"Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms." - freedomtoread.ca. In recognition of Freedom to Read Week, we've compiled a list of books that have been challenged or banned across North America.

As in film westerns, the western novel has been revived in newer and unconventional ways in recent years. There has been the rise in popularity of the “weird western”: a hybrid genre which blends elements of the traditional western (a lawless frontier, a hero pit against all odds) with those of other types of fiction such as noir, mystery, horror and science-fiction (namely, the alternate Victorian universe known as steampunk).

This includes a bit of everything, from suspense, mystery and just interesting stories of people often set in different times and places

Books and more to remind you that being at home is a good thing

Music and more on CD, DVD, or digital recording

Fairies, pixies, and other magical beasties. For kids 4-12.

Stories and literature to help get the conversation going.

Good, basic books on Stoic philosophy. The focus here is on: a) a few writers who have interpreted Stoic philosophy for modern audiences, b) the surviving Greco-Roman texts, and c) a couple of biographies. Unfortunately, I've yet to find a good biography of Marcus Aurelius; let me know if you've found one! The links here all go to Goodreads and, for the ancient texts, to the translations/editions I recommend. By the way, not one of these books is in the Coquitlam Library system!

Books I read in 2020; COVID was good for something! Website links are to Goodreads and are for books not included in the Coquitlam Library collection. To date: 37,777 pages read. My reviews and ratings can be found here: https://is.gd/FuQe9a

Learn how to cook your very own lunches and afternoon snacks: with your mom and dad's help, or all by yourself. Take out one of these books today!