By Yolanda T. Marshall

Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas: Essays

Written by Gloria Blizzard.

“A diasporic collection of essays on music, memory, and motion. In this powerful and deeply personal collection, Gloria Blizzard uses traditional narrative essays, hybrid structures, and the tools of poetry to negotiate the complexities of culture, geography, and language in an international diasporic quest. These essays of wayfinding accompany anyone exploring issues of belonging — to a family, a neighbourhood, a group, or a country. Here, the small is profound, the intimate universal; the questions are all relevant and the answers of our times require simultaneous multiple perspectives.” – Dundurn Press, June 2024.

The Song of Wrath

Written by Sarah Raughley.

“Iris Marlow can’t die. For years, she was tormented by her missing memories and desperate to learn her real identity. So when the mysterious Adam Temple offered to reveal the truth of who she was in exchange for her joining his team in the Tournament of Freaks, a gruesome magical competition, it was an offer she couldn’t refuse. But the truth would have been better left buried.

Now, no matter how hard Iris fights for a normal life, the newly awakened power inside her keeps drawing her toward the path of global annihilation. Adam, perversely obsessed with Iris, will stop at nothing to force her to unlock her true potential, while a terrifying newcomer with ties to Hiva’s past is on the hunt for Iris. All Iris wants is the freedom to choose her future, but the cost might be everything Iris holds dear—including the world itself.” – Margaret K. McElderry Books, April 2024.

Dancehall Rebel

Written by Stacey Robinson.

“Dancehall DJ is a groundbreaking novel portraying a Caribbean Canadian teen challenging the ongoing legacy of homophobia in her musical and cultural community. Dancehall music and culture is undergoing a large shift. This book is a smart and savvy tale of a teen finding the confidence and voice to be an agent of change in her musical culture―and with her family.

Denise is a Toronto teen who was raised on Jamaican dancehall music; her dad is a leading local DJ who has imbued her life with a love of music. Denise aspires to follow in her dad’s footsteps, but there’s a problem: Denise identifies as queer, and the music she loves often reflects homophobia. Her mother and relatives are also not accepting. But when she moves to Ottawa for first-year university school, encouraged by a sympathetic cousin, she finds a community of like-minded kids who love and cherish both music and diversity. This lively true-to-life portrayal of teen lives and relationships puts a very contemporary spin on the cultural conflict often between more traditional families and their young family members.” – Lorimer, Feb. 2024.

Once Upon a Sari

Written by Zenia Wadhwani and illustrated by Avani Dwivedi.

“A picture book about a little girl who gets into her mom’s saris and makes a glorious, colourful mess and discovers the memories attached to each sari. Avani is having a wonderful time looking at all her mother’s saris, but she soon realizes she’s made a big mess. When her mom comes in, Avani expects a scolding, but instead, her mom sits down with her and tells her about the memories associated with each sari: memories of weddings and celebrations, memories of when and where the sari came from. And, in the case of one very special sari, memories that were passed down from her parents and grandparents. A beautiful and vibrant reflection of how what we wear connects us to big and small moments in our lives, Once Upon a Sari is a colourful feast for the eyes and the heart.” – Tundra Books, May 2024.

When Isaac Hears the Rain

Written by Julie Thompson and illustrated by Leah Giles.

“When the rain starts to fall, others may dash, yelp, and dodge, as their smiles turn into frowns. But not Isaac. Isaac embraces the rain with curiosity and wonder, grateful for its renewing power and grounded in the world around him. Written with equal parts heart and whimsy, and with a nod to Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day, this environmentally conscious narrative makes a fantastic read-aloud for readers, young and old.” – WorthyKids, May 2024.

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