The Calgary Public Library has officially launched its slate of festive holiday events and revealed its curated list of the top books published in 2025. The programming offers something for everyone, from a special storytime session with Mayor Jeromy Farkas to a diverse selection of recommended reads for the winter season.
Beyond the Bestseller Lists: The Library's 2025 Picks
In a move away from mainstream popularity charts, the library has compiled its own distinctive list of the year's standout titles. The selections are divided into three categories: adult reads, young adult picks, and kids' favourites. According to Suzen Statz, a selector at the Calgary Public Library, the goal was to look beyond sheer sales figures. "It would all be Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, no matter what age group or audience," Statz noted with a laugh.
Instead, the team considered a broader range of factors including critical reviews, local authorship, and narrative ingenuity to arrive at a single top recommendation for the year.
A Local Historical Gem Tops the List
The library's premier selection for 2025 is Finding Flora by author Elinor Florence. This work of historical fiction is set in southern Alberta in the early 1900s. Statz describes the novel as a cosy yet compelling story about Flora, a Scottish newcomer who jumps from a moving train to escape a terrible marriage. Determined to vanish, she claims a homestead near Lacombe and is intrigued to find her closest neighbours are also women.
"What makes this historical fiction a bit different is that you don't hear or don't read a lot of books about female homesteaders at the turn of the 20th century in southern Alberta," Statz explained. "So it's a history that maybe not a lot of people know."
Building from that central pick, the library's team expanded the list to include a variety of genres, ensuring a diverse reading experience for all ages.
The full Calgary Public Library Top 2025 Books list includes:
Adult Reads:
- Julie Chan Is Dead – Zhang, Liann
- Finding Flora – Florence, Elinor
- Vanished Beyond the Map: The Mystery of Lost Explorer Hubert Darrell – Shoalts, Adam
Young Adult Picks:
- This Place Kills Me – Tamaki Mariko
- Legendary Frybread Drive-in – Smith, Cynthia Leitich (editor)
- Making Bank: Money Skills for Real Life – Simmons, Shannon Lee
Kids' Favourites:
- Aggie and the Ghost – Forsythe Matthew
- The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt – Gabrielle Prendergast
- Touching Grass – Kristy Jackson (illustrations by Rhael McGreggor)
Mayor Farkas Hosts Inaugural Storytime Event
Adding a civic touch to the holiday festivities, Mayor Jeromy Farkas will host his first storytime event at the Calgary Central Library. The event is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. and will feature the mayor reading books, sharing favourite songs, and answering questions from attendees. Registration is required for this special gathering.
For those unable to attend the mayor's storytime, the library's holiday programming extends far beyond this single event. Patrons can look forward to a range of activities including family-friendly movie nights, live musical performances, and a convenient gift wrap pop-up station. Details for all seasonal events are available on the Calgary Public Library's official website.
The combination of unique literary recommendations and engaging community events underscores the library's role as a vital hub for culture and connection in Calgary throughout the holiday season and beyond.
