11 must-read books for Canadian kids this summer

Looking for something cool for the kids to read this hot summer? Check out these must-read books that will help make your family's summer a page-turner.

While you're at it, be sure to take a look at our recent list of 10 Canadian YA books you should read this summer. 

Picture books:

From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea by Kai Cheng Thom, illustrated by Kai Yun Ching & Wai-Yant Li

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Kai Cheng Thom's picture book — with illustrations by Kai Yun Ching & Wai-Yant Li — is about a young child named Miu Lan who can't decide whether to be a boy or a girl, a bird or a fish, a flower or a shooting star. It's a beautifully imagined picture book about gender, identity and the acceptance of the differences between us all. 

• The best Canadian book covers of 2017

Picture the Sky by Barbara Reid

The whimsical picture book Picture the Sky is the latest from Barbara Reid. Famous for her vibrant Plasticine artwork, Reid is considered one of Canada's best storytellers, and many of her books — like Picture a Tree and Sing a Song of Mother Goose — are deemed modern classics. 

• The 5 books Barbara Reid would love to illustrate

When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett

Winner of the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — illustrated books, this story of a grandmother describing her experience in residential schools will bring you all the feels. It's so beautiful and so gentle, and therein lies its transformative power. Julie Flett continues to dazzle with her highly original illustrations. 

• Why David Alexander Robertson wrote a children's book about residential schools

Fox and Raccoon by Lesley-Anne Green

Best friends Fox and Raccoon are next door neighbours in Juniper Hollow. They play together every single day, but one day Fox is busy. Raccoon helps Fox with all her errands and finds a surprise at the very end. Lesley-Anne Green is a textile artist in Toronto and created the creatures in her book with wool, thread and fabric. 

The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Kirsten Hall and Isabelle Arsenault pay tribute to the humble honey bee in this lyrical and vibrant picture book. In a field of wild flowers, a sweet, buzzing honey bee flits from flower to flower in search of pollen and nectar. 

Takannaaluk by Herve Paniaq, illustrated by Germaine Arnaktauyok

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Coming out in August 2018, Takannaaluk is a bilingual book, titled after the Inuktitut name for the mother of sea mammals — one of the most important characters in Inuit mythology. This unique picture book by elder Herve Paniaq and artist Germaine Arnaktauyok tells the story of how Takannaaluk married a sea bird posing as a man, and came to be both feared and respected. 

Middle-grade books: 

Speaking Our Truth by Monique Gray Smith

In Speaking Our Truth, Monique Gray Smith educates young readers about Canada's residential school system and its survivors in this important work of nonfiction for middle-grade readers. 

• Monique Gray Smith wants everyone to read 'a variety of lived experiences and perspectives'

The Skeleton Tree by Iain Lawrence

The Skeleton Tree is a survival tale that tracks two boys who need to quickly learn how to survive in the wilderness when their boat sinks off the coast of Alaska. Iain Lawrence is a bestselling author of books for children of all ages. The B.C.-based writer won the 2007 Governor General's Literary Award for children's literature for the novel Gemini Summer and his latest book, The Skeleton Tree, was a finalist for the 2017 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award.

• How Iain Lawrence grew his scary middle-grade novel The Skeleton Tree

A World Below by Wesley King

The latest by Wesley King — author of Edgar Award winner OCDaniel  — is the middle-grade novel A World Below. It's a survival tale about a field trip of Grade 8 students who find themselves trapped in an underground cave after an earthquake. 

• Wesley King on why writing is like a treasure hunt

The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

Charlie's father is dead and so are his crops. To make ends meet, Charlie takes a job hunting down three thieves. Tracking the thieves to Detroit, Charlie discovers they are actually escaped slaves. The Journey of Little Charlie asks tough questions of the reader and its protagonist, who struggles with doing what's right in a time of great evil.

• Why Christopher Paul Curtis writes best from a place of fear

Escape by Linwood Barclay

In Linwood Barlcay's sequel to his earlier page-turner, Chase, the adventures of 12-year-old Jeff and his genetically engineered spy dog Chipper continue. And with the pair on the run from a sinister organization known only as "The Institute,"  their mysterious helper Harry seems to be acting suspiciously. 

• Linwood Barclay on his new challenge