Today is the second annual I Read Canadian Day, a day to celebrate all of the amazing home grown talent we have right here in Canada.

You may notice when you walk around the bookstores (well when we can get back to leisurely walking around the bookstores) that many of the books featured are ones from big publishing houses and written by American authors and illustrators. Don’t get me wrong, a good book is a good book, but when bookstores and publishers are focusing their marketing efforts on these authors, it leaves very few dollars left for their Canadian counterparts and Canadians are writing some incredibly important stories, stories that are reflective of our past and our future here in Canada.

Take some time today, as little as 15 minutes to read a book, either by yourself or with your loved ones, by a Canadian author and be welcomed into a world reflective of ourselves. Check out the gallery below for books that are, in my opinion, MUST READ children’s books by Canadian authors and illustrators!