Name: Read Quebec Book Fair 2024
Start: 2024-12-07T12:00:00-05:00
End: 2024-12-08T17:00:00-05:00
Location: Casa d'Italia Montreal

The 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒄 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓 is back! Join us on 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗱’𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 (505 rue Jean Talon est) to discover the latest releases of new works from local publishers, authors, and translators. We’re also looking forward to a full program of literary events – including an interview with author and Mohawk activist Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel on Saturday, a comics panel with a stellar lineup, and QWF's Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase performances on Sunday – as well as a multitude of author signings.
Produced by the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ), the Read Quebec Book Fair celebrates the vibrancy of the English-language literary scene in Quebec, with local publishers displaying their titles, and Librairie Paragraphe selling books from Quebec writers and translators published elsewhere. The Fair will offer fun for young booklovers, with a cozy, book-filled Kids’ Nook both days, and a musical performance for children by Connie Kaldor and Paul Campagne on Saturday at noon. There will be an opening cocktail Saturday evening—it is free and open to all, wine and bites will be served.
The fair is open from 𝟭𝟮𝗽𝗺-𝟳𝗽𝗺 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, and 𝟭𝟮𝗽𝗺-𝟱𝗽𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 at Casa d’Italia. The building is accessible directly across from Jean-Talon metro and fully accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. In accordance with public health guidelines, mask wearing for in-person events is optional, though encouraged, with hand sanitizing stations available at all locations.
A full schedule of events can be found here: https://readquebec.ca/event/2024-read-quebec-book-fair/, including:
𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 7
𝑨 𝑫𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 – 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑨𝒈𝒆𝒔
Saturday, December 7 2024
12 pm – 1 pm
20th Anniversary Celebration with Connie Kaldor and Paul Campagne, complete with anniversary cake!
Based on the Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winning musical picture book of the same name, a heartwarming children’s story and a dozen happy-go-lucky songs about self-esteem and determination. Follow a little duck from the Prairies who has a big dream: making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway!
𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒊’𝒕𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝑬𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏 𝑮𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒓. 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒓 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒏-𝑯𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒏
Saturday, December 7 2024
2 pm – 3 pm
Join Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, longtime activist and visual artist, to hear about her new book, 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭: 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. A memoir of a deeply engaged life, with an account of the siege at Oka, where she was a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) spokesperson. In conversation with Samir Shaheen-Hussain, MD, author of 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑪𝒍𝒖𝒃 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑽𝒂𝒍é𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒉
Saturday, December 7 2024
3 pm – 4:30 pm
Led by founder Christopher DiRaddo, this monthly discussion group for lovers of classic and contemporary works of LGBTQ literature will hold its December meeting on the stage at Casa d’Italia. Author Valérie Bah will make a special appearance at 4 pm for the last half hour of the group discussion.
𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍
Saturday, December 7 2024
5 pm – 7 pm
A very special edition of the Read Quebec Book Fair’s 5 à 7. Come have a drink at the end of an exciting day of book browsing and literary events. Meet public historian, artist and educator Cassandra Marsillo, author of 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘢, an oral history of Montreal immigrants from the Italian region of Molise, complete with 40 recipes – and enjoy Molisan antipasti created from the book’s recipes. This event is also a “Super Schmoozer” bringing together members of the Quebec Writers’ Federation, the Writers’ Union of Canada, Quebec chapter, and the English-language Arts Network. Chat about books, writing, and the delicious food! Everyone is welcome.
𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟴
𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑶𝒖𝒕 𝑳𝒐𝒖𝒅: 𝑨 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒍 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏-𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑾𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒄
Sunday, December 8 2024
12 pm – 1 pm
Moderated by Nancy Marrelli, archivist of the Italian-Canadian Community Archives of Quebec, which are housed at the Casa d’Italia, an exchange between: Domenic Cusmano, publisher of Accenti: The Magazine with an Italian Accent; novelist and literary impresario Christopher DiRaddo, and playwright Michaela Di Cesare. Reception in the Archives office in the basement to follow.
𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝑮𝒐𝒕 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑬𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
Sunday, December 8 2024
1 pm – 2 pm
Looking for tips on getting your own writing into print? Writer/translator Mélissa Bull, editor of the QC Fiction imprint at Baraka Books, will moderate as panelists Rebecca Morris (𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘱𝘴, Sofia Ajram (𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘥𝘦 𝘎𝘳â𝘤𝘦), and Lili Zeng (𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳) recount their journeys to publication. There will be plenty of time for questions from the floor.
𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑨𝒍𝒍
Sunday, December 8 2024
2 pm – 3 pm
Montreal has emerged as one of the most vibrant comic book scenes in the world, with a remarkable range of local creators producing weird, wild, and wonderful work that crosses over genres, generations, and languages. Join superstar cartoonists Walter Scott (the 𝘞𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘺 series), Éloïse Marseille (𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯), and Chris Oliveros (𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘪𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦?) for a candid discussion about creating stories in pictures and words, finding humor in everyday life, and contemplating what could be next for Montreal’s thriving comic arts scene. Moderated by François Vigneault.
𝑰𝒂𝒏 𝑭𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆
Sunday, December 8 2024
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
The Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase will once again display the creative talents of the finalists for the Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize.
Moe Clark “committing a dream / pawâkan Palestine”
Lucia De Luca “Congratulations”
Emilia Malpica-Iruegas “twenty-one”
Roger Sinha “Hater’s n Baiters: The Culture Collision”
Mac van den Hoeven “Memory Justice”
𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒔 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒗𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔
At any time during the Read Quebec Book Fair, wee people can hang out in our Babar Books Kids’ Nook and look at children’s books, draw and colour, or just relax in a cozy spot meant specially for them. Kids and their big people can also do some creative activity of their own at one of the three fabulous activities led by artist and writer Vasilios Billy Mavreas. For younger kids: Create your own comic strip! For older kids: Postcards to the Future! And for all ages: Cards For Peace.