Second Story Press

10/09/2026

We at Second Story Press just learned about the Arkells hat campaign for the TDSB and Toronto Nutrition Program, and were inspired.

Every day, over 230 000 Toronto students participate in student nutrition programs. By providing food for students, the programs work to support our communities as a whole.

This October, for every copy of Shy Cat and the Stuff-the-Bus Challenge purchased directly from our website, we will donate $5 to the Toronto Nutrition Program.

Go to our website at https://loom.ly/2pLhiOw to order your own copy today, and go check out the Arkells page at https://loom.ly/Btyqofw to grab your own hat!

10/08/2026

The exhibition of Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn, is now open until October 27th, 2026 at the Art Gallery of Algoma as part of the Algoma Fall Festival.

If you’re in the area, visit the gallery to explore Shirley’s powerful story of survival and resilience through Joanne’s historical illustrations.

All are welcome to the Shirley exhibition running from October 8 - 27, 2026 in Gallery 1. This exhibition is only 3 weeks long with animated illustrations from the book displayed on the walls.
The book will be available for purchase in the shop.

10/08/2026

A look at the opening night of the Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story exhibition at the Art Gallery of Algoma as part of the Algoma Fall Festival.

Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn is based on the true story of Shirley at five years old where she is taken away by the Indian agent to live at a residential school.

We’re honoured that Shirley’s inspiring story and Joanne’s illustrations of the history and lasting impact of residential schools are being recognized and shared to others through this exhibition.

10/08/2026

The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches, a graphic novel for teens written and illustrated by Camille Perron-Cormier, is out now!

Andrea’s first year at university gets off to a strange start when she discovers she may be a witch!

“A perfect balance between teenage struggles and a dash of magic, this story makes me wish I was best friends with the girls in Rosemary and Toad.”—Vivian Zhou, creator of the Atana graphic novel series

Introducing a cozy coven of YA witches... Andrea is nervous to start university in the small town of Willbrook. Introverted and shy, she’s living away from home for the first time and finding it hard to fit in. When Andrea meets Elaine and Sybil, they quickly welcome her to their group. Andrea might have finally found her people, but they have a huge secret…they’re witches—and they think Andrea is too.

As Elaine and Sybil teach her how to harness her powers, she finally starts to feel like she belongs. But the girls learn there’s another witch on campus, and this one might not have good intentions. Soon, Andrea learns that the world of magic is much bigger than she imagined.

Book One of The Willbrook Witches.

Available now at your local bookstore!

10/07/2026

This week we are celebrating 2026. Every year, we take this time to speak up against censorship and support free access to information.

We at Second Story Press aim to represent the diverse world we live in. We want readers, especially children, to see themselves represented in books, and to learn about the world outside of their own experience. We stand behind all of our books, including these three titles which have been banned or condemned previously.

Censorship is not and never has been anything but oppression and injustice.

Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.

10/06/2026

Happy publication day to Counting Bugs / Aambe Gindaasdaa Mnidooshag written by Gretchen Sands-Gamble and illustrated by Storm Angeconeb!

A counting book that introduces insects, written in English AND Ojibwe!

Start counting with your little one in both English and Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwe.

Let’s count to ten as we tour Mishoomis and Nokomis’ garden and learn about the types of insects that help our plants grow!

Also available in a French and Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwe edition, titled Comptons les bestioles/Aambe Gindaasdaa Mnidooshag.

10/02/2026

It's really cool to see the process behind any graphic novel! Compare these early sketches and storyboards to the final copies, done by the author and illustrator Camille Perron-Cormier for The Secret Society of the Willbrook Witches, the first book in The Willbrook Witches series!

Camille Perron-Cormier is from the Greater Moncton Area in New Brunswick. She completed a Bachelor of Arts and Design degree with a concentration in comic books at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) in 2018. Since graduating, she has returned to New Brunswick, where she creates comics, illustrations, graphic recordings, graphic design, and leads art workshops.

About the book:
Introducing a cozy coven of YA witches... Andrea is nervous to start university in the small town of Willbrook. Introverted and shy, she’s living away from home for the first time and finding it hard to fit in. When Andrea meets Elaine and Sybil, they quickly welcome her to their group. Andrea might have finally found her people, but they have a huge secret…they’re witches—and they think Andrea is too.

As Elaine and Sybil teach her how to harness her powers, she finally starts to feel like she belongs. But the girls learn there’s another witch on campus, and this one might not have good intentions. Soon, Andrea learns that the world of magic is much bigger than she imagined.

“A group of young, independent women band together in magical fellowship…A light, witchy fantasy populated by some cool characters.” —Kirkus Reviews

Publishing on October 6th, 2026. Pre-order the book now!

10/01/2026

Thank you 49th Shelf for including Bernice and the Wild Waters by Jessica Outram and In the Long Shadows by Bear Meawasige on your Books for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and beyond list.

Books to help start and continue conversations about reconciliation throughout the school year

09/30/2026

On September 30th we mark Orange Shirt Day / The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and in the US the National Day of Remembrance for those who attended Indian boarding schools. Today we take time to reflect on the residential school system, its history, and its ongoing impact on Indigenous peoples and their communities. The schools operated for more than 160 years: the first opening in the early 1830s and the last closing in 1997. This racist and abusive system has shaped the fabric of the places we share and call home: the traditional territories, treaty and unceded lands, and homelands of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

Orange Shirt Day gets its name from Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a member of the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, whose beloved orange shirt was taken away from her when she went to a residential school at the age of six. Phyllis has inspired so many, and continues to share her story, and the stories of others, in books and through talks.

Sharing stories from survivors of this system is something that we can do as a press. This post features the words and art from a book we were honoured to publish this year called Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story, written and illustrated by Joanne Robertson with Shirley (Fletcher) Horn. Shirley's life was forever altered when she was separated from her family and sent to residential school at age five. What shines is her ability to hold on to happiness and to hope. Shirley has uplifted many, as the former Chief of the Missanabie Cree First Nation and the first chancellor of Algoma University, and by helping create the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association and the Reclaiming Shingwauk Hall exhibit.

Let's share survivors' stories together, and fight back against residential school denialism. We have a blog post on our website that links to an article recently published in The Conversation called "5 ways teachers can respond to residential school denialism in the classroom.” This is particularly useful for teachers, but also important information for us all if we encounter those who would deny the truth of our history.

09/28/2026

Shy Cat and the Stuff-the-Bus Challenge by Dian Day and Amanda White is shortlisted in the children’s category for the 2026 World of Books Sustainable Story Award! 🎉

The World of Books Sustainable Story Award recognizes and supports authors whose works inspire environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Shy Cat and the Stuff-the-Bus Challenge by Dian Day and Amanda White is a great conversation starter about why hunger exists in North American homes, and what we can do about it as a community.

Congratulations to Dian and Amanada!