The Apothecary's Garden
by Jeanette Lynes

Set in Belleville, 1860, this novel follows Lavender Fitch, a spinster who is left impoverished after her father dies. When a renowned spiritualist arrives in town, she hopes she'll be able to help locate the buried treasure Lavender's mother left behind. 
 
Genre: Relationship fiction; Historical fiction
Character: Well-developed
Tone: Atmospheric, Mysterious; Romantic
Writing Style: Compelling
 
The Dolphin House
by Audrey Schulman

In 1965, Cora, a young deaf woman, journeys to St. Thomas where she becomes part of an experiment to teach dolphins human language, and as things progress, Cora forges an extraordinary bond with these creatures until a terrible scandal threatens everything.

Genre: Historical fiction
Themes: Inspired by real events
Character: Ability diverse
Writing Style: Thoughtful
 
The Sisters Sputnik
by Terri Favro

The Sisters Sputnik takes so-called undocumented time immigrant Debbie Reynolds Biondi and her apprentice Unicorn Girl on a wild ride through alternate worlds, into a possible future where robots rule and humans are banished to the past.

Genre: Science fiction
Character: Flawed
Storyline: Nonlinear
Tone: Offbeat
Writing Style: Witty
 
We Were Dreamers : An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story
by Simu Liu

The star of the first Asian superhero film by Marvel, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, tells his own origin story of being a Chinese immigrant, his battles with cultural stereotypes and his own identity, becoming a TV star, and landing the role of a lifetime.

Genre: Arts and Entertainment; Autobiographies and memoirs
Storyline: Own voices
Tone: Inspiring; Moving; Reflective
Writing Style: Candid; Engaging
 
The Next Supper : The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, and What Comes After
by Corey Mintz

From the farm to the curbside pickup parking spot, this book shows how everything about the restaurant business is changing, and offers essential advice for what and how to eat to ensure the well-being of cooks and waitstaff, as well as our bodies and the environment.

Genre: Food Writing
Tone: Impassioned; Thought-provoking
Writing Style: Accessible; Candid; Engaging
 
1972 : The Series That Changed Hockey Forever
by Scott Morrison

The 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union was the greatest hockey series every played. Hockey fans know the series well, but the story of those amazing eight games has never been fully told - until now.
 
Genre: Sports and Competition; History
Writing Style: Accessible; Engaging
 
Another Squiggly Story
by Andrew Larsen

A boy meets a blank page in this fun exploration of the writing process, celebrating self-expression, self-discovery and letting your imagination roam. 
 
Genre: Picture books for children
Tone: Upbeat
Illustration: Cartoony
 
Lizzy and the Cloud
by Terry Fan

Finding the perfect cloud in Milo, Lizzy takes care of the little cloud, watching Milo grow and grow, but when Milo gets too big for her to handle, she wonders what to do.

Genre: Picture books for children
Tone: Sweet; Whimsical
Illustration: Delicate
 
Runs With the Stars
by Darcy Whitecrow

As they await the birth of a new foal, a man teaches his grandchild about the Ojibwe Horses that used to roam the forests of northwestern Ontario.
 
Genre: Picture books for children
Storyline: Own voices
Writing Style: Thoughtful
 
Nathan Murano, Amherstview
Ari and the Octopus
by Nathan Murano

Ari and the Octopus is a fun story to help children who have anxiety develop emotional intelligence and resilience. The story follows Ari, a seven-year old girl who, with the help of her father and the Octopus, learn to better understand what anxiety is, and why people have it in the first place.

Shadow Life
by Hiromi Goto

Kumiko's sweet life is shattered when Death's shadow swoops in to collect her. With her quick mind and sense of humor, Kumiko, with the help of friends new and old, is prepared for the fight of her life. But how long can an old woman thwart fate?

Genre: Canadian fiction; Comics and Graphic novels; 
Themes: Confronting mortality
Character: Culturally diverse; Strong female
Tone: Moving; Sardonic
Illustration: Black-and-white
This novel defines Kumiko as a no-nonsense kind of senior who makes her own decisions about her life. It’s a blend of cultural expectations, tradition, and the shifting power dynamics of our relationships with family, friends, and even the future itself.
 
- Kelly, Yarker Branch Coordinator