How to Pronounce Knife: Stories. Souvankham Thammavongsa, $24.95 (Fiction)

Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner 2020, named one of Time Magazine's Must-Read Books of 2020 and one of the best books of the month by The New York Times, Salon, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, and featuring stories that have appeared in Harper's, Granta, The Atlantic, and The Paris Review, this revelatory book of fiction from O. Henry Award winner Souvankham Thammavongsa establishes her as an essential new voice in Canadian and world literature. Told with compassion and wry humour, these stories honour characters struggling to find their bearings far from home, even as they do the necessary "grunt work of the world."

A young man painting nails at the local salon. A woman plucking feathers at a chicken processing plant. A father who packs furniture to move into homes he'll never afford. A housewife learning English from daytime soap operas. And in the Commonwealth Short Story Prize-shortlisted title story, a young girl's unconditional love for her father transcends language.

In her stunning debut book of fiction, O. Henry Award winner Souvankham Thammavongsa focuses on characters struggling to make a living, illuminating their hopes, disappointments, love affairs, acts of defiance, and above all their pursuit of a place to belong. In spare, intimate prose charged with emotional power and a sly wit, she paints an indelible portrait of watchful children, wounded men, and restless women caught between cultures, languages, and values. As one of Thammavongsa's characters says, "All we wanted was to live." And in these stories, they do — brightly, ferociously, unforgettably.

Unsentimental yet tender, and fiercely alive, How to Pronounce Knife announces Souvankham Thammavongsa as one of the most striking voices of her generation.

This Book Will Make You Kinder: an Empathy Handbook. Henry James Garrett, $27.00 (ages 14++)

The kindness we owe one another goes far beyond the everyday gestures of feeding someone else's parking meter — although it's important not to downplay those small acts. Kindness can also mean much more. In this timely, insightful guide, Henry James Garrett lays out the case for developing a strong, courageous, moral kindness, one that will help you fight cruelty and make the world a more empathetic place. So, how could a book possibly make you kinder? It would need to answer two questions:

• Why are you kind at all? and,
• Why aren't you kinder?

In these pages, building on his academic studies in metaethics and using his signature-sweet animal cartoons, Henry James Garrett sets out to do just that, exploring the sources and the limitations of human empathy and the many ways, big and small, that we can work toward being our best and kindest selves for the people around us and the society we need to build.

When They Call You a Terrorist: a Story of Black Lives Matter and the Power to Change the World. Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele, $25.99 (ages 12-18, YA Edition)

Patrisse Khan-Cullors' and asha bandele's instant New York Times bestseller, When They Call You a Terrorist is now adapted for the YA audience with photos and journal entries!

A movement that started with a hashtag — #BlackLivesMatter — on Twitter spread across the nation and then across the world.

From one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement comes a poetic memoir and reflection on humanity. Necessary and timely, Patrisse Khan-Cullors’ story asks us to remember that protest in the interest of the most vulnerable comes from love. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, a threat to America. But in truth, they are loving women whose life experiences have led them to seek justice for those victimized by the powerful. In this meaningful, empowering account of survival, strength, and resilience, Cullors and asha bandele seek to change the culture that declares innocent black life expendable.

Split Tooth. Tanya Tagaq, $19.99 (novel, ages 16+)

From the internationally acclaimed Inuit throat singer who has dazzled and enthralled the world with music it had never heard before, a fierce, tender, heartbreaking story unlike anything you've ever read.

Fact can be as strange as fiction. It can also be as dark, as violent, as rapturous. In the end, there may be no difference between them. A girl grows up in Nunavut in the 1970s. She knows joy, and friendship, and parents' love. She knows boredom, and listlessness, and bullying. She knows the tedium of the everyday world, and the raw, amoral power of the ice and sky, the seductive energy of the animal world. She knows the ravages of alcohol, and violence at the hands of those she should be able to trust. She sees the spirits that surround her, and the immense power that dwarfs all of us. When she becomes pregnant, she must navigate all this.

Veering back and forth between the grittiest features of a small arctic town, the electrifying proximity of the world of animals, and ravishing world of myth, Tanya Tagaq explores a world where the distinctions between good and evil, animal and human, victim and transgressor, real and imagined lose their meaning, but the guiding power of love remains. Haunting, brooding, exhilarating, and tender all at once, Tagaq moves effortlessly between fiction and memoir, myth and reality, poetry and prose, and conjures a world and a heroine readers will never forget.

The Stone Rainbow. Liane Shaw, $13.95 (novel, ages 13-18)

Jack Pedersen is finding life complicated ever since he came out to his mom. Even though she’s been doing her best to understand, it’s obvious to Jack that his mom still wants to cry every time she says the word gay.  Complications go into overdrive when a new student named Benjamin arrives at his high school, and Jack starts experiencing feelings he’s never allowed himself before. When a near tragedy turns life upside down, Jack realizes that it’s time to stop hiding and to stand up — for Pride, for Benjamin, and for himself.

Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die: the Complexities of Assisted Dying. Nikki Tate, $19.95 (ages 12++)

With many jurisdictions considering whether or not to implement new assisted-death legislation, Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die is a timely look at the subject for teen readers who may not yet have had much experience with death and dying.

Readers are introduced to the topic of assisted dying through the author's own story. The issue continues to be hotly debated in families, communities and countries around the world, and there are no easy answers. Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die looks at the issue from multiple perspectives and encourages readers to listen with an open mind and a kind heart and reach their own conclusions.

My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders. Deborah Ellis, $18.95 (ages 12 and up)

Jamar found refuge in a gang after leaving an abusive home where his mother stole from him. Fred was arrested for assault with a weapon, public intoxication and attacking his mother while on drugs. Jeremy first went to court at age fourteen (“Court gives you the feeling that you can never make up for what you did, that you’re just bad forever”) but now wears a Native Rights hat to remind him of his strong Métis heritage. Kate, charged with petty theft and assault, finally found a counselor who treated her like a person for the first time.

Many readers will recognize themselves, or someone they know, somewhere in these stories. Being lucky or unlucky after an incident of shoplifting, or the drug search at school, or hanging out with the wrong kids at the wrong time. The encounter with a mean cop, or a good one, that can change the trajectory of a kid’s life. Couch-surfing, or being shunted from one foster home to another. The effect of youth crime on families (the book includes the points of view of family members as well as “voices of experience” — adults looking back at their own experiences as young offenders).

The kids in this book represent a range of socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations and ethnicities. Every story is different, but there are common threads — loss of parenting, dislocation, poverty, truancy, addiction, discrimination.

Most of all, this book leaves readers asking the most pressing questions of all. Does it make sense to put kids in jail? Can’t we do better? Have we forgotten that we were once teens ourselves, feeling powerless to change our lives, confused about who we were and what we wanted, and quick to make a dumb move without a thought for the consequences?

Just Lucky. Melanie Florence, $13.95 (novel, ages 13-18)

Lucky loves her grandparents, and they are all the family she really has. True, her grandma forgets things... like turning off the stove, or Lucky’s name. But her grandpa takes such good care of them that Lucky doesn’t realize how bad things are. That is until he’s gone. When her grandma accidentally sets the kitchen on fire, Lucky can’t hide what’s happening any longer, and she is sent into foster care. She quickly learns that some foster families are okay. Some aren’t. And some really, really aren’t. Is it possible to find a home again when the only one you’ve ever known has been taken from you?

Free To Be Me: an LGBTQ+ Journal of Love, Pride, and Finding Your Inner Rainbow. Dom & Ink, $16.99 (ages 14+)

Celebrate Pride and celebrate YOU with this rainbow coloured journal, packed with drag queens, activities, and advice.

• Colour, design and glitter to your heart's content
• Read quotes from real-life rainbow icons
• Find out how to throw your own Pride Party
• Learn about the history of gay rights
• Most importantly: celebrate being yourself and what makes YOU amazing!

Warm, hilarious, caring and insightful, Free To Be Me will fill every reader with self-esteem, confidence, colour and pride.

I AM A FEMINIST: Reclaiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times. Monique Polak, $19.95 (ages 12++)

What is feminism? Why does it still matter? What exactly does intersectionality mean? In order to answer these (and many other) questions, I Am a Feminist first examines the history of feminism and then addresses the issues girls and women continue to face today. The book also looks at the ways in which people, especially young people, are working together to create a world where gender equality is a reality, not a dream. The author shares stories about the courageous individuals who have made a difference in the lives of women and girls worldwide. From suffragists to the #MeToo movement, I Am a Feminist encourages readers to stand up and speak out for equality and justice.

The Law Is (Not) for Kids: a Legal Rights Guide for Canadian Children and Teens. Ned Lecic & Marvin Zuker, $22.95

In this practical guide to the law for the young people of Canada, Ned Lecic and Marvin Zuker provide an all-encompassing, accurate manual meant to empower and educate youth and those that serve them. As advocates for the rights of children, the authors provide examples of how young people can get their legal rights enforced while also encouraging them to consider whether the rights of youth are sufficient or should be expanded. The Law is (Not) for Kids is the first book to deal with Canadian law and the rights of children and teens that is meant for young readers, however it will also be a valuable resource for teachers, counsellors, lawyers, and all those who support youth when they encounter the law.

Fearless Females: the Fight for Freedom, Equality, and Sisterhood. Marta Breen, illustrated by Jenny Jordahl, $17.99 (graphic novel, ages 14++)

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel tells the stories of fearless females who have fought, and continue to fight, for the rights of women today. Featuring familiar icons like Harriet Tubman and Malala Yousafzai, and introducing hidden figures like Táhirih, readers will be fascinated reading about these female activists who advocated for equality, education, and bodily integrity throughout history.

Cold White Sun. Sue Farrell Holler, $18.95 (novel, ages 14+)

Tesfaye lives behind the safe walls of his family’s compound in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His father is an important man, Tesfaye goes to one of the best schools in the city, his mother and older sisters keep him fed and cared for. He and his beloved brother, Ishi, can spend their time playing soccer, racing chickens and spying on the guests — as long as they stay away from the sharp horns of the family’s goat and avoid their father’s fiery temper.

When rebel forces take over the capital, life becomes more complicated. When his father is arrested, Tesfaye’s own life is suddenly in peril. His mother sends him into hiding in her father’s village, until even that is too dangerous. Tesfaye is put in the care of a human smuggler and embarks on an uncertain, confusing and terrifying journey through Kenya, Europe and finally to Canada, where he is put on a Greyhound bus with ten dollars and instructions to stay on the bus until someone tells him to get off. You are safe now, says the smuggler. You are in Canada. This country will protect you.

And so begins his new life in North America, sheltered for a while by fellow expats, threatened by the authorities, shunted from a group home to foster care. But through it all he is plagued by confusion and grief, wondering whether he will ever know what has happened to the family he left behind.

"You'll Distract the Boys!" A Choose-Your-Own Compendium of Female Existence. Tara Krebs, $20.00 (ages 18 and up)

Presented with a non-linear narrative, readers are invited to assume the lives of various female characters, and respond to situations that North American girls and women commonly come up against. The types of scenarios included vary from one event to the next, from hurtful comments, to acts of sexual violence. After reading the description of each scenario, readers are then tasked with choosing how to respond from one of two options. Their selection directs them to the corresponding outcome, which then leads to the next narrative. Every selection affects the outcome and potential consequences of these choices and determines the direction of the reader’s narrative path. The option pairings provided are not the only possible choices a woman might make under these circumstances, but merely represent examples that can lead to typical outcomes. The outcomes, as well, are not finite. They are meant to illustrate common after-effects that can result from such encounters.

I Am Home: Portraits of Immigrant Teens. Ericka McConnell, $29.95

Sixty full-page portraits of students at Oakland International High School, photographed by award-winning photographer Ericka McConnell, are accompanied by their own unique, diverse, and surprising stories of what makes them feel at home. Each of these young people is inspiring in their own right and together their stories will help us consider the issue of immigration with new mindfulness and compassion. All profits from the publication of this book will be donated to Oakland International High School.

Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World. Sarah Prager, $12.50 (ages 13+)

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals — and you’ve never heard of many of them.

Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era. By turns hilarious and inspiring, the beautifully illustrated Queer, There, and Everywhere is for anyone who wants the real story of the queer rights movement.

The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide. Jeremy Daldry, $14.49 (ages 13+)

With chapters covering everything from dating, kissing, and shaving, to moods, peer pressure, bullying, and drugs, The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide offers the real deal on everything guys want to know. Author Jeremy Daldry tackles the various issues adolescent boys face with irreverence and true understanding — and without giving them a nervous breakdown.

This revised second edition has been updated to address all sexualities, to reflect changes in the way kids hang out and party, and to tackle the myriad of other challenges brought on by today's social media-driven world. Like nothing else in the market, The Teenage Guy's Survival Guide gives kids the advice they need from someone who feels like a big brother.

Forgiveness Is Really Strange. Masi Noor & Marina Cantacuzino, illustrated by Sophie Standing, $21.95

Illustrating what forgiveness means to different people and how it can be embraced for positive change, this comic explores the key aspects of forgiveness and the impact it can have on the mind and psyche.

First Year Out: a Transition Story. Sabrina Symington, $28.95 (graphic novel)

From laser hair removal and coming out to her parents, through to dating, voice training and gender reassignment surgery, this intimate and witty graphic novel follows the character of Lily as she transitions to living as her true, female self. Providing support and guidance on a range of issues such as hormones, medical procedures and relationships, the story traces the everyday thoughts, emotions and struggles many trans and non-binary people face and seeks to empower those who are starting to question their gender as well as promoting wider discussion about the complexities of gender and identity. Based on the author's own experiences as a trans woman, this honest and powerful work is a testament to being who you are and a celebration of gender diversity.

Far From the Tree, Young Adult Edition: How Children and Their Parents Learn to Accept One Another... Our Differences Unite Us. Andrew Solomon, $17.99

From New York Times bestselling author Andrew Solomon comes a stunning, poignant, and affecting young adult edition of his award-winning masterpiece, Far From the Tree, which explores the impact of extreme differences between parents and children.

The old adage says that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, meaning that children usually resemble their parents. But what happens when the apples fall somewhere else — sometimes a couple of orchards away, sometimes on the other side of the world? In this young adult edition, Andrew Solomon profiles how families accommodate children who have a variety of differences: families of people who are deaf, who are dwarfs, who have Down syndrome, who have autism, who have schizophrenia, who have multiple severe disabilities, who are prodigies, who commit crimes, and more.

Elegantly reported by a spectacularly original and compassionate thinker, Far From the Tree explores how people who love each other must struggle to accept each other — a theme in every family’s life. 

Can Your Conversations Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95 (12+)

Being a feminist can mean different things to different people, but one thing it always includes is the belief in equality and human rights. Whether you are talking with one close friend or hanging out with a group of classmates, it matters what you say and how you say it. Not everyone is going to agree with your opinions, especially when you are talking about social justice issues. Can Your Conversations Change the World? provides insight into the origins and history of feminism, how it plays out on the global stage and what it means to be a young feminist and activist today.

Can Your Outfit Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95

What you choose to wear becomes part of your identity, but it doesn't affect just you. Your clothing sends a message to the world, whether you want it to or not! And often we don't know what that message really is. Can Your Outfit Change the World? looks at how and where clothes are made, how the people who make the clothes are treated and how the companies who sell the clothes affect the health of our planet. Armed with information, you can follow the book's guide to spending your fashion dollars in a responsible and eco-friendly way. Your outfits have more power than you might realize!

Can Your Smartphone Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95

Can Your Smartphone Change the World? is a twenty-first-century guide for anyone who has access to a smartphone. This how-to manual looks at specific ways you can create social change through the tap of a screen. Filled with examples of successful hashtag campaigns, viral videos and new socially conscious apps, the book provides practical advice for using your smartphone as a tool for social justice.

Spirit Level. Sarah Harvey, $14.95 (novel)

Harriet (known as Harry) is a donor-conceived child who has never wanted to reach out to her half-siblings or donor — until now. Feeling adrift after a breakup with her long-time boyfriend, Harry tracks down her half-siblings, two of whom are in Seattle, where Harriet lives. The first girl she meets is fifteen–year-old Lucy, an effervescent half-Japanese dancer. Then she meets Meredith, a troubled girl who is always accompanied by her best friend, Alex. Harry and Alex are attracted to each other, much to Meredith's chagrin, and when it becomes clear that Meredith is an accomplished liar, Harry makes it her business to figure out what Meredith is up to. In the course of her investigation, she discovers a lot about Meredith, but the biggest shock is not about Meredith — it’s about Alex, who was born female. So now Harry must deal with not only her growing attraction to Alex, but also Meredith’s hostility. As decisions are made around whether to contact their donor, the three donor sisters negotiate their relationship and Harry tries to figure out what she really wants.

Adulthood Is a Myth: a Sarah's Scribbles Collection. Sarah Andersen, $16.99

These casually drawn, perfectly on-point comics by the hugely popular young Brooklyn-based artist Sarah Andersen document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, and dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas. In other words, the horrors and awkwardness of young modern life. Oh and they are totally not autobiographical. At all.

Adulthood Is a Myth presents many fan favorites plus dozens of all-new comics exclusive to this book. Like the work of fellow Millennial authors Allie Brosh, Grace Helbig, and Gemma Correll, Sarah's frankness on personal issues like body image, self-consciousness, introversion, relationships, and the frequency of bra-washing makes her comics highly relatable and deeply hilarious.

We Are All Made of Molecules. Susin Nielsen, $12.99 (novel, ages 12-14)

Thirteen-year-old Stewart Inkster is academically brilliant but "ungifted" socially. Fourteen-year-old Ashley Anderson is the undisputed "It" girl of grade nine, but her marks stink. Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. "The Brady Bunch" it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9% happy about it, but Ashley is 110% horrified. She already has to hide the truth behind her parents' divorce; "Spewart" could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder. They are complete opposites. And yet, no matter their differences, they share one thing in common: they, like the rest of us, are all made of molecules.

Written in alternating voices, Susin Nielsen deftly explores family tragedy and family ties; sibling rivalry and union; and adolescent confusion and revelation.

Becoming Nicole: the Transformation of an American Family. Amy Ellis Nutt, $22.00

Becoming Nicole chronicles a journey that could have destroyed a family but instead brought it closer together. It’s the story of a mother whose instincts told her that her child needed love and acceptance, not ostracism and disapproval; of a Republican, Air Force veteran father who overcame his deepest fears to become a vocal advocate for trans rights; of a loving brother who bravely stuck up for his twin sister; and of a town forced to confront its prejudices, a school compelled to rewrite its rules, and a courageous community of transgender activists determined to make their voices heard. Ultimately, Becoming Nicole is the story of an extraordinary girl who fought for the right to be herself.

Granted wide-ranging access to personal diaries, home videos, clinical journals, legal documents, medical records, and the Maineses themselves, Amy Ellis Nutt spent almost four years reporting this immersive account of an American family confronting an issue that is at the center of today’s cultural debate. Becoming Nicole will resonate with anyone who’s ever raised a child, felt at odds with society’s conventions and norms, or had to embrace life when it plays out unexpectedly. It’s a story of standing up for your beliefs and yourself — and it will inspire all of us to do the same.

Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen. Jazz Jennings, $23.99

Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest and most prominent voices in the national discussion about gender identity. At the age of five, Jazz transitioned to life as a girl, with the support of her parents. A year later, her parents allowed her to share her incredible journey in her first Barbara Walters interview, aired at a time when the public was much less knowledgeable or accepting of the transgender community. This groundbreaking interview was followed over the years by other high-profile interviews, a documentary, the launch of her YouTube channel, a picture book, and her own reality TV series — I Am Jazz — making her one of the most recognizable activists for transgender teens, children, and adults.

In her remarkable memoir, Jazz reflects on these very public experiences and how they have helped shape the mainstream attitude toward the transgender community. But it hasn't all been easy. Jazz has faced many challenges, bullying, discrimination, and rejection, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all, her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don't understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love. Now Jazz must learn to navigate the physical, social, and emotional upheavals of adolescence — particularly high school — complicated by the unique challenges of being a transgender teen. Making the journey from girl to woman is never easy — especially when you began your life in a boy's body.

On Thin Ice. Jamie Bastedo, $14.95 (novel, ages 13+)

In a tiny Arctic hamlet, a teenager's mangled body is found lying on the ice. Could a rapidly changing Arctic climate have driven a polar bear, starving and afraid, this close to human habitation? On Thin Ice is the story of Ashley Anowiak, a gifted northern youth struggling to understand her spiritual connection to polar bears. While seeking answers about her culture, climate and environment seem to be crumbling all around her.

This 2006 Alberta YA Book of the Year also has a Companion Teacher's Guide, Polar Bears in a Climate of Change, which includes a novel study. (Available online when the book is purchased).

Fragile Bones: Harrison & Anna. Lorna Schultz Nicholson, $12.95

Meet Harrison and Anna. One is a fifteen-year-old boy with an uncanny ability to recite every bone in the skeletal system whenever he gets anxious ― and that happens a lot. The meaning of “appropriate behaviour” mystifies him: he doesn’t understand most people and they certainly don’t understand him. The other is a graduating senior with the world at her feet. Joining the Best Buddies club at her school and pairing up with a boy with Aspergers/autism is the perfect addition to her med school applications. Plus, the president of the club is a rather attractive, if mysterious, added bonus.

Told in the alternating voices of Harrison and Anna, Fragile Bones is the story of two teens whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways. 

Skin and Bones. Sherry Shahan, $13.99 (novel)

Sixteen-year-old Jack, nicknamed "Bones," won't eat. His roommate in the eating disorder ward has the opposite problem and proudly goes by the nickname "Lard." They become friends despite Bones's initial reluctance. When Bones meets Alice, a dangerously thin dancer who loves to break the rules, he lets his guard down even more. Soon Bones is so obsessed with Alice that he's willing to risk everything — even his recovery. 

Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights. Ann Bausum, $19.99

In 1969 being gay in the United States was a criminal offense. It meant living a closeted life or surviving on the fringes of society. People went to jail, lost jobs, and were disowned by their families for being gay. Most doctors considered homosexuality a mental illness. There were few safe havens. The Stonewall Inn, a Mafia-run, filthy, overpriced bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village was one of them.

Police raids on gay bars happened regularly in this era. But one hot June night, when cops pounded on the door of the Stonewall, almost nothing went as planned. Tension was high, the crowd refused to go away. Anger and frustration boiled over.

The raid became a riot.

The riot became a catalyst.

The catalyst triggered an explosive demand for gay rights.

Ann Bausum's riveting exploration of the Stonewall riots and the national gay rights movement that followed is eye-opening, unflinching, and inspiring.

Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose Learn for Teens: How to Turn a Loss Into a Win. John Maxwell, $17.00

Any setback — a championship loss, a bad grade, a botched audition — can be seen as a step forward when teens possess the right tools to turn that loss into a gain of knowledge. Drawing on years of leadership experience, Dr. Maxwell provides a roadmap for becoming a true learner, someone who wins in the face of problems, failures, and losses. This Young Readers edition features all-new stories of real life figures that overcame adversity early in their lives, including entrepreneur Steve Jobs, Olympic Gold Medalists Gabby Douglas and Mikaela Shiffrin, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. 

Walking Home. Eric Walters, $14.99 (novel)

13-year-old Muchoki and his younger sister, Jata, can barely recognize what's become of their lives. Only weeks ago they lived in a bustling Kenyan village, going to school, playing soccer with friends, and helping at their parents' store. But sudden political violence has killed their father and destroyed their home. Now, Muchoki, Jata, and their ailing mother live in a tent in an overcrowded refugee camp. By day, they try to fend off hunger and boredom. By night, their fears about the future are harder to keep at bay. Driven by both hope and desperation, Muchoki and Jata set off on what seems like an impossible journey: to walk hundreds of kilometers to find their last remaining family.

This Book is Gay. James Dawson, $12.99

A funny and pertinent book about being lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer, transgender or just curious — for everybody, no matter their gender or sexuality. Former PSHCE teacher and acclaimed YA author James Dawson gives an uncensored look at what it's like to grow up as LGBT. Including testimonials from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, this frank, funny, fully inclusive book explores everything anyone who ever dared to wonder wants to know — from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more. Spike Gerrell's hilarious illustrations combined with funny and factual text make this a must-read.

To This Day: For the Bullied and Beautiful. Shane Koyczan, illustrated by various artists, $19.95

In February 2013, Shane Koyczan’s passionate anti-bullying poem “To This Day” electrified the world. An animated video of the lyric narrative went viral, racking up over 12 million hits to date and inspiring an international movement against bullying in schools. Shane later performed the piece to sustained applause on the stage of the 2013 annual TED Conference. Now this extraordinary work has been adapted into an equally moving and visually arresting book. Thirty international artists, as diverse as they are talented, have been inspired to create exceptional art to accompany “To This Day.” Each page is a vibrant collage of images, colors and words that will resonate powerfully with anyone who has experienced bullying themselves, whether as a victim, observer, or participant. Born of Shane’s own experiences of being bullied as a child, To This Day expresses the profound and lasting effect of bullying on an individual, while affirming the strength and inner resources that allow people to move beyond the experience. A heartfelt preface and afterword, along with resources for kids affected by bullying, make this book an invaluable centerpiece of the anti-bullying movement.

Courage for Beginners. Karen Harrington, $8.00 (novel)

Seventh grade is not turning out the way Mysti had planned. Her father is in the hospital, her mother is afraid to leave the house, and Mysti's best friend has abandoned her for the cool hipster crowd at school. Does Mysti have the courage to change her story?

Some Assembly Required: the Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen. Arin Andrews, $21.99 (Ages 14 +)

We’ve all felt uncomfortable in our own skin at some point, and we’ve all been told that “it’s just a part of growing up.” But for Arin Andrews, it wasn’t a phase that would pass. He had been born in the body of a girl and there seemed to be no relief in sight. In this revolutionary memoir, Arin details the journey that led him to make the life-transforming decision to undergo gender reassignment as a high school junior. In his captivatingly witty, honest voice, Arin reveals the challenges he faced as a girl, the humiliation and anger he felt after getting kicked out of his private school, and all the changes — both mental and physical — he experienced once his transition began.

Some Assembly Required is a true coming-of-age story about knocking down obstacles and embracing family, friendship, and first love. But more than that, it is a reminder that self-acceptance does not come ready-made with a manual and spare parts. Rather, some assembly is always required.

Moon at Nine. Deborah Ellis, $16.95 (novel)

Fifteen-year-old Farrin has many secrets. Although she goes to a school for gifted girls in Tehran, as the daughter of an aristocratic mother and wealthy father, Farrin must keep a low profile. It is 1988; ever since the Shah was overthrown, the deeply conservative and religious government controls every facet of life in Iran. If the Revolutionary Guard finds out about her mother’s Bring Back the Shah activities, her family could be thrown in jail, or worse. The day she meets Sadira, Farrin’s life changes forever. Sadira is funny, wise, and outgoing; the two girls become inseparable. But as their friendship deepens into romance, the relationship takes a dangerous turn. It is against the law to be gay in Iran; the punishment is death. Despite their efforts to keep their love secret, the girls are discovered and arrested. Separated from Sadira, Farrin can only pray as she awaits execution. Will her family find a way to save them both?

Based on real-life events, multi-award winning author Deborah Ellis’s new book is a tense and riveting story about a world where homosexuality is considered so abhorrent that it is punishable by death.

I Am Malala, Young Readers Edition. Malala Yousafzai, with Patricia McCormick, $13.49

Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school. This is her story — the story of how one girl stood up for education and changed the world.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened. Allie Brosh, $23.99

Every time Allie Brosh posts something new on her hugely popular blog Hyperbole and a Half the internet rejoices. Touching, absurd, and darkly comic, Allie Brosh’s highly anticipated book HYPERBOLE AND A HALF showcases her unique voice, leaping wit, and her ability to capture complex emotions with deceptively simple illustrations.

This full-color, beautifully illustrated edition features more than fifty percent new content, with ten never-before-seen essays and one wholly revised and expanded piece as well as classics from the website like, “The God of Cake,” “Dogs Don’t Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving,” and her astonishing, “Adventures in Depression,” and “Depression Part Two,” which have been hailed as some of the most insightful meditations on the disease ever written.

Would You Mind? Robert Joseph Greene, $11.50 (novel)

Nate Lawson didn't know the kid of parents he had until he fell in love with another guy in high school. WOULD YOU MIND? is the story of how a family can sometimes surprise you and give you the best gift of all — their love and acceptance.

Picture Me. Lori Weber, $12.95 (novel, ages 13+)

When a well-meaning English teacher has overweight student Krista read aloud a poem about body image titled "Barbie Doll" in class, she ignites a simmering bullying event based on Krista's appearance. Krista's best friend, and witness to the event, Tessa, is suspended for fighting to defend her friend. The girl who bullies Krista seems unaffected by the incident at school and more concerned with what an older guy thinks of her. But as the three characters' paths intersect, their inner lives are revealed. Each emerges as a much more complicated individual than their simple bully, target, and witness labels.

LGBTQ Families: the Ultimate Teen Guide. Eva Apelqvist, $55.00 (ages 13+)

LGBTQ FAMILIES: THE ULTIMATE TEEN GUIDE focuses on the difficulties young people face as members of households in which one or more members are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, or queer/questioning. This book offers encouragement, insights, and resources to help them cope with and embrace the uniqueness of their family life. Teens and adults from LGBTQ families — and teens who identify as LGBTQ themselves — tell their personal stories and share strategies they use to deal with a sometimes unaccepting society. Topics discussed include politics, religion, media, and bullying.

Aimed at young adults with LGBTQ parents, teens who identify as LGBTQ, those who support LGBTQs, and anyone wanting to educate themselves on the topic, this book will broaden understanding and enable teens and their peers to embrace the diversity of the modern family.

Until Today. Pam Fluttert, $12.95 (novel, ages 13+)

No one knows Kat’s secret, and the only place she confides the truth is in her journal.  But now the journal is missing, and Kat is terrified that everyone will find out the secret she has been keeping for years — a friend of her parents has been abusing her since she was a little girl.

Will people hate her and blame her for what’s been happening? Or is this her chance to finally go from victim to survivor?

BASODEE: an Anthology Dedicated to Black Youth. Edited by Fiona Raye Clarke, $20.00

Are you feeling Basodee?

This honest portrayal of Canadian-Black relations is a passionate and eye-opening collection of youth poems, essays, and stories exploring experiences of culture shock, stereotyping, family, and the facts and fictions of Black Canadian history.

PRESSURE: True Stories by Teens about Stress. Edited by Al Desetta, $14.50

Stress hits these teens from all angles: pressure at school, at home, and in their relationships. The writers in this book on teens and stress describe their stress-relief techniques, including exercise, music, writing, and more, and offer inspiring examples of perseverance. Their stories of teens and stress captivate and inspire.

RAGE: True Stories by Teens about Anger. Edited by Laura Longhine, $13.50

These teens have plenty of reasons to be angry: parental abuse, street violence, peer pressure, powerlessness, and more. The writers talk honestly about anger management for teens as they struggle to gain control of their emotions and stop hurting others and themselves.

VICIOUS: True Stories by Teens about Bullying. Edited by Hope Vanderberg, $13.50

The essays on teenage bullying in VICIOUS address every form of bullying: physical, verbal, relational, and cyber. These stories will appeal to readers because the writers’ cruelty and hurt are unmistakably real—and the writers’ stories are at times painful, often admirable, and always compelling for the resilience they reveal.

It Was the Worst of Times … Then It Got Worse: High School Stories and Survival Tips. Philippe de Jocas, $18.95

Philippe de Jocas, 17, explores the tangled and often confusing world of high school. Read about school projects gone disastrously awry, warfare in the school halls, the bizarre student council elections and more from the perspective of this smart, funny and self-confessed socially awkward geeky teen.

Funny and strange, It Was the Worst of Times will resonate with everyone who has ever tiptoed through the school halls, hoping to stay invisible.

Autism, the Invisible Cord: a Sibling's Diary. Barbara Cain, $13.50 (novel, ages 12-18)

Meet Jenny — a teen who confides in her diary about what it is like to live with Ezra, her younger brother with autism, and her life with the most "wacky, exasperating, infuriating, amazing younger brother!"

If living with Ezra weren't hard enough, Jenny must deal with school bullies, rude classmates, and fragile friendships. But with the promise of a summer writing program and an Ezra-inspired project, Jenny finds the courage to be more than just "Ezra's sister, protector, defender, and his best and only friend," and loosens the invisible cord just enough to follow her own dreams.

True Blue. Deborah Ellis, $17.95

Casey and Jess were best friends forever. But now Casey has been arrested for murder. Of course it's a mistake. Stephanie Grass was the brattiest kid at camp; Casey and Jess weren't the only counselors who complained about her. Sure, Casey used to joke about killing the kid, but she wasn't serious. While the whole town takes sides and waits for the trial, Jess finds herself the center of attention. Everyone wants to know what happened that summer. They are hanging on every word. But does anyone really care about Jess? The truth is, without Casey, Jess feels left behind. And she doesn't like it one bit.

An enthralling read that is part psychological suspense, part murder mystery, TRUE BLUE looks at the darker side of friendship and the inner world of an emotionally detached teenager who struggles to find the moral courage to remain loyal to a friend in trouble.

I Am an Emotional Creature: the Secret Life of Girls Around the World. Eve Ensler, $20.00

In this book, internationally acclaimed author and playwright Eve Ensler offers fictional monologues and stories inspired by girls around the globe. Fierce, tender and smart, I Am an Emotional Creature is a celebration of the authentic voice inside every girl and an inspiring call to action for girls everywhere to speak up, follow their dreams and become the women they were meant to be.

War Brothers: the Graphic Novel. Sharon McKay & Daniel Lafrance, $18.95

When fourteen-year-old Jacob is brutally abducted and forced to become a child soldier, he struggles to hold on to his sanity and the will to escape.  Readers will never forget the experiences of this young boy struggling to survive, unsure who to trust, afraid of succumbing to madness, and above all, desperate to get to freedom. In the end, Jacob engineers a daring escape. 

This graphic novel is based on the acclaimed novel of the same title, winner of a 2009 Arthur Ellis award. The author spent time in Uganda and based this story on real-life accounts of the horrors inflicted on child soldiers and their victims. Daniel Lafrance’s striking artwork and the poignant, powerful text capture the very essence of life as a child soldier.

101 Ways to Dance. Kathy Stinson, $9.95 (ages 13 and up)

In this risqué collection, award-winning author for young people Kathy Stinson offers characters and plotlines that reflect the many ways teens learn about lust and love. From the first stirrings of same-sex desire on a lakeside beach to troubling paternity questions around a teen pregnancy, Stinson's stories reflect both the sweetness and the scariness of teenage sexuality. Offers many opportunities for discussion, and also a great choice for reluctant readers. A must-have for all junior high and high school libraries.

The Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect with Others (Near and Far) to Create Social Change. Barbara Lewis, $16.50

Kids everywhere are deciding they can’t wait to become adults to change the world. They’re acting right now to fight hunger and poverty, promote health and human rights, save the environment, and work for peace. Their stories prove that young people can make a difference on a global scale. This book includes real-life stories to inspire young readers, plus a rich and varied menu of opportunities for service, fast facts, hands-on activities, user-friendly tools, and up-to-date resources kids can use to put their own volunteer spirit into practice. It also spotlights young people from the past whose efforts led to significant positive change. Upbeat, practical, and highly motivating, this book has the power to rouse young readers everywhere.

Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community. Born This Way Foundation, $33.99 (ages 12-18)

For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does.

The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers.

Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return.

The Book of Knowing: Know How You Think, Change How You Feel. Gwendoline Smith, $22.99 (ages 13-19)

Informative and accessible, The Book of Knowing is a friendly, therapeutic guide for teens to understand and control their feelings. In 2015, clinical psychologist Gwendoline Smith began a Tumblr blog under the pseudonym Dr. Know. Her Gen Z-friendly approach to CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) resonated, and the idea for this book was born. With lively art, tangible advice, and immersive activities, this book is a handy guide for dealing with big feelings that provides humor, kindness, and manageable strategies for issues that can sometimes feel out of our control. 

PRIDE: the Celebration and the Struggle, Revised Edition. Robin Stevenson, $24.95 (ages 12+)

Like the original version, this new edition of Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle celebrates the LGBTQ+ community's diversity and the incredible victories of the past 50 years—but it also has a larger focus on activism, the need to keep fighting for equality and freedom around the world and the important role that young people are playing.

The new edition has been updated and expanded to include many new Proud Moments and Queer Facts as well as a profile of LGBTQ+ refugees from Indonesia, a story about a Pride celebration in a refugee camp in Kenya and profiles of young activists, including teens from a Gender and Sexuality Alliance organizing Pride in Inuvik and a trans girl from Vancouver fighting for inclusion and support in schools. There is also a section on being an ally, a profile of a family with two gay dads (one of them trans) and much, much more!

The Feminist Handbook: Practical Tools to Resist Sexism and Dismantle the Patriarchy. Joanne Bagshaw, $28.95 (ages 14 and up)

It’s time to fight back! With this intersectional handbook, you’ll discover practical, everyday tips and tools to help you resist sexism, smash the patriarchy, and create a better world for yourself and future generations.

From reproductive rights and the wage gap to #MeToo and #TimesUp — gender inequality permeates nearly every aspect of our culture. From birth and on through adulthood, the message that our sexist society sends to women and girls is clear:you’re not enough. You’re not valued enough to get paid the same salary as a man with the same job title. You’re not worthy enough or perfect enough to be taken seriously or respected. You’re not responsible enough to make decisions about your body or reproductive rights. These negative messages are internalized on a deep psychological level. In fact, the effects of sexism are directly represented in the high rates of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and eating disorders among women and girls — and these effects are even more severe for queer women, disabled women, and women of color. Isn’t it time you said ENOUGH? This revolutionary feminist self-help guide offers real tools you can use to:

• Combat the effects of discrimination and gender/race inequality
• Improve your self-confidence, gain self-esteem, and build resilience
• Actively resist internalized negative messages you’ve received while living in an openly sexist, patriarchal culture

Most self-help books teach you how to transform your life from the inside out. But what can you do when your distress is caused by sexist institutionalized power structures, attitudes, and events that are outside of your control? This book will help you untangle the role that sexism and discrimination plays in your life, your mental health, and your overall sense of well-being. Most importantly, you’ll learn to reject negative messages and work toward creating lasting change through activism and community. There’s a lot of work to do. This book will help you get started now.

You Can Change the World: Everyday Teen Heroes Making a Difference Everywhere. Margaret Rooke, $25.95 (ages 13-18)

This inspirational book tells the stories of 50 real-life teens who've dared to change the world around them. This unforgettable book shows you how you can survive in a social media and celebrity obsessed world by refusing to conform to other people's expectations. It shows how you can find ways to achieve against the odds. And it features tips for actions you can take to create genuine social impact, and change within yourself.

My Body My Choice: the Fight for Abortion Rights. Robin Stevenson, $19.95 (ages 12++)

Abortion is one of the most common of all medical procedures. But it is still stigmatized,  and all too often people do not feel they can talk about their experiences. Making abortion illegal or hard to access doesn't make it any less common; it just makes it dangerous. Around the world, tens of thousands of women die from unsafe abortions every year.

People who support abortion rights have been fighting hard to create a world in which the right to access safe and legal abortion services is guaranteed. The opposition to this has been intense and sometimes violent, and victories have been hard won. The long fight for abortion rights is being picked up by a new generation of courageous, creative and passionate activists. This book is about the history, and the future, of that fight.

FEMINISM is... Alexandra Black, Laura Buller, Emily Hoyle & Megan Todd, $16.99 (ages 13+)

A lively and accessible book for teens on the history, pioneers, theories, questions, arguments, and daily reality of feminism today.

What is feminism? Combining insightful text with graphic illustrations, this engaging book introduces young adult readers to a subject that should matter to everyone. Feminism Is... tackles the most intriguing and relevant topics, such as intersectionality, the right to an equal education, and the gender pay gap. Find out what equality for women really means, get a short history of feminism, and take a look at the issues that affect women at work, in the home, and around sex and identity. Meet, too, some great women, such as Gloria Steinem, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzai, "rebel girls" who refused to accept the status quo of their day and blazed a trail for others to follow.

Addressing ongoing feminist concerns and including an original foreword by Roxane Gay, Feminism Is... takes on the issues in informative, thought-provoking ways.

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired. Lucile de Pesloüan & Geneviève Darling, $13.95 (ages 12-18)

A feminist manifesto in graphic novel form that denounces the discrimination against and unfairness felt by women from childhood to adulthood. Illustrated in a strikingly minimalist style with images of girls with varied body types and personalities, invites teenagers to question the sexism that surrounds us, in ways that are obvious and hidden, simple and complex.

The book’s beginnings as a fanzine shine through in its honesty and directness, confronting the inequalities faced by young women, everyday. And it ends with a line of hope, that with solidarity, girls will hurt less, as they hold each other up with support and encouragement.

A Story about Cancer (with a Happy Ending). India Desjardins, Marianne Ferrer & Translated by Solange Ouellet, $17.99 (novel, ages 13+)

I think about everything I'll miss if they tell me I'm going to die... my mom, my dad, my sister, cookies, TV shows I'll never get to see the end of, walking outside when it's really nice, the smell of fall, the starry sky on a full moon, my grandparents, my grandpa's lasagna, kissing Victor, Victor's eyes, Victor's voice, Victor's smell, Victor's hands... Victor.

A teenage girl heads towards the hospital waiting room where the doctors are going to tell her how much time she's got to live. As she walks, she thinks about her journey up to this point... the terrible decor in the hospital, wearing a headscarf, the horrible treatments, but also being with her friends, family, and her new boyfriend Victor. This is a story about cancer with a happy ending. It's about life, love, and especially, hope.

PERIOD POWER: a Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement. Nadya Okamoto, $17.99

PERIOD founder and Harvard College student Nadya Okamoto offers a manifesto on menstruation and why we can no longer silence those who bleed — and how to engage in youth activism.

Throughout history, periods have been hidden from the public. They’re taboo. They’re embarrassing. They’re gross. And due to a crumbling or nonexistent national sex ed program, they are misunderstood. Because of these stigmas, a status quo has been established to exclude people who menstruate from the seat at the decision-making table, creating discriminations like the tampon tax, medicines that favor male biology, and more. Period Power aims to explain what menstruation is, shed light on the stigmas and resulting biases, and create a strategy to end the silence and prompt conversation about periods.

Girls Resist! A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution. Kaelyn Rich, $16.99 (ages 14+)

An activism handbook for teen girls ready to fight for change, social justice, and equality.

Take on the world and make some serious change with this handbook to everything activism, social justice, and resistance. With in-depth guides to everything from picking a cause, planning a protest, and raising money to running dispute-free meetings, promoting awareness on social media, and being an effective ally, Girls Resist! will show you how to go from “mad as heck about the way the world is going” to “effective leader who gets stuff done.” Veteran feminist organizer KaeLyn Rich shares tons of expertise that’ll inspire you as much as it teaches you the ropes. Plus, quotes and tips from fellow teen girl activists show how they stood up for change in their communities. Grab this handbook to crush inequality, start a revolution, and resist!

Getting Things Done for Teens: Take Control of Your Life In a Distracting World. David Allen, $22.00 (ages 13-18)

The most interconnected generation in history is navigating unimaginable amounts of social pressure, both in personal and online interactions. Very little time, focus, or education is being spent teaching and coaching you how to navigate this unprecedented amount of "stuff" entering your lives each day. How do you deal with increasing complexity and not only survive, but thrive? How do you gain momentum and confidence? How do you achieve autonomy, so that you can confidently take on whatever comes your way?

Getting Things Done for Teens will train the next generation to overcome these obstacles and flourish by coaching them to use the internationally renowned Getting Things Done methodology. David Allen's classic is the ultimate book on personal organization. Getting Things Done for Teens will adapt its lessons by offering a fresh take on the GTD methodology, framing life as a game to play and GTD as the game pieces and strategies to play your most effective game. It presents GTD in a highly visual way and frames the methodology as not only as a system for being productive in school, but as a set of tools for everyday life.

Getting Things Done for Teens is the how-to manual for the next generation, a strategic guidebook for creating the conditions for a fruitful and effective future.

Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles. Edited by Jessica Burkhart, $15.99 (ages 14+)

Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of bed? Not the occasional morning, but every day? Everyone has had days like that, but what if you have them every day?

You’re not alone. Millions of people are going through similar things. However issues around mental health still tend to be treated as something shrouded in shame or discussed in whispers. It’s easier to have a broken bone — something tangible that can be “fixed” — than to have a mental illness, and easier to have a discussion about sex than it is to have one about mental health.

Your favorite YA authors recount their own experiences with mental illness in this raw, real, and powerful collection of essays that explores everything from ADD to PTSD.

Feminism from A to Z. Gayle Pitman, $21.50

Dive into Feminism From A to Z for an accessible primer on history, current events, and essential issues through the lens of feminist theory and perspective. Not only will you learn something about yourself, your community, your people, and your world, you will discover kick-ass call-to-action suggestions and resources to take your feminism to a higher level! A book for all teens — no matter what gender you are — about feminism: what it is, what it means, and how to do it... from A to Z.

What Does Consent Really Mean? Peter Wallis & Thalia Wallis, illustrted by Joseph Wilkins, $29.95

Following the sexual assault of a classmate, a group of teenage girls find themselves discussing the term consent, what it actually means for them in their current relationships, and how they act and make decisions with peer influence. Joined by their male friends who offer another perspective, this rich graphic novel uncovers the need for more informed conversations with young people around consent and healthy relationships. Accompanying the graphics are sexual health resources for students and teachers, which make this a perfect tool for broaching the subject with teens.

Fire Song. Adam Garnet Jones, $12.95

Shane is still reeling from the suicide of his kid sister, Destiny. How could he have missed the fact that she was so sad? What he really wants is to be able to turn to the one person on the rez whom he loves — his friend, David.

Things go from bad to worse as Shane’s dream of going to university is shattered and his grieving mother withdraws from the world. Worst of all, he and David have to hide their relationship from everyone. Shane feels that his only chance of a better life is moving to Toronto, but David refuses to join him. When yet another tragedy strikes, the two boys have to make difficult choices about their future together.

With deep insight into the life of Indigenous people on the reserve, this book masterfully portrays how a community looks to the past for guidance and comfort while fearing a future of poverty and shame. Shane’s rocky road to finding himself takes many twists and turns, but while his path doesn’t always offer easy answers, it does leave the reader optimistic about his fate.

GIRL: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You. Karen Raybe, $22.95 (ages 15-19+)

Welcoming and inclusive of all self-identified girls, GIRL: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You is an uncensored, unbiased, and fantastically relevant guide, jam-packed with what you want and need to know. A growing-up guide for the 21st century, GIRL covers what everyone is talking about — healthy sexuality, loving relationships, and gender fluidity, as well as thornier subjects such as STIs, consent, and sexual assault. Plus you'll find self-reflection quizzes, cool resources, and must-read real-life stories from girls like you!

The Smart Girl's Guide to Privacy: Practical Tips for Staying Safe Online. Violet Blue, $20.95

The whirlwind of social media, online dating, and mobile apps can make life a dream — or a nightmare. For every trustworthy website, there are countless jerks, bullies, and scam artists who want to harvest your personal information for their own purposes. But you can fight back, right now.

In The Smart Girl’s Guide to Privacy, award-winning author and investigative journalist Violet Blue shows you how women are targeted online and how to keep yourself safe. Blue’s practical, user-friendly advice will teach you how to:

• Delete personal content from websites
• Use website and browser privacy controls effectively
• Recover from and prevent identity theft
• Figure out where the law protects you — and where it doesn’t
• Set up safe online profiles
• Remove yourself from people-finder websites

Even if your privacy has already been compromised, don’t panic. It’s not too late to take control. Let The Smart Girl’s Guide to Privacy help you cut through the confusion and start protecting your online life.

Girl Up: Kick Ass, Claim Your Woman Card, and Crush Everyday Sexism. Laura Bates, $22.00

They told you that you need to be thin and beautiful. They told you to wear longer skirts, avoid going out late at night, and move in groups—never accept drinks from a stranger, and wear shoes you can run in more easily than heels. They told you to wear just enough make-up to look presentable but not enough to be a slut; to dress to flatter your apple, pear, hourglass figure, but not to reveal too much.

They warned you that if you try to be strong, or take control, you’ll be shrill, bossy, a ballbreaker. Of course it’s fine for the boys, but you should know your place. They told you “that’s not for girls” — “take it as a compliment” — “don’t rock the boat” — “that’ll go straight to your hips.” They told you “beauty is on the inside,” but you knew they didn’t really mean it.

Well, screw that. Laura Bates is here to tell you something else.

Hilarious, bold, and unapologetic, Girl Up exposes the truth about the pressures surrounding body image, the false representations in media, the complexities of sex and relationships, the trials of social media, and all the other lies society has told us.

Love, Sex and No Regrets for Today's Teens. Elizabeth Clark, $19.95

Internet access to porn with its emotional disconnection in sexual encounters and distorted depictions of sexuality has lead to a whole range of disturbing consequences. In this important book, Elizabeth has devised a unique and very effective approach that speaks frankly to the younger reader without condescension or judgement. She has created a nineteen-year-old girl as the book’s narrator. She warns and educates in a style teens will read far more readily than conventional, nonfiction self-help books. In this way, her narrator discusses privately and openly what she has learnt about attraction, feeling sexual, setting limits, abusive situations, respecting yourself and much more.

Be the One: Six True Stories of Teens Overcoming Hardship with Hope. Byron Pitts, $23.99

Emmy Award–winning ABC News chief national correspondent and Nightline coanchor, Byron Pitts shares the heartbreaking and inspiring stories of six young people who overcame impossible circumstances with extraordinary perseverance.

Abuse. Bullying. War. Drug Addiction. Mental Illness. Violence.

None of these should be realities for anyone, much less a young person. But for some it is the only reality they have ever known. In these dark circumstances, six teens needed someone to “be the one” for them — the hero to help them back into the light. For Tania, Mason, Pappy, Michaela, Ryan, and Tyton, that hero was themselves. Through stirring interviews and his award-winning storytelling, Byron Pitts brings the struggles and triumphs of these everyday heroes to teens just like them, encouraging all of us to be the source of inspiration in our own lives and to appreciate the lives of others around us.

Saying Good-bye to London. Julie Burtinshaw, $12.95 (novel)

Francis is a shy 15-year-old when he meets edgy, confident 16-year-old Sawyer at a party. Sparks fly... and Sawyer gets pregnant. They hardly know each other, but now must deal with both their relationship and the reality of a baby. Francis has a lot of growing up to do, and now it seems like he is being forced to do it all at once. When his life collides with Sawyer’s, Francis is forced to confront his own stereotypes about loss, sexuality, and family. Sawyer decides to give the baby up for adoption, but that’s just the start.

Over the months they wait for the baby to be born, Francis and Sawyer try to deal with their choices. Will Francis follow Sawyer’s brave example? Or will he turn his back and pretend his life has not changed? Where will they be when it’s time to say good-bye to baby London?

THE EMOTIONARY n. a dictionary of words that don't exist for feelings that do. Eden Sher & Julia Wertz, $25.95

All her life, Eden Sher has suffered from dyscommunicatia (n. the inability to articulate a feeling through words.). Then, one day, she decided that, whenever she had an emotion for which she had no word, she would make one up.  The result of this is The Emotionary, which lives at the intersection of incredibly funny and very useful. Chock full of words you always wanted/never knew you needed, often accompanied by illustrations of hilarious and all-too-familiar situations, The Emotionary will be a cherished tool for you or the world-class feelings-haver in your life.

Navigating Life: Things I Wish My Mother Had Told Me. Margaux Bergen, $35.00

You learn a few useful things at school — the three Rs come in handy, and it’s good to know how to perform under pressure and wait your turn — but most of what matters, what makes you into a functioning human being, able to hold your own in conversation, find your path, know what to avoid in relationships and secure a meaningful job, no teacher will ever tell you. This diamond-sharp, gut-punchingly honest book of hard-earned wisdom is one mother’s effort to equip her daughter for survival in the real world.

“I am not writing this to groom or guide you to professional or academic success,” she writes. “My goal is rather to give you tools that might help you engage with the world and flourish... Think of this as a kind of developing bath-time wisdom.”

Wise, heartbreakingly funny, and resonantly true, Navigating Life has invaluable lessons for students of life of all ages. It will challenge you to lead a more meaningful life and to tackle the bumps along the way with grace, grit, style, and ingenuity.

The Loose Ends List: a Novel of Firsts and Lasts. Carrie Firestone, $21.49

Seventeen-year-old Maddie O'Neill Levine lives a charmed life, and is primed to spend the perfect pre-college summer with her best friends and young-at-heart socialite grandmother (also Maddie's closest confidante), tying up high school loose ends. Maddie's plans change the instant Gram announces that she is terminally ill and has booked the family on a secret "death with dignity" cruise ship so that she can leave the world in her own unconventional way — and give the O'Neill clan an unforgettable summer of dreams-come-true in the process.

Soon, Maddie is on the trip of a lifetime with her over-the-top family. As they travel the globe, Maddie bonds with other passengers and falls for Enzo, who is processing his own grief. But despite the laughter, headiness of first love, and excitement of glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram. She struggles to find the strength to say good-bye in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, loss, and the power of forgiveness.

The Tapping Solution for Teenage Girls: How to Stop Freaking Out and Start Being Awesome. Christine Wheeler, $15.99

Dealing with grades, bullying, friendships, parents, crushes... it's enough to make any teenage girl wish she could snap her fingers and make it all go away. The good news is, you almost can-except it's not snapping" but "tapping"! Formally known as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), this revolutionary practice can help you reduce your feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, boost your confidence, and unpack the "stress backpack" you may not even know you're carrying.

In The Tapping Solution for Teenage Girls, expert EFT practitioner Christine Wheeler explains the basics of the technique (it actually involves tapping, with your fingers, on energy points on your own body, and you can do it anywhere, anytime). Then she gives you simple yet powerful instructions for tapping on common challenges such as:

• Schoolwork, tests, grades, and planning for college
• Appearance and body image
• Dating, breakups, and dealing with sexual feelings
• Divorce, siblings, and blended families

Throughout the book, comments from 16-year-old Cassidy, the author's teen consultant, keep it real with helpful perspectives on how this tapping thing works! In these pages, you'll discover that a super effective tool for dealing with stress is literally at your fingertips. If you're ready to be true to yourself, stop freaking out, and keep being awesome, The Tapping Solution for Teenage Girls is the perfect solution for you.

The Hill. Karen Bass, $14.95

Jared’s plane has crashed in the Alberta wilderness, and Kyle is first on the scene. When Jared insists on hiking up the highest hill in search of cell phone reception, Kyle hesitates; his Cree grandmother has always forbidden him to go near it. There’s no stopping Jared, though, so Kyle reluctantly follows. After a night spent on the hilltop — with no cell service — the teens discover something odd: the plane has disappeared. Nothing in the forest surrounding them seems right. In fact, things seem very wrong. And worst of all, something is hunting them.

The Last Leaves Falling. Sarah Benwell, $19.99 (novel)

A teen grapples with ALS and his decision to die in this devastatingly beautiful debut novel infused with the haunting grace of samurai death poetry and the noble importance of friendship. 

Abe Sora is going to die, and he’s only seventeen years old. Diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), he’s already lost the use of his legs, which means he can no longer attend school. Seeking a sense of normality, Sora visits teen chat rooms online and finally finds what he’s been longing for: friendship without pity. 

The V-Word: True Stories about First-Time Sex. Amber Keyser, $14.99

First time sex is a big unknown. Will it be candlelight and rose petals or quick and uncomfortable? Is it about love or about lust? Deciding to have sex for the first time is a choice that’s often fraught with anxiety and joy. But do you have anyone telling you what sex is really like? An honest and poignant collection of essays by women about losing their virginity in their teens. The V-Word captures the complexity of this important life-decision and reflects diverse real-world experiences. Includes helpful resources for parents and teens.

In The V-Word seventeen writers pull back the sheets and tell all, covering everything from straight sex to queer sex, diving-in versus waiting, and even the exhilaration and disappointment that blankets it all. Some of their experiences happened too soon, some at just the right time, but all paint a broad picture of what first-time sex is really like. Funny, hot, meaningful, cringe-worthy, gross, forgettable, magnificent, empowering, and transformative, the stories in The V-Word are never preachy, but provide a map for teens to chart their own course through the steamy waters of sex. With The V-Word girls can finally take control, learn what’s on the horizon, and eliminate the fear and mystery surrounding this important milestone.

Do You Think This Is Strange? Aaron Cully Drake, $17.95 (novel)

Freddy is having a rough year. First, he is expelled from school for fighting. Now, at his new school, he is required to have regular conversations with a counselor — an awkward situation for anyone, really, but even more so for Freddy, who has autism. Not only that, Freddy’s mom left years ago and his dad drinks too much.

But then Saskia — a fair-haired girl Freddy hasn’t seen in ten years — appears at his new school. As children they attended the same group therapy sessions, and now she is hardly the same person he remembers. She doesn’t smile. And she doesn’t talk. But their reunion provides him with respite in a difficult time, and sets a chain of meetings and events into motion that reveals long-repressed memories and brings Freddy to a unexpectedly freeing moment of truth. A funny and touching coming-of-age story you won’t forget.

Yoga Girls' Club: Do Yoga, Make Art, Be You. Tiffani Bryant, $19.95

A fun, interactive workbook for girls aged 11-17 containing 43 easy-to-follow yoga postures, guidance on yogic breathing and meditation, opportunities for self-reflection and fun art activities. Designed to help girls feel more confident in body and mind and better equipped to handle the everyday pressures of the challenging teenage years.

In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers. Deborah Reber, $15.99

Follow in the footsteps of amazing women who have the jobs of your dreams! This extensive and empowering career guide leads the way to a fulfilling professional life. Newly updated with seven additional cutting-edge careers.

Go beyond the job description and get the scoop on what it’s really like to work as a senator, a marine biologist, an actress, and much, much more. This exciting guide gives the behind-the-scenes scoop on a wide variety of careers through nearly fifty intimate “day in the life” profiles of women who excel in their fields. From magazine journalism to forensic science to the most relevant new careers for today’s young women, you’ll learn exactly what to expect and how to get ahead. In addition to providing specific, easily relatable information about a wide variety of possible professions, In Their Shoes also offers interview excerpts, practical tips, and career planning advice. Whether you’re looking for your first job or your fifth, it’s never too early (or too late) to decide what you want to be when you grow up!

Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus. Rachelle Lee Smith, $17.99

Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus is a photographic essay that explores a wide spectrum of experiences told from the perspective of a diverse group of young people, ages fourteen to twenty-four, identifying as queer (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning). Portraits are presented without judgment or stereotype by eliminating environmental influence with a stark white backdrop. This backdrop acts as a blank canvas, where each subject’s personal thoughts are handwritten onto the final photographic print. With more than sixty-five portraits photographed over a period of ten years, Speaking OUT provides rare insight into the passions, confusions, prejudices, joys, and sorrows felt by queer youth.

Be More Chill. Ned Vizzini, $9.99

Jeremy Heere is your average high school dork. Day after day, he stares at beautiful Christine, the girl he can never have, and dryly notes the small humiliations that come his way.... until the day he finds out about the "squip." This pill-sized supercomputer, when swallowed, is guaranteed to bring you whatever you most desire in life.

By instructing him on everything from what to wear to how to talk and walk, the squip transforms Jeremy from Supergeek into one of the most popular guys in class. Soon he is friends with his former tormentors and has the attention of the hottest girls in school. But Jeremy eventually discovers that there is also a dark side to having a computer inside your brain, and it can have disastrous consequences.

Fish in a Tree. Lynda Mullaly Hunt, $22.99 (novel)

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her — and to everyone — than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native Voices. Edited by Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale, $14.95

A powerful and visually stunning anthology from some of the most groundbreaking Native artists working in North America today. Truly universal in its themes, Dreaming In Indian will shatter commonly held stereotypes and challenge readers to rethink their own place in the world. Emerging and established Native artists, including acclaimed author Joseph Boyden, renowned visual artist Bunky Echo Hawk, and stand-up comedian Ryan McMahon, contribute thoughtful and heartfelt pieces on their experiences growing up Indigenous, expressing them through such mediums as art, food, the written word, sport, dance, and fashion.

Whether addressing the effects of residential schools, calling out bullies through personal manifestos, or simply citing hopes for the future, Dreaming In Indian refuses to shy away from difficult topics. Insightful, thought-provoking, and beautifully honest, this book will to appeal to young adult readers.

Rethinking Normal: a Memoir in Transition. Katie Rain Hill, $17.99

Katie never felt comfortable in her own skin. She realized very young that a serious mistake had been made; she was a girl who had been born in the body of a boy. Suffocating under her peers’ bullying and the mounting pressure to be “normal,” Katie tried to take her life at the age of eight years old. After several other failed attempts, she finally understood that “Katie” — the girl trapped within her — was determined to live.

In this first-person account, Katie reflects on her pain-filled childhood and the events leading up to the life-changing decision to undergo gender reassignment as a teenager. She reveals the unique challenges she faced while unlearning how to be a boy and shares what it was like to navigate the dating world and experience heartbreak for the first time in a body that matched her gender identity. Told in an unwaveringly honest voice, Rethinking Normal is a coming-of-age story about transcending physical appearances and redefining the parameters of “normalcy” to embody one’s true self.

Dating! 10 Helpful Tips for a Successful Relationship. Laura Buddenberg & Alesia Montgomery, $13.95

Healthy, happy relationships aren’t random — it all comes down to skills, knowledge, and choices. This book will help you think about your own experiences and answer some important questions — how do you know when you’re in a good relationship? Are you in a relationship for the right reasons? What do you want in a relationship?

In each chapter you’ll read a relationship story. Some of these are positive, some are not. All of the stories offer some wisdom on how to create or maintain a healthy relationship — or recognize when it’s time to end an unhealthy one.

Being a Teen: Everything Teen Girls & Boys Should Know about Relationships, Sex, Love, Health, Identity & More. Jane Fonda, $20.00

This thorough, concise guide offers straight talk about:

• The male and female body as it changes and matures
• Teen relationships: what it takes to create happy, supportive, positive, and meaningful connections with family, friends, and others
• Identity empowerment: how to be authentic and thrive in today’s world
• Sex and sexuality for boys and girls: how teens should take care of their bodies, embrace their experiences, and strengthen self-esteem
• Strategies for working through the toughest challenges, including bullying, sexual abuse, eating disorders, pregnancy, and more  

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out. Susan Kuklin, $17.00

Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves. A groundbreaking work of LGBT literature takes an honest look at the life, love, and struggles of transgender teens.

I Am J. Cris Beam, $12.00 (novel, ages 13+)

J had always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible – from his parents, from his friends, from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding — it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.

(You) Set Me on Fire: a Story about School, about Fire, and about Love. Mariko Tamaki, $16.00 (novel)

Allison Lee is seventeen and off to college in the fall. So far, she's been in love once (total catastrophe) and on fire twice (also pretty bad). Both love and fire have left their scars.

Looking a little more burnt chicken and a little less radiant phoenix, Allison takes up residence in Dylan Hall (a.k.a. Dyke Hall) at St. Joseph's College, where she discovers the true gift of freshman year: the opportunity to reinvent yourself. Miles away from the high school she's happy to leave behind, her all-female dorm is a strange new world, home to new social circles and challenges. Allison still feels like the odd girl out ... until Shar appears. Beautiful and blinding, Shar quickly becomes the sun at the centre of Allison's universe, drawing her in with dangerous allure. Will Allison get burned again? And, if she does ... what kind of scars will she earn this time?

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. Susin Nielsen, $19.99

This deeply moving novel looks at the ultimate cost of bullying — with a cast of fabulous characters, dark humour, and a lovable, difficult protagonist struggling to come to terms with the horrible crime his brother has committed.

This High School Has Closets. Robert Joseph Greene, $9.95 (novel, ages 14 +)

High school is a challenge for all teens. For Mark Thomas, falling in love, and dealing with becoming an adult, made his senior year of high school both difficult and exhilarating. THIS HIGH SCHOOL HAS CLOSETS is a story of two young teenagers falling in love during a difficult senior year.

First Crossing: Stories about Teen Immigrants. Edited by Donald Gallo, $11.50

Here are ten unique short stories that reflect the difficulties teen immigrants face in trying to please family and fit in with their new surroundings.

The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley. Jan Andrews, $14.95 (novel, ages 13+)

Kyle McGinley doesn’t say a word. Fed up with being shuttled from one foster care home to another, he has stopped speaking. But at the home of Jill and Scott Wardman, with the help of a crow, and a swamp, and an excess of black paint, he begins to think maybe — just maybe — life could get better.

Morning Star. Judith Plaxon, $10.95

Two girls, at opposite ends of history.

Flower is an escaped slave who, with her parents and baby brother, makes her way north to Canada via the Underground Railway. Felicia, living 150 years later, is the "new girl" and one of the few black kids in her new school.

When Felicia is asked to research her ancestry for a school project, she wonders if her new friends will want to hear about her family's history as slaves.

Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. Volume I, My Father Bleeds History. Art Spiegelman, $15.95

Maus: a Survivor’s Tale. Volume II, And Here My Troubles Began. Art Spiegelman, $15.95

This is the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler’s Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father’s story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in “drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust” (The New York Times).

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek’s harrowing story of survival is woven into the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits. This astonishing retelling of our century’s grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.

The Little Black Book for Girlz: a Book on Healthy Sexuality. By Youth, for Youth (St. Stephen’s Community House), $9.95

The Little Black Book for Girlz is a book on healthy sexuality written by girls for girls. A diverse group of urban teens went looking for information about sexuality. They collected stories, poetry, interviews, art and more from other youth and health care workers. The result is an honest, factual look at the physical and emotional issues young women face — a powerful presentation of real-life examples and life-saving info.

The Little Black Book for Guys: Guys Talk about Sex. By Youth for Youth (St. Stephen’s Community House), $9.95

A survival guide to being a guy. Lots of guys talk the big talk, but what’s really going on with sex? That’s what a group of young men sat down to figure out for The Little Black Book for Guys. To get behind the hype, they talked to other teens and collected stories, poems, essays, and art about personal experiences. They also interviewed health professionals to get the facts they need to make healthy choices. The result is a revealing collection of personal thoughts and need-to-know information. Topics include:

• Puberty • Wet dreams • Masturbation • Penis size • Dating • Safer sex and birth control
• Sexually Transmitted Infections / AIDS

Written, illustrated, and designed by youth, and carefully vetted by doctors, The Little Black Book for Guys is more than a book about sex. It’s a snapshot of being a guy at the beginning of the 21st century.

Contains frank descriptions of sexuality and coarse language.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: the Secrets Behind What You Eat, Young Reader’s Edition. Michael Pollan, $12.50

Based on the bestseller “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: a Natural History of Four Meals”, author Michael Pollan takes young readers behind the scenes of the food industry to learn the realities and the politics of how our food gets to the table.

Everything's Okay: My Journey Surviving Childhood Cancer. Alesia Shute, illustrated by Nathan Lueth, $15.95 (graphic novel)

When Alesia Shute was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 7, her life was redirected as was that of her entire family. She would go on to survive six major surgeries that had never been tested on a child, several minor surgeries and countless hours of pain and months of hospitalization. Alesia had to grow up quickly and adjust to being sickly and different from others. EVERYTHING IS OKAY is her story of survival that details not only her recovery, but also her struggles through school, adolescence, boys, marriage, and pregnancy, with some hilarious tales of her adult life to boot.

In Love and In Danger: a Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships. Barrie Levy, $16.95

This book is for teenagers and parents of teens who have questions about abusive dating relationships. In Love and In Danger helps teens understand abusive dating situations, decide how to deal with them and learn how to get help. Providing useful information, practical advice and revealing interviews with teens, this newly revised edition includes a new afterword for parents and a resource sections with information on books, websites and organizations teens can turn to for help.