If you’ve ever finished a Kim Fu novel and immediately thought, “I need more of whatever that was,” you’re not alone. The Canadian author has quietly built one of the most exciting and shape-shifting bibliographies in contemporary literature—moving effortlessly between literary fiction, speculative twists, poetry, short stories, and even a genre-bending horror novella that left readers sleeping with the lights on.
Here’s your definitive, up-to-date guide to reading Kim Fu books in order—both publication order and the recommended reading order if you’re new to her work.
Complete List of Kim Fu Books in Order
Kim Fu, the acclaimed Canadian author known for her genre-defying works blending literary fiction, speculative elements, poetry, and short stories, has built a diverse bibliography since her debut in 2014. While she hasn’t written any multi-book series (her novels and collections stand alone), below is a comprehensive table of all her major published works to date, listed in publication order. This includes novels, poetry, and short story collections.
As of December 2025, her upcoming novel Nothing Saves Me From Myself (expected Spring 2026) is not yet released, so it’s noted separately at the end. For readers new to her work, starting with publication order allows you to trace the evolution of her voice—from tender coming-of-age tales to mind-bending speculative horror.
| Publication Year | Title | Type | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | For Today I Am a Boy | Novel | A poignant coming-of-age story following a Chinese-Canadian transgender girl’s journey through identity and family. Winner of the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction. |
| 2016 | How Festive the Ambulance | Poetry Collection | A playful yet devastating debut poetry collection exploring modern life, illness, and absurdity with lyrical precision. |
| 2018 | The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore | Novel | Four girls on a disastrous summer camp kayaking trip, tracing their lives into adulthood. A finalist for the Washington State Book Award. |
| 2022 | Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century | Short Story Collection | Twelve speculative stories featuring bizarre transformations—like growing wings or marrying a flock of birds—grounded in human emotion. Winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. |
Kim Fu Books in Publication Order
- For Today I Am a Boy (2014) – Novel Winner of the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. A tender, heartbreaking coming-of-age story about Peter, a Chinese-Canadian boy who knows he is actually a girl. Still her most beloved and widely taught book.
- The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore (2018) – Novel A group of girls go on a traumatic kayaking trip at summer camp, and we follow them into adulthood. Think Lord of the Flies meets character-driven literary fiction. Darker and more structurally daring than her debut.
- How Festive the Ambulance (2016) – Poetry Collection Technically published before Camp Forevermore, but often overlooked. Quirky, funny, and surprisingly devastating poems about modern life, illness, and absurdity. Perfect if you love Heather Christle or Paige Lewis.
- Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century (2022) – Short Story Collection This is the book that made everyone sit up and say “wait, Kim Fu writes speculative fiction too?!” Twelve mind-bending stories featuring things like people growing wings, a bride made of sand, and a girl who can bring her toys to life. Won the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.
- The Skin Artist (2024) – Short Story Collection (as editor) Not written by Fu but edited by her—an anthology of body-horror and transformation stories. Worth mentioning because her taste as curator is impeccable.
- Pre-Order Now: Nothing Saves Me From Myself (Expected Spring 2026) – Novel Announced in late 2025. Described as “a queer gothic inheritance thriller set on a crumbling estate in the Pacific Northwest.” Early buzz is enormous.
Bonus Non-Fiction & Collaborations
- Contributor to The New York Times, The Atlantic, Hazlitt, and more. Her essay “I Used to Believe My Mother Was a Superhero” (2023) went viral.
Recommended Reading Order for New Readers
If you’re just discovering Kim Fu, here’s the ideal path that gradually ramps up the weirdness:
- Start with For Today I Am a Boy Classic literary fiction with deep emotional payoff. You’ll fall in love with her prose.
- Then The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore Shows her mastery of structure and long-form tension.
- Jump into Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century Now that you trust her, let her blow your mind with speculative gems. “Sandman” and “June Bugs” are instant classics.
- Circle back to How Festive the Ambulance (poetry) You’ll catch all the clever callbacks now that you know her style.
- Pre-order Nothing Saves Me From Myself Because you’ll be obsessed by then.
Why Kim Fu Is the Author You Didn’t Know You Needed
She’s often compared to Carmen Maria Machado, Kelly Link, and Alice Munro—but somehow still feels completely her own. Her superpower? Taking the most outlandish premise (a woman marries a flock of birds, anyone?) and grounding it in raw, recognizable human feeling.
Whether you’re here for quiet family dramas, body-horror-tinged short stories, or queer coming-of-age masterpieces, Kim Fu has already written your new favorite book—you just have to pick the right entry point.
Quick Reference: Kim Fu Checklist
- For Today I Am a Boy (2014)
- How Festive the Ambulance (2016)
- The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore (2018)
- Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century (2022)
- Nothing Saves Me From Myself (Spring 2026 – pre-order!)
Which Kim Fu book broke your brain in the best way? Drop your favorite in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only one still thinking about that story with the wings. 👀
Happy reading, and welcome to the cult of Kim Fu. You’re never leaving.
