EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
Elamin Abdelmahmoud ELBOWS UP
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771032202
BOOK LIST 2026
Elamin Abdelmahmoud SON OF ELSEWHERE
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771002243
Ryad Assani-Razaki THE HAND OF IMAN House of Anansi 978-1487013691
Britta B WIRES THAT SPUTTER
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771004544
Sharon Bala GOOD GUYS
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771005237
Billy-Ray Belcourt A MINOR CHORUS
Penguin Canada 978-0735242029
Chantal Braganza STORY OF YOUR MOTHER Strange Light 978-0771009686
Curtis Campbell LYING, STEALING, AND OTHER WAYS TO SAVE THE PLANET Annick Press 978-1834020525
Marty Chan THE CURSE OF HEARTWOOD ACADEMY Orca Book Publishers 978-1459841895
Leilei Chen
I GIVE BIRTH TO MY BODY Agatha Press 978-1069623805
Leilei Chen
I HAVE FORSAKEN HEAVEN & EARTH, BUT NEVER FORSAKEN YOU Frontenac House 978-1989466643
Annahid Dashtgard FIRE AND SILENCE Dundurn Press 978-1459756793
Sunny Dhillon HIDE AND SIKH
Wolsak & Wynn 978-1998408320
Farzana Doctor THE BEAUTY OF US ECW Press 978-1770417694
Elle Douglas SERVING UP A SECOND CHANCE Harlequin 978-1335180421
Antonio Michael Downing BLACK CHEROKEE
Scribner Canada 978-1668024553
Eufemia Fantetti MY FATHER, FORTUNE-TELLERS & ME
Mother Tongue Publishing 978-1896949758
Lindo Forbes THE INSCRUTABLE MR. YANG Napart Inc. 978-1738146338
THE FESTIVAL OF LITERARY DIVERSITY BOOK LIST 2026
Tyler Hellard
SEARCHING FOR TERRY PUNCHOUT
Invisible Publishing 978-1988784106
Sahira Javaid CROWNING SOUL
978-1777269050
Jackie Khalilieh YOU STARTED IT
Tundra Books 978-1774884775
Jen Sookfong Lee THE HUNGER WE PASS DOWN
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771012853
Amanda Leduc WILD LIFE
Random House Canada 978-0735272873
Yiming Ma THESE MEMORIES DO NOT BELONG TO US
McClelland & Stewart 978-0771020384
Mahtab Narsimhan GHOST QUEEN
Orca Book Publishers 978-1459841659
Roza Nozari ALL THE PARTS WE EXILE Knopf Canada 978-1039007062
Jinwoo Park OXFORD SOJU CLUB Dundurn Press 978-1459755109
Loghan Paylor THE CURE FOR DROWNING
Random House Canada 978-1039006454
Joss Richard IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME
Viking 978-1037802041
David A. Robertson 52 WAYS TO RECONCILE McClelland & Stewart 978-0771019357
Ardra Shephard FALLOSOPHY
Douglas & McIntyre
978-1771624305
Kim Spencer HERE FOR A GOOD TIME
Swift Water Books
978-1774887806
Noah Steele HEARTTHROB
979-8360264255
Julie Thompson JUST KICKIN’ IT
Orca Book Publishers 978-1459841017
Ahmad Saber
RAMIN ABBAS HAS MAJOR QUESTIONS
Simon & Schuster Canada 978-1665960694
Alexandra C. Yeboah BACK WHERE I CAME FROM Book*hug Press 978-1771669177
Liann Zhang
JULIE CHAN IS DEAD
Simon & Schuster
978-1668079867
GETTING STARTED
This guide was created to help educators engage with their students while attending the virtual Festival of Literary Diversity events. The pre- and post-activities below can be used for all our events. The exercises that explore specific events, and the author profiles are meant to provide you with more information about the creatives participating in this year’s festival. Included with the event descriptions are specific course connections to Secondary School themes and some Ontario Secondary School Courses.
PRE-EVENT ACTIVITY
Before watching a festival event, pick an author and do a little research into them.
1. What made you choose this writer?
2. What was the most interesting thing you learned about them?
3. Share why you chose the author and what you learned about them with your classmates and teacher. Prepare one question that you would ask them if you got the chance.
POST-EVENT ACTIVITY
After watching a virtual session, identify:
1. three things you learned,
2. two things you found interesting, and
3. one question you still have about writing or about one of the authors
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
The 2026 Festival of Literary Diversity Educator Guide includes Ontario Curriculum connections. When possible, we have highlighted the Grade, Subject and Strand that connects to each event. There are Language expectations that connect to many of our featured texts. The expectations are listed here and linked below in individual events.
ONTARIO LANGUAGE CURRICULUM LINKS
GR. 1–8 LANGUAGE CURRICULUM (2023)
A Literacy Connections and Applications
A2 Digital Media Literacy - Media, Audience and Production (A2.5)
A3 Applications, Connections and Contributions - Identity and Community (A3.2), First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Perspectives and Ways of Knowing (A3.3)
C Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts
C1 Knowledge About Texts - Text Forms and Genres (C1.2), Visual Elements of Texts (C1.4)
C2 Comprehension Strategies - Pre Reading: Activating Prior Knowledge (C2.1), Monitoring of Understanding: Making and Confirming Predictions (C2.3)
C3 Critical Thinking in Literacy - Analyzing Cultural Elements of Texts (C3.4), Analysis and Response (C3.6)
GR. 9 (2023) AND GR. 10–12 ENGLISH COURSES (2007)
Reading and Literature Studies
2. Understanding Form and Style - Texts Forms (2.1), Text Features (2.2), Elements of Style (2.3)
Writing
1. Developing and Organizing Content - Identifying Topic, Purpose and Audience (1.1)
VIRTUAL EVENT EXERCISES
Friendship can be transformative — and complicated. They can fall apart without warning or evolve as we grow. In this thoughtful and engaging virtual panel discussion, young adult authors Farzana Doctor, Ahmad Saber, and Curtis Campbell discuss how their novels explore loyalty, conflict, identity, and repair. Designed for high school students, this conversation offers rich entry points for classroom discussion and meaningful school-wide engagement.
Minds On
1. In “4 Differences Between Good Friends and Toxic Friends” (YouTube), you’ll find an introduction to differences between good and toxic friends. What stood out to you after watching the video? Do you think you can now tell the difference between a toxic friend and a good friend?
2. Considering the points in “ friendship advice i wish i knew as a teen” video (YouTube), what do you agree or disagree with?
3. After reading “ Frenemies and toxic friendships: preteens and teenagers” from Raising Children Network, how do you deal with the fallout from friendships that don’t go well?
Discussion Questions
1. What types of friendships have you had from elementary, middle and now high school? Best friends? Groups? Few? Many? Do they change each year or have they been lifelong?
2. Are your friendships surface level or do you open up about things that are on your mind? How do you know when a friend can be trusted?
3. Do you have “reel-ationships” on IG? You like their stories and their posts but you don’t DM or talk in person. What are the benefits and drawbacks to these relationships?
4. Have you ever had an unlikely friendship? What types of situations creates these dynamics, competition, differences, distance etc.?
5 How has where you lived impacted your friendships?
6. How have your interests impacted your friendships?
7. Have you moved away from friends, or have they moved away from you? Did you stay in touch? How has your friendship navigated the distance?
Extension Activities/Reading Guides
• Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber – Reading Group Guide
In this interactive virtual workshop designed for high school students, author Kim Spencer shares her personal journey to becoming a writer and the lessons she learned along the way. Through engaging exercises, images, and music as creative prompts, students will explore memory, identity, and imagination and will leave with practical tools for storytelling.
Minds On
Before participating in this workshop, learn more about the author by reading and watching some of the links below:
1. Get a quick introduction to Spencer’s debut novel, Weird Rules to Follow, in the video “Author Kim Spencer introduces WEIRD RULES TO FOLLOW ”. (YouTube)
2. In “ SFU Writer’s Studio grad named Governor General’s Award finalist ” from SFU News, Spencer describes her path to becoming an author and how she wrote a book about racism in Canada.
Tools
Writers use many tools to get their writing started. Here are some Canva graphic organizers you can use to brainstorm ideas to get your story started.
• Likes and Dislikes
• Memory
• Personal Narrative Brainstorm
Curriculum Connections: Indigenous Voices
• NBE3U Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices
A2: Deconstructing,
A3: Reconstructing,
C1: Reading for Meaning,
C5: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices in Contemporary Literature
Kim Spencer’s young adult novel, Here for a Good Time, is the first book to be published by an Indigenous-led imprint within Tundra Book Group, the children’s division of Penguin Random House Canada, called Swift Water Books. Author David A. Robertson serves as the imprint’s Editorial Director.
Big impact. Fewer pages. In this virtual panel discussion, authors Marty Chan, Mahtab Narsimhan, and Julie Thompson explore the craft and creative possibilities of short fiction in this timely panel conversation. From flash fiction to short stories, they discuss how this form challenges writers to be precise, bold, and intentional — while giving readers stories they can finish in a single sitting. Ideal for classroom exploration, this conversation highlights how short fiction strengthens critical thinking and sharpens reading and writing skills.
Discussion Questions
1. With short novels or short stories, authors have little space to get your attention. Often starting a story in the middle of a narrative and providing the details later in the story. Do you enjoy it when a story begins this way or would you prefer more details in the first few chapters?
2. When you read a short story or short novel, what time period should the story span? A day or two? Weeks? Months?
3. When an author has a short amount of space to tell a story, you might find action and adventure happens in short bursts. Do you prefer this style of story compared to a longer novel?
4. A short story or novel will often have a limited number of characters for the reader to keep track of. Character development needs to happen early in the story and give brief physical and personality descriptions. What are the benefits for the reader when a story centers around a small number of characters?
Extension Activities/Reading Guides
• The Curse of Heartwood Academy by Marty Chan — Chapter Sampler
• Ghost Queen by Mahtab Narsimhan — Teacher Guide
• Just Kickin’ It by Julie Thompson — Teacher Guide
• Just Kickin’ It by Julie Thompson — Activity Sheet
In this edition of The Writer’s Life interview series, young adult author Ahmad Saber reflects on balancing a career in medicine with his path to publication. From the inspiration behind Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions to the realities of drafting a debut novel, Saber shares insight into his creative process and publishing journey. Moderated by Ameema Saeed, this conversation offers practical writing advice, behind-the-scenes perspective, and an honest look at building a life in books.
Minds On
Before watching this interview, learn more about the author by reading and watching some of the links below:
1. Get an introduction to Saber’s debut novel, Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions, in the video “Ahmad Saber presents “RAMIN ABBAS HAS MAJOR QUESTIONS” (YouTube) which features a reading of the first chapter.
2. In the article “Ahmad Saber: This Was My Way to Heal” from Writer’s Digest, Saber highlights the power of revision in the process of writing a book.
3. In the article “ Write Now with Ahmad Saber ” by Justin Cox, Saber describes how an author needs to be curious about a character.
Discussion Questions
1. Why might someone become an author while being a doctor?
2. Why might someone become an author when they have a career in a professional setting?
3. At first glance, being a doctor seems so different to being a writer. What are the skillsets of being a doctor bring to writing and vice versa?
4. How long do you think it takes for a book to be published, from first idea to a published copy in the hands of the reader?
Extension Activities/Reading Guides
• Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions by Ahmad Saber – Reading Group Guide
AUTHOR PROFILES
We have provided a list of the authors’ works and links to learn more about them. Can you go beyond the short biography provided and find other samples of the author’s work? What type of details do they provide on their website? If you enjoyed the author’s work, what would you say if you contacted them? (Many are on IG and would appreciate a follow and positive review online.)
CURTIS CAMPBELL TORONTO, ONTARIO
Curtis Campbell (he/him) is an award-winning novelist and playwright. His book, Dragging Mason County, was a White Raven Award winner, an Ontario Library Association Best Bets Top Ten Title, a White Pine Award nominee, and shortlisted for the Jacqueline Woodson Award for LGBTQ+ Young Adult and Children’s Literature. He lives in Toronto with an artist named Kevin and their dog, Pip.
instagram: @curtisdangcampbell
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
Lying, Stealing and Other Ways to Save the Planet (2026)
• Ages 14+
• ISBN-13: 9781834020525
• Available as: Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook
OTHER BOOKS
Dragging Mason County (2023)
MARTY CHAN EDMONTON, ALBERTA
Marty Chan (he/him) loves to write. Before he became a kids’ author, he worked in theatre, radio, and television. Now his passion is inspiring the next generation of lifelong readers and writers. Using a combination of storytelling, improv, humour, and stage magic, he shares his love of words with audiences young and old.
website: martychan.com
instagram: @martychanwriter
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
The Curse of Heartwood Academy (2026)
• Ages 12+
• ISBN-13: 9781459841895
• Available as: Paperback, and eBook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
OTHER BOOKS
Cosplay Crime (2024)
Willpower (2022)
Final Cut (2022)
Haunted Hospital (2020)
FARZANA DOCTOR TORONTO, ONTARIO
Farzana Doctor (she/her) is a writer, activist, and Registered Social Worker/Psychotherapist. Her ancestry is Indian, and she was born in Zambia while her family was based there for five years, before immigrating to Canada in 1971.
website: farzanadoctor.com instagram: @farzanadoctor
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
The Beauty of Us (2024)
• Ages 14+
• ISBN-13: 978-1770417694
• Available as: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
OTHER BOOKS
52 Weeks to a Sweeter Life (2024)
You Still Look the Same (2022)
Six Metres of Pavement (2020)
MAHTAB NARSIMHAN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Mahtab Narsimhan (she/her) is the award-winning author of numerous books, including The Third Eye, which won the Silver Birch Fiction Award, Mission Mumbai and The Tiffin. Mahtab is originally from Mumbai, India, and lives in Vancouver, Canada.
website: mahtabnarsimhan.com instagram: @mahtab_narsimhan
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
Ghost Queen (2025)
• Ages 12+
• ISBN-13: 9781459841659
• Available as: Paperback, eBook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
OTHER BOOKS
Not Myself Today (2026)
Today I Am (2024)
Careful What You Wish For (2022)
AHMAD SABER CANADA
Ahmad Saber (he/him) is a young adult author who grew up on an all-girls college campus next to a massive fort in Pakistan. He now lives in Canada, and loves Broadway, travel, and Taylor Swift. He’s also a self-professed Chocolate Chip Cookie Connoisseur and has crowned New York’s Culture Espresso’s as the best in the world. Ramin Abbas has MAJOR Questions is his debut novel and is based in part on his own lived experience, exploring the inherent challenges of being queer and Muslim, and the struggle to reconcile faith with sexuality. Ahmad is also a medical doctor specializing in rheumatology.
website: saberbooks.ca/about instagram: @theahmadsaber
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
Ramin Abbas Has MAJOR Questions (2026)
• Ages 14+
• ISBN-13: 978-1665960717
• Available as: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
KIM SPENCER GITXAALA NATION, NORTHWEST BRITISH COLUMBIA
Kim Spencer (she/her) is an award-winning, bestselling author. Her debut novel, Weird Rules to Follow, won multiple awards, including the 2024 Pacific Northwest Book Award, the 2023
TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, and the 2023 Jean Little First-Novel Award. Named to both the USBBY Outstanding International Books list as well as the IBBY Honour List, the book also received a Kirkus starred review and was a 2023 Governor General’s Literary Award finalist.
website: kimspencerwritesbooks.com
instagram: @kimspencerwrites
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
Here for a Good Time (2026)
• Ages 14+
• ISBN-13:978-1774887806
• Available as: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
OTHER BOOKS
I Won’t Feel This Way Forever (2025) Weird Rules to Follow (2022)
JULIE THOMPSON TORONTO, ONTARIO
Julie Thompson (she/her) is an award-winning author who creates stories that reflect and celebrate the lived experiences of children everywhere. As a mother of two boys, Julie is especially drawn to books that honor Black Boy Joy, and she finds inspiration for her stories in the people, places and experiences that have shaped her twenty-seven-year career in youth services, community outreach and law enforcement. She is the author of Just Kickin’ It in the Orca Anchor series and hopes that her stories will encourage open dialogue within families and their communities.
website: juliethompsonbooks.com
FEATURED AT THE FESTIVAL
Just Kickin’ It (2025)
• Ages 12+
• ISBN-13: 9781459841017
• Available as: Paperback, eBook; Braille, and Daisy Audio and Text via CELA
