Forest of Reading 2027 Nominees Announced: Discover Canadian Children’s Books in English and French

Which book will become the one students recommend to their friends, debate in the classroom, or keep reading long after bedtime? The discovery starts here! The 2027 Forest of Reading nominees have officially been announced, bringing a new collection of Canadian books to explore in English and French. At Teachers on Call, this is one of our favourite moments on the literary calendar: a chance to meet new characters, discover talented authors and illustrators, and imagine the conversations these books will inspire. We love covering the Forest of Reading throughout the year with exclusive author and illustrator interviews, culminating in the annual festival in Toronto. Keep reading to discover the full list of 2027 Forest of Reading nominees, featuring fiction and non-fiction books for elementary and high school students in English and French!

What Is the Forest of Reading? A Guide for Parents and Teachers

Hearing about the Forest of Reading for the first time? This popular Canadian children's literacy program encourages students from elementary through high school to discover new books, develop a love of reading, and celebrate Canadian authors and illustrators. Organized by the Ontario Library Association, the Forest of Reading puts young readers at the heart of the celebration. Students read the nominated titles, exchange opinions, and vote for their favourites, giving them a meaningful voice in recognizing Canadian literary talent. For parents, teachers and librarians, the lists offer a starting point for helping children and teens find books, in English and French, that speak to their interests, experiences, and curiosity.

Explore the 2027 Forest of Reading Nominees and 2026 Winners

Before diving into the newly announced 2027 Forest of Reading nominees, revisit our 2026 Forest of Reading winners announcement to discover the Canadian children’s books young readers voted as their favourites last year. Then, get ready to update your reading list with the exciting new lineup of 2027 nominees in English and French!

Full List of Forest of Reading 2027 Nominated Books

2027 Blue Spruce Award™ Nominees for JK-Grade 2 picture books

• Call Me Gray - Written by Andrew Larsen and Bells Larsen, Illustrated by Tallulah Fontaine, Published by Kids Can Press
• Camping is a Terrible Idea - Written by Kirsten Pendreigh, Illustrated by Tiffany Everett, Published by Sleeping Bear Press
• Dear Classroom 1B - Written by Lynn Leitch, Illustrated by Christine Battuz, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd
• Fly in the Chai - Written by Zenia Wadhwani, Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat, Published by Tundra Books
• Love, Panda - Written by Elaine Su, Illustrated by Charlene Chua, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd
• My Neighborhood - Written by Delano Brown, Illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, Published by Random House Children's Books
• One Can - Written by Lana Button and Eric Walters, Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, Published by Groundwood Books
• Rez Kid - Written by Andrea Landry, Illustrated by Isabella Fassler, Published by Kids Can Press Ltd.
• Sarabeth's Garage - Written by Melanie Florence, Illustrated by Nadia Alam, Published by Tundra Books
• This is How We Talk: A Celebration of Disability and Connection - Written by Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, Illustrated by Kayla Harren, Published by Penguin Young Readers

2027 Silver Birch Express Award® Nominees for Grades 3-4, fiction, non-fiction

• Bompa's Intertidal Adventure - Written by David Suzuki & Sarika Cullis-Suzuki and Tanya Lloyd Kyi, Illustrated by Qin Leng, Published by Greystone Kids
• Charlie the Matachewan Moose - Written by Shawna Lee Corbould, Illustrated by Jessica Somers, Published by Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
• The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne: Discovering the Stuff of Stars - Written by Laura Alary, Illustrated by Yas Imamura, Published byWm. B. Eerdmans Publishing 
• Diary of a Dinoghost 01: Unlikely Friends - Written and Illustrated by Monica Arnaldo, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd.
• Fiddlehead Forest: Little Habitats 02 - Written and Illustrated by Jana Curll, Published by Greystone Kids
• Great Puptective 03: The Big Mousetake - Written and Illustrated by Alina Tysoe, S&S Books for Young Readers
• Salma Keeps her Word  - Written by Danny Ramadan, Illustrated by Anna Bron, Published by Annick Press
• Star Sailor: The Story of Words - Written by Sara Cassidy, Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• This Book Stinks! - Written by Danielle Saint-Onge and Jeff Szpirglas, Illustrated by Alyssa Waterbury, Published Orca Book Publishers 
• This Skirt Won't Work!: How Women Athletes Changed Their Clothes and Changed the Game - Written by Jennifer Cooper, Illustrated by Eva Byrne, Published by Sourcebooks eXplore (Sourcebooks Kids)

2027 Silver Birch Fiction Award® Nominees for Grades 5-6, fiction

• Beast Ballerz 01 - Written by Wesley King, Illustrated by Steve Wolfhard, Published by Tundra Books
• The Bloodstone Thief - Written by Sabina Khan, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd.
• Briarwood - Written by Natalie Hyde, Published by DCB Young Readers
• The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay - Written by Mary Averling, Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons/PRH
• Hitting the Target - Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd.
• Kaboom! 01 Blast Off - Written by Jay Odjick, Illustrated by KC Oster, Published by Scholastic Canada Ltd.
• My Sister the Werebeast - Written and Illustrated by Alina Tysoe, Published by Macmillan/First Second
• Remember Me, Daphne - Written by Celia Krampien, Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Time Surfers - Written by Kevin Sylvester, Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
• Touching Grass - Written by Kristy Jackson, Illustrated by Rhael McGregor, Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

2027 Yellow Cedar Award Nominees for Grades 5-8, non-fiction

• Bat Planet: The Mysterious Life of the Creatures of the Night - Written by Neil Griffin, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• Built Like a Bug: How Insects Inspire Everyday Inventions - Written by Anjali Joshi, Illustrated by Kathleen Ng, Published by Annick Press
• The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators that Keep Our Planet Humming - Written by Kira Vermond, Illustrated by June Steube, Published by Owlkids Books
• The Cedar Mother - Written by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) Illustrated by Natasha Donovan, Published by HighWater Press
• Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets - Written by Rachel Kehoe, Illustrated by Meegan Lim, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• The Dream of an Education: How Phymean Noun Built a School  - Written by Susan Hughs, Illustrated by Tida Kheav, Published by Orca Book Publishers
• Left-Handed: Getting a Grip on Handedness - Written by Maria Birmingham, Illustrated by Catherine Chan, Published by Owlkids Books
• Soccerology: Unbelievable Facts and Stories About the Beautiful Game - Written and Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester, Published by Annick Press
• The Sustainable School: A Journey Through Time and Energy - Written by Erica Fyvie, Illustrated by Scot Ritchie, Published by Kids Can Press
• What Is a Sculpture? - Written by Diane Borsato, Illustrated by Laura Carlin, Published by Tundra Books

2027 Red Maple Award™ Nominees for Grades 7-8, fiction

• Absolutely No Body Parts - Written by Valerie Sherrard, Published by DCB Young Readers, an imprint of Cormorant Books Inc.
• Among Ghosts - Written by Rachel Hartman, Published by Penguin Teen Canada
• The Book of Jupiter  - Written by Robin Stevenson, Published by Kids Can Press
• GO  - Written by Deborah Ellis, Published by Groundwood Books
• InBetweens  - Written and Illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks, Published by Macmillan/First Second
• Lydia Cooper is a  Lie - Written by Meaghan McIsaac, Published by Aladdin
• Sam - Written by Eric Walters, Published by DCB Young Readers, an imprint of Cormorant Books Inc.
• Skygull Calamity - Written by Bronwyn Fairchild, Published by Annick Press
• Something's Up With Arlo - Written by Matteo L. Cerilli, Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
• The Vanished Ones - Written by Chad Lucas, Published by Amulet Books

2027 White Pine Award™ Nominees for Grades 9-12, fiction

• Best of All Worlds - Written by Kenneth Oppel, Published by Penguin Teen Canada
• The Free Verse Society - Written by Delali Adjoa, Published by Peachtree Publishing
• He's So Possessed With Me - Written by Corey Liu, Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Our Little Secret  - Written by Edward Kay and Mikhael Klassen-Kay, Published by DCB Young Readers, an imprint of Cormorant Books Inc.
• Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions - Written by Ahmad Saber, Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• The Rebel Girls of Rome - Written by Jordyn Taylor, Published by HarperCollins
• Small Ceremonies - Written by Kyle Edwards, Published by McClelland & Stewart
• This Place Kills Me - Written by Mariko Tamaki, Illustrated by Nicole Goux, Published by Abrams Fanfare
• Thornbird - Written by E. Kennedy, Published by Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press
• The Vacation Shift - Written by Lily Chu, Published by HarperCollins Quill Tree Books

Prix Peuplier 2027 Liste de finalistes

• 10 faits étonnants sur les capybaras - Par et illustré par Mélanie Watt, Publié par Éditions Scholastic
• AKI - Par Valérie Richer O'Bomsawin, et illustré par Meky Ottawa, Publié par Éditions Hannenorak
• Aujourd'hui, promis! - Par et illustré par Josée Bisaillon, Publié par Fonfon
• chi miigwech, grand merci - Par astra márta, et illustré par Jordan Stranger, Publié par Orca Book Publishers 
• Dʳᵉ Rafistout - Par Nicholas Aumais, et illustré par Mélanie Albert, Publié par Bouton d'or Acadie
• Ensemble: Un livre sur la communauté - Par et illustré par Elise Gravel, Publié par Éditions Scholastic
• Jules et Virgule, deux têtes de mule - Par Andrée Poulin, et illustré par Juliette Miron, Publié par Dominique et compagnie
• Oui, allô? Le cri des animaux - Par et illustré par Amélie Legault, Publié par Éditions Les Malins
• Le sandwich aux grenouilles - Par Danielle Chaperon, et illustré par Élodie Duhameau, Publié par Les 400 coups
• Yassama et la calebasse aux cauris  - Par Lua Shayenne, et illustré par Tiffany Ratongaranto, Publié par Prise de parole

Prix Mélèze 2027 Liste de finalistes

• À l'enVerre - Par et illustré par Orbie, Publié par Les 400 coups
• La bibliothèque enchantée 02: Le livre qui ne tenait qu’à un fil - Par Jocelyn Boisvert, et illustré par Julie Rocheleau, Publié par Éditions Michel Quintin
• Les créatures de l'école - Par Émilie Rivard, et illustré par Ianick Raymond, Publié par la courte échelle
• Fémi et Lou et le trésor perdu - Par Mireille Messier, et illustré par Catarina Oliveira, Publié par Orca Book Publishers 
• La folle journée de Wadarone -  Par Isabelle Picard, et illustré par Meky Ottawa, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Une girafe, ça sourit, oui! - Par Andrée Poulin, et illustré par Geneviève Després, Publié par Les 400 coups
• Kévin 02: L'écureuil qui marchait sur l'eau - Par et illustré par Chloé Baillargeon, Publié par KATA Edition
• Maple 01: Au royaume des chienpignons - Par et illustré par Juliette Miron, Publié par Éditions Michel Quintin
• Mission animal de compagnie! Lequel est fait pour toi? - Par Joanie Lamoureux, et illustré par Juliette Miron, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Srirachat: Le voleur de Lamoumou - Par et illustré par Jean-Philippe Morasse, Publié par Éditions Les Malins

Prix Tamarac 2027 Liste de finalistes

• L'agente 00-discrète - Par Mathieu Fortin, et illustré par Kuizin Studio Inc., Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Les colibris - Par Takwa Souissi, Publié par Les Éditions du Boréal
• Comment convaincre un fantôme de déménager - Par Maude Ménard-Dunn, et illustré par Sophie Bédard, Publié par Québec Amérique
• Crois-le ou non: Les jeux vidéo - Par Gabrielle Anctil, Publié par Saint-Jean Éditeur
• De l'or dans les fissures - Par et illustré par Katerine Martin, Publié par ISATIS
• Énigme au collège 01: La quête des quatre - Par Véronique Villaggi, Publié par Les Éditions de Mortagne
• Fuir le feu - Par Micheline Marchand, Publié par Éditions David
• Ma couronne - Par et illustré par Lidia-Ntombo Lulendo, Publié par Bayard Canada Livres
• Un roi sans couronne - Par Uashteskun, Publié par Héritage jeunesse
• Une vie tricotée d’avance - Par Maryse Labbé, Publié par Héritage jeunesse

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The nominee announcement is only the beginning. Next come the library holds, the shared discoveries, and the enthusiastic conversations about which book deserves a vote. Whether you are helping a child choose their first title or planning a classroom reading challenge, we hope this year’s Forest of Reading lists lead to books students are excited to pick up, and eager to talk about.

We’ll keep the reading inspiration coming through our Hooked on Books series, where Canadian authors and illustrators share their creative journeys and ideas for bringing books into homes and classrooms. Recent interviews have taken us beneath the waves with Mark Leiren-Young’s Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep, into a world of secrets and suspense with Nicola Dahlin’s If We Tell You, and up the mountains with Anita Yasuda’s Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains. You want want to miss our interviews with two 2027 nominees, Soccerology: Unbelievable Facts and Stories About the Beautiful Game by Kevin Sylvester and Touching Grass by Kristy Jackson.

Looking for even more Canadian reading inspiration? Revisit the 2026 Forest of Reading nominees. There are plenty of discoveries still waiting in last year’s lineup. Happy reading, and here’s to finding the next book a young reader can’t wait to share!