30 best Canadian books for little kids
Looking for great reads for your little one? Check out our list of top books for inspiration.
The Hockey Sweater
The Hockey Sweater Roch Carrier, Sheldon Cohen, Tundra Books
In a small Quebec town, life revolves around playing hockey and the Montreal Canadiens, but trouble brews when Roch outgrows his Habs sweater and receives a Toronto Maple Leafs one as a replacement.
Shi-sh-etko
Nicola I. Campbell, Kim LaFave, Groundwood Books
Based on true events, this bittersweet tale follows a young Aboriginal girl through her last few days with her family before she’s sent to a residential school.
Alligator Pie
Dennis Lee, Frank Newfeld, HarperCollins
A fun collection of poetry by Canada’s Father Goose includes classic rhymes like “Skyscraper” and “Wiggle to the Laundromat.”
Virgina Wolf
Kyo Maclear, Isabelle Arsenault, Kids Can Press
Virginia is in a foul mood, but her sister, Vanessa, helps her out of it using a bit of paint and imagination. Based loosely on the true-life relationship of Virginia Woolf and her artist sister, Vanessa Bell.
Tales from Gold Mountain
Paul Yee, Simon Ng, Groundwood Books
This is a collection of eight unique stories by historian and author Paul Yee about the Chinese people’s experiences in Canada during the gold rush.
The Name of the Tree
Celia Barker Lottridge, Ian Wallace, Groundwood Books
In the classic folk tale, animals seek food as drought threatens the land, but they’ll have to learn to work together and combine their talents to survive.
The Man with the Violin
Kathy Stinson, Dušan Petriu010diu0107, Annick Press
A little boy is dragged by his busy mom as they hustle past a violinist in a crowded subway station only to later learn they’d rushed by a renowned performer.
The Balloon Tree
Phoebe Gilman, Scholastic Canada
In this famous illustrated story, Princess Leora’s father must leave for a tournament, but he tells her to release balloons as a signal if there’s trouble.
Once Upon a Nothern Night
Jean E. Pendziwol, Isabelle Arsenault, Groundwood Books
This lovely wintry lullaby depicts a snow-laden forest and the woodland animals that make it their home.
Waiting for the Whales
Sheryl McFarlane, Ron Lightburn, Orca Book Publishers
In this touching tale, a lonely old man waits on his West Coast porch each year for the whales. But his life takes on new meaning when his daughter returns and he meets her baby.
Chin Chiang and the Dragon’s Dance
Ian Wallace, Groundwood Books
One little boy must overcome his fear in order to perform the dragon’s dance for Chinese New Year to bring prosperity and honour to his family.
Til All the Stars Have Fallen
David Booth, Kady MacDonald Denton, Kids Can Press
This eclectic collection of Canadiana-themed poems tells stories of royal visits, playing baseball in Toronto and sticky summer heat. Colourful sketches accompany works by the likes of A.M. Klein, Dennis Lee and Margaret Atwood.
Ten Small Tales
Celia Barker Lottridge, Joanne Fitzgerald, Groundwood Books
This collection of international stories inspired by fairy tales features witty animals, imaginative children and wise lessons.
Amos’s Sweater
Janet Lunn, Kim LaFave, Groundwood Books
Amos is an old sheep who’s tired of giving up his wool so everyone else can be warm. Enough is enough! He’s ready to reclaim his woolly coat—even if it’s now in the form of a brightly coloured sweater.
The Olden Days Coat
Margaret Laurence, Muriel Wood, Tundra Books
While visiting her grandmother at Christmas, 10-year-old Sal is transported to the past when she tries on a coat she finds in a weathered trunk.
Basbeball Bats for Christmas
Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak, Vladyana Krykorka, Annick Press
Set in a small village in the Northwest Territories, the author reminisces about a childhood Christmas holiday in 1955.
The Secret World of Og
Pierre Berton, Patsy Berton, Doubleday Canada
The five Berton siblings explore a world under the trap door of their clubhouse called Og that’s inhabited by tiny green creatures.
Binky the Space Cat
Ashley Spires, Kids Can Press
House cat Binky has quite an active imagination. He plans a mission to “outer space” (a.k.a. outside) in this humorous graphic novel.
Mr. Zinger’s Hat
Cary Fagan, Dušan Petriu010diu0107, Tundra Books
A little boy knocks the town storyteller’s hat off his head, but together they come up with a new story to tell.
Mable Murple
Sheree Fitch, Sydney Smith, Nimbus Publishing
This tongue-twisting poem is about a girl who imagines a life that’s entirely purple.
Dippers
Barbara Nichol, Barry Moser, Tundra Books
Based on a letter written by a girl named Margaret and discovered in the Toronto archives, this book is her fantastical account of some strange happenings during the summer of 1912.
The Dragon’s Pearl
Julie Lawson, Paul Morin, Stoddart Kids
In this story based on Chinese folklore, a hard-working boy from a poor family discovers a magical pearl that changes his life.
Zoom at Sea
Tim Wynne-Jones, Eric Beddows, Groundwood Books
Water-loving cat Zoom earns his sea legs when he visits a mysterious woman who can bring the ocean into her home.
Mattland
Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert, Dušan Petriu010diu0107, Annick Press
Bored with his home in a suburban subdivision, Matt lets his imagination take over as he draws a fun new land in the dirt.
I Know Here
Laurel Croza, Matt James, Groundwood Books
A little girl from rural Saskatchewan who must move to bustling Toronto reflects on everything she loves and will miss about her home.
In the Treehouse
Andrew Larsen, Dušan Petriu010diu0107, Kids Can Press
Two brothers who used to do everything together have grown apart. But when a blackout occurs, they spend a summer night up in their tree house, just like old times.
Loula is Leaving for Africa
Anne Villeneuve, Kids Can Press
A relatable read for big brothers and sisters, Loula is fed up with her bothersome triplet brothers and asks her mother’s chauffeur to take her to Africa. Thankfully, getting back home isn’t too hard.
Princess Pistachio
Marie-Louise Gay, Pajama Press
Pistachio receives a mysterious gold crown for her birthday, but she’ll still have to eat spinach and go to school until her “real” regal parents show up to rescue her.
The Nutmeg Princess
Richardo Keens-Douglas, Annouchka Galouchko, Annick Press
Two friends learn that selfishness and greed aren’t rewarded, but that there’s richness in being kind.
Bagels from Benny
Aubrey Davis, Dušan Petriu010diu0107, Kids Can Press
Benny’s grandpa makes bagels that everyone loves. Benny decides to leave a bag of the doughy goods for God in the synagogue each week. But who’s actually eating them?
Read more:
26 best Canadian books for big kids
8 best Canadian books for babies and toddlers
36 best Canadian books for preschoolers
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Amy is a freelance writer and editor based in Toronto, Ontario. Her work can also be found in publications like Chatelaine, Toronto Life and The Globe and Mail.