Books by past CBC Literary Prizes winners and finalists that came out in 2025
Being a finalist for the CBC Literary Prizes can jump-start your literary career. Need proof? Here are 60 books that were published in 2025, written by former CBC Literary Prizes winners and finalists.
The 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize will be open for submissions between Jan. 1 and March 1 at 4:59 p.m. ET. The winner will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a two-week writing residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and have their work published on CBC Books.
Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.
A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests by Caroline Adderson, illustrated by Lauren Tamaki
Caroline Adderson's latest children's book is inspired by one of Japan's most famous kaikus, The Old Pond. In A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests we follow the poet who stops next to an old pond and encounters, not just the infamous frog from the haiku, but also three pests: a mosquito, a lily and a carp.
A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests is for ages 3-6.
Adderson is the Vancouver-based author of five novels, including The Sky is Falling, Ellen in Pieces and A Russian Sister. Her most recent short story collection is A Way to Be Happy.
Adderson is a three-time winner of the CBC Literary Prizes. She placed third in the CBC Short Story Prize in 1988 with The Hanging Garden of Babylon. She placed third a second time in 1991 with The Chmarnyk and in 2004, she came in second with Falling.
Lauren Tamaki is a designer and illustrator. She splits her time between New York City and Toronto.
I Want to Die in My Boots by Natalie Appleton
I Want to Die in My Boots is a captivating, untold portrait of Belle Jane, a larger than life woman who led a gang of cattle thieves in Saskatchewan in the 1920s — defying social conventions and living a life full of rebellion.
Natalie Appleton is a writer from Okanagan, B.C. Her previous work includes the travel memoir I Have Something to Tell You, which evolved from an essay written for the New York Times' Modern Love column.
Appleton was on the long list for the 2016 CBC Nonfiction Prize for her story Fourth Son of Fourth Wife.
What If Marty Doesn't Like My Party? by Katie Arthur
As Henry's birthday party approaches, he's thrilled that the coolest kid in class, Marty, is coming — but anxiety takes over. What if she doesn't like his dog, his apartment or his grandma's cake? From the top bunk, his big sister Sam reassures him by flipping his worries into positive possibilities. When Henry asks how she knows things will go well, Sam wisely reminds him that he doesn't know they won't. Told in a warm graphic novel format, What if Marty Doesn't Like My Party? is a heartwarming story celebrating sibling support and offering a gentle approach to managing anxiety.
What if Marty Doesn't Like My Party? is for ages 5-8.
Katie Arthur is an illustrator and author from Nova Scotia. Arthur was longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize for two consecutive years, in 2015 and 2016. She is also the author of Our Woolly Bear.
Compulsory Figures by John Barton
The collection Compulsory Figures reflects on John Baron's childhood in Alberta, his coming of age as a gay man during the AIDS crisis and all the people and things that shape us. Through lyrical poetry, it also explores the depths of grief after the poet's loss of one of his sisters in 2015.
Barton was the editor of The Malahat Review from 2004 to 2018. He was the city of Victoria poet laureate from 2019 to 2022. Barton won second place of the CBC Poetry Prize in 2002 for In the House of the Present and Assymetries.
No One Knows Us There by Jessica Bebenek
The poems in No One Knows Us There show two portraits of early womanhood. The first, a devoted granddaughter responding to needs in hospital hallways, the second, the same woman 10 years older, looking at her younger self with compassion and hopes for healing.
Jessica Bebenek is a queer interdisciplinary poet, bookmaker and educator. Bebenek was longlisted for the 2024 CBC Poetry Prize. She was also a reader for the 2025 CBC Poetry Prize.
Days of Feasting and Rejoicing by David Bergen
In Days of Feasting and Rejoicing, Esther is an American expat living in the Thailand house of the popular and wealthier Christine. When the women are on holiday in Bali, Christine drowns — despite Esther's efforts to save her. In the commotion, the police confuse Esther for Christine and she jumps at the opportunity to be someone else. But as a police captain launches further investigations into Christine's death, Esther finds herself pulling people into her lies.
David Bergen has written numerous books, including Away from the Dead and Out of Mind. He lives in Winnipeg. Bergen won the 1999 CBC Short Story Prize for How Can Men Share a Bottle of Vodka? which is included in his 2020 story collection Here the Dark.
Born by Heather Birrell
In Born, a pregnant high school teacher is trapped in a classroom during a lockdown caused by a troubled student with a knife, while relying on her students for support as she unexpectedly goes into labour. The novel explores the complexities of the school system, motherhood and the student-teacher relationship.
Heather Birrell is the author of the poetry collection Float and Scurry, and two story collections, Mad Hope and I know you are but what am I? She lives in Toronto. In 2022, Birrell was longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize.
th book uv lost passwords 1 by bill bissett
In his new book, th book uv lost passwords 1, acclaimed Canadian poet bill bissett challenges conventional language to weave a "novel uv pomes" that questions our ability to understand each other. In his signature unconventional style, bissett fuses sound, imagery and narrative to explore themes of mystery and love — and invites readers to engage with language in a fresh and expansive way.
bissett is a poet and artist born in Halifax and based in Toronto. Known for his unconventional writing style, bissett has written more than 60 books of poetry including its th sailors life / still in treetment and breth.
bissett won second prize in the poetry category of the CBC Literary Awards in 1980. In June 2024, he was appointed to the Order of Canada.
The Longest Night by Lauren Carter
In The Longest Night, Ash Hayes is locked out of her family home in Minnesota on a cold December night. Looking for shelter, she heads to her neighbours' — whom she's never met. The next morning she discovers that their house is completely void of modern technology and all its windows are blocked. Ash will have to figure a way to alter her past in order to reconnect with her future.
Lauren Carter writes, teaches writing and mentors other writers. Her debut novel, Swarm, was longlisted for Canada Reads 2014. She is based in Winnipeg.
In 2015, Carter longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize in 2015 for River's Edge. She also made the 2017 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Lie Down Within the Night. It was her second time on a CBC Poetry Prize longlist. Before that, she'd made the 2013 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Migration (1851-1882).
Property by Kate Cayley
As neighbours grapple with their to-do lists, the challenges of parenthood and hosting a small dinner party, Property recounts the seemingly inconsequential events of one spring day in a gentrified neighbourhood. But by the end of the day, someone has died — a tragedy that marks the area forever.
Kate Cayley is the author of the short story collections How You Were Born and Householders, three poetry collections and multiple plays. She lives in Toronto.
Cayley made the longlist for the 2016 CBC Short Story Prize and the 2013 CBC Poetry Prize longlist.
Still by Joanna Cockerline
In Still, Kayla lives and works on the streets of Kelowna, B.C. As she searches for her friend Little Zoe, a sex worker who has gone missing, she revisits the haunting truths of her past. When Kayla befriends an outreach volunteer with her own struggles, they take photos together, realizing that everything is not always as it appears.
In a story of community, friendship and resilience, Still spotlights a vibrant and unhoused community and explores what it means to find home in others and oneself. Still was on the longlist for the 2025 Giller Prize.
Joanna Cockerline is an author from Kelowna, B.C. She co-authored the short story collection Seeing Our Sisters with Munira Hussein, Rehema Zuberi, Hellen Mwololo, Ellah Hallets and Jacque Nzioka.
She won second place in the CBC Short Story Prize in 2002.
Kingdom of the Clock by Daniel Cowper
Kingdom of the Clock is a novel in verse that explores the lives of the inhabitants of a coastal city during a single day. The cast of characters include an aging stock promoter, an artist, an elderly chess player and a homeless man, among others. Each citizen is facing different experiences throughout that same day.
Daniel Cowper is based on Bowen Island, B.C. His poems have appeared in various literary journals, including Arc, Vallum, Freefall, Prairie Fire and Contemporary Verse 2. Cowper was longlisted for the 2017 CBC Poetry Prize for Earth on the Ocean's Back.
In the Field by Sadiqa de Meijer
In The Field is a collection of essays that explore profound questions: What meaning does a birthplace hold? What draws us to connect with a work of art? How do we honour the remains of the dead?
Sadiqa de Meijer is a writer currently living in Kingston, Ont. Her other books include the memoir alfabet/alphabet: a memoir of first language and the poetry collections Leaving Howe Island and The Outer Wards. She won the 2012 CBC Poetry Prize for Great Aunt Unmarried.
Suddenly Light by Nina Dunic
With striking realism, the collection Suddenly Light brings together 15 short stories that explore the joys and challenges of life and the threads that tie us together.
Nina Dunic is an Ontario writer of the novel The Clarion. She has been longlisted four times for the CBC Short Story Prize: in 2023 for The Artist, in 2022 for Youth, in 2020 for Bodies and in 2019 for an earlier version of Bodies.
SCAR/CITY by Daniela Elza
The poems in SCAR/CITY are inspired by the tireless work in communities to protect and grow homes that are affordable and secure. They interrogate a system that has allowed homes to be mined for profit.
Daniela Elza is a Vancouver-based poet. Her previous collections are the broken boat and slow erosions. Elza was on the 2024 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for scar/city I.
Is This an Illness or an Accident? by Daniela Elza
Elza also released a memoir this year. Is This an Illness or an Accident? is inspired by having to answer the question "But where are you really from?" Elza explores the ideas of belonging, identity and the question of home. The book also incorporates the concept of the world citizen, pushing back against the rise of nationalism.
Letters to Kafka by Christine Estima
Letters to Kafka, set in 1919 Vienna, follows Milena Jesenská, a 23-year-old trapped in a loveless marriage who translates to supplement her husband's income. After meeting Franz Kafka in Prague, she sends him a letter asking permission to translate one of his stories from German to Czech. This leads to a passionate conversation through letters, eventually resulting in two meetings — and an affair that might be so much more.
Christine Estima is a writer and journalist living in Toronto. She is the author of the short story collection The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society. In 2015, she was longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize.
Tunnel Island: Stories by Bill Gaston
The linked short story collection Tunnel Island is set on an island in B.C.'s Salish Sea. There are 11 stories featuring a cast of characters trying to overcome their pasts and find redemption following catastrophic errors.
Bill Gaston is the author of seven novels and seven collections of short fiction, including The World and Juliet was a Surprise, as well as the memoirs Midnight Hockey and Just Let Me Look at You.
Gaston won the CBC Short Story Prize in 1998.
Shadow Price by Farah Ghafoor
Shadow Price borrows its title from the finance term — "the estimated price of a good or service for which no market price exists." It's a poetry collection that explores what holds value in a capitalistic world. Shadow Price was also a finalist for the 2025 Governor General's Literary Award for poetry.
Born in New York and raised in New Brunswick and Ontario, Farah Ghafoor is a poet and financial analyst in Toronto. Ghafoor was longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2022.
It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished by Kate Gies
When Kate Gies was born without her right ear, plastic surgeons vowed to make her "whole" and craft the appearance of an outer ear. The Toronto author underwent 14 surgeries before the age of 13, many of which failed, leaving permanent scars — both physically and mentally. Gies shares her harrowing experiences and path to accepting her body through poignant vignettes that form her debut memoir, It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished.
Gies is a Toronto-based writer and educator. It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished is her first book. Gies was longlisted for the 2018 CBC Nonfiction Prize for Kids of 7C, which became a chapter in her memoir.
Motherness by Julie M. Green
Motherness is a memoir about Julie Green's experiences as a late-diagnosed autistic woman. Almost 10 years after learning that her son is autistic, Green was also diagnosed, shedding light on a lifetime of feeling othered and misunderstood. The memoir traces her journey from childhood to motherhood, as she must advocate for her young son while navigating her own struggles.
Julie M. Green's work has appeared in Washington Post, Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Today's Parent and more. She writes The Autistic Mom on Substack. Born in Cornwall, Ont., she currently lives in Kingston, Ont.
Green was longlisted for the 2024 CBC Nonfiction Prize.
Keener Sounds: A Suite by Roger Greenwald
Keener Sounds: A Suite is a sequence of contemporary sonnets in which music, as both subject and inspiration, accompanies explorations of love, grief, time and memory.
Roger Greenwald is a poet based in Toronto. He won the CBC Poetry Prize in 1994 and First Prize in the CBC Literary Award for Travel Literature in 2003.
The Silence of Falling Snow by Kristjana Gunnars
When Kristjana Gunnars accompanied her husband to his home in Oslo to die, she began to lose her sense of self. In The Silence of Falling Snow, she weaves together that experience with reflections on Buddhism and art making, offering a poignant meditation on grief and the process of finding meaning in loss.
Gunnars is an Icelandic-Canadian writer and painter. Her works include The Scent of Light, Ruins of the Heart, and the chapbook 112th Street Notebook. Gunnars won second place in the CBC Poetry Prize in 1986.
She's a Lamb! by Meredith Hambrock
Jessamyn St. Germain is convinced that she's destined to be a big star. While others might see her dreams as delusional, She's a Lamb! follows Jessamyn's relentless quest — revealing the oppressive weight of patriarchy, and the depths she will sink to, for a chance to make her dreams a reality.
Meredith Hambrock is a novelist and television writer from Saskatoon. Her story You Should Go Over There was longlisted for the 2016 CBC Short Story Prize. She is also the author of the novel Other People's Secrets.
More or Less by Alison Hughes, illustrated by Oge Mora
In More or Less, a picture book that celebrates how less can be more — a young boy inspires his family and friends to donate items, to live sustainably and to get rid of their clutter. The community then comes together for a swap party.
More or Less is for ages 4 to 8.
Alison Hughes is a writer from Edmonton. She has written over 20 books for children and young adults, including Hit the Ground Running. Hughes was longlisted for the 2011 CBC Short Story Prize and shortlisted for the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize.
Oge Mora has written and illustrated numerous books for children. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
I Am Aani LittleCrab by Julia VanDyke, illustrated by Twana MacArthur
Julia Jenkins, who writes under the pen name Julia VanDyke, turned her CBC Short Story Prize shortlisted story into a children's book of the same title. I Am Aani LittleCrab takes place in a village on the northwest coast and follows a young girl who is seriously injured after falling into a fire pit. She uses sticks fitted with deerskin gloves to move around after her injury, hence her nickname "LittleCrab."
Jenkins is a writer and retired business woman who lives on Vancouver Island. Jenkins was on the 2020 CBC Short Story Prize shortlist for I Am Aani LittleCrab.
Twana MacArthur is a metis artist based on Vancouver Island.
The World So Wide by Zilla Jones
The World So Wide tells the story of Felicity Alexander, a mixed-race opera star, who spends her life chasing love and validation. It is a story of betrayal, revolution — set within the context of the United States invasion of Grenada — and the healing power of music.
Zilla Jones is an African-Canadian author, anti-racism educator and criminal defence lawyer based in Winnipeg. Born in the U.K., her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals including The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire, The Malahat Review and Bayou Magazine.
Jones made the 2020 CBC Short Story Prize long list for Our Father and has been longlisted twice for her story How to Make a Friend, in 2022 and 2023; in 2024, Jones was included on the CBC Short Story Prize shortlist. The same year, Jones made the longlist for the CBC Nonfiction Prize.
Tunes for Dancing Bears by Irena Karafilly
In September 1991 Montreal, Lydia has just given birth to a stillborn child. She and her husband's relationship come under intense scrutiny from the Greek community who feels that Lydia has failed her husband. Tunes for Dancing Bears explores the complexities of grief and challenges of being an immigrant woman.
Irena Karafilly is an award-winning writer based in Montreal. She is the author of the novels Arrested Song and House on Selkirk Avenue. Her story Hoodlums won the CBC Short Story Prize in 1990.
Beaver Hills Forever by Conor Kerr
Beaver Hills Forever is a genre-bending novella with poetic verses that looks at the intertwined lives of four characters — each one of them representing one of the paths available to Métis people on the Prairies. They all share their inner dreams, hardships and even their delusions of grandeur.
Kerr is a Métis/Ukrainian writer currently based in Edmonton. His previous works include the poetry collection Old Gods and the novels Avenue of Champions and Prairie Edge.
Kerr was on the 2021 CBC Poetry Prize longlist. He was also one of the jurors for the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize.
Cattail Lane by Fran Kimmel
When Nick Ackerman gets a note from a stranger, everything in his life changes. Nick learns he has a 14-year-old son, Billy, whose grandma can't look after him anymore. Now, Nick has to take care of Billy and Billy can't seem to let go of his responsibilities towards his grandma. So they move to Prairie View Manor and meet Sarah, a housekeeper at the dementia ward who is also a single mother of an energetic five-year-old. Cattail Lane is a story of forgiveness, second chances and found family.
Fran Kimmel is the author of numerous short stories, theater and radio plays and the novels No Good Asking and The Shore Girl. Kimmel was longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize in 2009. She lives in Lacombe, Alta.
Best Canadian series 2025 edited by Anita Lahey
The Best Canadian anthologies are a yearly endeavour where a featured guest editor is selected for each of the three categories: stories, essays and poetry. In 2025, the guest editor for fiction was Steven W. Beattie, Emily Urquhart edited the nonfiction category and Aislinn Hunter served as the editor of the poetry collection.
Anita Lahey is an Ottawa writer. Her books include Spinning Side Kick, Out to Dry in Cape Breton, The Mystery Shopping Cart and The Last Goldfish, which was a finalist for the Ottawa Book Award. She has been the series editor of the Best Canadian Poetry yearly anthologies since 2018.
Lahey was on the CBC Poetry Prize longlists in 2009 for Men and in 2010 for The Foe.
Wild Life by Amanda Leduc
In Wild Life, Josiah is banished to work as a missionary in Siberia to rid him of his belief that animals have a divine power. When a natural disaster kills the other missionaries there, Josiah is saved by two talking hyenas and brought home to Scotland safely.
He starts a religion based on the notion that God allowed these hyenas to speak because of his own fervent faith and as part of a plan to fix humanity. As he gains more followers, more animals begin to talk to humans and a mass exodus of captive animals causes everyone to reckon with their own wildness.
Amanda Leduc is the author of the novels The Miracles of Ordinary Men and The Centaur's Wife, and the nonfiction book Disfigured. She was longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize in 2014 and 2019, as well as the CBC Nonfiction Prize in 2014. Leduc has cerebral palsy and lives in Hamilton, Ont.
i cut my tongue on a broken country by Kyo Lee
Through the poet's reflections on growing up queer and Korean Canadian, i cut my tongue on a broken country poignantly details her coming-of-age that's marked with beauty, pain and a quest for love.
Kyo Lee is a queer high school student from Waterloo, Ont. Lee is the youngest winner of the CBC Poetry Prize, for her poem lotus flower blooming into breasts.
Mrs. Nobody by Y. S. Lee, illustrated by Marie Lafrance
Alice loves to play and get up to no good with her friend Mrs. Nobody. However, after Alice pushes back on her idea because she didn't want to play a game they'd already played, Mrs. Nobody disappears. Alice has to spend a lonely night without her friend and figure out what to say when Mrs. Nobody reappears the next day.
Mrs. Nobody is for ages 3-6.
Y. S. Lee's fiction includes the YA mystery series The Agency, which was translated into six languages. Her poems have appeared in publications such as Event, Room, Rattle and the Literary Review of Canada. She lives in Kingston, Ont.
Lee was longlisted for the 2021 CBC Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the 2022 CBC Nonfiction Prize for her piece Tek Tek.
Elegy for Opportunity by Natalie Lim
Through candid reflections on the issues and events that shape today's society — from climate anxiety to the cultural impact of Taylor Swift, Elegy for Opportunity explores the tension and beauty of a world marked both by grief and pockets of joy.
Natalie Lim is a Chinese-Canadian poet based in Vancouver. Her work has been featured in Arc Poetry Magazine and Best Canadian Poetry 2020, among others. She is the author of the chapbook arrhythmia which includes the poem that won the 2018 CBC Poetry Prize.
Blockade: Diaries of a Forest Defender by Christine Lowther
In 1992, Christine Lowther was arrested for lying across the Clayoquot Arm bridge while fallers tried to drive to work with their chainsaws. Blockade draws from the daily journals she recorded at the time and tells the struggles and victories of the historic civil disobedience movement.
Lowther is a writer from Tofino, B.C. She is also the author of four poetry collections including Hazard, Home. She served as Tofino's poet laureate from 2020-2022.
Lowther was shortlisted for the 2023 CBC Nonfiction Prize for her piece Environmental Services.
Cut Side Down by Jessi MacEachern
Cut Side Down is a collection of poems that explores the themes of autobiography, desire, invention, landscape and memory. The poems also feature the important places of the Jessi MacEachern's life — P.E.I. and Montreal. The poems touch on the fantasy genre for even better storytelling.
MacEachern is a poet from P.E.I., who now lives in Montreal where she teaches English literature. Her writing has appeared in journals and anthologies across Canada. Her previous poetry collection was A Number of Stunning Attacks.
MacEachern was on the longlist for the 2018 CBC Poetry Prize.
The Northern by Jacob McArthur Mooney
In the summer of 1952, three men are hired by an upstart Mormon baseball card company in Western Ontario. Their two weeks in the Northern League will have them living in an ever-growing chaos. The Northern depicts a world shaped by the trauma of the Second World War and those left behind by it. The book is a character study on grief, adolescence and family.
Jacob McArthur Mooney's poetry collections include Don't Be Interesting, Folk and The New Layman's Almanac. Originally from Nova Scotia, he now lives in Toronto. Mooney was on the longlist for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2014.
Dead Writers by Jean Marc Ah-Sen, Michael LaPointe, Cassidy McFadzean, Naben Ruthnum
From a lovelorn journalist entering a diabolical pact to a tourist attempting to stay sober, Dead Writers is a collection of short stories exploring what the ever-changing concept of "bargain" means, and the heavy price that comes with corrupting your soul.
Regina-raised Cassidy McFadzean is a past finalist for the CBC Poetry Prize and The Walrus Poetry Prize. Her previous works include the poetry books Drolleries, Crying Dress and Hacker Packer. She currently lives in Toronto.
McFadzean was a finalist for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2013.
the book of sentences by rob mclennan
Meditative, witty and humorous, this collection of poems is fantastically rooted in family and the local — and captures intimate and quiet domestic moments. rob mclennan reflects on parenthood, childhood, past, present and future with finesse of phrase, rhythm and patience.
rob mclennan is a blogger, editor, essayist and poet based in Ottawa. He is the author of more than 30 trade books of poetry, fiction and nonfiction including The Uncertainty Principle: stories and the poetry collections A perimeter and World's End.
mclennan placed on the longlist for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2012 and 2017.
Uiesh / Somewhere by Joséphine Bacon and translated by Jessica Moore
Joséphine Bacon is an award-winning Innu poet born in Québec and now living in Montréal.
Jessica Moore is a writer and translator based in Toronto. She is the author of Everything, now and The Whole Singing Ocean. Moore was longlisted for the 2016 CBC Short Story Prize.
The Greyness of Good by Ramiro Mora
Per his own admission, Ramiro Mora writes poetry for people who don't generally read poetry. His poems reflect on the complexities of human existence, social hierarchies and mortality. The Greyness of Good explores life's moral ambiguities and contradictions as well as the harsh realities of love and relationships.
Mora is a Toronto-based poet who writes poetry in his own distinctive style which he calls “Graffiti Poetry.” Mora was longlisted for the 2025 CBC Poetry Prize.
Hunger by Susan Musgrave
Hunger: The Poetry of Susan Musgrave is a collection of poems from the author's last four books, serving as a window into Musgrave's body of work, showcasing the best aspects of the poet's personality.
Musgrave is one of Canada's most renowned poets and writers. She has received awards for poetry, fiction, nonfiction, personal essay, children's writing and for her work as an editor. She has published many books, including Love You More, More Blueberries and Kiss, Tickle, Cuddle, Hug.
Musgrave won the CBC Poetry Prize in 1996 for her poem The Gold Luck of Carp.
We, the Kindling by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek
In We, the Kindling, three women who, as children, survived the horrors of war in Uganda continue to experience the trauma of their past, even when they've started families of their own.
Otoniya J. Okot Bitek, a writer, poet and scholar born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, currently lives in Kingston, Ont. Her poetry collections include, 100 Days and A is for Acholi. Okot Bitek was longlisted for the 2018 CBC Poetry Prize.
How to Share an Egg by Bonny Reichert
When Toronto-based journalist Bonny Reichert turned 40, she quit her job and enrolled in culinary school — a life-changing decision that pushed her to explore her relationship with food in writing. This exploration, along with a critical bowl of borscht in Warsaw, led Reichert to writing the memoir, How to Share an Egg, which dives into how food shapes her history as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and shares her dad's story of survival.
Bonny Reichert is a journalist and chef based in Toronto. She was formerly an editor at Today's Parent and Chatelaine. She now teaches writing at the University of Toronto. Reichert was on the longlist for the 2020 CBC Short Story Prize.
Planet Earth: Stories by Nicholas Ruddock
Planet Earth is a collection of short stories and novellas that explores themes of love and passion with a specific awareness of humans' carelessness in burning up the world. The provocative and contemplative stories are humorous, quick-witted, paradoxically positive with a fondness for humans and their failings.
Nicholas Ruddock is a physician and writer who has worked in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Yukon and Ontario. He has had novels, short stories, poetry published since 2002.
Ruddock has been a finalist for each of the CBC Literary Prizes. He made the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Storm as well as the 2016 CBC Nonfiction Prize longlist for The Hummingbirds. Most recently, Ruddock was shortlisted for the 2023 CBC Short Story Prize for his story, Marriage.
Chinatown Vancouver by Donna Seto
Chinatown Vancouver is a vibrantly illustrated history of the neighbourhood's buildings that celebrates the Chinese community's contributions to Canada. It features iconic businesses like Cathay Importers and Ho Inn Restaurant, while highlighting the resilience of early Chinese settlers. It honours Chinatown as a living heritage site that connects Canadians to their past and future.
Donna Seto is a writer, artist and academic based in Vancouver. She holds a PhD in politics and international relations from the Australian National University. Her short story Generation Congee was longlisted for the CBC Nonfiction Prize in 2019.
Your War, Our Lives by Mina Sharif
Blending storytelling with original illustrations, Your War, Our Lives offers a vivid look at everyday life in Afghanistan. Through a range of fictional Afghan voices, Mina Sharif writes short stories shaped by her years living in Afghanistan and a lifetime in the diaspora.
Sharif's essays and commentary have appeared in various publications including Al Jazeera, Teen Vogue and Femina Magazine. She was longlisted for the 2024 CBC Short Story Prize with her story The Green Guest House, which is included in Your War, Our Lives. She lives in Scarborough, Ont.
Where the Jasmine Blooms by Zeina Sleiman
In Where the Jasmine Blooms, Yasmine returns to Lebanon to escape a messy divorce and reconnect with her cultural roots, having been raised in Toronto. During her visit, she reunites with an old lover and uncovers long-hidden political secrets within her family, all while grappling with the effects of grief, displacement and war.
Zeina Sleiman is an Edmonton-based Palestinian Canadian writer and educator, and former mentee in the Writers' Union of Canada's BIPOC Connect Program. Sleiman is a finalist for the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize for her story My Father's Soil.
All of Us Hidden by Joanna Streetly
Joanna Streetly's poetry collection All of Us Hidden addresses the grief she experienced following the disappearance of her two stepsons at sea. The poems focus on the impact the loss had on her, the remote island she lived on with her family, and explore how time shapes the relationship between people and nature, families and individuals.
Streetly is an essayist, poet and fiction writer from Tofino, B.C. Her books include Silent Inlet, Paddling Through Time and Wild Fierce Life. In 2015, Streetly's short essay The Brightness and Darkness of Lucifer was longlisted for the CBC Nonfiction Prize.
A Friend to Words by Damian Tarnopolsky
In the chapbook A Friend to Words, Charles is a member of the Worst Writing Group in the World and wants to write the great book that will answer all our questions. What will he achieve? Damian Tarnopolsky's comic story is a retelling of Nakajima Atsushi's The Expert.
Damian Tarnopolsky is a Toronto-based editor, teacher and writer, whose works also include the novel Goya's Dog. In 2007, his story You Guys was shortlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize and was later featured in his book Every Night I Dream I'm a Monk, Every Night I Dream I'm a Monster.
You Will Not Kill Our Imagination by Saeed Teebi
You Will Not Kill Our Imagination explores what it means to be Palestinian today, while they endure relentless assault not only on their homeland but on their very identity. The book delivers a scathing indictment of global complicity in the face of violence and offers a powerful reflection on art and imagination as tools of defiance and survival.
Saeed Teebi is a Toronto-based writer and lawyer, born in Kuwait. His debut short story collection was Her First Palestinian. The titular story was shortlisted for the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize.
Most Grievous Fault by Meg Todd
Crystal Constantine is a single parent who cannot see beyond the piles of bills, the weight of her past and the relentless needs of her teenage daughter Becky, who is suspected of having fetal alcohol syndrome. Most Grievous Fault is a story of a young mother desperate to deny her complicity in intergenerational trauma.
Meg Todd grew up in Alberta and now lives on Vancouver Island. Her debut short story collection was Exit Strategies. Todd has been on the shortlist for the CBC Short Story Prize twice: in 2017 with Warrior and in 2019 with Green is the Colour of Calm. She also made the 2020 CBC Short Story Prize longlist.
Everything Is Fine Here by Iryn Tushabe
In Everything Is Fine Here, a younger sister navigates the challenges of family and societal pressures while offering love and support to her older sister, who is gay, in a country with strict anti-homosexuality laws.
Iryn Tushabe is a Ugandan Canadian writer and journalist based in Regina. Her short fiction has been published in Grain Magazine, the Carter V. Cooper Short Fiction Anthology Series, and has been included in The Journey Prize Stories: The best of Canada’s New Writers.
Tushabe was longlisted for the CBC Nonfiction Prize in 2016.
Shelter in Text by Myra Bloom and Kasia Van Schaik
Shelter in Text is a collection of academic essays and creative nonfiction that explores the relationship between shelter and narrative. It looks at issues of care, disability and housing inequality, and considers decolonial perspectives on land and space.
Myra Bloom is an associate professor of English at York University's Glendon campus. Her work has been featured in a number of academic journals and magazines.
Kasia Van Schaik is an assistant professor of English and creative writing and co-director of the creative writing program at the University of New Brunswick, and the author of the story collection We Have Never Lived on Earth.
Van Schaik was a finalist for the 2017 CBC Short Story Prize for The Peninsula of Happiness. The Peninsula of Happiness became one of the chapters in We Have Never Lived on Earth. She also made the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize longlist for An Ounce of Care.
Goalie by Ben von Jagow
From rookie to retirement, the collection of poems in Goalie vividly captures the highs, lows and everything in-between of a hockey career — exploring the glorious moments of ambitious pursuit and the vulnerable times of facing set-backs.
Ben von Jagow is an Ottawa-based poet and writer. His debut poetry collection, Goalie, includes the poems that were longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2020. He was also a reader for the 2025 CBC Poetry Prize.
The Inquisitive Raven by Richard Wagamese, illustrated by Bridget George
The Inquisitive Raven is a posthumous publication of a story by beloved author Richard Wagamese, with Bridget George bringing to life the adventures of Rueben through illustrations. Some animals in the forest think Rueben is nosy, but he's simply in awe at the world around him.
The Inquisitive Raven is for ages 5 to 9.
Wagamese was an Ojibway writer from the Wabaseemoong First Nation in Ontario. He is the author of six novels, including Indian Horse, which was a finalist on Canada Reads 2013. He also wrote a collection of poetry, three memoirs and the children's book The Animal People Choose a Leader, which was also illustrated by George. Wagamese died in 2017 at the age of 61.
George is an Anishinaabe writer and illustrator from London, Ont. Her first picture book that she also wrote was It's a Mitig!
Ladder to Heaven by Katie Welch
In 2045 an earthquake ravages the Pacific Coast of North America and the world shifts. Suddenly people and animals can understand each other in Ladder to Heaven. Del Samara finds her life spiralling out of control and decides to leave everything and everyone behind to disappear to a fishing cabin. When she emerges three years later, she begins a dangerous journey to Vancouver Island and finds that the world has become a very different place.
Katie Welch writes fiction and teaches music in Kamloops, B.C. Her debut novel Mad Honey came out in 2022. Ladder to Heaven is her second novel.
Welch's story Bird Emergent was a finalist for the 2023 CBC Short Story Prize.
Wolf, Moon, Dog by Thomas Wharton
When Wolf is left out of his pack, he is drawn to the strange animals that walk on two legs, humans. In exchange for food, he protects them through the night, and they realize that they're not all that different after all. Wolf, Moon, Dog spans cultures, space and time to show the emotions and many iterations of the relationship between humans and dogs.
Thomas Wharton is the author of The Book of Rain and Icefields, which was a finalist for Canada Reads 2008. He is based in Alberta. Wharton was on the longlist for the 2013 CBC Short Story Prize.
Welcome to the Neighbourhood by Clea Young
Welcome to the Neighbourhood is a short story collection distinctly rooted in the Pacific Northwest. The characters within these stories are women and girls who live in the mountains and neighbourhoods in and around Vancouver, and seek connection and escape from isolation. The stories feature themes of love, loss, fear and survival.
Clea Young is a writer based in B.C. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Best Canadian Stories and The Journey Prize Stories. Her debut story collection, Teardown, was published in 2016.
Young made the 2012 CBC Short Story Prize shortlist and the 2019 CBC Short Story Prize longlist.