Homophobia in the Hallways: Heterosexism and Transphobia in Canadian Catholic Schools by Tonya D. Callaghan 

Catholic schools, despite the religious affiliation, receive public funding in Canada. Because of this, Catholic schools are beholden to civil, not church law. Despite this, according to the author, Catholic schools are hostile to the acceptance of their LGBTQ+ students. Tonya Callaghan examines homophobia and transphobia in the context of Catholic schools, specifically those in Alberta and Ontario, given their larger populations. This book is primarily a study conducted through interviews with 20 participants and through media accounts, in order to gain a better understanding of religiously-backed oppression against vulnerable gender and sexual minority groups. Throughout this work, Callaghan explores topics such as media and the law, critical theory for emancipation, and Catholic documents. 

The Sockeye Mother written by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Hudson) and illustrated by Natasha Donovan 

This richly illustrated and simply written book tells the Gitxsan (of the Pacific Northwest Interior) story of the sockeye mother and how she comes to be. Starting out as a small fry, the sockeye mother does not know that as she grows, she will help to nourish the people along the watersheds. After journeying from the nursing lake to Xsan (the Skeena river) to the ocean, the sockeye mother fights the currents of Xsan to return to where she was spawned. Upon her return, she finds a male partner who has dug a suitable nest, she lays her eggs, and then she dies. The body of the sockeye mother then becomes fertilizer for the flora that shapes the land. Without her, “the Gitxsan, as they are, simply would not exist.” This book is an excellent choice for teachers looking to infuse Indigenous perspectives into the subject of science/biology in their classrooms. The author has included definitions of more complicated words as well as a brief history of the Gitxsan Nation at the end of the book.  

Mission Méditation écrit par Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise et Éric Lacourse et illustré par Sébastien Leblanc  

Ce livre est naît des observations des enseignants que leurs élèves sont de plus en plus anxieux, stressés, et inquiets dès qu’ils commencent leur journée. Comment les aider? Avec la méditation basée sur la présence attentive. Ce livre est donc un guide aux techniques de méditation qui ont été crée avec le but exprès de gérer l’anxiété, la stresse, l’hyperactivité et les difficultés de comportement exprimés par les élèves de primaire. Toutes les techniques expliqués sont faisables dans une salle de classe avec très peu de matériel et durent entre cinq et quinze minutes. Mission Méditation est une ressource géniale pour des professeurs qui veulent incorporer la méditation basée sur la présence attentive dans leurs salles de classe.  

Black Chuck by Regan McDonell  

Réal Dufresne’s best friend Shaun has been murdered. Shaun’s body was found by Réal, in a field just east of town. Réal blames himself for Shaun’s death, because all he can remember of his last night with his best friend is that they got into a nasty fight. Also left behind are Shaun’s pregnant girlfriend, Evie Hawley, his buddy Alex Janes, and Alex’s girlfriend Sunny Seong. In the wake of Shaun’s death, the friends try to navigate a world where he is no longer there to be the glue that holds them together. Secrets, gangs, and new love are just some of the things that threaten Réal, Evie, Alex, and Sunny and their future as friends. This book is set in a gritty, rough town and centres on rough, gritty teenagers. The mature themes in this novel make Black Chuck best suited to older high school students.  

A Practical Education: Why Liberal Arts Majors Make Great Employees by Randall Stross  

The title of this book is rather self-explanatory but does require some elaboration. Randall Stross focuses specifically on Stanford University to make his case, largely due to its proximity to Silicon Valley and the opportunities that being geographically close to such a place presents to graduating students. The first chapter is mostly an introduction, wherein Stross profiles Stanford liberal arts majors and the things they have achieved in life with their degrees, such as programming and management positions. Other topics discussed in this book are the importance of being bilingual (whether it is a dead language, a computer language or a “regular” language) and getting one’s foot in the door.  

February has been been a chilly one, so let’s take some time to warm-up our hearts and minds with some great reads!

Have you heard of the psychology study that came up with thirty-six questions designed to make you fall in love? If you haven’t, check out this New York Time Article! These questions and the real psychology study inspired Vicki Grant to write 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You. This story guides us through the 36 questions, and answers of that Paul and Hildy, participants in the study. Hildy is an awkward scattered girl, while Paul is serious and a little aloof. They both had their own reasons to participate in this unusual experiment and it might not be what you think. This story is told through several unique mediums, filled with doodles, text scripts and traditional storytelling. This adorable read is a lovely book to pick up when you need to take a break from the busyness of life and smile.

Tanaz Bhathena’s debut novel, A Girl Like That, begins with the end. Zarin Wadia and Porus Dumasia, our teenaged leads, are found dead in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This story follows the short lives of Zarin and Porus, told through the various perspectives of those who had interacted with them throughout their lives. The setting takes place throughout India and Saudi Arabia, a unique setting in contrast to most contemporary Young Adult novels. Zarin is an orphan from India, raised by her mother’s sister in Saudi Arabia. Zarin was a vivacious, bright girl, with a fierce will; however, she was always known as a troubled girl, someone your parents would have told you to stay away from.  A Girl Like That, would be best suited for older teens, as it covers sensitive topics such as domestic abuse, rape and bullying.

On a lighter note, I’d like to introduce you to Chaotic Good, written by Whitney Gardner. This fun and fresh read is perfect for the nerdy people in your life. The story follows Cameron, a comic and cosplay enthusiast. Originally hailing from Portland, Cameron now lives in a small town where her gender seems to determine her interests. To avoid the harsh scrutiny she faces as a woman in a comic shop, Cameron uses her cosplay skills to dress as a boy, which leads her into an unusual situation. Somehow she’s now playing Dungeons and Dragons with the people who previously scrutinized her. This novel is a fun light read, filled with good humour, and a feisty lead. It also contains comics detailing the Dungeons and Dragons adventures within! Overall, Chaotic Good is a bundle of fun that I recommend to every person with a nerdy side!

 Transforming Conversations:  Feminism and Education in Canada since 1970 , is an edited work by Dawn Wallin and Janice Wallace, two women who have greatly influenced higher learning educational institutions. This work is comprised of several different pieces of writing that discuss the topic of feminism and education in Canada. The work is separated into three parts: Discourses of Teaching: Speaking Up; Discourses of Leadership: Speaking Out;  and,  Disrupting Discourses: Speaking Back to Feminism. Each of these parts features essays that encourage the reader to think critically, to analyse pedagogical structures, and evaluate their own experiences in education through a feminist lens.

It is important to ensure that our feminism is intersectional. We must take time to acknowledge and understand the issues that women face who are from different backgrounds, and experiences, and how they might differ from those that the majority experiences. Indigenous Women and Feminism Politics, Activism, Culture takes a deeper look at mainstream feminism and how indigenous issues fit into the conversation. Cheryl Suzack, Shari M. Huhndorf, Jeanne Perreault, and Jean Barman seek to provide a unique perspective of the experiences faced by indigenous women. Included are essays looking at these issues from a pre- and post-colonial lens, specifically looking at the effects of politics, activism, and culture on indigenous women.