Canadian Literature

The Canadian Literature Collection highlights the diversity and talent of Canadian authors. Representing the broad range of genres and traditions reflected in Candian Literature, this Collection includes fiction by Margaret Atwood, John Irving, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and other Canadian writers who have shaped the nation's literary canon.

Empire of Wild

by Cherie Dimaline

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

... Read Empire of Wild Summary

Enlightenment Now

by Steven Pinker

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community

Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Sociology, Politics / Government, Health / Medicine, Agriculture, Business / Economics, Class, Climate Change, Social Justice, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

... Read Enlightenment Now Summary

Evangeline

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Publication year 1847

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Romance, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

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Everyone Here Is Lying

by Shari Lapena

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

... Read Everyone Here Is Lying Summary

Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead

by Emily Austin

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Love / Sexuality, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead Summary

Every Summer After

by Carley Fortune

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Every Summer After Summary

Everything Happens for a Reason

by Kate Bowler

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Creative Nonfiction, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Biography, Self Help

... Read Everything Happens for a Reason Summary

Everything on a Waffle

by Polly Horvath

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor

Renowned Canadian/American author Polly Horvath published the middle-grade novel Everything on a Waffle in 2001. Over two years, the book received numerous accolades, including Mr. Christie’s Book Award, the Boston Globe Horn Book Award, the ALSC Notable Children’s Book, a Newbery Honor Medal, and the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. Written in the first person, 11-year-old narrator Primrose tells of her parents disappearing in a typhoon off the coast of British Columbia. Primrose discounts... Read Everything on a Waffle Summary

Faker

by Gordon Korman

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Children's Literature

... Read Faker Summary

Fall on your Knees

by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Music, Religion / Spirituality, Race / Racism, History: World, Canadian Literature

Fall on Your Knees (1996), first-time novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald’s ambitious multigenerational family saga set in the early decades of the 20th century, moves from the bleak coastal towns of Canada’s Cape Breton Island to the bustling New York City of the Jazz Era. Recalling both the psychological richness of William Faulkner’s family sagas set in Yoknapatawpha County and the dark passions in the Gothic tales of Flannery O’Connor, Fall on Your Knees follows three very... Read Fall on your Knees Summary

Far North

by Will Hobbs

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food

Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature

Set in Canada, American author Will Hobbs’s young-adult novel Far North (1996) follows Gabe Rogers, who lives with his grandparents in Austin, Texas. When Gabe tells his father that he wants to live with him in Canada, his father tells him he may on two conditions. First, Gabe must travel up north to experience the severe cold of the Northwest Territories for one year. Second, he must attend boarding school. While flying through Canada with... Read Far North Summary

Fatty Legs

by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Publication year 2010

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Education, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography

Fatty Legs: A True Story is the 2010 autobiographical account of author Margaret-Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton’s childhood experience in one of Canada’s residential schools for Indigenous children in the 19th and 20th centuries. This study guide is based on the 10th anniversary edition, in which several supplemental chapters written by Pokiak-Fenton’s daughter-in-law explain the larger context of colonialism that created the residential school system. These residential schools represented an attempt to strip Indigenous students of their cultural... Read Fatty Legs Summary

Field Guide to the North American Teenager

by Ben Philippe

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Immigration

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Field Guide to the North American Teenager Summary

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars

by Kai Cheng Thom

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Magical Realism, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Fantasy

... Read Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars Summary

Fifteen Dogs

by Andre Alexis

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Magical Realism, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Fifteen Dogs (2015) is an allegorical novel by André Alexis. The book is an apologue with a fable-like narrative focused on animals and morality, and it also contains elements of magical realism. It is the second of five planned novels exploring love, faith, place, power, and hatred. Fifteen Dogs was the 2017 Canada Reads selection.Plot SummaryIn a Toronto pub, Greek gods Apollo and Hermes debate the merits of humans and their capacity for symbolic language... Read Fifteen Dogs Summary

Fight Night

by Miriam Toews

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Language

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Humor, Canadian Literature

... Read Fight Night Summary

Finding the Mother Tree

by Suzanne Simard

Publication year 2021

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Identity: Gender, Society: Community

Tags Science / Nature, Biography

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Fire Weather

by John Vaillant

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, Politics / Government, History: World

... Read Fire Weather Summary