Browse Items · Windows and Mirrors: Diversity in Books for Young Readers

Carrier, Roch

Carrier is an acclaimed author. He has written "novels, short stories, plays, film and television scripts, essays, travel books, and poetry" ("Roch Carrier"). On top of that, he was also Canada’s National Librarian.

Tags: author; man (author); unspecified sexuality (author); white (author)

The Hockey Sweater

This children's picture book is about hockey and team loyalty. It is a comical story about a boy who is disappointed about receiving a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey jersey instead of a Montreal Canadians hockey jersey.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); Christian (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; picture book; unspecified gender (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (primary character); white, assumed (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters)

Sylvester, Kevin

Sylvester is known for illustrating Great Too, by Lauri Holomis and Glen Gretzky.

Tags: author; illustrator; man (author); man (illustrator); unspecified sexuality (author); unspecified sexuality (illustrator); white (author); white (illustrator)

Scheffler, Axel

Scheffler is a world-renowned children's book illustrator. Illustrating Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo is one of his most famous accomplishments.

Tags: illustrator; man (illustrator); unspecified sexuality (illustrator); white (illustrator)

Liselle Sambury

Liselle is a Trinidadian Canadian author who was raised in Toronto. She has created a YouTube channel dedicated to answering the questions of upcoming authors and giving writing tips. Black girl magic is a reoccurring theme in most of her novels.

Tags: author; Black/african (author); woman (author)

Blood Like Magic

A teen with is forced to sacrifice the love of her life in order to preserve her family's magical powers. Being a teen, she has never been in love and is tasked with finding Mr. Right in order to kill him. She applies for a matchmaking program and is…

Tags: Black/African (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; LGBTQ+ (secondary characters); straight (primary character); straight (secondary characters); transgender (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Cartwright, Debra

Cartwright received her BA in Art History and Studio in 2010 from University of Virginia. She also received her MFA from Mason School of Arts, Rutgers University in 2010.
Cartwright resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

Selznick, Brian

His debut children's novel,The Houdini Box, was published in 1991. In 2008, Selznick won the Caldecott Medal for his book The Invention of Hugo Cabaret, which was also adapted to film in 2011. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York and San Diego,…

Tags: artist; author; illustrator; Jewish (author); Jewish (illustrator); LGBTQ+ (author); LGBTQ+ (illustrator); man (author); man (illustrator); white (author); white (illustrator)

A Snake Falls to Earth

A coming-of-age story about Nina, a 16-year-old Lipan Apache girl from Texas and Oli, a cottonmouth snake person. Nina believes in old stories and the idea there's much more to life than what is on Earth. Oli is from the Reflecting World and learns…

Tags: boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); Indigenous (primary character); language: English; LGBTQ+ (primary character); non-human (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Great Too

This fun children's book is about hockey and overcoming challenges in sports. It shows children the importance of teamwork and relying on each other.

Tags: Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; picture book; unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); white, assumed (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters)

Holomis, Lauri

Holomis is a Canadian author. She is also a successful strategist, marketer and influencer.

Tags: author; unspecified sexuality (author); white (author); woman (author)

Gretzky, Glen

Gretzky writes children's literature and has acted in a few movies, including a rated R horror production.

Tags: actor; author; man (author); unspecified sexuality (author); white (author)

The Gruffalo

This fantasy children's picture book is a heartwarming tale of a fearless mouse who is on a quest to find the mighty Gruffalo. It is a classic children's story that encourages curiosity and bravery.

Tags: language: English; non-human (primary character); non-human (secondary characters); picture book; unspecified gender (primary character); unspecified gender (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters)

Donaldson, Julia

Donaldson is an author who is originally from London, England. Before being an author, she was a secondary school English teacher and a local singer and performer. Julia is most known for writing children's literature; The Gruffalo is one of her most…

Tags: author; unspecified sexuality (author); white (author); woman (author)

Miles, David

David Miles has provided illustrations for several children's books and middle-grade book covers.

Pink, Wazza

Wazza Pink is a freelance illustrator who began at an early age after taking great interest in the picture and comic books she read as a child. She learned many of her artistic skills through mimicking those drawing styles, and as such most of her…

Tags: Asian (illustrator); illustrator; unspecified sexuality (author); woman (illustrator)

Soule, Jay

Also known as Chippewar, is a multi-disciplinary artist and clothing designer from the Chippewas of Thames First Nation (Deshkaan Ziibing Anishinaabeg). Through his works, he wishes to spread awareness of the importance of decolonizing world views…

Tags: artist; illustrator; Indigenous (illustrator); man (illustrator); unspecified sexuality (illustrator)

Korman, Gordon

Gordon Korman is a popular Canadian American author of a large number of middle-grade and Young Adult books published since the 1970’s and “translated into 32 languages.” (Korman)

Tags: author; man (author); unspecified sexuality (author); white (author)

Sehgal, Surishtha

Sehgal was a university professor for many years before founding a non-profit organization supporting students. She serves on the board of two universities, as well as a national arts centre.

Tags: author; professor; unspecified sexuality (author); woman (author)

Entertainment One Ltd.

Started as an independent company distributing music, EOne flourished throughout the years. It is now a multinational corporation that acquires and produces multimedia entertainment and makes it accessible to all.

Tags: illustrator

Sehgal, Kabir

Kabir Sehgal has written sixteen books and is a New York Times best-selling author. He is also a Grammy and Latin Grammy winner and a former investment banker.

Tags: artist; Asian (author); author; man (author); singer; unspecified sexuality (author)

Unplugged

Jett Baranov attends Oasis, a "wellness" camp that forces him to "unplug" from technology. Although unimpressed at first, Jett soon finds that Oasis is a place of friendship, mystery, adventure, and chaos!

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; middle grade book (ages 8-12); unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); white, assumed (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters)

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