Gift Guide: Kids Books 2024
As Seen on CTV Your Morning
I love giving (and receiving) books for Christmas! Here are eight Canadian titles for kids and teens to consider slipping under the tree or into a stocking, as shared on CTV Your Morning December 4th, 2024. Watch below or read on for the list!
Picture Books, Ages 3-7
An Anishinaabe Christmas is a cozy family story about blending holiday traditions. Baby and family are going to the rez for winter solstice, where Baby will learn more about their culture and share time with family members. A warm, inclusive addition to holiday collections. Barnaby Unboxed is a companion to the multi-award winning Barnabus Project, this time featuring ‘the perfect pet’ himself, Barnaby. But even so-called perfect pets can grow stale or feel irrelevant. This is a whole Pixar movie of a book, cinematic in scope while simulatenously pulling at the heart strings. Skating Wild on an Inland Sea is this year’s GG winner for illustration, a poetic ode to the very Canadian tradition of wild skating, accompanied by gorgeous, gallery-ready artwork.
Ages 6-10
Not quite a chapter book, not quite a picture book, Bog Myrtle is a quirky, spooky offering for kids who prefer their books a bit creepy (in a good way!) In this contemporary folktale, two sisters live relatively peacefully near an old wood, until one of them befriends a giant spider named Bog Myrtle and is gifted with magic spider yarn, which stokes the other sister’s greed and turns their lives- and the lives of everyone around- upside down.
Ages 9-12
Today I Am: 10 Stories of Belonging is a short story collection featuring the talents of a wide range of BIPOC Canadian authors. Including poetry, science-fiction, comic-style art, each story ranges in style and format, but addresses the question of home. There’s something here for every reader, and the short story format is well-suited for readers who have shorter attention spans or are intimidated by long, complex stories. The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is a classic school story with a magical twist. A cozy, funny, second-chance story for readers to sink into over the holidays. Sharp-eyed readers will note this title was on my Halloween list, but alas did not make the broadcast, so I’m including it again here to make sure it gets it’s due!
Teens
Fledgling is the latest offering from S.K. Ali, a writer with incredible range. This is an epic tale told from the perspectives of three teens living on the verge of a major rebellion in their stratified society, sometime in the near future. Featuring expert plotting, characters to root for and some fantastic twists, this is a great read for teens who love to get lost in an adventure. For those who are in still firmly in their Taylor Swift era, Taylor Swift Style is a comprehensive history of the singer through the lens of her fashion. Featuring tons of photos, stats, insight and behind the scenes details, this book comes from Canadian fashion blogger and OG Swiftie Sarah Chappelle who runs the account taylorswiftstyled on instagram. A great gift for diehard Swifties as well as newcomers to the fandom.