Join us in celebrating the close of another chapter by exploring the books that left an impression on the KFPL team this year. Dive into our eclectic mix of favourites that made us laugh, cry, and stay up way past our bedtimes.
Very Good Hats by Emma Straub and Blanca Gómez
A funny picture book to read aloud! Inspires kids to see ordinary objects in a whole new way. Ages 2-5. - Brianne
Lia & Luís: Puzzled! by Ana Crespo and Giovana Medeiros
This is a sweet book about two siblings who receive a puzzle package in the mail from their Brazilian grandmother. The book is in Englishwith some Portuguese words sprinkled throughout. At the back of the book, there's some information about the math concepts and a pronunciation guide for the Portuguese words in the story. The author makes sure to point out that words are pronounced differently depending on the region in Brazil, and both the author and illustrator are Brazilian. Ages 3-6. - Mariana
Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
This novel-in-verse is written from the perspective of a young autistic girl navigating isolation and ableism. The authentic representation struck a chord. It's an affirming and validating read, underlining the non-negotiable importance of accommodations for neurodivergent people and that being different is not just okay; it's a genuine strength. Ages 8-12. - Shayla
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
The writing is really good, the ideas are new, and the characters are full of depth. The first book before it was equally captivating! - Kaitlyn
Babel by R.F. Kuang
The focus on language etymology and the art of translation was really interesting, and I enjoyed the footnotes throughout. I haven't read much in the realm of fantasy, but the dark academia vibes hooked me, and I couldn't put it down. - Candice
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
I haven’t read a book like this before! The protagonist is a quirky, introverted death doula who lives more through other people than herself. Before reading this, I can’t say I had ever heard of a death doula or felt brave enough to attend a death café, but after reading this book, I was definitely inspired to go to one! Full of tidbits of wisdom on what makes a fulfilling life. - Vanessa
Far Cry by Alissa York
Far Cry, set in a remote British Columbia cannery community in the 1920s, has the best of both worlds — strong characterization and a complex mystery. We come to fathom the depths of Anders Viken, storekeeper and honorary uncle to the recently orphaned Kit, who gives an account of his secret self. At the same time, we are both comforted and inspired by Kit's story, which flows in and out of the chapters. Far Cry is much warmer than its rainy and bleak cover. - Melanie
I Got a Name by Eliza Robertson
A sobering and well-researched story that exposes the continuing flaws in a legal system that repeatedly fails to protect women. Unlike some other true crime books, the heart of this story lies in the strong and independent victim, Krystal. She is brought back to life through the people who loved and admired her. - Alice
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Locked down together during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a mother relates the story of her summer romance with a now-famous movie star to her three daughters. Tom Lake is a beautiful, moving novel exploring mother-daughter relationships, family, love, the choices we make and what it means to be happy. - Jillann
The Loneliness in Lydia Erneman's Life by Rune Christiansen
Winner of the Brage Prize in Norwegian Literature, this is a short, understated, yet moving book about solitude and our connection to others. - Heidi
Yellowface by R.F. Quang
This may have been the best book I have ever read. A white writer steals the manuscript of her Asian colleague. It was thoughtful, beautifully written, and topical. - Max
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein
An insightful and sometimes disturbing investigation into the contemporary (and very online) world we inhabit. The book uses the jumping-off point of mistaken identity — Klein often gets mistaken for Naomi Wolf — to unlock a range of subjects relating to politics, society, and culture. - Steve
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
The fairy Toadling has spent hundreds of years guarding a sleeping princess in a tower, preventing her from being awakened by any prince battling through the castle's briarwood. Just when it seems as though the legend has been forgotten over the centuries, a curious and courteous Muslim knight named Halim finds his way to Toadling's forest. The slow reveal of the true story behind the enchantment makes for a loving and subversive retelling of a familiar fairy tale. - Anne
Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's Invisible Life by Anna Funder
A genre-bending blend of biography, fiction, history, and epistolary bits and pieces; a page-turner about women erased from the biographies of famous men; and the (possible) adventures of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's terribly useful wife. - Mary
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
A multigenerational saga that delves into issues of gender, race and class in the golden age of Hollywood and modern-day LA. With secrets revealed throughout the story, this book was a page-turner that kept me thinking long after I finished it. - Sophie
Be the Bus: The Lost & Profound Wisdom of The Pigeon by Mo Willems
If you loved reading The Pigeon books with your kids (Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus, Don't Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late), then you'll love Willems’s new humour book for adults, Be The Bus. It's filled with classic wisdom and witticisms from our favourite rascally but lovable Pigeon, like "Surprises happen when you least expect them!" - Lisa T.
The Best Minds by Jonathan Rosen
A brilliantly written memoir about the friendship of two Jewish boys from intellectual families growing up on the same street. Rosen portrays his friend Michael’s struggle with schizophrenia with compassion while examining how national policies for mental illness favour quick fixes, profit, and deinstitutionalization and how lawmakers and psychiatrists have failed to understand the complex nature of mental illness to the detriment of those whose lives are forever changed. - Lisa B.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
A modernized David Copperfield set in 1990s Appalachia. It is a poignant retelling of the devastating effects of institutional poverty on children — a problem as unfortunately prevalent now as it was in Dickens' day. Both witty and heartbreaking, it is a beautifully crafted book. - Cheryl
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
An exposé of human nature, then, now and always. Truth reaches for light. The concerted effort to protect people in power by the elaborate cover-up of what happened is expertly explored and culminates in a court martial that reveals the shocking truth. David Grann is a master storyteller. I could not put this book down, even through the blood-chilling descriptions and the visceral feelings they evoke. - Angie
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
The Vaster Wilds follows a young servant girl, a member of one of the original Virginia colonies, who flees into the "wilderness" and must survive using her ingenuity and intelligence. It moves back and forth between her immediate challenges and the life she left in Europe. Groff captures her internal life with great skill and beauty. - Joanne
Denison Avenue by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes
Denison Avenue tells the story of Wong Sum Cho, an elderly Toronto's Chinatown/Kensington Market resident. This touching portrait of a woman navigating the changing city around her touches on so many subjects: grief, memory, community, gentrification, language. After reading the novel, flip the book around and walk through the city by paging through the wonderful illustrations that capture the streets in exacting detail, a portrait of a neighbourhood changing through the years. - Krista
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Readers follow Violet Sorrengail, who was once destined to become a Scribe, as she navigates Basgiath War College as a Dragon Rider. Yarro has crafted a familiar yet totally unpredictable tale filled with secrets, suspense and some spice. This book is perfect for readers who want an introduction to the fantasy genre or have enjoyed series like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Harry Potter. - Kory
