The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt by Gabrielle Prendergast
Orca Book Publishers, 2025 ISBN: 9781459838895
Ten-year-old Sara has anxiety and selective mutism. When her baby brother is born
premature and her mother needs to recover from the birth, Sara is sent to stay with her
adult half-sister Abby, who lives in a storage container home on a vacant lot in Toronto.
Through letters to her brother, Sara discovers quiet but powerful ways to connect,
advocate, and stand up for others.
Benny on the Case by Wesley King
Beach Lane Books, 2025 ISBN: 9781665937702
Eleven-year-old Benny has Mosaic Down Syndrome and lives in a retirement home that his mother runs. When Benny transitions to a mainstream classroom, the other students tease him for his differences, except for Salma, a new student who is not your typical Newfoundland girl. So when mysterious thefts threaten to close down the retirement home, Benny and Salma work together to crack the case, save the retirement home, and take on their school bullies.
The City of Lost Cats by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Tundra Books, 2025 ISBN: 9781774882122
Fiona discovers an abandoned harbor mansion filled with stray cats and two unruly parakeets and feels determined to protect it. When a demolition project threatens their home, she sets out to save “The City,” despite clashing animal leaders and limited support from adults. Seeking help from the community, Fiona must unite the animals and outsmart developers to preserve this safe haven for its unusual residents.
The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay by Mary Averling
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2025 ISBN: 9780593624937
Maudie, a twelve-year-old ghost, haunts a woodland cottage with her best friend Kit and her little brother Scratch. When they vanish, Maudie learns that a nightmare creature called Longfingers has taken them. Forced into a dangerous bargain, Maudie teams up with Gianna, the living girl she haunts, to find a mysterious key. As they race to save her friends, Maudie must confront hidden truths that could determine their fate.
How to Save a Library by Colleen Nelson
Pajama Press, 2025 ISBN: 9781772783650
Casey is finally feeling settled in Armstrong’s Point after years of constant moving, finding his place at school and on the soccer field. But when his dad’s job at the Cornish Library is threatened by necessary repairs, Casey’s sense of stability is shaken. Determined to help, he joins a community group competing for funding, even though it means working with a former friend. Through the challenge, Casey discovers the power of community and belonging.
Invisible: The (Sort of) True Story of Me & My Hidden Disease by David Soren
Penguin Workshop, 2025 ISBN: 9780593886632
Talented young artist J.J. Sugar dreams of becoming an animator after winning a contest, but his life shifts when he’s diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. His condition takes shape as Norm, a sarcastic, ever-present creature who won’t leave him alone. As J.J. navigates middle school and chronic illness, he faces daily challenges but begins to realize he may not have to handle them on his own.
Saving Wolfgang by Gregor Craigie
Orca Book Publishers, 2025 ISBN: 9781459838161
After his father’s sudden death, Wolfgang and his devastated mother move to Calgary to live with his grandfather. As he adjusts to a new school, he finds support in his grandpa and a new friend who introduces him to hockey. When Wolfgang learns the truth about his father’s death, he struggles with difficult emotions. Friendship, family, and hockey help Wolfie find moments of hope and healing. Trigger Warning: mentions of suicide.
Time Surfers by Kevin Sylvester
HarperCollins, 2025 ISBN: 9781443475068
Caleb Fisher works alongside his scientist father on dangerous time-travel missions to recover lost treasures for the glory of the ruling Global Council. Bound by strict rules not to alter history or save lives, they navigate high-stakes moments in the past. When Caleb secretly joins a forbidden mission to the burning Library of Alexandria in 38 BCE Egypt, their actions trigger unforeseen consequences that threaten the timeline.
Touching Grass by Kristy Jackson, ill by Rhael McGregor
HarperCollins, 2025 ISBN: 9781443472258
Tristen is in trouble at school again, and the principal is threatening to kick him out of his third school in two years. His mom believes the answer is to get Tristen off video games and in touch with nature and his Dene roots. This means Tristen has to spend a week at a culture camp in the wilderness. It’s his worst nightmare! Can Tristen learn to hack this nature stuff?
Way Off Track by Carl Brundtland, Art by Claudia Dávila
Kids Can Press, 2025 ISBN: 9781525310041
Nansi has never lost a race…until snobby Tania beats her in an unofficial race. Surely it’s Tania’s flashy new running shoes that give her the edge? Determined to win a spot at track tryouts, Nansi becomes obsessed with getting a pair of her own. As she schemes to raise the money, her confidence, pride, and ingenuity are put to the test.