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TPL's Museum + Arts Pass (MAP) program provides recommended reading lists for children and adults for each of our venue partners.

Dive in to the digital versions of these lists to learn more about each of our venue partners and supplement your next visit with some titles that will enhance your experience. 

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on our venue partners, the MAP program, including Performing Arts Pass, is postponed until further notice. We'll post updates on our MAP page, so check back often.

The MAP program is made possible this year thanks to the generous support of The Bennett Family Foundation. 

Museum + Arts Pass Reading Lists

Click to jump ahead to the reading lists for the venue of your choice, or explore them all! 

• Aga Khan Museum
• Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
• Bata Shoe Museum
• Black Creek Pioneer Village
• Gardiner Museum
• Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA)
• Ontario Science Centre
• Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
• Textile Museum of Canada (TMC)
• Toronto History Museums
• Toronto Zoo

Museum + Arts Pass Reading Lists

Aga Khan Museum

Aga Khan Museum | Explore the arts of Muslim civilizations through exhibitions, workshops, and live arts performances.

Books for Children

• Sleeping Beauty: An Islamic Tale by Fawzia Gilani. Ages 5–7
• Astounding ABC by The Aga Khan Museum. Up to age 5
• Early Islamic Empires by Lizann Flatt. Ages 10+
• Cinderella: An Islamic Tale by Fawzia Gilani. Ages 5–7
• Two Crafty Jackals: The Animal Fables of Kalilah and Dimnah by Elizabeth Laird. Ages 8–12
• 1001 Inventions & Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization by National Geographic. Ages 8–12
• Science, Medicine and Math in the Early Islamic World by Trudee Romanek. Ages 8–12
• Islam: Understanding the History, Beliefs and Culture by Julie Williams. Ages 12–17

Books for Adults

• Aga Khan Museum Guide by Henry Kim, Ruba Kana’an, and others (print only)
• The Aga Khan Museum, Toronto by Philip Jodidio (print only)
• Exhibition catalogues from the Aga Khan Museum (print only)
• Islamic Art in the Mediterranean series by various authors (ebook only)
• The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age (video course) by Eamonn Gearon
• The Book of Rumi: 105 Stories and Fables that Illumine, Delight and Inform translated by Maryam Mafi
• Muslims of the World: Portraits and Stories of Hope, Survival, Loss, and Love by Sajjad Shah and Iman Mahoui

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) | With a collection of more than 80,000 works of art, the AGO is among the most distinguished 
art museums in North America.

Books for Children

• The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria. Ages 5+
• M is for Moose by Charles Pachter. All ages
• Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis. Ages 0–6
• Ish by Peter Reynolds. Ages 5+
• The Art Room by Susan Vande Griek and Pascal Milelli. Ages 4–7
• Inuksuk Journey by Mary Wallace. Ages 4–7

Books for Adults

• Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven by Ross King
• Hot, Cold, Heavy, Light: 100 Art Writings, 1988-2018 by Peter Schjeldahl
• How To See: Looking, Talking and Thinking About Art by David Salle
• How Do We Look? The Body, the Divine, and the Question of Civilization by Mary Beard
• Infinity Net: The Autobiography of Yayoi Kusama
• Keeping An Eye Open: Essays on Art by Julian Barnes
• The Pursuit of Art by Martin Gayford
• The Supermodel and the Brillo Box: Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art by Donald N. Thompson
• This is Not a Hoax: Unsettling Truth in Canadian Culture by Heather Jessup
• Tunirrusiangit: Kenojuak Ashevak and Tim Pitsiulak by Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory et al. (print only)

Bata Shoe Museum

Bata Shoe Museum | An international collection of over 13,000 shoe-related artifacts from every corner of the globe.

Books for Children

• Big Sarah’s Little Boots by Paulette Bourgeois. Ages 2–5
• The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo. Ages 7–12
• Happy Birthday Jamela! by Niki Daly. Ages 4–7
• Puss in Boots by Paul Galdone. Ages 7–12
• The Twelve Dancing Princesses: A Fairy Story by Janet Lunn. Ages 7–12
• Whose Shoe? by Margaret Miller. Ages 2–4
• Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci. Ages 7–12
• Grass Sandals: The Travels of Basho by Dawnine Spivak. Ages 9–12
• Where Did You Get Your Moccasins? by Bernelda Wheeler. Ages 3 –7
• White Lily by Ting-xing Ye. Ages 11–14

Books for Adults

• 9 1/2 Narrow: My Life in Shoes by Patricia Morrisroe
• Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes by Brian Metzler
• Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe edited by Lisa Small (print only)
• Our Shoes, Our Selves: 40 Women, 40 Stories, 40 Pairs of Shoes by Bridget Moynahan
• Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture by the Bata Shoe Museum et al. (print only)
• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight
• Women from the Ankle Down: The Story of Shoes and How They Define Us by Rachelle Bergstein
• World At Your Feet: Bata Shoe Museum by Elizabeth Semmelhack (print only)

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Black Creek Pioneer Village | A tribute to the Toronto area's pioneering roots, take a trip back in time to 1860 and see what life was like.

Books for Children

• Settler Life in Canada, Clothes by Anita Yasuda. Ages 8–12
• Settler Life in Canada, School by Joy Kita. Ages 8–12
• General Store by Bobbie Kalman. Ages 5–9
• Tools and Gadgets by Bobbie Kalman. Ages 5–9
• In the Barn by Bobbie Kalman. Ages 5–9
• Charlie Needs A Cloak by Tomie dePaola. Ages 3–5
• The Kids Book of Black Canadian History by Rosemary Sadlier. Ages 8–12
• Shi-shi-etko by Nicola Campbell. Ages 5–9
• Canada Year by Year by Elizabeth MacLeod. Ages 5–12

Books for Adults

• Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living by Kris Bordessa
• Black Creek Pioneer Village by Nick Mika
• Harriet Tubman: Freedom Seeker, Freedom Leader by Rosemary Sadlier
• Modern Pioneering by Georgia Pelligrini
• Out of Old Ontario Kitchens by Lindy Mechefsky (print only)
• Reluctant Pioneer: How I Survived Five Years in the Canadian Bush by Thomas Osborne
• Roughing it in the Bush by Suzanna Moodie
• Salt, Smoke, Time: Homesteading and Heritage Techniques for the Modern Kitchen by Will Horowitz
• Sisters in the Wilderness by Charlotte Gray
• Urban Farming: Sustainable City Living in Your Backyard, in Your Community, and in the World by Thomas Fox

Gardiner Museum

Gardiner Museum | Among the few museums in the world focused on ceramics, with a permanent collection made up of approximately 4,000 objects.

Books for Children

• The Clay Ladies by Michael Bedard and illustrated by Les Tait. Ages 6–12
• Blue Willow by Pam Conrad and illustrated by S. Saelig Gallagher. Ages 6–12
• The Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wagué Diakité. Ages 6–12
• Big Week for Little Mouse by Eugenie Fernandes and illustrated by Kim Fernandes. Ages 3–6
• A Potter by Douglas Florian. Ages 2–5
• The Clay Soldiers of China by Charles George and Linda George. Ages 9+
• The Mud Family by Betsy James and illustrated by Paul Morin. Ages 5–9
• The Kids ‘N’ Clay Ceramics Book created by Kevin Nierman. All ages
• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. Ages 10+
• The Party by Barbara Reid. Ages 3–6

Books for Adults

• 30 Objects, 30 Insights: The Gardiner Museum by the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art (print only)
• Complete Ceramics: Easy Techniques and Over 20 Great Projects
• Copper, Iron and Clay: A Smith's Journey by Sara Dahmen
• Mastering Kilns and Firing by Lindsay Oesteritter 
• Mastering the Potter's Wheel by Ben Carter
• Modelling the Figure in Clay by Bruno Lucchesi
• The Porcelain Thief: Searching the Middle Kingdom for Buried China by Huan Hsu
• Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook
• The White Road: Journey into an Obsession by Edmund de Waal

Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA)

Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA) | MOCA Toronto features work by world-renowned Canadian and international artists exploring the themes of our time.

Books for Children

Books for Adults

• 33 Artists in 3 Acts by Sarah Thornton
• At Home: Talks With Canadian Artists about Place and Practice by Lezli Rubin-Kunda
• Curationism: How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else by David Balzer
• Desire Change: Contemporary Feminist Art in Canada by Heather Davis
• Diversity Counts: Gender, Race and Representation in Canadian Art Galleries by Anne Dymond
• Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency by Olivia Laing
• Make Ink: A Forager's Guide by Jason Logan
• Uncommitted Crimes: The Defiance of the Artistic Imagi/Nation by Tara Atluri
• You Are An Artist by Sarah Urist Green

Ontario Science Centre

Ontario Science Centre | Home to fascinating interactive experiences about science and technology.

Books for Children

• The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition by Joanna Cole. Ages 7–10
• The Cool Hot Rod and Other Electrifying Experiments in Energy and Matter by Paul Doherty, Don Rathjen and the Exploratorium Teacher Institute. Ages 8–12
• Galaxies, Galaxies! by Gail Gibbons. Ages 5–8
• All About Space Missions by Miriam Gross. Ages 6–8
• What Neat Feet! by Hana Machotka. Ages 7–9
• Native American Medicine by Tamra Orr. Ages 9–12
• One Million Things: Space by Carole Stott. Ages 8+
• Rocket Science: 50 Flying, Floating, Flipping, Spinning Gadgets Kids Create Themselves by Jim Wiese. Ages 8–12

Books for Adults

• 18 Miles: The Epic Drama of Our Atmosphere and its Weather by Christopher Dewdney
• An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
• Cosmos: Possible Worlds by Ann Druyan
• The DadLab: 50 Awesome Science Experiments for Paren'ts and Kids by Sergei Urban
• Einstein's Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum by Lee Smolin
• Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson
• Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food by Lenore Newman
• The Reality Bubble: Blind Spots, Hidden Truths and the Dangerous Illusions that Shape Our World by Ziya Tong
• The Spinning Magnet: The Force That Created the Modern World, and Could Destroy It by Alanna Mitchell

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) | Choose from 30 galleries including gems and minerals, Canada's First Peoples, ancient cultures and textiles and fashion.

Books for Children

• A Funny Thing Happened at the Museum… by Davide Cali. Illustrated by Benjamin Chaud. Ages 6–9
• Mummies at the Museum by Wong Herbert Yee, author and illustrator. Ages 6–9
• Digging Canadian Dinosaurs by Rebecca L. Grambo. Illustrated by Dianna Bonder. Ages 8–11
• Spot the… Mummy in the Museum by Sarah Khan. Illustrated by Peter Bull Art Studio. Ages 9–12
• Digging for Trouble by Linda Fairstein. Devlin Quick Mysteries series. Ages 9–12
• Crystal & Gem by R.F. Symes. DK Eyewitness Books series. Ages 9–12
• Canada’s Dinosaurs by Chelsea Donaldson. Illustrated by John Bindon. Canada Close Up series. Ages 9–12
• The Honour Drum: Sharing the Beauty of Canada’s Indigenous People by Cheryl Bear. Illustrated by Tim Huff. Compassion series. Ages 9+

Books for Adults

• Bold Visions: The Architecture of the Royal Ontario Museum by Kelvin Browne (print only)
• The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams
• Dinosaurs Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution in Paleontology by Michael J. Benton
• Every Object Has a Story: Extraordinary Canadians Celebrate the Royal Ontario Museum by the Royal Ontario Museum (print only)
• A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor
• The Invention of Yesterday: A 50,000-Year History of Human Culture, Conflict and Connection by Mir Tamim Ansary
• A Little History of Archaeology by Brian Fagan
• Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble by Marilyn Johnson
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
• Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt by Chris Naunton

Textile Museum of Canada (TMC)

Textile Museum of Canada (TMC) | TMC's permanent collection celebrates cultural diversity and includes fabrics, garments, carpets, beadwork and basketry.

Books for Children

• Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman. Ages 4–8
• Factory Girl by Barbara Greenwood. Ages 11–13
• The Girl Who Spun Gold by Virginia Hamilton. Ages 8–12
• A Day with Nellie by Marthe Jocelyn. Ages 2–4
• Goha the Wise Fool by Denys Johnson-Davies. Ages 9–12
• The Roses in My Carpets by Rukhsana Khan. Ages 11–13
• Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson. Ages 11–13
• Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt by Barbara Smucker. Ages 9–12
• Kids Weaving by Sarah Swett. Ages 10–13
• Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson. Ages 8–12

Books for Adults

• The Coat Route: Craft, Luxury and Obsession on the Trail of a $50,000 Coat by Meg Noonan
• Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert
• The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
• Silas Marner by George Eliot
• The Textile Artist's Studio Handbook by Visnja Popovic
• Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool by Clara Parkes
• The World is a Carpet: Four Seasons in an Afghan Village by Anna Badkhen

Toronto History Museums

Toronto History Museums | Explore how Torontonians lived in the past.

• Colborne Lodge in High Park | Explore 19th-century innovation, city building, science, and technology exemplified by Toronto's first architect.
• Fort York National Historic Site | A 43-acre archaeological site, home to Canada's largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings and an award-winning visitor centre with exhibits and interactive experiences.
• Gibson House Museum | This 1851 Georgian-style farmhouse was the home of Toronto's first land surveyor who helped map early Toronto.
• Mackenzie House | The last home of Toronto's first Mayor interprets urban Victorian life of the 1860s.
• Market Gallery | This second-floor gallery at the South St. Lawrence Market presents exhibits related to Toronto's art, culture and history.
• Montgomery's Inn | A landmark in Etobicoke for over 180 years, the museum continues to extend the tradition of hospitality as a public museum.
• Scarborough Museum | Located in Thomson Memorial Park, the museum offers a rare glimpse into the life of early 19th-century settlers.
• Spadina Museum: Historic House and Gardens | Toronto's Downton Abbey is the only museum in the city representing the 1920s and 30s.
• Todmorden Mills Heritage Site | Set in the Don Valley, the site explores the history of Toronto's industrial growth.

Books for Children

• Rebellion: A Novel of Upper Canada by Marianne Brandis. Ages 10–12
• Fort York by Donald Feather and George Waters. Ages 10–12
• A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 by Barbara Greenwood. Ages 8–12
• Pioneering in North York: A History of the Borough by Patricia W. Hart. Ages 11–12
• Home Crafts by Bobbie Kalman. Ages 8–10
• A Rebel’s Daughter: The 1837 Rebellion Diary of Arabella Stevenson by Janet Lunn. Ages 10–12
• Whispers of War: The War of 1812 Diary of Susanna Merritt by Kit Pearson. Ages 9–12
• The Grist Mill by Celeste Peters. Ages 7–9
• Hugo at the Park by Anne Rockwell. Ages 2–4
• Pettranella by Betty Waterton. Ages 7–9

Books for Adults

• Inside the Museums: Toronto's Heritage Sites and their Most Prized Objects by John Goddard
• Toronto: Biography of a City by Allan Gerald Levine
• Toronto Book of the Dead by Adam Bunch
• Historic Fort York: 1793–1993 by Carl Benn
• Tecumseh and Brock by James Laxer
• Historical Walking Tour of North York Centre by Geoff Kettel and Barbara Myrvold
• A Mill Should Be Build Thereon: An Early History of the Todmorden Mills by Eleanor Darke
• Parkdale in Pictures: Its Development to 1889 by Margaret Laycock and Barbara Myrvold
• The Estates of Old Toronto by Liz Lundell (print only)
• Mackenzie: A Political Biography of William Lyon Mackenzie by John Sewell (print only)

Toronto Zoo

Toronto Zoo | The Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world with over 700 acres and more than 5,000 animals representing 450 species.Performing Arts Pass venue partners (remove this? WB)

Books for Children

• Zoo’s Who: Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian. Ages 7–12
• A Day at a Zoo by Sarah Harrison. Ages 4+
• Zookeepers by Tony Hyland. Ages 9–12
• The Tiger has a Toothache: Helping Animals at the Zoo by Patricia Lauber, illustrated by Mary Morgan. Ages 8–12
• I Want to be a Zookeeper by Dan Liebman. Ages 5–7
• Our Class Took a Trip to the Zoo by Shirley Neitzel, illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker. Ages 3–4
• Bad Bears in the Big City by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Jill Pinkwater. Ages 6–10
• Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. Ages 3–4
• Wild Lives: A History of the People & Animals of the Bronx Zoo by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld. Ages 10+
• Delilah Darling is at the Zoo by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Rosie Reeve. Ages 8–10

Books for Adults

• Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough
• Almost Human: The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds by Alfred Fidjestøl
• Babylon’s Ark: the Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence
• Fierce Kingdom: A Novel by Gin Phillips
• Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves by Frans de Waal
• Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals can Transform our Lives – And Save Theirs by Richard Louv
• The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise: A Novel by Julia Stuart
• We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee
• The Zookeepers' War: An Incredible True Story of the Cold War by Jan Mohnhaupt
• Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives by Thomas French

Learn more about TPL's Museum + Arts (MAP) Pass and MAP Performing Arts pass programs.