@spencerbmiller
Educator, reader and writer. 📍Treaty 7 | Calgary I write a monthly newsletter called The Merit Badger 🦡 where I award made up merit badges to standout Canadian content 🍁📚🎥📺. Subscribe: patreon.com/themeritbadger Instagram: @SpencerBMiller
New to @cbcgem.bsky.social in March: Backspot (2022), a queer coming-of-age sports drama starring Devery Jacobs. It explores the pressures on young athletes in the competitive world of cheerleading.
Canadians can watch for free: gem.cbc.ca/backspot
Digital graphic announcing the CCBC Virtual Silent Auction is now open (March 7-15).
The CCBC Virtual Silent Auction is now open! The event features items donated from across the country. The auction closes at 9 pm EDT on Sunday, March 15. All funds raised will support the Canadian Children's Book Week 2026.
Bid on items at www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/ccbc-silent-auction--2026
Rewatching a couple episodes of The Porter (2022) on CBC Gem. A shame this show was cancelled.
I write a monthly newsletter called The Merit Badger 🦡 where I award made up merit badges to standout Canadian content 🍁📚🎥📺
You can subscribe for FREE at patreon.com/TheMeritBadger
A school library-technician is raising concerns about the swift removal of a new children’s book about a Palestinian family preparing to break their fast during Ramadan.
www.thespec.com/news/canada/...
Absolutely devastating for book publishers in Nova Scotia. Canadian arts and stories deserve better.
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/dismantling-...
Alberta vetting process limits sexual education materials for students
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Canada Basketball will avenge Hockey Canada in 2028
A devastating week for Canadian hockey fans. Everyone should get Monday off to recover.
Screen shot of topgradebooks.ca shows 4 new video thumbnails featuring the covers of Canadian children's books
Winter Top Grade videos are here!
kids.49thshelf.com/Top-Grade
I had the chance to interview 3 incredible Canadian paper collage illustrators! ❤️📚
kidsbooknews.ca/blogs/featur...
Kind of a big deal!
February 14th marks #PinkTriangleDay, a day that recognizes and affirms queer existence, solidarity, and love.
BRANDED BY THE PINK TRIANGLE, provides a compelling and detailed account of the history of the pink triangle and of the Nazi regime’s persecution of gay men during the Holocaust.
#booksky
Issue 2 of The Merit Badger is here! Check your inboxes or read here
www.patreon.com/posts/150457...
Friends, I'm thrilled to have the chance to speak about Book Censorship in Alberta for #FreedomToReadWeek. The session is free with registration. See you there!
www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticket...
"Stories are comforting, healing, and empowering. Reading together will indicate to your students that you are aware of what’s going on in the news, that you care, and that you are open to talk"
kids.49thshelf.com/Blog/2026/02...
I made the choice to launch my newsletter (where each month I award made up merit badges to stand out Canadian content) on Patreon.
It's difficult growing a newsletter. But I am happy with where I'm at!
Sign up: www.patreon.com/TheMeritBadger
Looking for some solid social-emotional learning (SEL) books for littles? I put together a round-up of some of my favourites from the last couple of years for the @49thshelf.bsky.social. Check ‘em out:
Seriously. Saw a preview screening last night and can’t remember the last time I laughed in a theatre like that.
Don’t miss out on this beauty piece of CanCon 🍁 in theatres Feb 20th.
Oh in case you didn't see, I got to recommend it in this video: youtu.be/WYLnZWPuNNM?.... Thanks for this thread. Getting to shine a light on under reviewed books is the best part of Top Grade!
Important insights in this article from @xtramagazine.com. These same issues are very present in AB (says a teacher who has not taught since moving back to Calgary).
xtramagazine.com/power/politi...
Canadian publishers condemn Alberta's decision to proceed with its discriminatory book ban. The ban restricts access to literature, undermines professional expertise & diverts public resources away from actual learning. @lpgcanada.bsky.social @youralberta.bsky.social publishers.ca/alberta-book...
Genre-Bending Books for Young Readers from Canadian Indie Publishers
journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/genre-bendin...
Thank you so much for covering this! I’m in Alberta, and it’s been so disappointing…
The Alberta government has mandated that school libraries remove titles with “inappropriate” content
I should clarify tears of joy
If Luca Guadagnino and Connor Storrie make a movie together I’ll cry
Digital graphic featuring cover of A Game of Thrones: the graphic novel vol 1., one of 44 books CBE removed from school library shelves
Someone finally got their hands on CBE’s list of 44 books removed from school libraries.
#AlbertaBookBans
