canadian animals, Canadian provinces, Canadian symbols, geography, humour, poetry (collections)

Summary: This book of poems reaches playfully from sea to shining sea, introducing readers to a verse map of Canada that includes some factual information and plenty of silliness.

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Ugly

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Wonder

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Italian Canadian Internment in the Second World War

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Please Ignore Vera Dietz

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The King of Little Things

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I Used to Be Afraid

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