The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

Few authors have impacted young readers' lives as much as Judy Blume. Her beloved books are frank about puberty, sex and the messiness of growing up. Alicia Cox Thomson and Brian Francis, two lifelong Judy Blume fans join the show to talk about their recent reading of Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer, and the impact Judy Blume has had on their reading lives. Plus, author Janie Chang answers The Next Chapter’s Proust questionnaire. Books discussed on this week's show include:Judy Blume: A Life by Mark OppenheimerThe Fourth Princess by Janie Chang Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Project Hail Mary is BookToker and Canada Reads panellist Morgann Book’s favourite novel of all time. So she had high expectations going into the film adaptation. Three viewings later, she’s convinced they got it right. Plus, Antonio Michael sits down with the host of Canada Reads, Ali Hassan for a warm up chat before the debates, and learns the hardest part of hosting the competition.Books discussed on this week's show include:Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirIt’s Different This Time by Joss RichardA Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray BelcourtFoe by Iain ReidThe Cure for Drowning by Loghan PaylorSearching for Terry Punchout by Tyler HellardCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Amanda Brugel is an award-winning actor and former Canada Reads champion. In a career full of iconic characters Amanda is best known for playing Rita in The Handmaid’s Tale. She was first drawn to the character at the age of 15, before portraying her on the screen 20 years later. She shares her life in books. Plus, author Ray Robertson answers The Next Chapter’s version of the Proust Questionnaire.Books discussed on this week's show include:21 Lessons For the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonA New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart TolleRomeo and Juliet by William ShakespeareThe Right to Be Wrong by Ray RobertsonCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

The actor Malia Baker was the youngest person ever to compete on Canada Reads. Back then Malia was starring in The Babysitter’s Club on Netflix, and from there joined the Disney universe. She joins the show for a reading check-in. Plus, CBC Books' Talia Kliot talks about her venture into stand-up comedy and recommends two books about comedians. Books discussed on this week's show include:The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch AlbomRemembered Rapture by Bell HooksAll About Love by Bell HooksGood Material by Dolly AldertonNobody Asked for This by Georgia ToewsCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Chart-topping musician Tegan Quin has joined the table for Canada Reads 2026. She is the second member from the duo Tegan and Sara to participate in Canada Reads, and will defend Loghan Paylor's novel The Cure for Drowning. The team will discuss the upcoming debates and make their case for why this historical queer love story is the one book all of Canada should read.Books discussed on this week's show include:The Cure for Drowning by Loghan PaylorCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Every month across the country in federal prisons, inmates get together for bookclubs. It may not look like the typical club, but the connection, community and stimulation are all there. It’s a program that’s been running for almost 20 years. Tom Best, the Executive Director of Bookclubs for Inmates, drops by to talk about the program and Antonio Michael's experience as a guest author. Plus, Bridget Raymundo recommends a staff pick and explains its mysterious tie to Heated Rivalry.

The next Canada Reads panellist and author pairing has joined the table. Actor and TV host Josh Dela Cruz will defend Iain Reid’s novel, Foe. It’s a psychological thriller set against a science fiction backdrop, and examines the nature of a domestic relationship in a climate-change-ravaged country. The eerie familiarity stuck with Dela Cruz well after he finished reading, and will make his case for why it's must-read material for Canadians during the debates in April. Plus, Juno-nominated musician Siibii shares the book they think should be required in classrooms.Books discussed on this week's show include:Foe by Iain ReidMind's Eye: Stories from Whapmagoostui edited by Emily Masty & Susan Marshall Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Gill Deacon is a writer, musician and a familiar voice on CBC. A few years ago she developed a debilitating illness that defied diagnosis for many months. In those long months of not knowing, she was forced to adjust to her relationship with uncertainty. Her new book is called A Love Affair with the Unknown: Leaning into the Uncertainty of Modern Life. She’ll talk about her journey, and recommend two similar titles. Plus, Karma Brown answers The Next Chapter’s version of the Proust Questionnaire.Books discussed on this week's show include:A Love Affair with the Unknown: Leaning into the Uncertainty of Modern LifeWintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine MayHope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca SolnitMother is Watching by Karma BrownCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Filmmaker and actor Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and author Billy-Ray Belcourt are bringing rural Alberta authenticity to Canada Reads. Tailfeathers will be defending Belcourt’s novel A Minor Chorus. It follows a queer Indigenous doctoral student who steps away from his dissertation to write a novel, feeling caught between his childhood on the reservation, and the newest chapter of his life. They'll get into the upcoming debates, and why Tailfeathers believes this is the story Canada needs now more than ever.Books discussed on this week's show include:A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray BelcourtThe Bluest Eye by Toni MorrisonI am Woman by Lee Maracle Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson HighwayIn Search of April Raintree by Beatrice MosionierCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Toronto Sceptres players Claire Dalton and Raygan Kirk share a love of reading, so they decided to start a team book club. They join the show to discuss how the club works, balancing meetings with a busy PWHL schedule and what they're currently reading. Plus, writer and critic Jason Guriel on what makes the perfect book blurb and Canadian legend Fefe Dobson shares which book has been inspiring her lately.Books discussed on this week's show include:The Secret Lives of Murderer's Wives by Elizabeth ArnottGod of the Woods by Liz MooreWhere the Crawdads Sing by Delia OwensA Complicated Kindness by Miriam ToewsGone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese WitherspoonLinda McCartney: Life in Photographs by Annie Leibovitz and Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Hockey internet personality Steve "Dangle" Glynn says that Tyler Hellard's Searching for Terry Punchout picked him. The pair meets for the first time to discuss Tyler's book, which follows a lost sportswriter's journey home to reluctantly rekindle his relationship with his estranged father, a legendary retired NHL enforcer. They'll talk about Canada's relationship to the game, applesauce, and the invisible string that brought them together for Canada Reads.Books discussed on this week's show include:Searching for Terry Punchout by Tyler HellardCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

The new Wuthering Heights adaptation is stirring up a lot of opinions. It’s a story of burning passion and intensity against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors. Our columnist Mirian Njoh and romance reading expert joins the show to give us her opinion on its transition from page to screen. Plus, author and UNICEF ambassador Tara Moss talks about her latest book and recommends two companion reads.Books discussed on this week's show include:Wuthering Heights by Emily BrontëThe Stolen Queen by Fiona DavisCocaine Blues by Kerry GreenwoodThe Italian Secret by Tara MossCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

The countdown has begun leading up to Canada Reads. The books have been picked, the panelists are strategizing and, every week, The Next Chapter will help you get to know the new author and panelist pairs. The first powerhouse team includes popular BookToker and podcaster Morgann Book, and debut romance author Joss Richard. Morgann will champion Joss’s book, It’s Different This Time. Plus, former Canada Reads author Samantha M. Bailey answers the Proust Questionnaire.Books discussed on this week's show include:It’s Different This Time by Joss RichardHello, Juliet by Samantha M. BaileyCheck us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks

Kim Holderness and her husband won over the internet making funny family videos. Now they have millions of followers, have written children's books together and won the Amazing Race. Last year, Kim set another goal for herself, to read 50 books by the time she turns 50. Plus, Ryan B. Patrick recommends two modern classics by Black Canadian writers and predicts a future classic.Books discussed on this week's show include:My Friends by Fredrik BackmanAwake by Jen HatmakerSuper Agers by Eric TopolWhat We All Long For by Dionne BrandFifteen Dogs by Andre AlexisYou’ve Changed by Ian Williams

For many years Amil Niazi burned with professional ambition, she reached for it every day and was determined to find success. But even in moments of external success, she began to fall out of love with the corporate rat race. She began looking inward, and began to question if she would ever find fulfillment in the world of promotions and job titles. This is the journey she reflects on in her new book Life After Ambition. Plus, musician Sarah Kae shares what she’s been reading.Books discussed on this week's show include:How to Do Nothing by Jenny OdellDaughter by Claudia DeyA Ballet of Lepers by Leonard Cohen

The last few years have seen lots of books removed from schools, libraries and bookstores. Last fall, Alberta scaled back its proposed book ban after public pushback, and in the U.S., thousands of books have been removed from schools and dropped from curriculums. Kudakwashe Rutendo and Mirian Njoh weigh in on the topic and discuss influential challenged titles from their own lives. Plus, get to know author Madeleine Thien through the Proust Questionnaire.Books discussed on this week's show include:Between Shades of Gray by Ruta SepetysThe Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven ChboskyThe Book of Records by Madelein Thein

Having fun isn’t hard, when you’ve got a library card. That’s a mantra Mychal Threets, or Mychal the Librarian, has practiced since childhood. He’s a librarian and literacy advocate who brings his library love to life on TikTok and Instagram. Millions of views later, he was named the new host of the recently rebooted Reading Rainbow on PBS. Plus, Ontario musician Evan Redsky on the book that provided him with two years of inspiration.Books discussed on this week's show include:I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy, illustrated by Lorraine NamOne Native Life by Richard Wagamese

Lisa Bailey says this latest chapter of her life is like the plot of a rom com. Daughter leaves the big city to return to her hometown to help run her Dad’s used bookstore. Now, Bailey Books in St. Albert has caught the internet’s attention with videos showcasing their rare used books and knack for book binding and repair. Plus, Terese Mason Pierre shares the black speculative fiction novels that made her fall in love with the genre. Books discussed on this week's show include:The Bachman Books collection by Stephen KingBrown Girl in the Ring by Nalo HopkinsonFriday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahRiver Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta

It was a childhood love of magical stories of dragons, wizards and fantasy that ignited the idea for K.J. Aiello’s book, The Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell. In the book K.J. tells their story of trying to understand their life and mental illness, and how that world of magic and fantasy helped shape who they are. Plus, Nova Scotia musician Maggie Andrew recommends The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest.Books discussed on this week's show include:Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienA Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim KayThe Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell by KJ AielloThe Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest

Older protagonists are having a moment. They’re starring in all kinds of novels, from mysteries to love stories to end-of-life reckonings. Our columnist Alicia Cox Thomson has noticed this ageing-up trend in books and she’s here now to recommend some titles that stood out for her. Plus, Daphné Santos-Vieira recommends Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance as her staff pick.Books discussed on this week's show include:Norma by Sarah MintzPalm Meridian by Grace FlahiveMotherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance written by Julie M.Green

Andria Petrillo has a very busy couple of weeks coming up. She’ll be hosting CBC’s Winter Olympic games coverage and the women’s hockey broadcasts. For Andi it’s a labour of love. Sports is her life long passion. She'll talk about her book, how she found sportscasting and share some of the other stories that have shaped who she is today. Plus, find out what these Canadian athletes heading to Italy have been reading.Books discussed on this week's show include:My Brilliant Friend by Elena FerranteThe 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas JonassonLife of Pi by Yann MartelHow Not to Die by Michael GregerJust Call Me Andi: Sports Stories from a Trailblazer by Andi Petrillo

Celina Myers is an internet star to the tune of around 30 million followers. She spikes the spooky paranormal stuff with her signature brand of humour all over social media. She’ll talk about her new book and other inspiring dark tales. Plus, actor and writer Keegan Connor Tracy recommends two small books that pack a big punch.Books discussed on this week's show include:The Vampire Diaries by L.J. SmithWhite Oleander by Janet FinchHollow by Celina MyersOrbital by Samantha HarveyThe Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys

Elin Hilderbrand is known as the Queen of the Beach Read. She’s sold millions of novels that transport readers to sun, sand and wishes fulfilled. Nantucket was the backdrop for most of her novels, until now. She’s left the island behind in her latest book title The Academy, which she co-wrote with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham. She'll talk about what it was like working with her daughter, and share some of the most influential books in her life.Books discussed on this week's show include:Franny & Zooey by JD SalingerEnglish Patient by Michael OndaatjeRobber Bride by Margaret AtwoodLuster by Raven LeilaniThe Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

Honest mom influencer Libby Ward never intended to blow up. She was mostly posting for herself, and whoever else needed to hear her message. But that might have been the exact recipe that led to her going viral. She talks about her new book, and other reads that encourage others to find their voice. Plus, CBC Books Senior Producer Ryan B. Patrick recommends this week’s staff pick.Books discussed on this week's show include:Honest Motherhood: On Losing My Mind and Finding Myself by Libby WardBraving the Wilderness by Brené BrownUntamed by Glennon DoyleEverything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate BowlerSearches: Selfhood in the Digital Age by Vauhini Vara

Natalie MacMaster first picked up the fiddle at nine years old. It was a family tradition for her growing up in Cape Breton, and over the course of her international career she’s brought Cape Breton fiddle music to the world. Two fiddling dynasties merged when she married Donnell Leahy and now the two of them, along with their seven children regularly perform. She stops by the studio for an installment of my life in books.Books discussed on this week's show include:Beautiful Scars by Tom WilsonThe Music Lesson by Victor WootenThe Possibility Mom by Lisa Canning A Prayer For Owen Meany by John IrvingI Have a Love Story by Natalie MacMaster

One thing that Heather O’Neill’s ex-boyfriends had in common was Anna Karenina, the famous novel by Leo Tolstoy. To get to the bottom of this mysterious connection, she decided to re-read the classic novel to see how Anna’s story of a doomed love affair reads the second time around. Plus, the Juno-nominated musician Adrian Sutherland talks about writing his first book and how he fell in love with music. Books discussed on this week's show include:Anna Karenina by Leo TolstoyThe Work of Our hands by Adrian Sutherland

Mark Critch is very funny. You've likely seen him do what he does best on 22 Minutes or his sitcom Son of a Critch. In addition to spreading laughs across the country, he is also a very proud Canadian. He brings his finely tuned sense of satire to his new book called Sorry, Not Sorry: An Unapologetic Look at What Makes Canada Worth Fighting For. He talks about the inspirations behind his latest work, and the books that have influenced who he is today. Plus, Canadian hit-making author Carley Fortune answers the Proust Questionnaire.Books discussed on this week's show include:My Autobiography by Charlie ChaplinNaked by David SedarisSoldier Priest in the Killing Fields of Europe by Gary Browne and Darin McgrathThe Missing Piece by Shel SilversteinSorry, Not Sorry: An Unapologetic Look at What Makes Canada Worth Fighting for by Mark CritchOne Golden Summer by Carley Fortune