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As a committed pacifist, Mark Van Steenwyk loves nothing more than snuggling up with his young son each night for a bedtime story – unless that story contains violence. Sadly for them, violence has always won the battle of popularity in children's fiction.

While Sheryl Wright has clocked up thousands of flying hours behind the controls of commercial aircraft, she has remained disenfranchised by literature's preference to depict pilots as slick-cut, dashing men. When her flying career was abruptly halted in 1999 by botched surgery on her torn esophagus, the resulting battle for survival sparked a unique mission of its own – to write a book that portrays women aviators as the fearless, go-getting powerhouses they are in the real world.

While not dwelling on the touchy subject of age, there's no denying that every Baby Boomer has a powerful legacy worth preserving. Thanks to a ground-breaking book that is kick-starting a new movement up and down the country, writing that perfect legacy is now within anyone's reach.

As Suzanne Bernier stood amidst the mountains of rubble during her first New Orleans volunteer rebuilding effort following Hurricane Katrina, she had plenty of time to reflect on the hundreds of hours she had spent as a news anchor telling the world about humanity's cold and sadistic tendencies. Now surrounded by tens of thousands of people who were willing to give their time and even their lives to save others, Bernier came to the stark revelation that humans are, in fact, hard-wired for collective survival.

While most are aware of their existence, few people truly understand the history and vibrant imagination behind the nation's envelope art. For over a century, stamps, covers and their vast array of designs have been used to communicate to people and detail the continuously evolving American story.

Nobody in the education system will deny it; principals and teachers are caught up in a toxic sea of politics that often takes priority over their innate obligation to inspire and empower the nation's children. Some teachers have reportedly turned to severe, drastic and even illegal measures to ensure that their test scores remain high. However, in a powerful and hugely-insightful new novel by Irwin Sadetsky, it becomes obvious that the profession still has honor and integrity as its core foundation.

While some cringe at those who admit that they love their dogs like children (admit it, go on!), those who have shared their lives with canines truly understand that these remarkable animals embody the core meaning of love and companionship. For people like L.B. Johnson, dogs have also proven their immense power to save lives when all hope appears to have been lost.

While young adult fantasy is rapidly becoming a staple of the literary landscape, both readers and critics are currently crying out for wholly-unique new narratives that don't succumb to recycling of the 'same-old' concepts. Thankfully, Rose M. Channing is stepping up to the plate with gusto; melding the genre's cherished traditional foundations with an empowering message for all young girls looking to take on the world.

According to a rather depressing study by The Times newspaper in 2014, the average new author will sell fewer than fifty books. However, some authors still manage to release works powerful and compelling enough to smash that statistic to smithereens. Poet R Tirrell Leonard Jr knows it all too well, selling over a thousand copies of 'In the Murmuring Trees', his debut release, with virtually no marketing.

While Science Fiction and Fantasy have long been staples of the literary landscape, both readers and critics are currently crying out for wholly-unique new narratives that don't succumb to recycling of the 'same-old' concepts. Thankfully, Canada's K.D. Martel is stepping up to the plate with gusto; melding both genres' cherished traditional foundations with driving elements that literally are ancient history.