Explore the festival marketplace and discover great Canadian books, magazines, authors, and arts organizations this June!
Saturday, June 11 – 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Sunday, June 12 – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
An audio description of our festival map and exhibitor list is available. Click here to listen
Booth N05
Another Story Bookshop is a west-end based Indie Bookshop with a focus on social justice, equity and diversity. We have a fantastic selection of children’s and young adult books, and a very active events programme.
Come visit us on Roncesvalles or check us out at anotherstory.ca!
Booth E11
Bakka Books first opened its doors in 1972 on Toronto’s Queen West strip, stocking genre fiction, comics, and nerd stuff of all types. The name, Bakka, was taken from Frank Herbert’s Dune, and means ‘the weeper who mourns for all mankind’. In the 50 years since opening, the store has changed owners, locations, and even its name (slightly); we’ve hosted the cast of Star Wars, George R.R. Martin, and countless local authors and been a reliable day job and community hangout space for Toronto genre authors, including Leah Bobet, Cory Doctorow, Nalo Hopkinson, Tanya Huff, Fiona Patton, Michelle Sagara West, Robert J. Sawyer, Karina Sumner-Smith, and Tara Tallan. What hasn’t changed: our knowledge of, commitment to, and sheer darned enjoyment of science fiction and fantasy. Celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, we’re North America’s oldest science fiction and fantasy bookstore, and we’re proud to be part of the greater community.
Booth KS5
Ella Minnow is a charming oasis in the Upper Beaches neighbourhood filled with books, puzzles, crafts, games, stuffed animals, loot bag items and clever gifts for babies, children of all ages, young adults and adults. We’re known for our expert recommendations, helping parents and kids find the right book to read right now. In addition to supporting our local community, we work closely with daycares and schools across the GTA, helping fill library shelves with popular and important books, sharing our deep book knowledge (especially in the area of social-emotional wellbeing), and running fun book fairs. Visit us in-store or online – we look forward to seeing you!
Booth W11
Queen Books is an independently owned general interest community bookshop located in Toronto’s east end. We strive to connect all readers with their next special book and we have a strong focus on representation and diverse voices, along with a large children’s section.
Booth E17
The Ampersand Review of Writing & Publishing is a literary magazine published by the Honours Bachelor of Creative Writing & Publishing Program at Sheridan College. We publish poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, interviews, and book reviews.
Our mission at The Ampersand Review is rooted in the belief that reading is both enjoyable and enlightening, and that writing in Canada is dynamic, diverse, and worth celebrating. In our pages we seek to provide a venue for excellent, innovative writing from across the country, representing literary voices from a vibrant spectrum of identities, intersections, backgrounds, creativities, and lived experiences.
Booth W06
Celebrating adventures in literary publishing since 2004, Book*hug Press is a radically optimistic independent publisher working at the forefront of contemporary book culture. We publish acclaimed and award-winning books of literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and literature in translation by emerging and established literary writers. Book*hug quickly established itself as having a strong and recognizable brand, and readers turn to us for work that is engaging and intelligent. Book*hug is deeply committed to building a more equitable and inclusive publishing landscape by amplifying culturally diverse voices whose work has been historically underrepresented and to producing born accessible editions of our titles.
Booth E06
Cormorant Books is committed to publishing the best new work in the area of literary fiction and non-fiction for the adult market. Since 1986, the company has published top-quality, culturally significant works by diverse voices from throughout Canada. DCB, the children’s literature imprint, publishes fiction and non-fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. The books published by Cormorant and DCB have been nominated for hundreds of awards, from the Scotiabank Giller Prize to the Governor General’s Literary Awards. The company has been nominated nine times for the Libris Award for Small Press Publisher of the Year, and has won it three times.
Booth KS9A
Children need to read books about other children who look like them. CHURCH HAT is a children’s book for the whole family by Black Canadian author Debra Williams. Her rhyming narrative shares a revealing conversation between a young Black boy and his Mother when she finds him playing dressup, trying on her fancy hats. Beautifully illustrated, the story captures a parent’s loving guidance and the joy of emotional safety in being accepted in a home where you belong. This story is a positive message about how love always wins. Follow her on Instagram at @mybestlifebooks.
Booth KS2A
Delightful and fun children’s books for kids aged 2-8, introducing little ones to concepts such as bravery, emotional literacy and self esteem and to other topics including food, animals, outer space, rainbows, plants, chess and more. Our “Hello” Food series is an adorable collection of ‘recipe’ books featuring your kids’ favourite foods from pizza and pasta to cookies and birthday cake. And our other “Hello” books introduce kids to topics while teaching them how to say hello in other languages. Kids positivity journals and colouring books available as well. Books are self-published by Amanda Minuk. Visit amandaminuk.com
Editors Toronto is a branch of Editors Canada, a national association with more than 1,300 members across the country and more than 300 in the GTA. We meet regularly throughout the year for engaging programs featuring dynamic speakers on topics of interest to editors. We also offer online seminars for the general public and businesses, including our new Plain Language Seminar. To learn more about our networking events, volunteer opportunities, and the inner workings of the branch, email us at toronto@editors.ca or visit us online on Facebook and Twitter.
Booth KS7
The International Dyslexia Association of Ontario is a non-profit charitable, volunteer-run organization. IDA Ontario provides information and support to individuals with dyslexia and their families, as well as educators and other professionals. Our mission is to create a future for all individual who struggle with dyslexia and other related reading differences so that they may have access to the tools and resources they need. Visit our booth at WOTS and website for resources, advocacy information and webinars.
Booth E21A
A violent mob disrupts the East Toronto funeral service for unemployed loner Paul Shoreditch. Meanwhile, aspiring journalist Jackie Roberts discovers a bizarre online community that has been sullying Paul’s name for years. What did Paul do to these people? Jeff Cottrill’s Hate Story is an offbeat mix of satire and mystery that dares to tackle some of the most fiery and controversial social topics of our generation. Darkly funny, subversive and sometimes outrageous, Hate Story takes a sledgehammer to the disturbing modern trend of Internet bullying and shaming. Available in print or e-book from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Booth W04B
Agota Gabor grew up in Budapest, Hungary, and attended the ballet school of the Hungarian State Opera House. After fleeing Budapest with her mother during the Hungarian Revolution, Agota settled in Canada, where she became a dancer in Montreal. During the 1960s and ’70s, Agota worked in television production and went back to school to receive a degree in journalism. After traveling the world as a freelance reporter, she founded The Gabor Group, a media company specializing in public awareness campaigns. In 2020, she wrote a handbook on communications and media interviews. Forever on Pointe is her debut memoir.
Booth KS1
Discover award-winning magazines for unique content perfect for kids ages 3-6. Chirp (ages 3-6), Chickadee (ages 6-9) and Owl (ages 9-13) offer quality, engaging, timely, and fun content to foster reading and learning. They are bursting with activities, animal facts, jokes, comics, feature stories, puzzles, and more. We are dedicated and devoted to help a broad audience of children explore and understand the world around them.
Booth E20A
Renat’s Left Hand life’s is a poem written in Russia and being read in Canada. He’s the author of four self-published poetry zines — Twenty Eight Poems, Love Letter to Nova Scotia, Cafe 24-hour Loneliness and Twelve Thousand Six Hundred and Eighty Six Steps. These are zines about relationships and insecurities. Zines about road trips. Zines about loneliness and zines about grief. Zines about me. Come and pick any zine you want. It’s yours.
Booth KS3
Second Story Press is dedicated to publishing feminist-inspired books for adults and young readers. Our books explore themes of social justice, human rights, equality, and ability issues. Find award-winning children’s books like Hana’s Suitcase and I Am Not a Number. Discover the Mighty Muskrats middle grade mystery series, hailed as an Indigenous take on the Hardy Boys. Pick up Sophie Labelle’s latest novel, Wish Upon a Satellite, the newest adventure for her non-binary trans teen protagonist, Ciel. Browse our collection of feminist baby board books and peruse a selection of our adult mysteries and non-fiction.
Booth KS4
Join the Toronto Public Library Workers as we celebrate all things literary. Visit our booth for giveaways, swag and surprises! The Toronto Public Library Workers Union (TPLWU), CUPE Local 4948, represents the 2,000 workers at North America’s largest and busiest public library. 1 in 5 Torontonians (20%) visit a TPL branch at least once a week. Our trained and professional members create a welcoming environment for patrons to learn, grow and have fun (quietly of course). Toronto loves its library. Come whoop it up with those who make it work. See you on the street!
Booth W12A
Write Bloody North is an independent press entirely dedicated to publishing and collaborating with the legends of Canadian spoken word. Seeking to exhibit the diversity and breadth of craft present in this flourishing subculture, Write Bloody North is working tirelessly to establish new grassroots distribution models while experimenting with emerging digital technologies and platforms. Our latest book, Friends Without Bodies, by Juno award nominee Brendan McLeod, will soon be widely available wherever books are sold but you can get the full experience by purchasing a book straight from his hands at our booth this weekend!
