Small Press Saturday: Second Story Press

Happy “Saturday”! Why does the week after a long weekend always feel so long and busy? So yes this week’s Small Press Saturday post is technically coming at you on Sunday for a variety of reasons and will once again be a shorter post, but the press is a presence in the Canadian publishing scene and deserves recognition for what they do. I am happy to introduce you to Second Story Press.

This little press is a powerhouse and was co-founded in 1988 by Margie Wolfe and three other women who are dedicated to publishing books for adults and young readers that are feminist inspired and have also been very proactive in publishing diverse voices before it became trendy to do so. They publish adult books, teen books and children’s books, including picture books, in fiction and nonfiction. They also have a selection of dual language books which are so important for the education market.

I’m most well versed in their selection for teens and loved Child of Dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji, who is a Calgary author. It was a finalist for a Governor General's Literary Award in 2008. One of their more recent releases that has caught my eye is The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life by Dani Jansen. It sounds like a delightful  comedic romp with a school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, friendships, and a gay first crush – take my money!!

If you haven’t heard of Second Story Press, you check out their new releases and explore their website – you might be surprised by what you find.

Happy Reading!

– Stacey

Covers for The Story of My Face by Leanne Baugh and children of dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji from the collection of our Butterfly-in-Chief.

Covers for The Birds That Stay by Ann Lambert and Tilly and the Crazy Eights by Monique Gray Smith, courtesy Owl’s Nest Books.

Covers for Stolen Words, written by Melanie Florence and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard, and Dear Baobab, written by Cheryl Foggo and illustrated by Qin Leng, courtesy Owl’s Nest Books.