by Samra Zafar, with Meg Masters
While working on her homework in the bedroom of her Pakistan home at the age of 17, Samra Zafar was interrupted by her mother, who brought news of a marriage proposal—from a Canadian man 11 years her senior. Thus began a journey that separated Samra from her family and threatened to shut down her ambitious dreams and extinguish her spirit. Abused by her husband, controlled by his family, and confined by cultural expectations, Samra nonetheless triumphed, plotting and executing her escape from a life she never wanted. Samra’s memoir follows up on her 2017 article about her experiences in Toronto Life, which became the year’s most read.
by Amy Spurway
In Crow, Amy Spurway’s debut novel, she tells the story of Stacey Fortune, nicknamed “Crow.” When Crow is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, she returns to Cape Breton to spend her remaining time with her mother, Effie, in Effie’s grubby trailer, and to write a memoir exposing the secrets and lies in her family. As the narrative moves towards its inevitable conclusion, Crow tries to unravel the mystery of her paternity and reunites with a cast of characters from her past, including a prying aunt, two old friends, and her high school flame. At once sharp, funny, poignant, and enthralling, Crow is a full-throated story with larger-than-life characters and an infectious sense of fun.
by Jessica Scott Kerrin, Pictures by Qin Leng
Russell dreams of having a tree fort. When he moves to a house with a huge maple in the yard, he suggests to his dad that they build one. “I don’t know much about building,” admits his dad. Despite his misgivings, they build a functional tree fort—albeit without the twirly slide, skylight, and balcony Russell envisioned. That night, they sleep in the fort together, watching the stars, but the next day, Russell sees a construction crew in his neighbour’s yard and meets Warren, whose dad has hired the workers to build a luxurious fort with turrets and electricity. By comparison, Russell’s looks pretty plain, but on the story’s heartwarming final page, he realizes what it is that makes his fort the best.
