June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day, a time to celebrate the diverse cultural communities that shape a strong and lively Canadian society. Read these books, appreciate our differences and unite in a shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and mutual respect.
Mooncakes by Loretta Seto, illustrated by Renné Benoit
Mooncakes is the lyrical story of a young girl who shares the special celebration of the Chinese Moon Festival with her parents. Ages 3-5.
I Am Canada by Heather Patterson
Simple text describes the ample space available to our children in this country and their freedom to grow, dream and share. With artwork from 13 of Canada's finest illustrators, each page is a celebration and a reminder of the infinite variety of our home. Ages 3-7.
Salma The Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron
Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama. Ages 4-7.
My Family Tree and Me by Dušan Petričić
A fun and creative picture book that can be read both forwards AND backwards to show how two sides of a culturally diverse family tree lead to the existence of one small child. Ages 4-8.
From Far Away by Robert Munsch and Saoussan Askar, illustrated by Rebecca Green
When Saoussan immigrated with her family from war-torn Lebanon, she was only seven years old. This picture book tells how she had to adjust to her new home in Canada. Ages 5-8.
Culture And Diversity by Marie Murray
This children's book explains culture and how it influences our lives. By learning about the traditions, values and beliefs of people around them, children can build respect and open doors to understanding and friendship. Ages 6-10.
Making Canada Home: How Immigrants Shaped This Country by Susan Hughes
Making Canada Home chronicles the country's major waves of immigration and acknowledges times when Canada has not been especially welcoming. It explores how each period of immigration has shaped Canada’s laws, values and face on the way to today's multicultural society. Ages 8-12.
This is the Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelf in 50 Books by Kadija Sesay, Deirdre Osborne and Joan Anim-Addo
Upending traditionally white-dominated 'to be read' piles, this title's authors push to the fore the voices and cultural perspectives that demand a place on everyone's shelves.
Harvesting Freedom: The Life of a Migrant Worker in Canada by Gabriel Allahdua
In this firsthand account, a former migrant worker reveals a disturbing system of exploitation at the heart of Canada's farm labour system. Now, as a leading activist in the migrant justice movement in Canada, Allahdua is fighting back against the Canadian government to demand rights and respect for temporary foreign labourers.
The Racial Mosaic: A Pre-History of Canadian Multiculturalism by Daniel R. Meister
The title explores early ideas about cultural diversity in Canada that were based upon, and coexisted with, settler colonialism and racism despite the apparent tolerance of many immigrant peoples and their cultures.
Pier 21: A History by Steven Schwinghamer and Jan Raska
Between 1928 and 1971, nearly one million immigrants landed in Canada at Pier 21 in Halifax. Since 1998, researchers at the Canadian Museum of Immigration have conducted interviews, reviewed archival materials, gathered written stories, and acquired photographs and documents related to Pier 21. This book is the result of that collection.
Ruby Red Skies by Taslim Burkowicz
Now a middle-aged Indo-Canadian woman, Ruby feels unseen and unheard by her white husband and struggles to communicate with her mixed-race daughter. When she finds her husband cheating, she embarks on a road trip straight into B.C.'s raging wildfires, accompanied only by the fantastical stories her mother told her about their ancestry.
Red X (2021) by David Demchuk
As an ensemble cast with diverse racial and gender identities comes of age in Toronto’s rapidly gentrifying LGBTQ+ village, those they care about disappear. One by one stalked and vanished, they leave behind small circles of baffled, frightened friends. But as the number of missing grows, those left behind realize that whoever or whatever is taking these men has been doing so for longer than is humanly possible.
Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez
A searing yet heartfelt novel about a culturally diverse inner-city neighbourhood in Scarborough. The painful struggles of adults and children are portrayed with unflinching honesty as they face poverty, racism, homophobia, mental illness and addiction issues within a system that continually fails them.
Crosshairs: A Novel by Catherine Hernandez
A mere five years into the Canadian future, the brutal government-sanctioned regime, The Boots, executes a carefully orchestrated genocidal campaign called The Renovation. Their target? The Others: racialized communities, disabled people, older adults and LGBTQ populations. Crosshairs is a cautionary tale filled with those who only want Others like them to thrive and be loved as their true selves.
