Forest of Reading 2026 Nominees Announced: Celebrating the Best in Canadian Children’s Books in English and French

The wait is over—Canada’s biggest reading celebration is back! The 2026 Forest of Reading nominees have officially been announced, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this year’s incredible lineup. From picture books to young adult novels, the program continues to spotlight the rich talent of Canadian authors and illustrators who inspire readers of every age and stage. The Teachers on Call team is thrilled to join the celebration once again, returning with new Hooked on Books interviews featuring many of this year’s nominated authors. Keep reading for the full list of 2026 nominees and get ready to discover your next great Canadian read!

More than just an award program, the Forest of Reading is a nationwide movement that brings students, teachers, librarians, and families together through the joy of storytelling. It encourages readers to explore new genres, discover diverse voices, and share their perspectives in a vibrant literary community that stretches from coast to coast. ​​Our online and in-person tutoring team at Teachers on Call are thrilled to support this beloved tradition once again. Missed our recap of the 2025 winners? Check out 2025 Forest of Reading Winners Announced: Canadian Students Choose Their Favourite Books.

This year’s nominated books span 10 categories—six in English and three in French for different grade levels, plus one category dedicated to adults. Each list features ten outstanding titles carefully selected by the Ontario Library Association to reflect quality, diversity, and broad appeal for readers from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton to Toronto, Ottawa, and the Maritimes. Come spring, students across the country will take part in the fun by voting for their favourite books, helping decide the winners of this beloved Canadian program. Whether your child is already an avid reader or just building new reading habits, the Forest of Reading Nominee List truly offers something for everyone. Scroll down to explore the full lineup!

“We look forward to this moment every year, sharing the Forest of Reading nominees with young readers across the country,” says Meredith Tutching, Director of the Forest of Reading® & Logistics. “Our incredible volunteers read through hundreds of books to bring forward these outstanding titles, ensuring there is truly something for everyone. The nominated books serve as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, giving readers the chance to see themselves reflected, while also discovering new worlds and experiences. Canada is home to some of the finest writers and illustrators in the world, and through the Forest of Reading program, young readers get to experience first-hand the power and impact of great storytelling.”

Full List of Forest of Reading 2026 Nominated Books

2026 Blue Spruce Award™ Nominees for JK-Grade 2 picture books

• Bannock in a Hammock - Written by Masiana Kelly, Illustrated by Amiel Sandland, Published by Inhabit Media
• The Beat of the Dragon Boat - Written by Christina Matula, Illustrated by Nicole Wong , Published by Sleeping Bear Press
• Fox and the Mystery Letter - Written by Alex G. Griffiths, Illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths, Published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books
• The Friendship Blanket - Written by Leonarda Carranza, Illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina, Published by Scholastic Canada
• The Girl Who Loved Poutine - Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, Illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi, Published by Sleeping Bear Press
• The Great Dinosaur Sleepover - Written by Linda Bailey, Illustrated by Joe Bluhm, Published by Tundra Books
• It's Okay, Just Ask - Written by Monique Leonardo Carlos, Illustrated by Salini Perera, Published by Owlkids Books
• The Most Magnificent Team - Written by Ashley Spires, Illustrated by Ashley Spires, Published by Kids Can Press Ltd.
• Patty Dreams - Written by Nadia L. Hohn, Illustrated by Sahle Robinson, Published by Owlkids Books
• The Weedflower - Written by Elizabeth Davaze, Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer, Published by Owlkids Books

2026 Silver Birch Express Award® Nominees for Grades 3-4, fiction, non-fiction

• Barefoot Skateboarders - Written by Rina Singh, Illustrated by Sophie Casson, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• The Big Splash - Written by Angela Ahn, Illustrated by Julie Kim, Published by Tundra Books
• Chomp-O-Rama: The Strange Ways That Animals Eat - Written by Maria Birmingham, Illustrated by Kyle Reed, Published by Owlkids Books
• Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses - Written by Stephanie Gibeault, Illustrated by Bambi Edlund, Published by Owlkids Books
• The Great Puptective 02 Purranormal Activity - Written and Illustrated by Alina Tysoe, Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• The League of Littles - Written by Casey Lyall, Illustrated by Sara Faber, Published by HarperCollins
• Olive Tran 01 Every Little Bit Olive Tran - Written by Phuong Truong, Illustrated by Christine Wei, Published by Second Story Press
• Plant Attack!: The Fascinating Ways Flora Defends Itself - Written by Erin Silver, Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• Salma Speaks Up - Written by Danny Ramadan, Illustrated by Anna Bron, Published by Annick Press
• This Is How a Ball Rolls: The Science of Wobbling, Bouncing, Spinning Balls - Written by Heather Tekavec, Illustrated by Suharu Ogawa, Published by Kids Can Press Ltd.

2026 Silver Birch Fiction Award® Nominees for Grades 5-6, fiction

• The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt - Written by Gabrielle Prendergast, Published by Orca Book Publishers 
• Bea Mullins Takes a Shot - Written by Emily Deibert, Published by Random House Children's Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
• Benny on the Case - Written by Wesley King, Illustrated by Maike Plenzke, Published by Simon & Schuster Canada
• The City of Lost Cats - Written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, Published by Tundra Books
• Comic Shift - Written by Ted Staunton, Published by Scholastic Canada
• Death by Whoopee Cushion - Written by Vicki Grant, Published by Tundra Books
• Ghosts of Gastown - Written by Jessica Renwick, Published by Yellow Dog
• The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents - Written by Nicki Pau Preto, Published by Penguin Young Readers / Viking Books for Young Readers
• Spirit Service - Written by Sarena & Sasha Nanua, Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Taxi Ghost - Written and Illustrated by Sophie Escabasse, Published by Random House Children's Books/Yearling

2026 Yellow Cedar Award Nominees for Grades 5-8, non-fiction

• Game Changers:  Stories of Hijabi Athletes from around the World - Written by Charlene Smith, Illustrated by Natalya Tariq, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• How to Know a Crow: The Biography of a Brainy Bird - Written by Candace Savage, Illustrated by Rachel Hudson, Published by Greystone Kids
• The Land Knows Me: A Nature Walk Exploring Indigenous Wisdom - Written by Leigh Joseph, Illustrated by Natalie Schnitter, Published by becker&mayer! kids
• Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep - Written by Mark Leiren-Young, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• Salt, Pepper, Season, Spice: All the Flavors of the World - Written by Jacques Pasquet, Translated by Ann Marie Boulanger, Illustrated by Claire Anghinolfi, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• A Sick History of Medicine:  A Warts-And-All Book Full of Fun Facts and Disgusting Discoveries - Written by Poleksic, Jelena, Illustrated by Ella Kasperowicz , Published by Neon Squid
• Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet - Written by Geo Rutherford, Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers
• The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History - Written by Ann Richards, Illustrated by Arden Taylor, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains - Written by Anita Yasuda, Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, Published by HarperCollins Canada
• Zoom in On Zombies - Written by Kari-Lynn Winters and Catherine Marie Rondina, Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside

2026 Red Maple Award™ Nominees for Grades 7-8, fiction

• The Dark Won't Wait - Written by David Poulsen, Published by Red Deer Press
• The Discovery of Finnegan Wilde - Written by Caroline Pignat, Illustrated by Alan Cranny, Published by Thistledown Press
• The Factory - Written by Catherine Egan, Published by Scholastic Canada
• Finding Harmony - Written by Eric Walters , Published by Orca Book Publishers 
• If We Tell You - Written by Nicola Dahlin, Published by Kids Can Press
• Is There a Boy Like Me? - Written by Kern Carter, Published by Scholastic Canada
• No Purchase Necessary - Written by Maria Marianayagam, Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
• Old School - Written by Gordon Korman, Published by Scholastic Canada
• The Time Keeper - Written by Meagan Mahoney, Published by DCB Young Readers
• Unsinkable Cayenne - Written by Jessica Vitalis, Published by HarperCollins

2026 White Pine Award™ Nominees for Grades 9-12, fiction

• Beast - Written by Richard Van Camp, Published by Douglas & McINtyre
• A Drop in the Ocean - Written by Léa Taranto , Published by Arsenal Pulp Press
• For She is Wrath - Written by Emily Varga, Published by Raincoast/ St. Martin's Press
• The History of Everything  - Written by Victoria Evans, Published by HarperCollins 
• Messy Perfect - Written by Tanya Boteju, Published by HarperCollins 
• Recommended Reading - Written by Paul Coccia, Published by Zando Young Readers
• Songs for Ghosts - Written by Clara Kumagai, Published by Penguin Teen Canada
• Titan of the Stars - Written by E.K. Johnston, Published by Tundra Books
• The Unfinished - Written by Cheryl Isaacs, Published by HarperCollins 
• The Unweaving: A Novel - Written by Cheryl Parisien, Published by Tidewater Press Ltd.

Prix Peuplier 2026 Liste de finalistes

• Alexis trouve sa voix - Par Anne Renaud, et illustré par François Thisdale, Publié par Bouton d'or Acadie
• Comme toi et moi - Par Priska Poirier, et illustré par Sabrina Gendron, Publié par Éditions Druide
• Les drôles de passe-temps de Nathan - Par Geneviève Simard, et illustré par Élodie Duhameau, Publié par Gründ Québec
• La grenouille qui rêve les yeux ouverts - Par Chloé Varin, et illustré par Laia Roca Trullols, Publié par Éditions Michel Quintin
• Le gros méchant Mwa-Mwa-Mwa - Par Geneviève Jannelle, et illustré par Jasmine Mirra Turcotte, Publié par Québec Amérique
• Les mal-aimés - Par et illustré par Magalie Element, Publié par Éditions Alaska
• Mon papa punk - Par Iris Boudreau, et illustré par Pascal Girard, Publié par Fonfon
• Mon pire cauchemar: c'est elle / c'est lui - Par Emilie Ouellette, et illustré par MIKA (Geneviève Guénette), Publié par Éditions Alaska
• Un monstre vit dans ma tête - Par ÉMILIE CÔTÉ-ROY, et illustré par ZOË ROBERTSON, Publié par Gründ Québec
• Nora et Luce, les super mamans de Marcus - Par Renee Wilkin, et illustré par Catherine Petit, Publié par Boomerang Éditeur jeunesse

Prix Mélèze 2026 Liste de finalistes

• La bibliothèque enchantée 01 Le livre aspirateur - Par Jocelyn Boisvert, et illustré par Enzo (Enzo Lord Mariano), Publié par Éditions Michel Quintin
• Le champion du cimetière: Ma vie de zombie BD - Par et illustré par Éric Péladeau, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Chasse aux indices - Par Martine Latulippe, et illustré par François Samson Dunlop, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Comment sauver des chevaux sauvages - Par Andrée Poulin, et illustré par Caroline Lavergne, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Croki -  Par et illustré par Jacques Goldstyn, Publié par Les éditions de La Pastèque
• Oui, non, peut-être? - Par Lou Beauchesne, et illustré par Agathe Bray-Bourret, Publié par a courte échelle
• Ma langue fleurie - Par Simon Boulerice, et illustré par Marianne Ferrer, Publié par Fonfon
• Prisonnier d'une nuit - Par Amy Lachapelle, Publié par Les éditions Z'ailées
• La revanche du moisi - Par Karine Gottot, et illustré par Marina Léon, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Rose de Noël - Par Marie Potvin , Publié par Édition les Malins

Prix Tamarac 2026 Liste de finalistes

• L'affaire Buddy Bussières - Par Francois-Martine Bergeron-Mercier, Publié par la courte échelle
• Camp de jour 01 L'éveil du kraken - Par Annie Bacon, et illustré par Camille Maestracci, Publié par Éditions de La Bagnole
• Ce que j'aimerais trouver sur la plage - Par Rhéa Dufresne, et illustré par Jasmine Sarzo Alfaro, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• La chose 01: Pied-de-poule mouillée - Par Elizabeth Baril-Lessard, Publié par Édition les Malins
• GO Gadget! 01 Norbert contre la factrice timbrée - Par Mélodie Heuser, Publié par Édition les Malins
• Mlle Bottine - Par Sonia Sarfati, et illustré par Dominic James, Publié par Québec Amérique
• L'Oracle - Par Julie Champagne, et illustré par Olivia Hamza, Publié par la courte échelle
• Quand ils sont venus - Par Andrée Poulin, et illustré par Sophie Casson, Publié par Isatis
• #Skate - Par Caroline Auger, et illustré par Audrey Jadaud, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Sur le spectre 01 Agathe et Victor - Par Catherine Bourgault, Publié par Édition les Malins

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We can’t wait to see which stories capture readers’ hearts this year! Be sure to follow along as students across the country dive into the nominees, share their thoughts, and cast their votes for the winners. Stay tuned for more from our Hooked on Books series, where we’ll highlight author interviews and reading inspiration throughout the season. Here’s to another year of celebrating Canadian stories—and the readers who bring them to life. Happy reading! Check out our list of the 2025 Forest of Reading nominees.

Some of our favourite interviews from last year’s Forest of Reading interviews are back with another nominated title this year! We loved chatting with Brampton-based Maria Birmingham about her book, Odd Couples, Vancouver’s, Danny Ramadan about Salma Joins the Team and Guelph’s Eric Walters about Call Me Al, and we can’t wait to see what they’ve created next. Here’s to another year of celebrating Canadian stories and the readers who bring them to life.