Staff Reviews

Staff Reviews

Adult Review August 2026

Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li

There are few writers I know who have mastery and full control over words as Yiyun Li. This qualification, I believe is necessary when you write two books upon the loss of two sons to suicide. The first book Where Reasons End is written for Vincent. The second, Things in Nature Merely Grow is for James, and captures - with sparse prose the essence of losing James, the sense of losing oneself within loss - not a loss of control, nor a loss of conserving emotions, but as falling into an abyss. Li is in full control of her emotions and presents the story of James, of family past, present and future with a clear voice that is spared adjectives because as she writes, James was direct and preferred logic. Li describes this as the now and now and now where children die, and parents go on living. As a reader the abyss is palpable, and haunting as the narrator realizes there is no freeing oneself from the abyss, but shall forever merely carry on in a Sisyphean motion. It is a book best allowed to breath, so the words can carry their full weight - though only 172 pages it is a clear eyed tome. -Mike Clark Acquisitions Associate
Adult Non-Fiction pr7911738

  

Rough Description : love letters and ghost stories from a life in music by Don Pyle

There are many ways to approach writing one’s history.  The most obvious is to start at point A and travel to point B.  Don Pyle has a lot to write about as a gay man growing up in Toronto during the 1980s, and has chosen to a messier path where events interlock, shift and evolve into something much bigger. What we learn about the drummer from Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and Pyle’s life in music carries more weight because we learn alongside Pyle as he remembers events and people. Like a good drummer whose rhythm propels the band, music propels Rough Description, events and people come into focus and take their solos – many become ghosts: Louie Beeson, Reid Diamond, Wendy Coburn, Steve Albini and Dallas Good. While many events are tragic, Pyle never loses his sense of humor to remind readers of forgotten things without being overbearing: the 1980s AIDS epidemic, rampant homophobia, and an intolerant United States. Some readers may even find themselves back at a long forgotten Shadowy Men’s show. In the end readers feel the complete sense of Pyle’s world and the deep love that he has for the life he has created.  As a long time fan of Pyle’s music, it was a joy to see him at Kitchener Public Library. -Mike Clark Acquisitions Associate
Adult Non-Fiction pr8342476

  

 

 

 

Kids / YA Review August 2026

The Truth About Maura by Isabelle Jameson

Maura makes a careful plan - how, when, where to get it done so that no one will find out. Her plan works perfectly, except that there’s a class mate at the abortion clinic, and they see each other. Social media explodes. Maura’s mother is embarrassed; her best friend is furious with the father; strangers are disgusted, classmates are curious. Everyone has feelings and opinions and questions about her, the unplanned pregnancy, the abortion, the father and more. No one she loves asks Maura how she feels, what she thinks, what she needs. Two relative strangers offer her unconditional support. For them, the pregnancy and abortion are none of their business and don’t change who Maura is. Maura agrees.
This book is a high interest low-reading-level title in the Orca Soundings series. You don’t particularly notice this. Turning the last page, I wanted to find out more about Maura, and how her relationships would change. I think teenagers - in her position or not - would benefit from reading her story. It’s a great, suspenseful book. -Helen Wilding Cook

YA Fiction pr8383121

 

 

Details
Category: Helen

Our Little Secret by Edward Kay & Mikhael Klassen-Kay

This book grabs the reader by the throat. It opens with a textbook case example of "in medias res". Truly, the opening sentences are among the best I’ve ever read, for any age level, ever.

Our Little Secret reveals said secret in the final words of the book – BANG! I honestly, did not see it coming. I believe it’s the reason the book was written, in the first place.

Mind you, please don’t just read the last page. Please treat yourself to the whole thing. Why? We have a fantastic beginning and a extraordinary close. In between, there is a mystery which, full disclosure, I did unravel, but I am very proud of myself about that. The story is relentless in expanding mystery conventions. Like the rule for improv theatre, the plot constantly says, “Yes, and…” More than a whodunnit – although it is that – it is also an intriguing “whydunnit”.

So, to review we have… a great opener, great final curtain, great plot. The protagonists are also remarkable, not the least because there are three of them - well developed, flawed, presented in first person. The interactions of Chloe, Jordan and Nick deepen the mysteries, suspense, and characterization building in the other two. Books told from several points of view sometimes require the reader to page back, “who is this again? Who’s talking?” Not here. Their voices are distinct. Also, I grew to really care about each of them, and was terrified for most of the book, for all their sakes.

Other boxes this book checks, besides what we’ve explored so far; there is a neurodivergent protagonist, a trans protagonist, and a BIPOC protagonist. The timing of the transition of the protagonist is critical to plot development, in several ways. Intricate framing of the plot and characters build beautifully. I’m running out of adjectives! In short, one of the best books I’ve read, for any age, ever. In many ways it is a peerless book. Oh, and, one more plus… it is Canadian.

Young Adult Fiction pr8324219

Details
Category: Helen

The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker

If you're like me and think, “surely there isn’t anything else to say or learn about World War II?!,” someone like Sara Pennypacker finds something new. In The Lion's Run, I learned more about the Nazi’s, what was taken from people in France, about the Resistance, than I could have imagined.

In any book about WWII, characters are inevitably in grave danger. In grown-up books, 90% of the characters you love die. Despite taking place in occupied France (spoiler alert), even though it might appear that characters are going to get caught and killed... no one is. Only one kitten dies out of a whole litter (so bad luck for said kitten), but that’s a pretty sunny outcome considering. An orphaned, under-estimated boy; his resistance organizer and adoptive mother; a rich, enlightened courageous girl; her hidden horse, all the hidden kittens (except that one); the pregnant single mother; her stolen baby... everyone lives and/or escapes.

And our protagonist is critical to each of those plot points. It’s nice when an author empowers a child in such a convincing way. Young patrons learn that kids can change the world.

Middle Grade Fiction pr8095781

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