The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

The last few years have seen lots of books removed from schools, libraries and bookstores. Last fall, Alberta scaled back its proposed book ban after public pushback, and in the U.S., thousands of books have been removed from schools and dropped from curriculums. Kudakwashe Rutendo and Mirian Njoh weigh in on the topic and discuss influential challenged titles from their own lives. Plus, get to know author Madeleine Thien through the Proust Questionnaire.

Books discussed on this week's show include:
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky
The Book of Records by Madelein Thein

Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card. That’s a mantra Mychal Threets, or Mychal the Librarian, has practiced since childhood. He’s a librarian and literacy advocate who brings his library love to life on TikTok and Instagram. Millions of views later, he was named the new host of the recently rebooted Reading Rainbow on PBS. Plus, Ontario musician Evan Redsky on the book that provided him with two years of inspiration.

Books discussed on this week's show include:
I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy, illustrated by Lorraine Nam
One Native Life by Richard Wagamese

Lisa Bailey says this latest chapter of her life is like the plot of a rom com. Daughter leaves the big city to return to her hometown to help run her Dad’s used bookstore. Now, Bailey Books in St. Albert has caught the internet’s attention with videos showcasing their rare used books and knack for book binding and repair. Plus, Terese Mason Pierre shares the black speculative fiction novels that made her fall in love with the genre.

Books discussed on this week's show include:
The Bachman Books collection by Stephen King
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta

It was a childhood love of magical stories of dragons, wizards and fantasy that ignited the idea for K.J. Aiello’s book, The Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell. In the book K.J. tells their story of trying to understand their life and mental illness, and how that world of magic and fantasy helped shape who they are. Plus, Nova Scotia musician Maggie Andrew recommends The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest.

Books discussed on this week's show include:
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay
The Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell by KJ Aiello
The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest

Older protagonists are having a moment. They’re starring in all kinds of novels, from mysteries to love stories to end-of-life reckonings. Our columnist Alicia Cox Thomson has noticed this ageing-up trend in books and she’s here now to recommend some titles that stood out for her. Plus, Daphné Santos-Vieira recommends Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance as her staff pick.

Books discussed on this week's show include:
Norma by Sarah Mintz
Palm Meridian by Grace Flahive
Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance written by Julie M.Green