24 New B.C. Books for Cozy Fall Reading

Fall is here, which means it’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book on a chilly autumn evening. We present 24 new B.C. books, ideal for all your fall reading needs, from children’s picture books and graphic novels to fascinating historical reads and page-turning novels.

Fiction & Poetry

1. Ladder to Heaven by Katie Welch

The year is 2045, a massive earthquake and tsunami have destroyed the West Coast, and a character grappling with her own personal demons decides to abandon her family. Three years later, she reemerges and struggles to reach her loved ones on Vancouver Island. Kamloops resident Katie Welch has crafted a lyrical tale of addiction, isolation and redemption. Ladder to Heaven (Wolsak & Wynn Publishers) is sure to stay with you long after you finish the last page.

2. Rufous and Calliope by Sarah Louise Butler

A modern-day cartographer who suffers from early-onset dementia embarks on a solo hike through B.C.’s interior, looking for the treehouse where he spent one extraordinary summer with his twin sister and three half-siblings. Sarah Louise Butler, who is based in the Kootenays, has masterfully woven together story threads about memory loss, survival, sibling bonds and ecological grief in Rufous and Calliope (Douglas & McIntyre).

3. A Season for Spies by Iona Whishaw

Vancouver resident Iona Whishaw’s series of cozy mysteries focus on Lane Winslow, a British spy who retired after World War II and settled in a small B.C. town who keeps getting drawn into solving mysteries. Whishaw’s latest novel, A Season for Spies (TouchWood Editions), is a short prequel to her bestselling series. Set during a holiday season in the 1940s, it tells the story of Lane Winslow’s first-ever spy mission in the United Kingdom.

4. Crowd Source by Cecily Nicholson

Anyone who’s ever marvelled at the twice-daily crow migration in Metro Vancouver will be enchanted by Crowd Source (Talonbooks), Cecily Nicholson’s newest book of poetry.

Non-Fiction

5. The Eh Team by Charles Demers

East Vancouver resident Charles Demers has turned his enormous comedic talent toward explaining Canadian expressions: pencil crayons, Nanaimo bars, toques and more. The Eh Team: A Celebration of Canadianisms from Elbows Up to Poutine (Greystone Books) is a hilarious and quirky love letter to the Great White North.

6. A Sign of the Times by Ben Jackson & Aaron Chapman

“Behave yourself. JK. We don’t care.” “Free admission with purchase of cover.” “Call in sick. It’s not too late.” “Our sign guy deserves a raise.” These are just a few of the cheeky signs that have graced the marquee of Vancouver’s long-running Penthouse Nightclub over the past 75+ years. A Sign of the Times: The Best of the Penthouse Marquee (Anvil Press), written by “sign guy” Ben Jackson, with some help from historian Aaron Chapman, shares where the ideas for the messages come from, which messages went viral and which ones stirred up a hornet’s nest of outrage and controversy.

7. The Magic of Pockets by Jess Driscoll

If you yearn to set fire to the patriarchy while also learning how to add pockets to your garments, then you definitely need to check out The Magic of Pockets: A Feminist’s Guide to Adding Pockets to Clothing That Really Should Have Pockets to Begin With (Nine Ten Publications). B.C. author Jess Driscoll explores the patriarchal reasons that most women’s clothing lacks proper pockets, then she delves into DIY techniques for adding patch pockets, inside pockets, tie-on pouches and more. Minimal sewing skills are required—but a desire for practical rebellion is strongly recommended.

8. How to Be Hopeful by Elin Kelsey

Elin Kelsey, who splits her time between British Columbia and California, has thought a lot about the power of hope during our escalating climate crisis. In her inspiring new book How to Be Hopeful: Empowering Practices to Overcome Despair and Act for Climate Justice (Greystone Books), she shares a mix of personal thoughts, scientific information and hands-on exercises.

9. Painting Victoria by Robert Amos

See British Columbia’s capital city through the eyes of artist and art historian Robert Amos in Painting Victoria: Fifty Years of Memories from a City by the Sea (TouchWood Editions). Paintings and sketches by the longtime Victoria resident capture the city’s Inner Harbour, Chinatown, heritage buildings and more.

10. Gino by Patrick Johnston & Peter Leech

One of the NHL’s few Indigenous players in the 1990s, Gino Odjick started his pro career with the Vancouver Canucks, staying with them from 1990 to ’98. In his role as an enforcer, he became known as the Algonquin Assassin and the Maniwaki Mauler. Gino: The Fighting Spirit of Gino Odjick (Greystone Books) by Patrick Johnston and Peter Leech covers the hockey legend’s fascinating life, including his childhood in an Algonquin community in Quebec, his years spent brawling in the NHL, his struggles with alcohol abuse and chronic traumatic encephalopathy and his untimely death at age 52.

11. Coastal Connections by Derek Hayes

Historian and photographer Derek Hayes examines Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Union Steamships and now BC Ferries—one of the largest ferry fleets on the planet—in Coastal Connections: A History of British Columbia Ferries and Passenger Ships (Harbour Publishing). This visually appealing book overflows with archival and modern photographs, ephemera and more.

12. Turmoil by Michael Layland

Historian Michael Layland delves into the remarkable life of a 19th century world traveller who helped shape the future of British Columbia in the illustrated biography Turmoil: The Life and Times of Philip Hankin (TouchWood Editions). As a member of the Royal Navy, Hankin helped chart B.C.’s waters. As a linguistic enthusiast, in 1861 he co-created a list of 300+ words used by the Huu-ay-aht First Nation, which helped improve cross-cultural communication at the time.

13. A Festive Season on Vancouver Island by Bill Arnott

In Bill Arnott’s beautifully illustrated A Festive Season on Vancouver Island (Rocky Mountain Books), readers experience the natural beauty and fascinating cultural history of Vancouver Island during the holiday season.

14. John Horgan: In His Own Words by John Horgan and Rod Mickleburgh

After British Columbia’s most popular premier passed away in 2024, the tributes came pouring in for this beloved politician. His memoir, John Horgan: In His Own Words (Harbour Publishing), covers his remarkable life—from wayward youth to B.C.’s first-ever two-term NDP premier—and touches on topics such as leading during COVID-19, forging an alliance with the Green party and working toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

15. Thyme for Dessert by DL Acken with Aurelia Louvet

Salt Spring Island–based writer and food photographer DL Acken has captured the sweetest tastes of the West Coast in Thyme for Dessert: Sweets and Treats Inspired by the Flavours of the Pacific Northwest Coast (TouchWood Editions). The recipes are sure to please anyone who appreciates a good dessert, whether sweet or savoury.

16. Better This Year edited by JJ Lee

Many of the stories are heartwarming, some are heart-wrenching and all of them are true in Better This Year: More Tales From Christmas Survivors (Tidewater Press). JJ Lee has edited all three volumes of this series in which B.C. writers explore the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the holiday season.

17. Wilderness Mother by Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski

Revised and updated for its 30th anniversary, Wilderness Mother: A Memoir of 13 Years Off the Grid (Ronsdale Press) is even more powerful now than when it was first published. It chronicles the years that Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski spent living in northern British Columbia’s isolated Ningunsaw Valley with her hermit husband and their children. Residing more than 100 miles from the closest paved road, the family had to grow their own food and be entirely self-sufficient. They even built their own small dam to generate electricity. This revised edition adds details about Kawatski’s husband’s mental health challenges and the couple’s ultimate split.

18. Unceded by George M. Abbott

Anyone interested in Canadian history and Indigenous-settler relations needs to pick up a copy of Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why It Matters Now (UBC Press) by George M. Abbott, who became Treaty Commissioner for the Government of British Columbia in 2025 after a career spent in political office. The book examines more than 150 years of government-Indigenous relations.

Children’s

19. Celebrating Potlatches by Samantha Beynon

 

Intergenerational storytelling is paired with gorgeous illustrations in Celebrating Potlatches (Strong Nations Publishing). This picture book by Samantha Beynon shows how resilient Indigenous communities had to be in order to keep their traditions alive in the wake of the 1885 Potlatch ban. Aimed at children aged four to eight, this book was inspired by Ts’msyen Chief William Beynon’s notebooks.

20. Soup’s On Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth

Author Denyse Waissbluth and illustrator Chelsea O’Byrne—who are both based in Vancouver—had so much fun teaming up for Teatime Around the World that they decided to create another picture book together. Aimed at kids aged four to eight, Soup’s On Around the World (Greystone Books) is filled with poetic text and vibrant illustrations that celebrate the many types of soup enjoyed by people all over the planet. Young kids can learn about flavourful dishes such as wonton soup from China, dried fruit soup from Finland and bitter-leaf soup from West Africa.

21. Emerson the Elephant Seal by Ginger Ngo

Vancouver resident Ginger Ngo penned Emerson the Elephant Seal (Harbour Publishing), a charming tale about a 500-pound elephant seal who’s determined to make his home in Victoria. Based on a true story, this colourful book is aimed at kids aged three to five.

22. Howler Reef by Mike Deas & Nancy Deas

The sixth book in the popular Sueño Bay series of graphic novels, Howler Reef (Orca Book Publishers) was written and illustrated by the wife-and-husband team of Nancy and Mike Deas, who both grew up in the Gulf Islands. The couple now live on Salt Spring Island, which inspired the setting of the Sueño Bay books. Their latest story features a kayaking adventure, a bit of mystery and a touch of the supernatural.

23. The Gland Factory by Rachel Poliquin

The author of The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers: A Tour of Your Useless Parts, Flaws, and Other Weird Bits is back with another quirky (and, let’s face it, kinda gross) book that helps tweens understand the inner workings of the human body. In The Gland Factory: A Tour of Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones (Greystone Books), Vancouver-based Rachel Poliquin explores the endocrine and exocrine systems in a fun, easy-to-understand manner.

24. The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Tweens will love reading about the Snolly sisters in The Islands of Elsewhere (Rocky Pond Books). Vancouver Island resident Heather Fawcett has penned a fun tale bursting with adventure, treasure hunting, secrets, magic and mystery.