What's on at Queen's Park
Adult Programming
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Scotiabank Bestsellers Stage
The flagship venue at The Word On The Street, this venue features some of the biggest names in Canadian literature, all under one roof!
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Canadian Magazines Tent
Come and hear experts from some of our country's most-loved magazines as they dispense everything from fashion tips to advice on freelancing.
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CBC Stage
Check out your favourite CBC personalities live at the CBC Stage!
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City of Toronto Tent
Nominees for the Toronto Book Award plus a selection of past years' finalists and winners will read from their nominated works.
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Comics & Graphic Novels Tent
Presented in partnership with the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, this lively tent features a series of discussion panels and presentations from some of the best creators in Toronto's comics and graphic novels scene.
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Cooks 'n' Books Stage
The Word On The Street is excited to present its first cooking stage this year! Programmed in partnership with The Cookbook Store, this venue will host tantalizing food demonstrations and sampling led by some of our country's top chefs.
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Diaspora Dialogues Tent
Diaspora Dialogues will offer an “urban mash-up” of readings, music, spoken word and other artistic demonstrations that reflect the complexity of our culturally-diverse metropolis.
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EYE WEEKLY Music Stage
Focusing on the art of song, this venue will feature interactive segments on hot new music-related books and musical performances by local bands.
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Great Books Marquee
The place to be for the most exciting and dynamic books of the year, this venue features a variety of hot spring and fall titles including fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
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Money Matters Tent
Another first for our 20th festival, this venue is devoted to the world of money today. Some of Canada’s top financial experts will be on hand to dispense advice on everything from surviving the recession to RRSPs.
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Proud Voices Tent
Co-presented with Pride Toronto, Proud Voices will feature a variety of works in celebration of the queer community.
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Toronto Star Tent
Back by popular demand, the Toronto Star offers thought-provoking presentations from some of its most popular writers.
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Wordshop Marquee
This venue will offer a day of writing workshops covering craft and career strategy for aspiring writers featuring the esteemed faculty of The Humber School for Writers.
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World Music Stage
Programmed in partnership with Small World Music Festival and presented by Citytv, this venue will host a blend of music from around the globe!
KidStreet Programming
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Children's Activity Tent
This venue will feature creative crafts and interactive presentations inspired by new children's books, plus music and animals too!
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Children's Reading Tent
Come and see some of Canada's most renowned children's authors and illustrators present some of the best children's books of 2009.
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Little Readers Tent
Featuring segments by early-literacy experts, this venue will offer storytelling, rhyming activities and music for kids age 0-3 while tricks and tips are dispensed to parents on how to introduce early-literacy into their daily schedule.
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TVO Kids Stage
Favourite personalities from TVOKids take the stage for a day of fun-filled literacy-focused entertainment including music, stories, readings and interactive sessions.
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Diaspora Dialogues Tent
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EYE Weekly Music Stage
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Great Books Marquee
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Money Matters Tent
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What do you do when your world is “raining cats and dogs,” and all you want to do is “bury your head in the sand”? Read this inspirational book of animal idioms illustrated in gorgeous, vibrant watercolors. This playful book teaches the complexities of language… and that is “straight from the horse’s mouth”!
A huge bear wanders through the forest giving hugs to beavers, moose, birds and of course, trees. This bear is so filled with happiness that he loves giving hugs to all living things…until he meets a human wielding a tree cutting axe. Suddenly the bear doesn’t feel like hugging anymore and must make a difficult decision on how to stop destruction in his forest.
Based on an actual grocery store in the Toronto area, Our Corner Grocery Store celebrates local shops and building communities. Readers will gain a true sense of just how wonderful the sights and smells within the store are and how much they mean to everyone.
Jacob Two-Two is back! After Jacob Two-Two’s father writes a very important novel, the family makes plans to move to Canada. They board the SS Spring-a-Leak for a journey across the ocean. Jacob Two-Two makes some new acquaintances and finds a series of clues that can only mean trouble.
As a result of last year’s M is for Moose, Canadian children can rhyme off their ABCs with images of ducks, kayaks and moose. Now children can learn their numbers with Canada Counts, Charles Pachter’s latest love letter to our country. New artwork illustrates numbers from 1 to 20, as well as other important Canadian numbers such as 1867 and 1982.
Chicken, Pig, Cow (and Dog!) are back and eager to explore the world outside their popsicle-stick barn. In this second book featuring Ruth Ohi’s loveable and courageous characters, the animals are growing restless in their homemade house. After a long day of searching, they stumble on a perfect new place to live…or so they think.
In her most perfect story yet, Barbara Reid spins a wonderful tale of the joy of winter that every Canadian will love! A perfect snow has fallen, and young Scott and Jim are restless at school, as they make plans, doodle sketches of forts and snowmen, and dream of all of the amazing possibilities a perfect snow can bring.
Penguin is not your typical Antarctic bird. While his contented friends spend their days chilling out with yoga, this free spirit is planning his great escape. Heading off to find sunshine and adventure, Penguin finds Pirate instead—and his true calling.
Timothy Freshwater has been expelled from every last school. His father has had it and brings him to work at his office where Timothy meets the mysterious, lowly mail clerk, Mr. Shen. This meeting leads to the adventure of three lifetimes, as Timothy finds himself entrusted with protecting and transporting a dragon-in-human-disguise back to China so it can be free. If only he didn’t have evil pirates, a crazed ninja, and bloodthirsty black cabs trying to stop him every step of the way.
As Portia, Jason, and Jellaby makes their way into the city, Portia is torn between wanting to keep her new friend with her and knowing she must help him find his home. Then, as the trio follow the clues that seem to lead to Jellaby’s origins, those clues begin to turn sinister. Now Portia must save Jason from the grasping tentacles of his new “best friend,” bring Jellaby home and come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of her father.
A wonderful story about a frog and his quest for a most delicious meal! Bradley McGogg makes him home in the bog where there are plenty of yummy bugs for a frog to feast on.
When Theodora’s grandfather must leave his home for a new, “easier-to-manage” apartment, Theo misses his beautiful garden the most. Poppa’s balcony is too small and windy for a garden, but soon Theo and Poppa find a creative solution to this drawback. Together they decide to paint a garden and the small balcony soon becomes a canvas for an abundant garden masterpiece.
There’s a dog show in the park and when Stanley sees that first prize is a mouthwatering dog cookie he becomes determined to win. Along with his old friends Nutsy, Alice and Gassy Jack, Stanley tries to strut and primp his way to first place, but his rumbling tummy soon leads him into trouble.
Transported back through time on the Canadian Flyer, an antique red sled, friends Emily and Matt experience history firsthand. In On the Case, the twelfth and latest book in the series, Emily and Matt fly to the tough, rough western town Galbraith’s Ferry and lend a hand to Mountie Sam Steele as he tries to solve a really tough case.
Are You a Believer in Fanciful Things? In Pirates and Dragons and Creatures and Kings? Then sit yourself down in a comfortable seat, with maybe some cocoa and something to eat, and I'll spin you the tale of Katrina Katrell, a girl full of courage (and daring, as well!), who down in the subway, under the ground, saw something fantastical roaming around...
Boney, Itchy and Squeak are the Odd Fellows, just a bit different from everybody else. But after getting pelted with eggs, pummeled in gym class and sabotaged every year at their school’s Invention Convention, the Odds have had enough. They’re going to put an end to bully Larry Harry’s reign of terror, if, that is, they don’t get tangled up in their own schemes first.
