This book is a powerful poetry collection by the Mi’kmaw spoken word artist Rebecca Thomas. It considers three similarly spelled Mi’kmaw words that have three different meanings. Kesalul stands for “I love you”; kesa’lul means “I hurt you”; and ke’sa’lul is “I put you into the fire.” The poems in the book vary in topic but all have the same heartfelt touch. This book is an exploration of what it means to fight for justice beyond the surface.

This book was a moving read that propels forward the plight for Indigenous resistance. Working towards decolonization can take many forms, and this book is a great example of one. It was insightful to read about how colonialism is embedded in our everyday lives, even if one is not used to noticing it. The book also discussed relevant themes in the world that I think many marginalized communities will be able to relate to. One example being virtual accounts producing an incorrect narrative by painting violent offenders as the victim even if they are not, simply due to the fact that they belong to a dominant group.

One of my favourite poems in the collection was the one about the author’s late grandfather. It was a touching tribute to him and highlighted the role that unconditional love plays on a person. A couple of times throughout the collection, I thought about how a different word choice could have been a better substitute, as some of the language choices took away from the depth of the poetry. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read. I especially enjoyed the poems about North America which were structured in very clever ways.

I recommend this thought-provoking and enjoyable poetry collection. This book will make readers want to increase their advocacy efforts. It is perfect for anyone looking for an enlightening poetry collection with well-crafted writing.

How to Rescue a Unicorn
By: Andy Tolson
The magic of Wonderville is slowly returning thanks to Tiny. His new hope is to get his Dad and Grandpa Bron back on talking terms and what better way to do that but to go on a quest! Tiny hears about the disappearance of Unicorns and he is hopeful that he can get all 3 generations of Wilde’s onboard to save them. His classmate Sadie jumps at the opportunity to help assist Tiny and his family on this adventure. Along the way they get help from some old friends as well as making many new allies. Tiny’s confidence is shattered when he finds out that they are up against the dangerous forest dwelling thugs and he realizes that his Grandpa Bron is a member! Can he confront his Grandpa while trying to save the unicorns?

I really enjoyed this book because it was a continuation with the last book “How to Kidnap a Mermaid”. It began with how the magic was starting to return to Wonderville and showed how many mythics and humans did not agree with this. I also liked how it discussed in more detail about traits the mythics had. I rate this book 4/5.

Here’s my review of Sem’s Map by Rebecca Thomas published by Nimbus Publishing. This children’s book is about a little boy named Sem who is left confused after, in school, he learns about the map of his home North America. To Sem, the map is wrong. It has the same shape as Turtle Island but the lines and names spell a different story. His grandmother, or Kiju, tells him stories of the land, but Sem’s teacher and classmates have never heard them. This book follows Sem as he teaches his class, and us readers, that Indigenous place names are far older than any map.

This book was a sweet one that fosters a very thoughtful way of teaching young kids about the land they live on. It also provides them with perspective on how their Indigenous classmates may feel confused after growing up learning about their culture from a non-colonial lens. The book encouraged many positive ideas such as celebrating differences and thinking critically. I loved that it spotlighted a protagonist who is not afraid to speak up when they notice something may be odd. I also really liked that, in the story, Sem’s teacher modeled intellectual humility, demonstrating to his students that even authority figures who appear all-knowing, are not. He invited the right person to teach them about a topic that he does not have lived experience with.

The illustrations in this book are bright, colourful, and complement the story well. I noticed that, at the start of the book, there was a picture of a map of North America with the settler-named locations, and at the end, the same map was shown but, this time, using Indigenous place names. It was a clever touch that added depth to the book. This was the first non-poetry book I read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. I especially loved reading the author’s note at the end that talks about her own experiences growing up and her realization that places weren’t changing their names to something else, but rather, reclaiming what they always had been.

This is a beautifully illustrated, light-hearted, yet educational read. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a short, yet informative read for young students.

I rate this book 4.5/5 stars!

"Worthy of Love" by Andre Fenton feels like a quiet, relatable, and honest reflection on what it means to believe you deserve love.

The novel follows Adrian as he struggles with identity, insecurity, and the pressure of expectations from his family and himself. His doubts about his body, his sensitivity, and his place in the world shape how he sees others, often making him question whether he is truly worthy of being loved.

The complicated relationship with his father remains a powerful part of the story, highlighting how silence and generational differences can create distance. At the same time, Adrian’s friendships ground him, constantly reminding him throughout the book that he is not alone. His romantic relationship with Mel is tender and realistic, showing that love requires vulnerability, not perfection.

What stayed with me most is that worthiness isn’t something we earn. It’s something we already have as humans. "Worthy of Love" is a comforting reminder that growth takes time, and that learning to love yourself is part of the journey.

going into this book, I didn’t really know what to expect. Ten Thousand Truths won an award at our Digitally Lit Youth Choice Awards for being a the most popular youth pick. A true Digitally Lit classic! So it was high time I read it.
I took this novel at face value, I didn’t expect a whole lot, and it decently met my expectations. This story isn’t anything particularly innovative or groundbreaking, not to be mean, but yeah, it’s a story I’ve seen before. I think the broadway musical turned movie Annie has a very similar story. Girl in the foster system who doesn’t have a family finds a family by the end of it! I like the found family trope as much as anyone, but its a bit on a nose to have it be a foster family haha.

I enjoyed reading the book for the most part, it’s a solid novel for what it is. The main character Rachel lost her family, and finds a family in her foster family, hates it at first, and then really likes it by the end of everything. It’s a heartwarming story, and I believe the author herself was a foster child, so I like that it draws from personal experience in that regard. I am always interesting in learning more about how other children grow up, and of course I was rooting for Rachel and didn’t want her to stay in that abusive foster home. It’s a good middle grade novel that I would recommend to fans of the found family trope, or fans of the play/movie Annie!