The glorious debates, defences, jibes, and effusive commendations of Canada Reads are back! What’s not to love? Five very different panelists possessed of eloquence and passion sparring to see if their book choice can be the last one standing.
Don’t worry that you’ve missed it or that you can’t see it if you’re not Canadian. Want amazing book talk? You can use that link to find out how to stream it, listen to it, see it on TV, and tweet it. And more. Jeepers things are multi-faceted these days!
The kids and I watched it last year and were on the edge of our seats. We ended up buying all five of the books as a birthday present for Rainer. It was a fabulous homeschooling moment. 5 days of listening to fascinating people talk as though books and ideas mattered. They do. But not much of our world reflects that. Sometimes I think most of the effective things I do as a homeschooling mama are things which crack open their minds, let them know there’s a big world out there that is populated with amazing people and concepts. I so enjoy those moments in which I see them glimpse a world beyond their everyday routines.
Last year was focused on non-fiction, a favourite of mine. This year they are back with fiction and they’ve divided Canada into 5 regions. We live in the region our family has christened the ‘all y’all’ region: the vast center and north. There are the Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, the West Coast, and…um…all y’all in the in-between bits. Really?
Frankly, I think that Ontario and Quebec could have been lumped together and the North given its own place at the table. Or maybe the whole of the West could have snuggled up together at the table and made room for the North. When we think of the stories of Canada, the idea of The North is powerful. I would have liked a novel from there given its chance to fight for the big read.
Are you cheering for any book in particular?
Handmade Homeschool 
Those books all sound so sad and dark! I don’t know if I can read any of them while it’s still so dark and cold outside!
We’re in ontario and although I think you’d get some serious objection to lumping us in with Quebec I can’t believe there wasn’t room around the table for maybe one more chair. The number of books I’ve read over the years and especially in my childhood about the prairies should be represented on their own most definitively and so too the books of the north.
My kids are a little young for the book selection this year but I’m with you, more talk of books, more excited voices discussing books on the radio, more radio, what’s not to love?
What an amazing country!
Came back today to thank you for a past recommendation” RIP THE PAGE–which my 18 year old has had out a lot lately–about two years after I bought it. Having his first ever writer’s block and credits the book with helping get past it.