8 amazing books for young readers from The Next Chapter children's book panel
Kids' book experts Bee Quammie and Bridget Raymundo give holiday book advice
In keeping with tradition, The Next Chapter children's book panel is back with holiday recommendations!
This year, the panel includes writer, broadcaster and mother Bee Quammie and former children's bookseller (and current CBC Books producer) Bridget Raymundo.
From dinosaurs to Filipino folklore and cooking competitions, they share titles that will keep young readers of all ages engaged and entertained this holiday season.
Mabuhay!: A Graphic Novel by Zachary Sterling
JJ and Althea are first-generation Filipino siblings. Together, they must navigate fitting in in middle school — no small feat — and working at their parent's food truck, The Beautiful Pig. But when the stories their mom told them about Filipino folklore start to seem more real than they'd ever imagined, they must learn how to embrace who they are and save their family.
Bridget Raymundo says: "It's just a really wonderful representation to see. This is the book that I would have loved to have when I was in middle school as well."
Mabuhay!: A Graphic Novel is for ages 8 to 12.
Julie and the Mango Tree by Sadé Smith, illustrated by Sayada Ramdial
Julie's favourite fruit are mangoes but she can never seem to pick a sweet one from the tree in her yard. In Julie and the Mango Tree, Julie pleads with her mango tree on a summer afternoon in this vibrantly illustrated picture book.
Bee Quammie says: "I think it's a really great story in that kids will get that lesson kind of seeped in while they're thinking about mangoes and how delicious mangoes are and looking at the beautiful illustrations."
Julie and the Mango Tree is for ages 3 to 6.
Something More by Jackie Khalilieh
Something More is a YA romance following 15-year-old Jessie Kassis' first year of high school. Jessie is a Palestinian-Canadian girl who is coming to terms with her autism diagnosis all the while trying to make friends, get a spot in the school play and get her first kiss. When she catches the attention of two boys at Holy Trinity High, Jessie discovers more about who she is and what she truly wants.
Raymundo says: "This is just a very earnest and heartwarming portrayal of what it means to be 15 and living in Ontario."
Something More is for ages 12 and up.
Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai
Catfish Rolling is a debut coming-of-age YA novel by Clara Kumagai with magical realism elements. There is a catfish that lives under Japan and when it rolls the land rises and falls. Sora is 17 years old and living with her father after losing her mother to a powerful earthquake, which she blames on the catfish. The catfish doesn't just affect the land — it also affects time, leaving Japan divided into zones, with some moving fast and some moving slow. When Sora's father disappears, Sora must head into the abandoned time zones to find him.
Quammie says: "What I love about this book is it's from Sora's perspective, so it takes you into her world immediately. You're seeing everything through her eyes. And the book is extremely descriptive and beautiful. It's really lovely how it brings in that kind of history and culture, but in a modern way."
Catfish Rolling is for ages 14 and up.
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Pet follows a young girl named Jam, who believes that monsters have gone extinct. But when a creature named Pet emerges from her mother's painting with a drop of her blood, she must reconcile with a new truth — and save the world from a threat no one believes even exists.
Raymundo says: "It's a monster hunt book at the end of the day, but Akwaeke really has such a poetic and beautiful language to their writing. It's short, it's condensed and it deals with some really heavy topics in a really beautiful way that allows for levity and allows for fun."
Pet is for ages 12 and up.
Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney
When Alice appears on a popular reality cooking show with her dad, she finds herself caught up in a case of mystery and sabotage. Alice and her father are contestants on Culinary Combat, a new reality TV show hosted by Tom Truffleman — but the cooking competition forces Alice to work with new friends and find out who is trying to ruin the show before it's too late.
Quammie says: "It's got food, it's got mystery, it's got friendships, it's got insecurity and confidence and all those good things that I think that age group can identify with."
Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster is for ages 10 to 14.
Benny the Bananasaurus Rex by Sarabeth Holden, illustrated by Emma Pedersen
Benny knows that if he eats too many bananas, he might turn into one — but that's not going to stop him. After eating bananas morning, noon and night, he becomes a Bananasaurus Rex and silly chaos ensues.
Raymundo says: "It's a really cute and wonderfully illustrated story."
Benny the Bananasaurus Rex is for ages 3 to 5.
The Three Canadian Pigs: A Hockey Story by Jocelyn Watkinson, illustrated by Marcus Cutler
In a rhyming book, three pigs are playing hockey when the Big Bad Wolf decides that they should be lunch. To save themselves, the pigs challenge Wolfie (along with Canadian bad boys Bear and Moose) to a game of hockey. Will a nail-biting game be enough to settle their differences?
Quammie says: "It's really easy to read and kids just get into that repetition and that rhythm. It's an awesome book."
The Three Canadian Pigs is for ages 6 to 8.
