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Meet the Champions

Amy
Courser

Barrie Public Library

Amy is representing Mindful of Murder by Susan Juby, a mystery thriller that introduces us to 3 butlers, 4 guests and a week to remember as family descend on the Yatra Institute, a spiritual retreat on Sutil Island. They must fulfill the last wishes of its owner and determine who is the most suitable heir. But did the owner die of natural causes or is there something more sinister at play?

Stephanie
Cryer

Essa Public Library

Stephanie Cryer is an award winning teacher who is an advocate for Indigenous stories. While working in the Indigenous Department for SCDSB, she helped create a Grade 11 class called “Understanding First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Voices”.

Stephanie golfs and curls and is passionate about travelling. She loves spending time with her nieces.

Stephanie is representing And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott, a story about a young Haudenosaunee mother who goes through a kind of looking glass, as she deals with postpartum depression and married life away from her family and traditions. It’s a story of difficult truths, told with humour, horror and a bit of surrealism.

Barbara
Love

Innisfil ideaLAB & Library

Barbara Love is a proud Innisfilian, mother of three and grandmother of five. She is a retired nurse, a retired Professor from McMaster University in the School of Nursing, and recently served on the RVH Board of Directors for ten years. She has published and given national and international presentations in the areas of paediatric oncology, standards of care, resilience, hope, and competency.

Barbara is representing The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, a captivating novel about a young Mi’kmaq girl’s disappearance and the trauma, search for truth, and unwavering love that results from this mysterious circumstance.

Kevin
Cascagnette

Midland Public Library

Kevin Cascagnette is a versatile professional in the creative industry, hailing from Midland, Ontario. With expertise in graphic design, art direction, and photography, Kevin brings a fresh perspective to his projects. He has a successful photography business and is dedicated to community service.

As a proud Indigenous individual, Kevin adds a unique viewpoint as he represents Moon of The Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice. In Moon of the Turning Leaves we are reunited with Evan Whitesky and his community in northern Canada, who he has led off the reservation following a mysterious permanent blackout and subsequent anarchy. As the community revives their Anishinaabe traditions, this is a story of endurance, strength, Indigenous identity, and rebirth.

Cass
Sigler

New Tecumseth Public Library

Cass Sigler is a non-binary and queer hairstylist who has lived, worked and volunteered in Alliston since 2012, and been a small business owner since September 2019. Cass is passionate about creating safer spaces and providing more accessible hair services to marginalized communities, specifically the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In their free time, you can find them reading, gaming or creating.

Cass is representing Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline, a queer reimagining of The Secret Garden, where an orphaned girl is sent to live in the Georgian Bay wilds and discovers family secrets both wonderful and horrifying.

Sherry
Lawson

Ramara Public Library

Sherry never meant to ever be an author. Turning fifty convinced her to leave a record for her children and grandchildren. Sherry’s stories take us through a chaotic childhood and instances as a young adult of outright racism. There are tears and laughter, just like in real life. 

Sherry is representing The Strangers by Katherena Vermette, a staggering intergenerational saga that explores how connected we are, even when we’re no longer together—even when we’re forced apart.