CBC Kids Reads has unveiled its longlist for this year’s competition. The third installment of “Canada Reads for kids” will showcase five of Canada’s top picture books. The final selection of five books contending for the champion title will be disclosed on Sept. 17.
In this edition, each book will have a representative from CBC Kids, including Gary the Unicorn, Cottonball the Cat, Mr. Orlando the Moose, Stuffy the Dog, and Mosey Monster. The winner will be declared during a special TV broadcast on Saturday, Oct. 4, on CBC TV and CBC Gem at 10:20 AM ET. The live-to-tape event will take place at the Civic Centre Resource Library in Vaughan, Ontario, where a young audience will participate in voting for the winning book. Additionally, the broadcast will be aired on the radio on Monday, Oct. 13.
The 2025 longlist features the following titles:
– “Shark Girl” by Kate Beaton
– “The Only Lonely Fairy” by Lana Button, illustrated by Peggy Collins
– “So Loud!” by Sahar Golshan, illustrated by Shiva Delsooz
– “Mad at Dad” by Janie Hao
– “Benny and the Bananasaurus Rex” by Sarabeth Holden, illustrated by Emma Pedersen
– “Cone Dog” by Sarah Howden, illustrated by Carmen Mok
– “How to Staycation Like a Snail” by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier
– “When You Meet a Dragon” by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Udayana Lugo
– “The Mango Monster” by Derek Mascarenhas, illustrated by Meneka Repka
– “I am a Rock” by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut
– “Oh! Look, a Boat!” by Andrew J. Ross
– “The Hockey Skates” by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng
– “The Little Green Envelope” by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Claudine Crangle
– “Getting Glam at Gram’s” by Sara Weed, illustrated by Erin Hawryluk
– “When You Can Swim” by Jack Wong
Last year’s champion was “Still My Tessa” by Sylv Chiang, illustrated by Mathias Ball, endorsed by Gary the Unicorn. The book emphasizes the importance of using correct pronouns and accepting individuals for who they are, resonating with Gary as “a warm hug for the heart.”