It’s no secret that we love books at Calgary Public Library — there were more than 15 million physical and digital items checked out in 2024! While every book has a way of teaching us something new or taking us to new places, there are some that leave an unforgettable impression.  

Selecting the Library's 2025 Books of the Year  

The Library's Collections team looks at trends and works to understand the interests of our community.  

Suzen Statz, Selector with Calgary Public Library, checks out the Library's 2025 Books of the Year.

This year, the Library’s “Read Canadian” Collection has been extremely popular — our community has been loving local reads. With that in mind, every book on the 2025 Books of the Year list was written by a Canadian author. They are organized into categories that include three titles each — Adult, Young Adult, and Children's. Read the list below!   

Loved the plot or style of one of the books and want to read more like it? We have also listed three read-alike picks for every Book of the Year.   

Happy reading, everyone! 

Adult Picks

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Finding Flora by Elinor Florence

Finding Flora is a historical fiction set in Alberta at the turn of the 20th century. The novel follows Scottish immigrant Flora Craigie, who jumped from a moving train to escape her abusive husband. It’s a story of resilience with well-researched storytelling. 

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Vanished Beyond the Map: The Mystery of Lost Explorer Hubert Darrell by Adam Shoalts

This book is part detective story, part biography, and part first-person adventure. It’s a captivating account of exploring the Arctic to uncover the cold case disappearance that happened more than a century ago. 

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Young Adult Picks 

This graphic novel is set in a private boarding school in the 1990s. Abby is a new student at the school and has trouble fitting in. When the star from the school’s production of Romeo and Juliet is found dead, Abby realizes she was the last person to speak with her and begins her own investigation. The novel is a propulsive, twisty mystery told in comics, letters, diary entries, and news articles. It's a great read for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. 

This Place Kills Me is recommended for ages 14 and up. 

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Legendary Frybread Drive-in edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith 

Legendary Frybread Drive-in is a collection of interconnected stories featuring new and acclaimed Indigenous writers — all set within the backdrop of Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In. It’s a mixture of poetry, prose, and short narratives that are joyous and will appeal to wide range of readers. There’s romance, grief, explorations of identity, and even a little bit of D&D.  

Legendary Frybread Drive-in is recommended for readers in grades eight and up. 

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Making Bank: Money Skills for Real Life by Shannon Lee Simmons 

Shannon Lee Simmons is a certified financial planner based in Toronto. This non-fiction book offers a practical guide for tracking, saving, spending, and growing money. It breaks down complex aspects of financing into clear, easy-to-understand concepts in a way that isn’t condescending.  

Making Bank: Money Skills for Real Life is recommended for ages 13 and older. 

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Children’s Picks 

This whimsical tale follows Aggie as she takes on a rule-breaking ghost in an epic game of tic-tac-toe. School Library Journal calls Forsythe’s signature illustrations “breathtaking” and the story “heartwarming.” Matthew Forsythe is the author / illustrator of Mina — winner of the 2022 Kirkus Book of the Year and a Governor General’s Award Finalist.  

Aggie and the Ghost is recommended for ages four and older. 

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When Sara — who is selectively mute — goes to live with her sister in Toronto, she learns how she can engage with the world, be an activist, and express herself by writing letters. The story is uniquely told entirely through letters from Sara to her new baby brother. Themes include housing insecurity, new siblings, illness, extended family, social activism, autism, neurodiversity, anxiety, and letter writing. 

The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt is recommended for ages nine and older. 

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Illustrations by Rhael McGreggor 

When Tristan lands in trouble at school, his mom decides it’s time for him to stop spending so much time online, and to instead spend some time in nature and connect with his Dene culture. This humourous novel illustrates the importance of community. Author Kristy Jackson draws inspiration from her Cree and German background. Illustrator Rhael McGregor is a Métis and two-spirit / queer artist who hopes that all readers can see themselves represented. 

Touching Grass is recommended for ages eight and older. 

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