Black Canadian voices
Help your students connect with social emotional learning through relatable fiction featuring young Black Canadians. These YA and middle grade novels share the perspectives of young people as they face the challenges of growing up in modern Canada.
These easy-to-read short novels feature characters from a variety of Black Canadian backgrounds as they make tough decisions, deal with relationship challenges, and struggle with isolation and social expectations.
Not every child is a reader, but for those who are, the easy-to-read books below provide a safe way for you and a student to start a conversation about anxiety.
- Canadian settings and characters
- Realistic fiction
- Relatable challenges
- Diverse characters
- Stories featuring main characters who are experiencing anxiety in some form and learn about managing it
Titles featuring young Black Canadian characters
Ace & the Misfits vs The Soccer Knights
By Eddie Kawooya
$19.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Relationship Skills
A recently arrived Ugandan immigrant is desperate to prove himself on the soccer field, at all costs, until his friends and a coach remind him of the value of team play and supporting each other.
Hacking Heartbreak
By Kevin heronJones
$16.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Responsible Decision Making
After hacking the social media accounts of his crush, Baron is in a race against the clock to fix the mess he made and save her from serious consequences.
Ace and the Misfits
By Eddie Kawooya
$19.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Relationship Skills
A recently arrived Ugandan immigrant feels isolated and struggles with school and self-worth—until finding friendship with fellow outsiders helps him rebuild his confidence and sense of belonging.
Dancehall Rebel
By Stacey Robinson
$19.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Relationship Skills
A queer Caribbean Canadian teen raised on dancehall music struggles with her family’s and culture’s homophobia—until a new community helps her find the courage to embrace both her identity and her passion.
The Hoop and the Harm
By Jawara Pedican
$16.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Management
A student athlete has to navigate the pressures of family expectations, manage his mental health, and search for his true passion through the transformative power of basketball.
Shades of Black
By Carlos Anthony
$16.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Responsible Decision Making
A sensitive Black teen in Toronto’s Etobicoke neighborhood faces suspicion and police scrutiny after a school shooting, navigating the challenges of vulnerability, racial bias, and belonging in an urban school.
Not Talking About You
By Kevin heronJones
$14.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Awareness
A thoughtful teen uncertain about his future faces his feelings while stuck beside a flirty frenemy, discovering a deeper self-awareness and identity.
The Summer Between Us
By Andre Fenton
$14.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Relationship Skills
A biracial teen faces pressure to meet others’ expectations as he graduates high school, navigates identity and family tensions, and discovers his own path and passion during a pivotal summer.
Half-Court Trap
By Kevin heronJones
$12.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Awareness
A thirteen-year-old basketball player struggling with body image and rivalry plots revenge on a teammate, but an unexpected friendship leads him to empathy and self-acceptance.
Hoopers
By Johnny Boateng
$12.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Awareness
A Black teen in Toronto dreams of basketball glory but must overcome a strict coach’s challenges, learning hard work and leadership to become a true team player.
Lone Runner
By Dirk McLean
$12.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Awareness
A solitary runner from Scarborough, Michaela overcomes discouragement and rivalry to find confidence, connection, and belonging on her diverse school track team.
No One’s Baby
By Wanda Taylor
$12.95 Paperback
SEL SKILL: Self-Awareness
A biracial teen adopted by white parents struggles with identity and loss, facing a pregnancy that forces her to confront her past and seek out her birth mother.
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