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...

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 discu...

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...

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: Th...

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'...

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, Bridg...

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 fo...

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...

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 ge...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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 b...

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...

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 provi...

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...

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 recom...

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 a...

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...

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....

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 s...

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...

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 instal...