Trent Alumni Reads

Bernice and the Georgian Bay Gold follows a brave young girl uncovering secrets and chasing treasure along Ontario’s Georgian Bay. Adventure, mystery, and courage drive this gripping historical tale.

Gordie’s Skate tells the true childhood story of hockey legend Gordie Howe growing up during the Great Depression in Saskatchewan. When a neighbour sells Mrs. Howe a bag of meager possessions, a pair of men’s skates—even several sizes too big—ignites young Gordie’s lifelong passion for skating and hockey. Richly illustrated scenes of 1930s Saskatoon highlight resilience, creativity, and the power of small joys to spark remarkable journeys.

This is the story of a young girl who takes control of her self-image as she showcases the true uniqueness of African hair and highlights its beauty. The story elevates, uplifts, and reinforces positive attitudes, helping little girls reflect on their own feelings about their hair and celebrate their natural beauty. 

A young child walks through nature, spotting birds while counting from one to ten in Plains Cree. With vibrant art, English rhyming clues, and pronunciation guides on every page, pêyak little duck offers a warm introduction to Plains Cree and celebrates the beauty of spring on the Prairies.

A playful, empowering story that helps children recognize negative emotions and transform complaints into gratitude, promoting emotional awareness, mindfulness, and positive communication.

Sweet Pea urges leaders to save sea flowers washed ashore, but when the Big Peas do nothing, unexpected helpers arrive and show her that even small people can spark big change. The book explores growth, power, activism, and nature, includes learning activities. Proceeds from book sales support girls’ education in Southern India.

Inspired by her son’s experience—and her family's love of powwow music and dance—Indigenous educator and champion hoop dancer Sandra Lamouche shares this uplifting true story of the transformative effects of culturally safe and inclusive early childhood education.

With its beautiful illustrations and rhymed storytelling, With This Note provides a thoughtful and easy way for parents, caregivers, educators, counselors, and trusted adults everywhere to begin talking to children about personal safety and consent.

At the Risk of Listening is a collection of poetry and other work written by Ziysah during their time as the City of Peterborough’s second poet laureate. Exploring themes of grief, homelessness, genocide, intergenerational trauma and accountability, this book will resonate with anyone yearning for collectivity in a time of dangerous polarization. Cover art by Bruno Merz.

This romantic novel follows Yasmin Bellarosa’s attempt at a fresh start in Boston—derailed by a failed proposal and the return of her first love, Austin. When their old love‑lock refuses to break, destiny intervenes, forcing them to confront superstition, heartbreak, and the powerful pull of a bond that won’t let go.

When a seemingly natural death reveals poison—and a 60‑year‑old corpse is found in the basement—Sergeant Alice Morrow uncovers chilling secrets in a quiet Ontario town. As disappearances surface and patterns emerge, she and ex‑detective Hugh Mercer confront the terrifying possibility of a serial killer hidden in plain sight.

This novel follows Filipino caregiver families reuniting in Canada and the elusive Monolith, a child who appears and disappears in their lives. Spanning communities across the diaspora, it reveals displacement, resilience, and healing through inventive storytelling as Monolith becomes a source of mystery, connection, and unexpected hope.

At an elite lakeside boarding school, a student is found stabbed in the chapel, and St. Cuthbert’s scrambles to protect its reputation. Detective‑Sergeant Diane Stewart suspects the killer is one of their own, uncovering deceit, privilege, and hidden loyalties in this fast‑paced thriller set in an exclusive Canadian private school.

Yuletide Monsters & Magic gathers holiday‑themed short stories that journey through winter’s wonder, darkness, and enchantment. Blending eerie folklore with the transformative spirit of Yule, this collection—written over several holiday seasons—captures Derek Newman‑Stille’s imaginative explorations of the season’s mysteries, shadows, and unexpected magic.

Atrocity on the Atlantic recounts the 1918 sinking of the Canadian hospital ship Llandovery Castle, torpedoed and its survivors shelled by U‑Boat 86 in a war crime that sparked global outrage. The book explores the attack, its victims, the Leipzig Trials, and why this defining atrocity faded from memory.

Framed by Our Houses follows author William R. Marshall through the homes that shaped his life across Canada. With warmth and humour, he reflects on childhood, aging, community, and belonging, revealing how our lives are woven through place, memory, and the relationships that connect us across time and landscape.

Explore how personal AI agents will transform careers, healthcare, education, and relationships. Don Tapscott and co-author Joseph M. Bradley empower readers to approach AI with confidence, highlighting self‑sovereign identity and decentralized systems that protect autonomy while revealing how identic AI can redefine human potential and shape a more equitable future.