The Giller Prize is one of Canada's biggest literary awards. Before this year's winner was announced, all five finalists joined Antonio Michael Downing on stage at an event at Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto to read from their shortlisted works and share the inspiration behind them. Featuring Mona Awad, Eddy Boudel Tan, Emma Donoghue, Emma Knight and Souvankham Thammavongsa.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad

The Tiger and the Cosmonaut by Eddy Boudel Tan

The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa

When director Jacob Tierney (Letterkenney) first DM’d Rachel Reid, she couldn’t believe that someone was interested in adapting her book. Since then, the series has become one of the most popular Canadian titles on Crave, and has been renewed for a second season. She pulls back the curtain on what it was like seeing her characters brought to life on screen, and even recommends other books to check out for when you’ve run out of episodes. Plus, the mystery panel continues the tradition of recommending some favourite titles for the holiday season. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Crash Test by Amy James

Hockey Bois by A. L. Heard

A Place of Secrets by Shane Peacock

Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto

Listen by Sacha Bronwasser

Carved in Blood: A Hana Westerman Thriller by Michael Bennet

6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jursyk

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

When Jesse Wente was a kid, he was given a stuffed penguin as a gift. He decided to name his penguin Danger Eagle, the stunt performing stuffy. Decades later, Danger Eagle has taken center stage in Jesse's first ever children's book. Since wrapping up his term as chair of the Canada Council for the Arts and with a bestselling memoir under his belt, he joins the show to share the stories that have influenced his own life the most. Plus, musician Girl Ultra recommends A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Monster At the End of This Book by Jon Stone

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin

Indian School Days by Basil H. Johnston

Danger Eagle by Jesse Wente

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf

Before Raymond Ablack became a fan-favorite, playing Joe on Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia, he was a kid who enjoyed acting, reading and Christmas. He joins The Next Chapter to share some of his childhood memories, and what it’s like to play Sam Wilner in the Audibles Originals story, Mistletoe Murders. Plus, Madelaine Drohan on her book about Benjamin Franklin, the surprises and similarities in the history of Canada-US relations and two companion reads.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada by Madelaine Drohan

Trading Fate: How a Little-known Company Stopped British Columbia from Becoming an American State by Graeme Menzies 

Elbows Up: Canadian Voices of Resilience and Resistance edited by Elamin Abdelmahmoud 

From a chicken channeling its inner dinosaur, to raising dragon eggs in P.E.I., to a teen fauxmance, The Next Chapter’s children’s book panel is back with a new holiday reading list. Writer and broadcaster Bee Quammie and CBC books producer Lucy Mann share six books to engage readers from pre-school to high school.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Lena the Chicken (But Really A Dinosaur!) by Linda Bailey, illustrated by K-Fai Steele

The One About the Blackbird by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Fresh Start by Gale Galligan 

Kindred Dragons by Sarah Mensinga

You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh

Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai 

Kerry Clare is the first to admit that if her own book was selected for a prize her opinion would probably change. At least part of it. The writer and critic joins the show to shed light on a few of her favourite books that were left off the awards circuit this year. CBC Books producer Lucy Mann recommends one of the most popular, out of this world books of 2025. Plus, find out what musician Logan Richard reads to remind himself to be grateful. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

The Seaside Cafe Metropolis by Antanas Sileika

Starry, Starry Night by Shani Mootoo

Property by Kate Cayley

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

In his 20th year in the music business, the rapper Shad has shown no signs of slowing down. The Juno-winning musician has also had an illustrious career as a broadcaster, hosting hit shows like the documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution on Netflix. His latest album is called Start Anew, and he joins the show to go back and talk about how he first discovered the power of words and shares some of the books that have shaped his life.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Black Noise by Tricia Rose

July, July by Tim O’Brien

A Confession and Other Religious Writings by Leo Tolstoy

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Columnist Mirian Njoh shares what made her fall in love with Flirting Lessons by bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. The buzzy sapphic romance follows two contrasting characters' growing connection in Napa Valley. Plus, Fiona Sauder and Victor Pokinko talk about adapting The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis for the stage at Bad Hats Theatre this holiday season. 

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has become a cultural phenomenon. Pulling from his most embarrassing moments growing up paired with the fun house version of his own family, the journal inspired covers have become a cornerstone of young readers' bookshelves across the world. He talks about his early inspirations, and the 20th installment in the series titled Partypooper. Plus, Jake Charron from The East Pointers shares his fantasy book pick.

Books discussed on this week's show include:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper by Jeff Kinney

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Before he won the academy award for best actor, Brendan Fraser was a kid who loved reading captivating stories, the weirder the better. He joins The Next Chapter to share a first look at his new audio series The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine by Robert J. Sawyer, and talks about what childhood books ignited his creative spark. Plus, a CBC Books producer helps answer the question: what is a cozy read?

Books discussed on this week's show include:

The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine by Robert J. Sawyer

The Swan by Roald Dahl

The Quiet American by Graham Greene

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard

A Little Holiday Fling by Farah Heron

A Season for Spies by Iona Whishaw