CBC Canada Reads Announces the 2025 Finalists and This Year's Literary Champions

The Canada Reads 2025 shorlist is here!

This morning, CBC Books announced the finalists for the competition, in which they were "looking for one book to change the narrative." As stated on the Canada Reads website, the books selected today (and on the previously revealed longlist) "all have the power to change how we see, share and experience the world around us."

The 2025 CBC Canada Reads contenders are:

• Watch Out for Her (Simon & Shuster) by Samantha M. Bailey, to be championed by Olympic gold medallist, Maggie Mac Neil.
• A Two-Spirit Journey (University of Manitoba Press) by Ma-Nee Chacaby, with Mary Louisa Plummer, to be championed by podcaster and wellness advocate, Shayla Stonechild.
• Etta and Otto and Russell and James (Penguin Canada) by Emma Hooper, to be championed by actor, filmmaker and star of CBC’s hit series Heartland, Michelle Morgan.
• Jennie’s Boy (Knopf Canada) by Wayne Johnston, to be championed by bestselling thriller writer, Linwood Barclay. 
• Dandelion (Arsenal Pulp Press) by Jamie Chai Yun Liew, to be championed by pastry chef and neuroscientist, Saïd M’Dahoma.

The debates for the 24th edition of the competition will take place March 17-20, 2025. The panellists will defend their books and vote off their competitors over those four days, with one title voted off each day until the eventual winner is chosen. Winning books from Canada Reads (and many of the shortlisted titles) often go on to become national bestsellers.

Ali Hassan, who also hosts CBC’s stand-up comedy show Laugh Out Loud, returns for his ninth year as host of CANADA READS to moderate the debate between the five panellists, who will champion their chosen Canadian books. 

Canada Reads premiered in 2002. The first winning book was In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje, which was defended by musician Steven Page. In 2021, CBC Books put together a retrospective to look back at the show's biggest moments and its impact on Canadian literature.

Last year's winner was author Heather O'Neill, who championed The Future by Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Ouriou.We'll be sharing our coverage of Canada Reads 2025 right here on Open Book, with a special two-part mid-week and final day recap of all of the enthralling discussions and debates that determine which of these finalists will be the one book to rule them all... (until next year).

For more information about this unique event, check out the coverage at CBC Books.