Above: Another Story Bookshop, 315 Roncesvalles, Toronto
This Saturday, when you head to your local bookstore to buy the latest Naomi Klein book, you may get served by Naomi Klein herself.
WHOAAA, HANG ON A MINUTE WHAT!?
YES! Inspired by the “Indies First” campaign in the U.S., hundreds of authors across Canada have pledged their time to volunteer at local bookshops, serving customers, recommending books and reinforcing the importance of independent bookstores and the resulting community that they foster.
It’s happening all day on Saturday May 2 at multiple bookstores here in Toronto and across Canada. To find your own city and see the author lineup at your fave local bookshop, click here.
We’ve listed the participating Toronto bookstores and volunteering authors below, who range from Olivia Chow to Naomi Klein to Guy Gavriel Kay and Dave Bidini! It’s a perfect opportunity for a sunny bookstore crawl and a chance to connect with a host of amazing authors.
Another Story Bookshop
315 Roncesvalles Avenue
Toronto, ON M6R 2M6
Phone: (416) 462-1104
Authors: Olivia Chow, Judy Rebick, Carrianne Leung, Elizabeth Ruth, Farzana Doctor, Dennis Lee,
Kyo MacLear, Carole Giangrande, Ayelet Tsabari, Catherine Bush, Christine Fischer Guy, Heather Birrell, Andrew Westoll, Michael Harris, Kenneth Oppel, Eva Stachniak, Naomi Klein, Oakland Ross, Drew Hayden Taylor, Rocco Agostino, Natale Ghent, Susan Glickman, Rosemary Sadlier, Sangeeta Bhadra, Andrew Borkowski
Bakka Phoenix
84 Harbord St.
Toronto, ON M5S 1G5
Phone: (416) 963-9993
Authors: Nicolas Billon, Liisa Ladouceur, Christian Cameron, Leah Bobet, Michelle West
Book City
Bloor West Village
2354 Bloor Street West
Toronto ON
Phone: (416) 961-4496
Authors: Amy Lavender Harris, Anthony De Sa, Stevie Howell, Nancy Jo Cullen, Nettie Cronish, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, Mary Lou Dickinson, Carole Giangrande, Hazel Millar & Jay Millar, CS Richardson, Susan Manchester, Sarah Henstra, Shawn Micaleff, Patricia Storms, Stacey May Fowles, Rosemary Sadlier, Sharon Jennings, David Rotenberg, Terry Fallis, Mairlyn Smith, Suzanne Alyssa Andrew
Book City #3
348 Danforth Ave
Toronto ON, M4K 1N8
Phone: (416) 469-9997
Authors: Guy Gavriel Kay, Jessica Westhead, Elyse Friedman, Sarah Sheard, Tanis Rideout, Kate Hilton, Lilly Barnes, Ronna Bloom, Gail Benick, Alissa York, Michael Januska, Dave Bidini, Kerry Clare, Jill Jorgenson, Evan Munday
Book City Yonge & St. Clair
1430 Yonge Street
Toronto ON, M4T 1Y6
Phone: (416) 926-0749
Authors: Elyse Friedman, Stephen Smith, Michael Harris, Helaine Becker, Kathy Kacer, Loren Edizel, Molly Peacock, Kevin Sylvester, Charmian Christie, Anna Porter, Robert Charles Wilson, Sharry Wilson, Joyce Grant, Charmian Christie, Terry Fallis, Angela Misri, Sharon Drache, Elizabeth Ross
Book City in The Beach
1950 Queen Street East
Toronto ON, M4L 1H6
Phone: (416) 698-1444
Authors: Ken McGoogan, Lisa de Nikolits, DJ McIntosh, Kim Echlin, George A. Walker, Lee Gowan, Tish Cohen, Brian Panhuyzen, Dr. Vera Tarman
Eat Your Words
778 Annette Street
Toronto, ON M6S 2E2
Phone: (416) 604-2665
Authors: Jan Scott, Food editor, Jennifer Robson, Nettie Cornish, Will O’Hara
Ella Minnow Children’s Bookstore
1915 Queen St. E
Toronto, ON M4L 1H3
Phone: (416) 698-2665
Authors: Edward Kay, Ann Marie Meyers, Emily Adrian, Mireille Messier, Dennis Lee, Dan Bar-El, Nick Pemberton, Robert Paul Weston
Glad Day Bookshop
598 Yonge Street
Toronto
(Near Wellesley TTC station)
Phone: (416) 961-4161
Authors: Nancy Jo Cullen, Liz Bugg, Sarah Bertrand, Akhaji Zakiya, Jeffrey Round, Bill Bissett, Giles Benaway, Kirk DeMatas, Jeffrey Luscombe, Tamai Kobayashi, Cathi Bond, Jim Nason
Mabel’s Fables Bookstore
662 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON
Phone: (416) 322-0438
Authors: Kevin Sylvester, Cybele Young, Barbara Reid, Ted Staunton, Paul Covello, Helaine Becker, Robert Paul Weston
Type Books
883 Queen Street West,
Toronto, ON M6J 1G5
Phone: (416) 366-8973
Authors: Paul Covello, Nick Saul, Andi Curtis, Zoe Whitall, Monica Heisey, Kyo Mcclear, Katrina Onstad, Shawn Micallef, Cybele Young, Emily M. Keeler, Andrew Pyper, Elyse Friedman, Lynn Crosbie, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, Nicolas Billon, John Southworth, Jacob Wren
University of Toronto Bookstore
214 College St.
Toronto, ON M5T 3A1
Phone: (416) 640-7900
Authors: Anthony De Sa, Elizabeth Ruth, Katherine Govier, Katrina Onstad, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, John Doyle, Drew Haden Taylor, Rhea Tregebov, Dr. Vera Tarman, Stephen Smith, John Delacourt, Marc Hurwitz,
Samantha Hurwitz