The best Canadian young adult and children's books of 2017

2017 is coming to a close. Here are the best Canadian young adult and children's books that came out this year.

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

Janna Yusuf is a sophomore in high school. She sees herself as a misfit who doesn't fit in at home or at school.She also has a crushon a boy who isn't Muslim, which is creatingdifficulties withher family. When a member of her Muslim community assaults her, she begins to realize that not everyone is who you believe them to be.Saints and Misfits isa charming, moving and essential YA novel.

• Why S.K. Ali believes in the unlimited potential of girl power

Triangle by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

In Trianglethe sneaky titular characterattempts to play a trick on his friend but things don't go as planned,leading to hilarious results.

• The 8 books Jon Klassen would love to illustrate

Louis Undercover by Fanny Britt, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

The graphic novel from Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault is a touching story about Louis, a young boy coping with the breakup of his parents. Louismoves between his alcoholic dad and his worried mom and who, with the help of his best friend, tries to summon up the courage to speak to his true love.

• Why Fanny Britt wields her fiction writing as an instrument for conquering real world anxiety

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

In the dystopian world of Cherie Dimaline'saward-winningThe Marrow Thieves, climate change has ravaged the Earth and a continent-wide hunt and slaughter of Indigenous people is underway. Wanted for their bone marrow, which contains the lost ability to dream, a group of Indigenous people seek refuge in the old lands.The Marrow Thieves won the Governor General's Literary Award for children's text in 2017 and is a captivating, original read.

• The message YA novelist Cherie Dimaline has for young Indigenous readers

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue, illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono

The Lotterys Plus Onefollowsa large, rambunctious, multicultural family living in a 32-room Victorianmansion. Drama ensues when the family,headed by two same-sex couples, finds their already chaotic life upended upon the arrival of a distantgrandfather.TheLotterysPlus One is a colourfulmiddle-grade book with an important message.

• Emma Donoghue wins 2016 Ireland Fund Literary Award

Those Who Run in the Sky by Aviaq Johnston

Those Who Run in the Sky is a coming-of-age story that follows a young shaman namedPituwho, while learning to use his gifts, ends uptrapped in the spirit world. Those Who Run in the Sky, an engaging read,was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature.

• Why author Aviaq Johnston's stories are rooted in the Arctic

Coyote Tales by Thomas King

Thomas King puts his quirky humour and engaging storytelling skills to excellent use in this story of two tales (Coyote Sings to the MoonandCoyote's New Suit)set back in an era "when animals and human beings still talked to each other."

• Thomas King on why humour and tragedy are inseparable

The Fog by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Kenard Pak

The Fog is a beautiful fable with an environmental twist that follows Warble, a yellow warbler who is a human-watcher. Warble soon realizes that a mysterious fog is moving onto his island home of Icyland. After trying to warn the other birds to no avail he meets ared-hooded little girl and the pair set out to get to the bottom of the mystery.

• What keeps Kyo Maclear from loitering at the edge of writing

Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen

Optimists Die First is a YA novel that will break your heart and have you laughing out loud at the same time. Sixteen-year-oldPetula de Wilde blames herself for her sister's tragic death. In the time since, she has come to seedanger in the most mundane of places.While attending her weekly art therapy classes, she meets a young man with a prosthetic arm named Jacob. They gradually growclose as he helps herlet go of her fears.

• Susin Nielsen on exacting revenge on fictional versions of her nemeses

Sam & Eva by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Sam & Eva is animaginative and funny story about the power ofteamwork.Sam isn't too thrilled whenEva tries to add to his drawing of avelociraptor. The two startan artbattlethat gets increasingly out of hand, until they decide to work together.

• 6 books Debbie Ohi would love to illustrate

When We Were Alone by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett

This Governor General's Literary Award-winningpicture book is about a young girl, whoafter noticing her grandmother's clothes and language are different from hers, asks why. Her grandmother then recounts herhistory, which is intertwined with Canada's legacyof residential schools.When We Were Alone takes a beautifully gentle approach to a very difficult topic.

• Why David A. Robertson wanted When We Were Alone to celebrate the Cree language

The Assassin's Curse by Kevin Sands

In The Assassin's Curse, the third novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series, Christopher Rowe, an apothecary-in-training, breaks an assassin's coded message and is sent to Paris to investigate a curse that's plagued the French throne for centuries.

Town is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, illustrated by Sydney Smith

Town is by the Sea is a day in the humble life of a young maritime boy ashe visits his grandfather's grave and eats dinner with his family, all the while daydreaming about his absent coal-mining father. Inspired by the real history of maritimemining culture, this book is a visual and literary love letter to an important part of East Coast history.

Speaking Our Truth by Monique Gray Smith

In Speaking Our Truth, Monique GraySmith educates young readers about Canada's residential school system and its survivors in this important work of nonfiction for middle-grade readers.

• Monique Gray Smith wants everyone to read 'a variety of lived experiences and perspectives'

Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Set in two different time periods,Everything Beautiful is Not Ruinedjuxtaposes the presentlife of Ingrid, a young woman on a wilderness intervention program forat-risk teens, with her early life of touring with heropera star mother, Margot-Sophia. While trying to survive the summer, she struggles to confront, and come to terms with, her past. Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature.

• How Danielle Younge-Ullman overcame the heartbreak and rejection that come with being a writer