By Mishelle Kennady, Eden Soughton, Natalie Klinkenberg, and Frankie Harnett
House of Anansi is considered Canada’s leading independent press and has seen great success since its inception in 1967. The publisher was founded by writers Dennis Lee and David Godfrey to tell Canadian stories, and its name comes from West African spider God Kwaku Anansi, known as a mischievous folk hero. Margaret Atwood is credited as one of their early authors, and she also happened to work as an editor there. House of Anansi are home to award-winning and bestselling books covering a wide range of genres that represent Canada and the rest of the world. The press takes special care in publishing minority groups such as Black and Indigenous authors and act as a stepping stone for young writers interested in nurturing their talent.
Groundwood Books was acquired by House of Anansi in 2005. Groundwood Books was founded in 1978 by Patricia Aldana with an emphasis on quality children’s books and has since expanded to other related genres. They believe that it is important to discuss difficult themes in a digestible way for children to understand. This idea allows Groundwood to maintain their integrity while upholding the comfort of stories aimed towards young people. Groundwood also has an interest in giving a voice to underrepresented communities and has actively worked to promote Latinx authors since 1998. They believe that “by reflecting intensely individual experiences, our books are of universal interest.”
Anansi Press has a truly staggering number of titles in its extended catalogue. The Fall 2024 catalogue includes Others Like Me: The Lives of Women Without Children by Nicole Louie. The book tells the stories of fourteen women from around the world who, for various reasons, do not have children, as well as Nicole Louie’s personal story and what she learned from speaking to each of these women. The book does a lot to challenge the stereotypes around childless women in a way that makes it clear that no woman is part of a monolith. It seeks to highlight the joy and purpose that exists for women without children that is so frequently portrayed as unattainable in the media. Louie speaks to women from a variety of backgrounds so as to avoid simply highlighting the views of a single culture. The book is recommended to female-identifying people of twenty or over.
From the Winter 2025 catalogue comes The Creation of Half-Broken People by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu. This African Gothic novel tells the story of a nameless woman who works for the Good Foundation, which was created by the Good Family (descended from Captain John Good, a character from King Solomon’s Mines). Although the nameless woman is initially content with her job, an encounter with protestors and an ancient woman sends her down a path of discovery. The story is largely about how the history of colonialism can still affect the present and how it interacts with people who are already “half broken” by mental and racial stigmas. The book is recommended for fans of gothic literature and African women’s literature, as well as readers who enjoy exploring the intersection between sexuality and race.
Groundwood Books published There Is No Map for This by Tom Birdseye on 1 October 2024. It follows seventeen-year-old Ren Adams, who goes to live with his older brother Levi and Levi’s girlfriend, Ellie, after their mother remarries. He is constantly being told to live up to his potential and “man up” as he works to save for his college education. When Levi passes away, things take a turn for the worse. Ren sets out on a journey to find a disappearing Ellie, discovering that life’s biggest challenges don’t come with a map, and there are things he must endure without guidance from anyone but himself. The book is marketed toward thirteen to seventeen-year-olds, handling themes like grief and raising complex questions about today’s society.
Another upcoming release is the children’s picture book Rock written by Laurel Croza and illustrated by Matt James, coming on 5 March 2025. Featuring themes of bullying, self-esteem and self-reliance, Rock is the story of a bullying seagull who mistakes a small rock for food. The seagull berates the rock, diminishing it to just a pebble or stone, claiming that there is nothing special to it. But when a child comes up to the rock and marvels at it, they reassure the rock of its wonders and how special it truly is, confirming what the rock has known. The book is marketed for children ages three to six with the important message that even when facing a bully, it’s important to stay true to oneself.
Releasing around thirty-five titles annually, submissions to House of Anansi take place twice a year, from 1–29 February and 1–31 August. Despite the publishing house’s expansive variety of literature, aspiring writers should make sure that their manuscripts fit the press’s guidelines, steering clear of personal memoirs and autobiographies, which will not be accepted. Similarly, any submission for children’s or young adult’s fiction should be made to Groundwood Books. For the full specifications for manuscripts, see their submissions page.
The press is dedicated to showcasing the works of underrepresented communities and, in celebration of its roots, prioritises titles from Canadian citizens and Indigenous people from Turtle Island. Over the last fifty years, the Canadian publisher has proven to be the embodiment of their Instagram bio, “Anansi publishes very good books,” cementing itself as a curator of high-quality, independent literature. We are excited to see what they bring us in 2025.