Watch the Canada Reads 2022 book trailers
The great Canadian book debate begins March 28, 2022
Canada Reads 2022 will take place March 28-31. The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books.
Get ready for the debates by watching the book trailers made for the show by independent Canadian artists, in collaboration with CBC Books, below.
The Canada Reads 2022 contenders are:
- Christian Allaire champions Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
- Malia Baker champions Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
- Tareq Hadhad champions What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
- Suzanne Simard champions Life In the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Müller
- Mark Tewksbury champions Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
In the novel Five Little Indians, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie were taken from their families and sent to a residential school when they were young. Barely out of childhood, they are released without resources and left to establish adult lives in eastside Vancouver. Over the decades, the friends cross paths and struggle with the weight of their shared past.
Five Little Indians will be championed by Vogue fashion writer Christian Allaire.
The trailer was created by Niitsitapi, Dene visual artist Lauren Crazybull and edited by Evan Peacock.
Crazybull's practice focuses on painted portraiture, experimental mapmaking and immersive installation. Her background includes working with youth, radio programming and illustration.
The purpose of her work has been to examine the function of colonialism in portraiture and other histories that are not always truthful representations of Indigenous existence. Crazybull's portraits describe Indigenous people as they appear to her. Through her work, she celebrates nuanced experiences and seeks a sincere understanding of the many facets of Indigenous life.
The trailer for Five Little Indians was narrated by Kyla Garcia, who also narrated the audiobook. The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.
Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
Scarborough is the multi-voiced story of a neighbourhood that refuses to fall apart in the face of poverty and crime. Weaving together the stories of three children growing up in difficult circumstances with the stories of three adults who are doing their best to help them out, Scarborough is a vibrant and emotional debut.
Scarborough will be championed by actor and activist Malia Baker.
The trailer was created by Wenting Li, who is an illustrator and muralist based in Toronto.
Wenting has done work for The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, the New York Times and the Polaris Music Prize. Her most recent public mural is The Hope in Chinatown in Toronto. This is her first solo animation project.
The trailer for Scarborough was narrated by author Catherine Hernandez. The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Washington Black tells the story of 11-year-old Washington Black, who was born into slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation. His master is Christopher Wilde, a man obsessed with developing a machine that can fly. The two develop a bond, but when a man is killed, Wilde must choose between his family and saving Washington's life — and the choice results in an unforgettable adventure around the world.
Washington Black will be championed by Olympian Mark Tewksbury.
The trailer was created by Toronto-based motion designer and illustrator Karolina Ficek.
Ficek developed an interest in animation after graduating through a mentorship and personal projects. She has worked with Reader's Digest, UNICEF, Diabetes Canada and Covenant House.
The trailer for Washington Black was narrated by Dion Graham, who also voiced the audiobook. The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad
What Strange Paradise is a novel that tells the story of a global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child. Nine-year-old Amir is the only survivor from a ship full of refugees coming to a small island. He ends up with a teenage girl named Vanna, who lives on the island. Even though they don't share a common language or culture, Vanna becomes determined to keep Amir safe. What Strange Paradise tells both their stories and how they each reached this moment, while asking the questions, "How did we get here?" and "What are we going to do about it?"
What Strange Paradise will be championed by the CEO and founder of Peace by Chocolate Tareq Hadhad.
The trailer was created by artists and animators Alia Hijaab and Laurel Pucker.
Hijaab is an artist, animator and storyteller based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. In her practice, Hijaab muses on the construction of memory and belonging, and draws from her experience as a mixed-race Syrian who grew up in the Arabian Gulf and immigrated to Canada by herself at 18.
After graduating from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2018, she was one of the founding members of Flavourcel Animation Collective and has been exploring animation installations, food and art events, GIF-making, music video production and collaborative art-making ever since.
Pucker is an artist and animator based in unceded Coast Salish territories. She graduated from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2018 with a focus on 3D animation, and went on to become one of the founding members of Flavourcel Animation Collective. Her work spans multiple mediums, with the only constant being a strong love for triangles and a desire to create things filled with joy wherever possible.
The trailer for What Strange Paradise was narrated by Dion Graham, who also voiced the audiobook. The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.
Life in the City of Dirty Water by Clayton Thomas-Müller
Life in the City of Dirty Water is a memoir by Cree activist Clayton Thomas-Müller. It covers his entire life: from playing with toy planes as a way to escape the intergenerational pain of Canada's residential school system to spending time in juvenile detention and later becoming an activist in the fight against colonial racism, environment degradation and violence. Along this rocky road, Thomas-Müller remains tied to his Cree heritage and spirituality.
Life in the City of Dirty Water will be championed by forest ecologist Suzanne Simard.
The trailer was created by multimedia artist Ella Cooper in collaboration with multidisciplinary artist Elysha Poirier.
Cooper is an award-winning independent producer, multimedia artist, educator, writer and director based in Toronto who has been working in the arts, film and cultural sector for over 20 years.
Her creative work explores the diaspora, representations of the Black body in Canada and First Nations territories, textile art, illustration, arts for social change, community storytelling, children's programming and photography. She is also the Founder of Black Women Film! Canada.
Poirier is a multidisciplinary artist working with animation, film and video. Combining digital and analog techniques she creates intrinsic worlds that dabble between 2D animation, mixed media and 3D environments.
Based in Montreal, she's currently experimenting with generative platforms for virtual and mixed reality, including experimental web design. Poirier's realized a wide range of installations and engaged in live performances for dance, experimental music, film, theatre and web.
The trailer for Life in the City of Dirty Water was narrated by author Clayton Thomas-Müller. The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.
