Canada has given the world some of it’s greatest treasures, from Montreal Bagels to Poutine and the finest hockey player to ever grace the ice. Often forgotten is the bounty of YA authors that have come from the Great White North. Below is a list of some of our favorite Canadian story weavers, and the books of theirs you absolutely have to check out!
11 Amazing Authors You Didn’t Know Were Canadian
1. Liselle Sambury – Blood Like Magic
Liselle Sambury’s fantasy, Blood Like Magic, is arich, dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who is given a horrifying task: sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love—she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him.
2. Nicki Pau Preto – Crown of Feathers
Nicki Pau Preto’s debut novel, Crown of Feathers is a fantasy novel about a girl who disguises herself as a boy to join a secret group of warriors that ride phoenixes into battle. Once you’ve finished this book, be sure to pick up the sequel, Heart of Flames!
3. Caryn Lix – Sanctuary
Caryn Lix is a new addition to our Canadian authors. Her pulse-pounding sci-fi novel Sanctuary is a fantastic read in the vein of Aliens and X-Men, and perfect for fans of The Darkest Minds.
4. S.K. Ali – Love From A to Z
Love From A to Z is an unforgettable romance that is part The Sun Is Also a Star mixed with Anna and the French Kiss, following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip. S.K. Ali’s debut novel, Saints and Misfits, was a Morris Award finalist and an Entertainment Weekly Best YA Book of 2017. If you haven’t read either of these books, I’d add them to your TBR right away because these are both must-reads.
5. Tanya Boteju – Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens
Tanya Boteju lives on unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations (Vancouver, Canada). Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens is her debut novel and tells the story of Nima, who’s a little bit awkward and working through family issues. But when she finds herself immersed in the drag scene, filled with macho kings and magical queens, she learns how to confidently express herself and accept the love that surrounds her.
6. Kenneth Oppel – Every Hidden Thing
One of the most prolific authors on this list, Kenneth Oppel has written books for readers of all ages. My personal favorite is Every Hidden Thing, a paleontological YA romance just right for grown-up dinosaur kids.
7. Alan Cumyn – Hot Pterodactyl Boyfriend
Another Canadian author with a bounty of books to pick from! With so many deserving titles to his name, it’s tough to pick just one – but we’ll go with Hot Pterodactyl Boyfriend, a book so deliciously weird I’m not even going to try to describe it here.
8. Erin Bow – The Scorpion Rules
Erin Bow’s The Scorpion Rules is a fantastic dystopian novel. Focused on children of world leaders held hostage by an overlord artificial intelligence to promote world peace, fans of Neal Shusterman and Suzanne Young are sure to be entertained.
9. G.S. Prendergast – Zero Repeat Forever
Part dystopian survival story, part Beauty and the Beast-esque romance, G.S. Pendergast’s Zero Repeat Forever wowed us when it was released last year. Deeply human and packed with action, there’s no way we could leave her off this list.
10. Sarah Raughley – Fate of Flames & The Bones of Ruin
Four girls with the power to control the elements must come together to save the world from a terrible evil in Sarah Raughley’s Fate of Flames. Check out Sarah Raughley’s latest book, The Bones of Ruin!
11. Lindsay Wong – My Summer of Love and Misfortune
Lindsay Wong’s latest book, My Summer of Love and Misfortune comes out later this year and follows Iris as she travels to Beijing. You will love this quirky book as Iris is thrust into the world of decadent high-society Beijing! And if you hadn’t already guessed it, the author is Canadian!
