LEARN’s Summertime Reads 2026: A Farewell to Bells, A Hello to Hammocks
Another school year is in the books — final report cards filed, the last ministry form signed, and the photocopier finally getting a rest. Wherever you teach across Québec’s English sector, from Gatineau to Gaspé, you’ve earned every bit of the summer ahead.
It’s been a full year. New expectations to absorb, curriculum adjustments to work into plans that were already set, and the particular exhaustion that comes from caring deeply about your students while keeping everything else moving too. You did what Quebec educators do — you adapted, you showed up, and you made it work. That deserves more than a long weekend.
This year marks LEARN’s 11th(!) annual Summertime Reads, and once again, we’ve gone beyond the books. This year’s list stretches into cookbooks, museum visits, podcasts, and YouTube channels — the kind of recommendations that come from people who know what a real summer recharge looks like. Something in here is for the road trip, the rainy day, the slow morning, and the spontaneous day trip.
Whether you’re at a camp in the Laurentians, back visiting family, or just sitting still for the first time since June, this list is meant to bring a little joy, a few laughs, and — quietly — maybe a little learning too. We’ll see you soon-ish, ready for the 2026–2027 school year. Until then — step away from the inbox, close the laptop, and remember that the person you are outside the classroom matters just as much as the one inside it. This summer is yours. Use it well.
Happy Summer from all of us at LEARN.
Murdle: Volume 1 by G.T. Karber
A little reading with a lot of puzzling! I’m stretching my Wordle obsession to include a twist of murder with these humorous, mini-mystery logic grids. It’s the perfect, low-pressure summer break from heavy reading. You can pick it up anytime, find whodunit, and explore many other titles in the series!
Craig Bullett, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
“As a parent, this is one of the most important books I’ve read in a long time.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt made me pause and reflect on how quickly childhood has changed in just one generation, especially with the rise of smartphones, social media, and constant connectivity.
I work in educational technology, but I found myself reading this book much more through the lens of a parent than anything else. It isn’t about being anti-technology; it’s about asking important questions about what our children need to thrive. The Anxious Generation is a book that will spark meaningful conversations and make you think differently about childhood, independence, and the role screens play in our families’ lives. I highly recommend it!”
Carolyn Buteau, Provincial Consultant
Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi
When I saw the Instagram post last month about the death of Iranian author Marjane Satrapi, I knew that one of her books would have to be my summertime read. She died of a broken heart, it said. The most shocking yet also somehow the most relatable of deaths – for what is worse than the human experience of heartbreak, that specific loss that leaves you bereft and adrift, unmoored . Satrapi is best known for her work Persepolis, a graphic memoir about her own childhood and coming of age in a large family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. It seems fitting that this is the book to be reading this summer, as we all struggle individually with the collective heartbreak of a world where truths are no longer true and our touchpoints have crumbled. I’m looking forward to losing myself in a story about strength, loss and resilience, even though, ultimately, the pain was more than could be handled.
Sylwia Bielec, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant in the Arts & MAD2
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
Very intriguing, especially since it’s written by the founder of virtual reality and current director at
Microsoft. He knows something we don’t. Hmmm.
Louis-Gilles Lalonde, Chaotic Code Creator
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
As summer approaches, I look forward to soaking up every moment I can outdoors. Plans include getting lost in the pages of If Only Love and Theo of Golden, gardening, taste-testing new ice cream flavours with my grandchildren, attending summer concerts, antiquing in quaint towns, exploring garden/art centres, biking, bbq’ing, chasing sunsets and maybe even some time travelling!
Shelley, Admin Support for Virtual Campus
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
My daughter and I love this novel-in-verse about a 12-year-old girl who wakes up to find her town evacuated. It’s a great transition to longer books and can prompt discussions about secrets, screen use, survival and more.
Stacy Allen, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
L’Histoire nous le dira
La Chaine L’histoire nous le dira animée par l’historien Laurent Turcot est mon coup de coeur de l’été. Que vous soyez intéressé·es par l’histoire de la poutine, du Tim Hortons, de la Révolution française et de la couleur bleue, cette chaine est pour vous! Laurent Turcot et son équipe travaillent à rendre l’histoire accessible à tous avec des sujets parfois sérieux, parfois divertissants. À découvrir cet été!
Marc-Albert Paquette, Conseiller en initiatives stratégiques et aux partenariats Conseiller pédagogique provincial en français, langue seconde
Answers to the Universe in 15 Minutes or Less
My recommendation is a podcast called Answers to the Universe in 15 Minutes or Less with host Rainie Toll. It’s an 8-episode season in which Rainie interviews several people with a single (vague-ish) existential question in each episode. This podcast makes you think and reflect on how you might answer these questions & it’s a wonderful reminder that everyone’s experiencing life for the first time and connection is at the centre of it all.
Leanna Di Fulvio, Administrative Coordinator for the Ped Services & Ed. Tech. Team
I Use My Haida Eyes
The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson
Have you ever walked through a museum exhibit and been so moved that you had to buy the book? That’s exactly how I felt after visiting the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and seeing I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay Hazel Wilson. Jut-ke-Nay Hazel Wilson was a Haida artist who devoted her life to Haida cultural work. The exhibit features 51 remarkable “history robes,” each one telling a story with buttons, beads, and intricate designs. Together, the robes carry layers of Haida history, made more powerful by the artist’s own handwritten notes that accompany many pieces. The exhibit is on til October 12, 2026, and if you can’t visit, I’ll lend you the book!
Elizabeth Alloul, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I Cried About by Isabel Klee
My summer read is Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I Cried About by Isabel Klee. I’ve loved following Isabel’s life on Instagram, especially her posts about her dog Simon and the many foster dogs she’s helped save. I’m excited to support her debut memoir, which sounds funny, heartfelt, and perfect for a summer read.
Marlee, Virtual Campus Administrative Coordinator
The Walrus
Summer reading. Is there a better way to relax and recover after a busy school year? Once again, I am looking forward to digging into my TBR list, but The Walrus’ Summer Reading edition remains a must. The End of Aging? Hmmm. If you haven’t checked out the magazine dubbed Canada’s Conversation, please do.
Dianne Conrod, Director Virtual Campus
Clear by Carys Davies
As I have so often, I am turning to an Ondaatje Prize winner for my summer reads (a prize given for a work that evokes a “spirit of a place”). Carys Davies’ book “Clear” places two characters on a remote 19th-century Scottish Island, one sent to remove the other from his lands to make way for sheep farming during the time of the Highland Clearances. No place on earth touched my heart like Scotland. And like most books I read, in this one the author “writes with amazing economy: in a few words she can summon worlds.”
Paul Rombough, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
Le cucitrici : voix des couturières italiennes de Montréal
Exhibit at the MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises
My summer recommendation is Le cucitrici: voix des couturières italiennes de Montréal at the MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises, on view from June 9, 2026, to June 6, 2027. This free exhibition is especially meaningful to me as a board member of Alliance Donne and the child of women who worked in Montréal’s garment industry after immigrating from Italy. Through the voices of 29 Italian seamstresses, striking portraits, and personal artifacts, the exhibit honours the resilience, sacrifices, and lasting contributions of women whose work helped shape Montréal’s history. A moving and unforgettable experience.
Carolina Toteda, Marketing, Communications and Digital Media Manager
Joy Division + New Order: Decades by John Aizlewood & Marr’s Guitars
by Johnny Marr
Some of my favourite music comes from 80s UK bands, especially those from Manchester. This past year, I received two fantastic Mancunian music books. The first, Marr’s Guitars, is a coffee table book by Johnny Marr, the former guitarist of The Smiths. It features stunning photos of his impressive guitar collection, accompanied by fascinating anecdotes.
The second book, Decades: Joy Division + New Order, chronicles Joy Division’s post-punk beginnings and their transformation into New Order after Ian Curtis’s death. Photos vividly depict 70s/80s Manchester and the vibrant music scene. Both books are best enjoyed with appropriate background music!
Rob Costain, Learning Technology Manager
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Whether you enjoy it in book, audiobook, or movie format, I have three words to describe Project Hail Mary: Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.
Written by Andy Weir, the author of The Martian, Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace (portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the film), who wakes up alone aboard a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. Grace, a former science teacher, must piece together why he is alone in space and what he has been sent there to do.
While the movie, released earlier this year, does a good job of bringing the story to the screen, I highly recommend experiencing the book first. Some details from the novel are omitted or only briefly touched upon in the film, and those details help reveal the story’s true brilliance. The film can certainly be enjoyed on its own, but readers will gain a deeper appreciation for Andy Weir’s clever writing and storytelling.
Of the three formats, my favourite is the audiobook. Narrator Ray Porter delivers a fantastic performance, bringing the characters to life with a range of distinct voices and accents that make an already captivating story even more engaging.
Lexie Tucker, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
Lillian Kaplun’s Kitchen and The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook, curated by Elizabeth Baird
I love to cook, and when I have the time, few things are more enjoyable than leafing through cherished cookbooks. Two of the most dog-eared, sticky-fingerprinted favourites on my shelf are Lillian Kaplun’s Kitchen and The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook, curated by Elizabeth Baird. Both are filled with unpretentious, reliable recipes that have stood the test of countless home kitchens… and, most importantly, are consistently delicious!
Kristine Thibeault, Virtual Campus
Jehane Benoit by Megan Durnford, Illustrator Stéphane Lemardelé, Les Éditions La Presse 2026
I was immediately drawn to the distinctive pattern on the cover of Durnford’s Jehane Benoit while browsing in a bookstore, recognizing it from my family’s well-worn French edition of her famous cookbook (pictured here). The graphic novel tells the story of the Montrealer, born in 1904, who is often described as Canada’s Julia Child and was the author of the renowned Encyclopédie de la Nouvelle Cuisine/Encyclopedia of Canadian Cooking. By the time of her death in 1987, the bilingual Benoit had published more than 30 cookbooks and hosted cooking shows on both French- and English-language television decades before the Food Network existed. Despite her influence on Canadian culinary culture, her life had never been the subject of a full biography until now.
As someone who enjoys graphic novels, cookbooks and history, it feels like the perfect summer read, one that promises not only to tell the story of an extraordinary businesswoman, but also to offer a glimpse into Quebec and Canadian culture through the lens of food.
Christine Truesdale, CEO
Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow
Ever notice how that ed-tech tool you loved three years ago now costs twice as much, does half as much, and somehow needs a “premium upgrade” for the features that used to be free? Cory Doctorow has a word for that: enshittification. And once you learn it, you can’t un-see it — in your apps, your platforms, your favourite tools. Essential, eye-opening summer reading. Fair warning: you’ll never look at a “free trial” the same way again.
Chris Colley, Provincial Pedagogical Consultant
L’art de patauger dans une tasse de thé par Vanessa Bergeron
Cet été, j’ai une envie de divertissement et de légèreté. Mon choix s’est arrêté sur un court roman qui promet de me faire voyager sans quitter ma chaise longue : L’art de patauger dans une tasse de thé, de Vanessa Bergeron.
L’histoire nous embarque dans une sorte de voyage étudiant immersif aux côtés de Mia, qui s’envole pour l’Angleterre afin d’y travailler comme assistante de français. C’est tout à fait le genre de lecture fraîche et dépaysante dont j’ai besoin pour m’évader tout en douceur. Un aller simple pour le Royaume-Uni !
Caroline Dupuis, Directrice des services pédagogiques et pédagonumériques
LEARN’s very own Podcasts…
ShiftED Podcast & The Kwey Podcast
