What to read on I Read Canadian Day

Across the country on Feb. 19 is a day dedicated to reading Canadian books. Libraries, bookstores, and schools are joining this initiative and pledging to “read Canadian” for at least 15 minutes.

Young people especially are the focus of the I Read Canadian Day initiative, so we wanted to help spread the word about this fantastic day as well as suggest Canadian-authored titles in the Juvenile and YA categories to read.

We’re sharing Canadian-only lists of Loan Stars Jr. picks, as chosen by library staff across Canada, the 10 bestselling Juvenile and YA titles in Canada last year, and the most-loaned Juvenile and YA titles in Canadian libraries from September to December 2019. If that doesn’t help you find a great Canadian title to read on Feb. 19, we’re not sure what will!

Canadian Loan Stars Jr. picks

Some suggestions for what to read on #IReadCanadianDay.
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Loan Stars is the readers’ advisory tool that allows library staff across Canada to collaboratively select their favourite forthcoming titles. The titles with the most recommendations become Loan Stars picks. The following titles are the Canadian picks from the first year of the Loan Stars Jr. program.

1. Papergirl by Melinda McCracken with Penelope Jackson 🇨🇦(9781773631295)

2. When You're Scared by Andrée Poulin, illustrated by Véronique Joffre 🇨🇦(9781771473651)

3. Mya's Strategy to Save the World by Tanya Lloyd Kyi 🇨🇦(9780735265257)

4. The Little Book of Big What-Ifs by Renata Liwska 🇨🇦(9781328767011)

5. How Emily Saved the Bridge by Frieda Wishinsky, illustrated by Natalie Nelson 🇨🇦(9781773061047)

6. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks 🇨🇦(9781626721623)

7. Spin by Colleen Nelson 🇨🇦(9781459744967)

8. Sharon, Lois and Bram's Skinnamarink by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillienstein, and Bram Morrison, illustrated by Qin Leng 🇨🇦(9780735264069)

9. The Stone Rainbow by Liane Shaw 🇨🇦(9781772601084)

10. Birdsong by Julie Flett 🇨🇦(9781771644730)

11. The Blue Road by Wayde Compton, illustrated by April dela Noche Milne 🇨🇦(9781551527772)

12. Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell 🇨🇦(9781534438071)

13. Magical Beings of Haida Gwaii by Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Sara Florence Davidson, illustrated by Alyssa Koski and Judy Hilgemann 🇨🇦(9781772032963)

14. The Bat by Elise Gravel 🇨🇦(9780735266483)

15. The Cockroach by Elise Gravel 🇨🇦(9780735266421)

16. Northwest Resistance by Katherena Vermette, illustrated by Scott B. Henderson and Donovan Yaciuk 🇨🇦(9781553798316)

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Canadian Loan Stars Jr. Picks.

Top-selling Canadian Juvenile/YA books in Canada 2019

Here are the top-selling titles in the Juvenile/YA category based on print sales volume in Canada over a 48-week period from Dec. 31, 2018 to Dec. 1, 2019 (according to BNC SalesData, which tracks print sales in the English-language trade market).

1. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw 🇨🇦(9780920668375)

2. Sharon, Lois and Bram's Skinnamarink by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillienstein, and Bram Morrison, illustrated by Qin Leng 🇨🇦(9780735264069)

3. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦(9781773210292)

4. Pyjama Day! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦(9781443139175)

5. Say Something! by Peter H. Reynolds 🇨🇦(9780545865036)

6. Moose! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko ??🇦(9781443107181)

7. Hugs by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦(9781443142908)

8. Smelly Socks by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦(9780439967075)

9. Bear for Breakfast by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Jay Odjick 🇨🇦(9781443170550)

10. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila McGraw 🇨🇦(9780228101048)

You can see all of these titles in this CataList catalogue: Bestselling Titles in Canada in 2019 – Canadian Juvenile & YA. 

Most-loaned Juvenile/YA books in Canadian libraries

We identified the most-loaned Canadian Juvenile/YA titles based on BNC LibraryData-tracked loans in Canada over a 14-week period from Sept. 8, 2019 to Dec. 8, 2019.

A note on LibraryData data: Some of the entries below are entire series, while others are individual titles. Libraries report their circulation data based on how ISBNs are catalogued in their systems. Because some libraries catalogue multiple books in a series together, the circulation data we receive is catalogued together as well! You can learn more about what we call ISBN Clusters here. 

1. Duck Duck Dinosaur series by George Kallie, illustrated by Oriol Vidal 🇨🇦

2. Restart by Gordan Korman 🇨🇦

3. The Enormous Suitcase by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦

4. Moving Day! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦

5. So Much Snow! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦

6. Bear for Breakfast by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Jay Odjick 🇨🇦

7. Finding Christmas by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦

8. Get Me Another One! by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Mike Boldt 🇨🇦

9. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko 🇨🇦

10. Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween by Mélanie Watt 🇨🇦

Visit the I Read Canadian Day site to sign up for free and to find all sorts of resources that will help with your pledge.