Young Readers Discover Magic in Their Own Backyard with HABITAN: The Parallel Place

August 10, 2025 | For Immediate Release

Chicken House Press releases captivating middle grade fantasy that celebrates Indigenous heritage and Canadian landscapes

Today marks the official release of HABITAN: The Parallel Place, a spellbinding middle grade fantasy that invites young readers into a magical world where Cree language weaves spells, prairie dogs crack jokes, and Canadian wilderness comes alive with wonder. Published by award-winning Chicken House Press, this debut novel from Ontario author Cheryl Skory Suma offers something increasingly rare: a fantasy adventure that feels authentically Canadian while exploring universal themes of courage, belonging, and standing up for what's right.

Born from bedtime stories Suma told her own children, HABITAN draws authentically from the author’s Cree heritage through her maternal grandmother, incorporating genuine Cree language elements into its magical system. The story follows young heroes as they navigate a richly imagined parallel world populated by distinctive animal characters—from a comedic prairie dog to wise chickadees and a pompous heron serving as royal guide.

Suma deliberately crafted the novel with more sophisticated vocabulary than typical middle grade fiction, believing that “we underestimate children” and that engaging, entertaining stories will captivate young readers regardless of complexity. Her approach was validated through extensive testing with children themselves, hosting young readers to review chapters and provide feedback on characters and plot development. What makes this fantasy particularly meaningful is how Suma, with her background in child psychology and speech-language pathology, crafted characters that resonate with young readers facing real-world challenges. Children dealing with ADHD or bullying will find themselves in these pages, discovering that being different isn’t just okay—it’s exactly what makes you capable of extraordinary things.

The book features stunning cover art by Steven Albert, whose impressive portfolio includes work on Shrek, The Prince of Egypt, and Michael Hirst’s Vikings. This visual gateway perfectly captures the magical realism that makes HABITAN special—a story where the extraordinary lives just beside the everyday, waiting to be discovered.

HABITAN: The Parallel Place has already garnered recognition, earning honours in the 2019 Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Awards and the 2023 ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition. Blank Spaces Magazine praised Suma’s approach, noting that “HABITAN showcases the rich potential of Canadian middle grade fiction. Suma weaves Cree language and Indigenous elements into her fantasy world with remarkable authenticity and respect.” Aurora Today has noted how Suma is “challenging what is considered middle grade fiction” through her blend of “Canadian settings, Indigenous values, and a throwback to the paperbacks of C.S. Lewis.” For parents, educators, and librarians seeking middle grade fantasy that offers both adventure and authentic representation, HABITAN delivers something increasingly precious: a story that shows young readers they don’t need to look beyond their own country’s borders to find magic—they just need to know where to look. As Suma says of her goals for young readers: “I want kids to come away understanding and believing in themselves and their ability to make a difference.”

Cheryl Skory Suma brings both professional expertise and deeply personal experience to her writing. With a BSc in Child Psychology and a MHSc in Speech-Language Pathology, she spent three decades as a speech-language pathologist before founding Exceptionalities Inc, serving York Region, South Simcoe and North York areas. Her Cree heritage comes through her grandmother, Ethel Webster from Moose Factory, who survived residential schools and became Suma’s most profound inspiration.

Webster’s teachings about connection to nature, caring for the planet, and how we treat each other form the moral foundation of HABITAN. When creating the magical language for her fantasy world, Suma chose to honour her grandmother’s Cree language rather than invent something new, explaining, “If you think of fantasy books, they always have a magical language. And so for me, I thought rather than making up my magical language, I’m going to use Cree.” An award-winning writer across multiple genres, Suma channels her understanding of child development and her deep respect for Indigenous wisdom into creating authentic, empowering fiction for young readers.

Habitan: The Parallel Place is available in paperback and ebook formats, through Chicken House Press or wherever books are sold.

ISBN trade paperback edition: 978-1-9907584-03-2