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August Recommendations – Read Alberta’s Summer Reading Challenge

Let the games begin!

Our summer reading challenge is back, and we have sooooo many good books to recommend. Every week this summer, we’ll be sharing book lists for each bingo prompt to keep you inspired and motivated. You can see June’s recommendations here. and July’s recommendations here.

Ask your local independent bookseller for more recommendations or browse titles in the Read Alberta eBook collection.

Learn more about Read Alberta’s Summer Reading Challenge and download your bingo card here.

Alberta Published Biographies

Want to dive into the life of a stranger? We suggest you read:

A biography of someone with a niche career.

Harley Parker: The McLuhan of the Museum

Gary Genosko

Published: May 15, 2025 by University of Alberta Press
ISBN: 9781772127935

A biography that reads like a work of fiction.

Florence Kinrade: Lizzie Borden of the North

Frank Jones

Published: May 31, 2019 by Durvile Publications
ISBN: 9781988824352

A biography of a local legend.

Fifty Percent of Mountaineering is Uphill: The Life of Canadian Mountain Rescue Pioneer Willi Pfisterer

Susanna Pfisterer

Published: May 15, 2016 by NeWest Press
ISBN: 9781926455600

A biography that will inspire you with the perspective of a strong woman.

Victoria Callihoo: An Amazing Life

Cora Taylor

Published: May 01, 2009 by Eschia Books
ISBN: 9780981094243

Alberta Books Over 300 Pages

Sometimes you just want a big, beefy book to sink your teeth into. Here are four Alberta books that you can spend a whole long weekend with.

Page count: 504

The Boom: Oil, Popular Culture, and Politics in Alberta, 1912-1924

Paul Chastko

Published: Dec 10, 2025 by University of Calgary Press
ISBN: 9781773856674

Page count: 312

Blue Hours

Alison Acheson

Published: May 01, 2025 by Freehand Books
ISBN: 9781990601897

Page count: 342

Sinner's Banquet

Randy Nikkel Schroeder

Published: May 01, 2026 by NeWest Press
ISBN: 9781774391365

Page count: 320

Against the Odds: The Indigenous Rights Cases of Thomas R. Berger

Drew Ann Wake , Thomas R. Berger , Michael Jackson

Published: Sep 01, 2024 by Durvile Publications
ISBN: 9781990735486

Alberta Books by BIPOC Authors

Wether you’re seeking authentic representation or wanting to diversify your reading horizons, these BIPOC authors deserve a spot on your TBR list.

Chief Stacey Laforme, an esteemed Indigenous leader and storyteller, breathes life into every poem and story.

Beneath the Surface: Poems & Their Stories

Chief R. Stacey Laforme

Published: Oct 01, 2025 by Durvile & UpRoute
ISBN: 9781990735875

Featured as part of University of Alberta Press’ Women’s Voices from Gaza Series, Um Baseem Al Kafarneh presents an intimate and poignant portrayal of life in Palestine.

I Can Do Anything

Um Baseem Al Kafarneh

Published: May 05, 2026 by University of Alberta Press
ISBN: 9781772128574

Jide Salawu grew up in Shao, Nigeria, but currently lives in Edmonton. His poetry offers an enduring insight into the many facets of migrants’ experiences.

Contraband Bodies

Jide Salawu

Published: Oct 01, 2025 by NeWest Press
ISBN: 9781774391266

From the Okanese First Nation, Dawn Dumont is known for writing stories that are infused with razor-sharp wit, warmth, and impeccable comedic timing.

The Prairie Chicken Dance Tour

Dawn Dumont

Published: Sep 27, 2021 by Freehand Books
ISBN: 9781988298870

Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-Cree/nehiyaw, Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1) and an award winning author.

Indigiqueerness: A Conversation about Storytelling

Joshua Whitehead

Published: Apr 25, 2023 by Athabasca University Press
ISBN: 9781771993913

Wakefield Brewster is a black man raised in Canada by parents from Barbados. His book of poetry is an anthem of hope and pride, with messages of connection and overcoming.

WAKEWord

August Recommendations – Read Alberta’s Summer Reading Challenge