Staff Picks | Waterloo Public Library

Explore Canada

Discover stories that journey across the country. From coast to coast to coast, this collection highlights iconic Canadian settings and the voices of talented Canadian authors, with something for readers of all ages.

People Watching

Hannah Bonam-Young

Labrador Skies

Kayla Williams; illustrated by Kayla Williams & Thamires Paredes

The Great Western Canada Bucket List: One-of-a-kind Travel Experiences

Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival

Trina Rathgeber; illustrated by Alina Pete

The Cure for Drowning

The Girl Who Loved Poutine

Lorna Schultz Nicholson

A Montreal Cook: Recipes and Reflections From My Kitchen

Lesley Chesterman

The Dark Cove Theatre Society

Sierra Marilyn Riley

The Winter Witch

Jennifer Chevalier

The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey

Chad Soon & George Chiang; illustrated by Amy Qi

Best Bike Rides Canada: Best Day Trips on Two Wheels

Robert Isenberg

She Was the Story Girl: How L.M. Montgomery Learned to Never Give Up!

Joann Hamilton-Barry; illustrated by Leah Boudreau

Nobody Asked for This

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot

Jennie's Boy: A Newfoundland Childhood

Canada: We Are the Story

Richard Wagamese

One Golden Summer

Meet Terry Fox

Elizabeth MacLeod

Black Bear: A Story of Siblinghood and Survival

White Raven

Teoni Spathelfer

Valentine in Montreal

Heather O'Neill

The Train

Jodie Callaghan

The Treasure Hunters Club: A Mystery

A Dark and Hollow Star

Ashley Shuttleworth

Toronto: Biography of a City

Vacation Reads

Pack your bags and don’t forget a good book! This collection is filled with easygoing reads, page‑turning mysteries, and stories set in sunny destinations – perfect companions for wherever your summer takes you.

Lost in the Summer of '69: A Novel

A Field Guide to Summer

Gabby Dawnay; illustrated by Dorien Brouwers

Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt: A Celebration of Modern Coastal Home Cooking

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club: A Novel

Martha Hall Kelly

Big Family Beach Day

Beach Thriller

Summerland Cove: A Novel

The Beach Day: Three-and-a-half Stories

Total Dreamboat: A Novel

Ghoul Summer

The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain

Swimming Season

Jaimie MacGibbon

Dead of Summer: A Novel

The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane

Other People's Summers

A Cozy Summer Day

Summer Crochet: 19 Delicate Designs with Simple Lace and Timeless Silhouettes

Beach Cute

Don't Splash Grandpa!

Julie Gonzalez; pictures by Srinidhi Srinivasan

Best Summer Ever

Jessica Cunsolo

Enchanted to Meet You

The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall

I Like Big Books

We like big books – and we cannot lie! This list celebrates bold, immersive reads with rich stories, unforgettable characters, and plenty of pages to get lost in, all perfect for readers who love a longer escape.

You Like It Darker

The Women of Chateau Lafayette

The Bright Sword

Homeseeking

The Wayfinder

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

The God of the Woods

Air Borne: The Hidden History of the Life we Breathe

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

The City of Brass

S.A. Chakraborty

Consider Me

A Fine Balance

Rohinton Mistry

The Night of the Scourge

Nonesuch

Francis Spufford

Monarch

The Navigator’s Children

The Last Chair Lift

A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0

Dungeon Crawler Carl

The Will of the Many

James Islington

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