The shortlist for the 2025 edition of CBC Kids Reads was announced on September 17. The five titles—listed below—were selected from a longlist of 15 Canadian picture books. CBC Kids host Joojo Paintsil, as well as Gary the Unicorn, Mr. Orlando, Cottonball the Cat, Mosey Monster, and Stuffy the Dog, will share their five favourite Canadian picture books and celebrate their love of reading in a half-hour special that will be available Saturday, October 4 on CBC TV at 10:20 am ET / 7:20 am PT, as well as on CBC Gem and CBC Kids YouTube, and Monday, October 13 at 12 pm local time on CBC Radio.
Each book will also be championed by a celebrity reader who will be featured in the CBC Kids Reads special, including actor and director Jay Baruchel, actor and singer Josh Dela Cruz, broadcaster, journalist and sports anchor Kayla Grey, actress Anna Lambe, and actor, comedian and writer Andrew Phung. The 2025 CBC Kids Reads Champion, as selected by an audience of kids and their families, will also be revealed during the October 4th special.
CBC Kids Reads Shortlist
Cone Dog, written by Sarah Howden, illustrated by Carmen Mok (Owlkids Books)
The Hockey Skates, written by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng (HarperCollins Publishers)
I Am a Rock, written by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut (Inhabit Media)
The Little Green Envelope, written by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Claudine Crangle (Groundwood Books)
Mad at Dad, written and illustrated by Janie Hao (Kids Can Press)
For more details, click here.