(2) YA Illustrated by Karen De la Vega & Marcus Williams. Former NHL player Aliu made headlines in 2020 when he shared stories of the racism and hazing he faced as a person of color in professional hockey. The son of a Nigerian father and Ukrainian mother, Aliu was born in Nigeria and spent his early years in Russia before his family immigrated to Canada and he discovered his love for hockey. His adoration of the sport was tested by persistent and devastating racism throughout his adolescence and beyond. This graphic memoir follows him from childhood through his exit from the NHL and to the formation of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which makes hockey accessible to "children from diverse communities ­underrepresented in the sport." The narrative is notable for its emotional clarity and the strength with which the concise text carries both Aliu's pain and his resolve. Dynamic comic-panel art serves the story with expressiveness of motion and feeling. Grabbing readers at the intersection of sports and social justice, this is a welcome addition to the graphic-memoir genre.

Reviewer: Anne St. John | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(1) YA Kiki, who is Black and Cree, has been gone for five months when the book begins, and the police have stopped looking for her. Her friend and fellow First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Student Association member Berlin, a high achiever living with depression, and Cam, Berlin's longtime childhood rival, feel Kiki's loss profoundly. When Berlin thinks she sees Kiki outside Pink Mountain Pizza, where she and Cam work--and where much of the story is set--the two put aside their dfferences to search for her. They're assisted by new coworker Jessie, whose abusive father, a developer, is trying to buy Pink Mountain Pizza out from under Joe, one of the few Black business owners in town. Their social media campaign to raise awareness and save the store garners much support but also provides a platform for people to attack Joe, bringing to light issues of capitalism and anti-Black racism. Kiki's page-turning story and her mother's earlier disappearance provide multiple angles on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. Through a well-characterized ensemble cast, Ferguson (The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, rev. 5/22), who is Michif/Métis and white, addresses the myriad difficult topics facing her characters with sensitivity and care.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) YA In this absorbing novel, a Nigerian Canadian girl navigating tumultuous circumstances learns to trust friends and family. Suspected of fraud, her parents have become fugitives; Summer first lives on her own and then at the homes of friends, looking forward to the legal "true freedom" that will come with her approaching eighteenth birthday. Her outward aloofness and attitude that she can handle being abandoned and betrayed belie her longing for a stable home. When a social worker discovers her situation, Summer is sent to live with a cousin, Olu, whom she barely knows. Olu is only two years older than Summer; a popular singer in Japan, she now resides in Toronto. The relationship between the cousins is fraught with tension as Summer continues to rebuff Olu's attempts to support her, and she learns that Olu has consequential problems of her own and plans to return to Japan. A traumatic incident with a family member precipitates a period of reflection that leads Summer to make a life-changing decision and to realize what matters most. Onomé's skill at conveying the complexity of teenage emotions is notable. Her sympathetic portrayal of Summer as a teen who, because of past experiences, is guarded in her relationships with adults and sometimes with peers is both authentic and believable in a resonant coming-of-age story.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) PS Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher. Malaika, a recent transplant to Canada, continues to grapple with her changing family and settle into her new community in this third entry. Malaika is playing carnival (the Caribbean cultural festival introduced in Malaika's Costume, rev. 5/16) with her white stepsister Adèle when another recently arrived, brown-skinned immigrant girl in the neighborhood catches her attention. Malaika comforts the homesick Malayka (who speaks English and Arabic), and the two become fast friends. Meanwhile, Malaika learns surprising news--her Black Caribbean mother and white French-Canadian stepfather are expecting their first baby, due to arrive around Malaika's birthday. At first she feels threatened by the idea of a new family member, but after learning a thing or two from life's little surprises, she comes to appreciate the big ones. Luxbacher's softly smudged mixed-media collages reflect the colorful meeting of worlds inherent in our protagonist's intercultural, multilingual family and capture the tender possibilities of starting over in a new country. Narrated in Malaika's signature voice--a blend of Caribbean patois and standard English--this outing delivers the cultural poise of the previous two books while introducing new themes of empathy and sibling jealousy. Front matter includes a glossary of Arabic, Caribbean, and French words. A warm portrayal of a loving, close-knit community, this is a refreshing alternative to immigrant stories that highlight traumas and cultural conflicts.

Reviewer: Summer Edward | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) YA Voya Thomas is a sixteen-year-old Black Canadian girl living in 2049, descended from a long line of powerful witches. In order to inherit her magic, she must pass the Calling, a trial given by a revered ancestor that requires her to make a difficult choice. Voya's Calling task is harder, and involves greater risk, than anyone in her family has ever known. She must destroy her first love--which means finding one first. If she refuses to accept the task, she and her descendants will lose their chance at magic. But if she accepts it and fails the trial, she risks the magic powers of all her family members, present and future, which also means risking the life of a beloved relative. Throughout the novel, Sambury engages in genre hybridization, combining fantasy, science fiction, and intrigue into a cohesive and engaging story filled with a diverse cast of multidimensional characters. Although the novel includes difficult depictions of enslavement, violence, and drug ­addiction, its core is love of family, others, and self. Creative in its vision, captivating in its high-stakes conflict, and compelling in its execution.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Eva Campbell. A young girl relishes a visit to her ancestors' home as evocative text and lush, colorful oil and pastel illustrations bring historic Africville to life. A centuries-old Black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Africville was razed in the 1960s (such historical context is appended). An idyllic remembrance of a unique, self-sustaining community that thrived despite being under-served and remained connected even when dispersed by outside forces. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) 4-6 This timely nonfiction book focuses on the biographies of ten Black Canadian women whose stories are often overlooked or untold. Written for middle-grade readers, the biographies are brief but informative, and the powerful collage illustrations depict the women as warriors. This text can easily be a springboard for deeper discussion around African enslavement and racial oppression outside the U.S.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher. Malaika's (Malaika's Costume) Mummy returns to the Caribbean with her French Canadian fiancé and his daughter. When the mixed-race family returns to Québec, Malaika has trouble adapting to her new sister, climate, and school, and the winter carnival is nothing like Carnival back home. Video-chatting with Grandma helps Malaika embrace her situation. Mixed-media illustrations vibrantly capture both settings and the blended family's love. Glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki. Set in post–Revolutionary War Nova Scotia, this slight, rather garishly illustrated picture book focuses on ten-year-old Abigail, whose patience is rewarded when she receives her heart's desire: a new dress. The story is of interest for its portrayal of life in Birchtown, a black Canadian colony; unfortunately, there are no sources, notes, or further information about the settlement.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt James. African American Chuck Ealey, raised by a single mother in segregated 1950s Ohio, as a boy hones his aim by throwing stones at passing freight trains; he's eventually made quarterback and later (we learn through back matter) achieves fame in the Canadian Football League instead of the then-still-segregated NFL. James's meaningful visual interpretations in pen-and-ink and acrylic add resonance to this account by Ealey's daughter.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA This is a touching biography of the great jazz pianist who triumphed over adversity to become a legendary artist. The absorbing but lengthy volume, most appropriate for teens, will foster appreciation for Peterson's hard work, as well as for early founders of jazz, including Peterson's mentor Norman Granz. Small, grainy black-and-white photographs break up the text-heavy chapters. Discography is appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nicki Richesin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez. With Sol Guy. K'naan is an acclaimed Somali-Canadian rap artist, poet, and songwriter, and his "Wavin' Flag" was the anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This watered-down autobiography chronicles his childhood: first in civil-war-ravaged Somalia, then in Toronto as a refugee, and how "music made [him] safe" through it all. Gutierrez's art has an intense graffiti-like energy. Music, lyrics, and a note on Somalia are appended.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 4-6 RecordBooks series. This biography follows Canada's Jarome Iginla, from shooting pucks as a kid to joining the NHL, winning Olympic gold, and playing in the Stanley Cup finals. The laudatory text details Iginla's work ethic, charitable contributions, and trailblazing as the NHL's first black captain. The readable (if slight) writing, short chapters, black-and-white photographs, and game action will attract reluctant-reader hockey fans. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki. In 1946 Nova Scotia, Viola Desmond stood up to segregation by refusing to change seats in a movie theater. This inspiring story will remind readers of Rosa Parks's conviction. Both Rudnicki's brightly colored acrylics and Warner's oral-style narration ("They took Viola to jail. Can you believe it?") are a little overdone. An illuminating endnote on African Canadian history is appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen