10 Amazing Books to Add to Your 2026 Reading Challenge

By Michael Schmidt

2026 is well underway with spring fast approaching, and there have already been lots of great books by small presses released to start off the year. But there are plenty more coming out soon and it’s never too late to add to your reading challenge, whether you’ve set an official one on Goodreads, joining many other avid readers, or something more casual, such as a list of titles you’ve been meaning to get to before the year is out. However you like to enjoy your reading, without further ado, here are 10 books published by Canadian small presses that you should consider adding to your 2026 reading challenge, and why they deserve to be there. 

Stan on Guard by K.R. Wilson, published March 1, 2026 with Guernica Editions 

• the follow-up to Wilson’s novel Call Me Stan: A Tragedy in Three Millennia, which was long-listed for the 2022 Leacock Medal for Humour

• a gripping story that spans genres-- tragedy, comedy, historical fiction-- and multiple eras of history, from a retelling of the Odysseus story, through the Great War and its horrors, to present day Toronto

• lead characters are immortals, including the protagonist Stan, a Hittite who has seen and experienced many things over the centuries, and his adversary, an immortal Trojan princess named Tróán 

Yield by Jamie Forsythe, forthcoming with Wolsak & Wynn, April 2026

• the third poetry collection from Nova Scotian writer Forsythe, Yield is a book-length poem you won’t be able to forget once you pick it up

• set against the alluring backdrop of the Maritime coastline where the land converges with the sea and follows a mother navigating a postpartum world 

• features a unique, dreamlike writing style that involves repeated waves of couplets, bringing to life memorable images that will stick with you and showcasing Forsythe’s impressive command of language

The Fall-Down Effect by Liz Johnston, published by Book*hug Press, April 21, 2026

• an exciting debut novel featured in several anticipated book previews, such as The Grind, MER Journal and Quill & Quire

• centred on the themes of climate change and environmental protest-- if you’re someone with a keen eye for this important contemporary topic, The Fall-Down Effect is a title you won’t want to miss 

• a second major theme, and no less enthralling, is that of fractured family relationships and the drama that can arise from the dynamics between loved ones, crafted in compelling fashion that will hook you right from the first page 

Wound Archive by Anna Veprinska forthcoming with Gordon Hill / The Porcupines Quill, April 2026 

• a collection of poems that explore a poignant and captivating subject as its central theme: the end of a relationship and the beginning of an invisible illness, both happening at the same time 

• for poetry lovers, but also for anyone wanting to experiment with their reading preferences, as the collection has a minimalist poetry style 

• the poems explore how language can be turned upside down, both figuratively and formally, and demonstrate how brevity is able to hold the expansiveness of ache and deep-seated wounds 

Seldom Seen Road, by John Degen, forthcoming with Latitude 46 Publishing, May 7, 2026

• a thrilling murder mystery set in a small, northern Canadian town brimming with secrets waiting to be uncovered, and the first novel in a new murder-mystery series 

• follow along with protagonist and amateur sleuth Mark Roth as he attempts to solve the murder despite lacking any official detective experience, often putting himself in the eye of danger in his pursuit of the truth 

• unique to the genre, Mark works alongside two family members, his cousin a constable and his daughter a criminologist, who each bring their dynamics and skillsets to the task

The Instrument Must Not Matter by Christine Fischer Guy, forthcoming with Wolsak & Wynn, May 12, 2026

• an enchanting, coming-of-age story about a gifted young pianist named Lila Rys as she strives to accomplish her dream of becoming a brilliant performer and bring music back to her family, which was stifled by the Soviet Regime 

• follow Lila’s journey as she moves from Prague to New York City and navigates a new world and studies under a famous teacher, all the while struggling to live up to high expectations

• a romantic encounter with a renegade female pianist, and the discovery of powerful family secrets that the protagonist and her family will be forced to reckon with 

Here’s to Letting Go by Blaine Thornton, forthcoming with Latitude 46 Publishing, May 21, 2026 

• a touching, thought-provoking poetry collection that blends poetry and prose to explore the intersectional experiences of queerness, homelessness, and mental illness-- shining a light on stories that often go untold 

• told from the perspective of a young trans, non-binary person, weaving their memories of escaping home and having to survive in the loneliest of places into a narrative sure to compel and widen your worldview 

• Thornton reveals what it takes to come back, to survive hardships, and find a path towards healing and acceptance

Not All Dragons by David Ly, forthcoming with Wolsak & Wynn, May 2026

• for readers who love speculative fiction, step into a strange, mesmerizing fantasy world called Lanilia, a place where magic and myth flow free 

• the protagonist Rhys is a descendant of dragons known as a draykin, though he has lost his wings after a tragedy and wakes with no memory of his prior life

• a fresh take on the classic tropes of dragons and destiny, and a dangerous, thrilling quest for acceptance and understanding in which Rhys teams up with a mermaid and goes on an unforgettable journey 

Half-Earth by Blair Trewartha, forthcoming with Palimpsest Press, May 15, 2026

• the second full-length poetry collection from one of Canada’s finest contemporary poets, delving into what it means to survive in a world where climate crises and the rise of Artificial Intelligence are ever-prevalent disruptions  

• experience a masterful demonstration of language as Trewartha weaves dreamlike narratives and digs up scenes of deep history that connect to the themes of family and illness, as well as asking how to move forward in an uncertain future 

• unforgettable imagery that includes moments of the past and the future paired together, including but not limited to: prehistoric tusks frozen in foreign tundra, firestorms, the zeitgeist by algorithm, and a toddler’s visualization of death 

Take This for the Pain: Essays on Writing and Lifeby Alex Boyd, forthcoming with Palimpsest Press, June 15, 2026

• a curious look at how art and culture has changed in the modern world, a world that continues to change rapidly, pulling from twenty-five years of essays, reviews, and articles to explore an array of topics from faith to aging, to industrialism and bookshops 

• if you’ve ever wondered about the value of poetry in the 21st-century, or whether graffiti is a true art form, this is a read for you, from an award-winning author and editor who’s written for The Globe and Mail, among other publications 

• includes reviews that dive into overlooked yet deeply worthy books that any literature-enthusiast will find interesting 

About the author:

Michael Schmidt is an emerging writer from the quiet woods and fields of rural Southern Ontario, with a keen interest in telling stories that explore the fantastical. He completed a BA for English and Creative Writing at Western University in 2022, and then went on to study publishing at Centennial College in 2024. He's had poetry featured in Blank Spaces Magazine. You can find him on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) as @theepictom_ .