Background image: Lion’s Mane (detail), 2015, by Susan Lapides from St. George: Ebb and Flow | au gré des vagues
4 Message from the editor
Story
7 Celebrating the past, embracing the future
Features
10 Art & commerce by James Mullinger
12 Exploring the rich literary tradition of Atlantic Canada by Katie Ingram
Authors in Conversation
14 Breaking paths on the Rock by Carol Bruneau
Publisher’s Corner
16 Prince Edward Island’s beloved Acorn Press is keeping PEI stories alive by Marjorie Simmins
by Elissa Barnard
Food Feature
22 A delicious dive into food books by Simon Thibault Excerpts
25 Living with Dementia 28 Sacred Thought Reviews
29 War among the Clouds
30 Nova Scotia’s Stars of Song
31 We Rip the World Apart
32 Vigil
33 The Nowhere Places
ABOUT THE COVER
33 Murder on Painted Place
34 The Second Season of Jonas MacPherson
34 Hi, It’s Me
35 Thyme Travellers
35 You Can’t Help But Listen
36 On the Border
36 Their Sturdy Pride
37 Invisible Prisons
37 Searching for Mayflowers
38 Finding Home at the Harbour
38 My Mi'kmaw Mother
39 Editor’s picks
41 Author picks
Young Readers
42 Beyond fairytales by Lindsay Ruck
44 Reviews
49 Editor’s picks
This 100th issue of Atlantic Books Today celebrates both the magazine’s history and the vibrant literary culture it represents. Gracing our cover is the gorgeous art of Ed Roche, who has made it his life’s work to capture the beauty of Newfoundland and Labrador on canvas. His new book Four Seasons: The Art of Ed Roche takes you on a visual journey across NL as it transitions through the seasons, showcasing fifty of his favourite pieces. This image is “a three-masted schooner locked in the ice in Trinity Harbour. As it would have looked around 1900.” The rugged coastline, traditional schooner, and colourful houses are iconic to Atlantic Canada, a symbolic visual with a sense of nostalgia, an image fit for paying homage to the rich literary heritage of Atlantic Canada.
Editor’s message
n celebration of Atlantic Books
Today’s 100th issue, we proudly present a curated selection of 100 new books, all packed into these pages.
To mark this extraordinary milestone, we’re honouring the vibrant literary legacy of Atlantic Canada as we reflect on the magazine’s enduring success.
Three past editors of ABT walk us through the life of the magazine—from the very beginning to its present-day iteration. Many other editors have also contributed to the success of this publication over the years. The Atlantic literary community is close-knit, and I’m honoured to bring this issue to life. I was managing editor over ten years ago before stepping away to raise a family and build a freelance writing portfolio. I’ve also since written my own memoir, published by Nimbus Publishing. My book editor? The talented Angela Mombourquette, who stepped in as magazine editor for a
excerpt from my book (Gutsy) for a previous issue. Back in the day, I ran an excerpt from his first novel, Black Snow And so it goes with countless more connections among writers, authors, publishers, and readers.
We’re celebrating impressive longevity in publishing with inspiring stories from behind the scenes of just a few of the region’s many successes. We take a close look at memoirs built on the strength of resilience and the human spirit. In Beyond Fairy Tales, we take a close look at children’s literature that confronts reality.
Goose Lane Editions celebrates their 70th anniversary this year while Prince Edward Island’s Acorn Press turns 30; we have fun features on both for you.
We’ve also packed this issue with personal picks of the most anticipated new titles of the season from trusted voices. All kinds of award-winning authors, editors, publishers, and fellow readers weigh-in to help you discover your next read.
With a delicious dive into food books, a spotlight on art books, a full section on books for young readers, excerpts, and reviews, we’re offering something for every reader. We hope you enjoy this memorable and special edition of ABT.
Wishing you a joyful Holiday Season
Dear Santa,
There are so many great new books this year that I can’t decide. “Turk” is the best new sports book while Susan White’s new book is about the Saint John Fire. But “Name Your Game” and “The Baby Train” are also historical fiction, which I love! I need a good laugh so Lorne Elliott’s “A Few White Lies” appeals. But the mystery-lover in me really wants to read Ken’s Corner”, “Floating Days”, and “Sea of Spectres”. I adore poetry and ”In Loving Riddles” is a new collection edited by Brian Bartlett. I pasted pictures of all these books so you can decide! PS Don’t forget the kids love books too! Their picks are “Butter Tart Island” , “The Creator’s Plan”, “NS Loves Gus” and Follow
Goose Butt to PEI.”
ab
Publisher
Executive Director Editor
Graphic Designer
Administrative Assistant
Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association
TBA
Heather Fegan
Gwen North
Laura Spencer
Atlantic Books Today is published by the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association (www.atlanticpublishers.ca), which gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia and the Government of PEI. Opinions expressed in articles in Atlantic Books Today do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Board of the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association.
Printed in Canada. This is issue number 100 Fall 24. Atlantic Books Today is published twice a year. All issues are numbered in sequence. Total Atlantic-wide circulation: 40,000. ISSN 1192-3652
One-year subscriptions to Atlantic Books Today are available for $15 ($17.25 including HST). A two-year subscription is available for $25 ($28.75 including HST). A special offer on a 2-year subscription and a canvas ABT tote bag is available for $35 ($40.25 including HST). Visit atlanticbooks.ca/subscribe for more details. Contact admin@ atlanticpublishers.ca for subscription inquires, or if you wish to pay by cheque. If you would no longer like to receive copies of the magazine sent to your address, please let us know.
Essays from Atlantic Books Today editors offer an intimate look at the life of the magazine through 100 issues—along with personal picks of their most anticipated new titles
The golden fruit
by Elizabeth Eve
The publication of the 100th edition of Atlantic Books Today (ABT) is like the golden fruit plucked from a tree that has had more than 30 years of support from the marvellous community of writers, publishers, booksellers, and librarians in Atlantic Canada. ABT came into being in 1990 when the board of the Atlantic Provinces Book Review Society got the bug to transform their publication into something with robust public appeal. The literary landscape at that time was on fire with creativity and new initiatives. I was immersed in this world and thus thrilled to join that small team, and then take on the role of managing editor.
Our mandate was to promote the writers of the region. We were successful in getting funding for the launch of three issues. We looked to Alan Twigg’s BC Bookworld for inspiration, a new publication focussed on the writing community of the west coast. We compiled feature interviews, reviews, news, announcements, and affordable advertising space into a sixteen-page tabloid. Much to the surprise of some Saturday Globe and Mail readers, ABT appeared as an insert one day in April 1992. We were blessed with free library and magazine distribution channels to help get copies into readers’ hands across the four provinces.
We disrupted the old patterns: where critical book reviews were accompanied by a photo of the book jacket, ABT was about the people who write the books, about their craft, and about literary events. If I were to pick four outstanding writers and books from ABT’s first decade, I would start with Strange Heaven by Lynn Coady, Wayne Johnston’s The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, Sue Goyette’s The True Names of Birds, and Isabelle Knockwood’s Out of the Depths. And they joined
the current where David Adams Richards, Bernice Morgan, Joan Clark, Ray Fraser and the beloved Budge Wilson were already making waves. The list of great writers and their publishers is long, and so many of their works have become integral to the region’s literary canon, including historical writing, children’s books, and illustrators.
Today I look at all this abundance and I admire the way that most publishers in Atlantic Canada are unafraid of contemporary issues, new genres, and controversial topics. Now, Mi'kmaq authors, Black writers and LGBTQ+ creators can
be heard and read. The complexities of 300 years of colonialism, which resulted in depredation of the natural environment, and the tragedy of residential schools—all these are woven into stories told, for children and adults, in fiction and poetry.
This year I have enjoyed Sheila James’ Outcaste (Goose Lane Editions), a story of love and tragedy set in India and Canada. I look forward to Living with Dementia by Darce Fardy (Nimbus), The Untimely Resurrection of John Alexander MacNeil (Roseway Publishing)—the 103rd book by publisher-novelist Lesley Choyce, as well as Andy Tolson’s How to Kidnap a Mermaid (Nimbus Publishing), for a young mermaid I read with from time to time.
Although old books appear to be a lasting link with the unquestioned past, in fact, what I have learned from working in
books all my life is that there is a dynamic flow between writers, publishers, and readers that is nourished by changing values, new language, and a re-examination of history, of public policy, of institutions and power brokers. It’s really a wonderful thing that ABT has played a meaningful role in connecting all the parts in the book chain for so long, responding to this shifting landscape, stretching into the broad horizons of Atlantic Canada and thus bringing books to curious minds.
Elizabeth Eve remained at the helm of the magazine until 2000, when a move out of the country had her searching for a new person or organization to take over.
I remember when, sorta…
by donalee moulton
When you’re asked to take a step back in time—to the time when you were editor of Atlantic Books Today two things happen. You realize how much you’ve forgotten. You realize how much you remember.
I can’t remember where I was interviewed (an office at Formac Publishing maybe, or a coffee shop?) but I remember the contained excitement. ABT was changing hands, moving under the purview of the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association. It was also changing its look, its
style, its size, and, to a certain extent, its focus.
I remember book reviews were a no-no, a way of acknowledging the hard work and the quality of the work of Atlantic writers and publishers without judgment. But this wasn’t to be a collection of puff pieces. It was to be fun, engaging, and drawing readers into the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of creating books from inspiration to the final page turn.
We did a piece, for example, on book covers. Who decides what goes on the cover? What do covers say to readers? What works and what doesn’t? (I seem to remember we may also have done something similar with book titles but I’m not sure.)
There were cookies at all the ABT team meetings. That I remember clearly. There was much discussion about some of the articles, and quick agreement on others. We talked content, future issues, illustrations, distribution, ad sales, accounting, and response. Not all of this was my domain as editor, but it was all part of creating and sustaining Atlantic Books Today, and we all wanted everything done with care and finesse.
Some people loved what we did. I remember because they told us. Some people didn’t. I remember because, well, you get it. A cover of fiddler Ashley MacIsaac (whose new book Fiddling with Disaster: Clearing the Past was just out) drew disapproval from booksellers. It was also our bestselling issue. We ran out of copies.
We were trying new things. Some worked. Some didn’t. But we were encouraged to take risks. We wanted those risks to be reasonable and reflective. What readers wanted was the determining factor. Quarterly readership surveys, numerous chats over coffee (many unexpected), and emails
and phone calls galore gave us the feedback we wanted and needed.
And Atlantic Books Today was reborn in the way that only ABT coud be. What I remember most: everyone involved wanted this to succeed because the work of writers and publishers is simply too important to take for granted.
I'm about to dive into A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue by Dean Jobb
Eyes widened open
by Chris Benjamin
How to distill seven years of editing a magazine into a single memory? To encapsulate the tenor of my time “at the helm” (2015-2022)?
Visualize, as an editor does through the cycle of each issue, especially when it comes time to choose a cover image. The image that stays with me is the cover of Issue 92 (for which we won a gold Atlantic Journalism Award), of spoken-word artist Britta B standing on a podium, hand open beside mouth amplifying her proud voice. “As a mixed-race Black Canadian woman in poetry, having role models that I can identify with and feel represented by is invaluable,” she wrote in that issue.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Britta B embodied the changing faces of Canadian literature. I wrote a piece in the following issue on how the body of work published in the Atlantic region has changed, from focussing only on provincial, Atlantic symbolism (lighthouses, boats, jagged shorelines) to include many more metropolitan, Indigenous, African Canadian, and other voices.
(Algonquin Books), waiting to read We’re Not Rich by Sue Murtagh (Nimbus Publishing), and looking forward to Blood Root by Jessica Hiemstra (Goose Lane Editions).
Editors from the literary and publishing community—often authors themselves, aspiring or published— filed in and out of the doors of the APMA office over the years. In 2015, enters Chris Benjamin.
Then-Executive Director Alex Liot and I created Voices, an online video feature amplifying writers from communities too often overlooked by publishers and readers. These changes are gratifying and good for writers and readers.
I am proud of my 14 issues of Atlantic Books Today and the depth and breadth of issues covered. The focus was always the books. It was never difficult to create good storylines around them, because in this little region we have many small, independent publishers committed to telling all our stories. During the years I worked as editor, the world’s eyes widened a little, ours included.
Before the word “woke” was reclaimed as an insult by right-wing online trolls, I was pleased when a reader tweeted at us, “When did ABT get so woke?” To me, a compliment, because it meant that the literature we were writing about, and thus the stories we told, seriously considered the whole of the human condition in this part of the world, and how to make it better.
That’s what publishing should be like, and in Atlantic Canada, it is. The economics of making the industry work for publishers and especially writers is still a huge challenge. But the intent of those crafting the stories, editing the stories, and marketing the stories is overwhelmingly good (morally and in terms of quality).
It shows in the catalogues of Atlantic Canadian publishers (and in increasing number of innovative small publishers here). I’m excited for new poetry from Douglas Walbourne-Gough (Island from Goose Lane Editions). And a third edition of Making Space for Indigenous Feminism edited by Gina Starblanket (from Fernwood Publishing). And a gorgeous children’s book by Annie Picard, illustrated by Elizabeth Jancewicz, called Kuekuatsheu Creates the World (Running the Goat with Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education). It’s hard not to be excited about my own new collection of linked short stories in suburbia, The Art of Forgiveness (from new kid Galleon Books).
There has never been a richer tapestry available for local book lovers. ■
Photo: Nicola Davison
This much is true: as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a writer.
This partly stemmed from my love of literature from a very young age. I was a shy kid at school. I struggled academically and athletically and I suffered from social anxiety. I was afraid to speak to other children in my class through fear of rejection or worse, so I was never happier than when I was buried in a book. Libraries were my solace from bullies and from the world and to this day, they are the places I am at my happiest. My only good school reports as a child praised my “lively imagination” and the only thing I was comfortable with was writing stories. I longed to tell them verbally, but this was not yet something I could bring myself to do.
I think what enticed me most was the idea of creating something that people might enjoy in a solitary environment. I could create without having to talk to anyone. In later years, I befriended authors who I admired and idolized such as Alan Hollinghirst (author of the Booker-prize winning The Line Of Beauty) and I was utterly fascinated by his process. Unlike, say, Stephen King or Danielle Steel who pride themselves on churning out thousands of words a day, Hollinghurst would describe to me how he would sit for eight hours and labour over getting twenty or thirty words just right. And it shows both in the quality of his work and the irregularity of his output (he tends to publish a book every seven years at most).
So, it is interesting that many years later, it was my career in stand-up comedy that fed me the opportunity to write
Art & commerce 70 years of Goose Lane Editions
James Mullinger shares his experience working with Canada’s oldest independent publisher
my first book. It was in 2019 that I approached Goose Lane Editions with an idea for a photography book.
As an avid reader and the editor of a magazine that occasionally reviewed books, I was of course a huge fan of Goose Lane Editions and knew that they were proudly Canada’s oldest independent book publisher. Many of their books have taken (and continue to take) pride of place on my coffee table (Social Studies by James Wilson, The Lost City: Ian MacEachern’s Photographs of Saint John by John Leroux), so I desperately wanted to work with them. I did not approach any other publishers because I knew Goose Lane were the holy grail.
I also knew that their tomes have been shortlisted for globally renowned prizes, including the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and have won several Governor-General’s awards, Commonwealth prizes (both the Prize for Best First Book and the Prize for Canada and Europe), and more than one Canadian Museums Association Award.
I nervously went in to meet Susanne Alexander, Julie Scriver (who have both been at the helm of Goose Lane for 35 of its 70 years), and their esteemed editor Alan Sheppard at 500 Beaverbrook Court, a traditional red-brick office tower near the heart of downtown Fredericton.
When Susanne suggested that rather than curate a photography book, I should write a book telling my own story, I didn’t see it in myself. It took Susanne and her team to see my potential and convince me of it. It was a dream come true of course, but self-loathing is my default setting, so it was hard for me to accept.
Photo: Tyler Warren Ellis/TWE Productions
As Canada’s oldest independent, privately held publisher, they told me of their public mission and why I should brush away any fears and get to work: “Sharing stories that challenge, startle and enhance our ability to be surprised and inspired.”
They encouraged me to write, and their kindness and belief led me straight to the public library in Quispamsis where I started writing about my difficult childhood, excessive teenage years, a career in London media, and journey to Atlantic Canada. It was, at first, a stream of consciousness in the vein of my hero Virginia Woolf but without any of her genius.
Susanne then paired me up with an editor who I was profoundly excited to realise was also one of my favourite poets, James Langer. Langer was the editor at Breakwater Books in Newfoundland and Labrador for many years but most excitingly for me, he was the author of the collection of poetry Gun Dogs that also sits on proudly on my shelf of favourite books. Langer proved a supremely wise editor and we are now joyfully working together on my second memoir, about my late-in-life ADHD diagnosis.
Goose Lane employs dozens of freelancers and 11 fulland part-time staff and Scriver and Alexander describe the Goose Lane team as “creative, committed, engaged, and innovative. They are all deeply interested and passionate about the enterprise of bringing stories to readers,” Alexander told me.
Setting Goose Lane apart from some of its contemporaries is the closeness of its team. “We value the diversity of strengths and perspectives on our team,” says Scriver. “Everyone brings their own thoughts and experiences when we discuss prospective projects.”
Crucially though, it is their independence. They make the choices. There is nothing political about their decisions, and they don’t filter the ideas through market research or a focus group (the death knell for quality literature). They know what they are doing, and they make the decisions based on quality. Additionally, they know how to promote. I am not a well-known comedian and have only a very small (but
loyal) following. Thanks to Goose Lane and their marketing team (BB and Jeff), my first book became a national bestseller and has just gone into its second print run.
And as such, working with them is an absolute dream for an author.
I have done a lot of fun things in my stand-up career, but nothing compared to the excitement of writing a book, sharing my innermost secrets and insecurities, and then meeting like-minded people who struggle the same way I do. I would never have had the confidence to do this without Goose Lane and that is why their fierce independence is so crucial in the field of literature, not just within the region but across Canada.
In short, Goose Lane Editions has cemented its place in Canadian publishing history. They may be proudly based in Fredericton, New Brunswick (and they do an incredible job showcasing East Coast writers around the world thanks to their incredible reputation and reach), but they are equally vital for writers internationally. A great idea is a great idea, and they are not handcuffed by private investors, politicians, or billionaire owners.
Here’s to another 70 years of independence, victory, celebration, and unhindered creativity. And beyond! ■
New & noteworthy from Goose Lane Editions
Goose Lane publishers Susanne Alexander and Julie Scriver.
Photo: Keith Minchin/submitted
Exploring the rich literary tradition of Atlantic Canada
Inspiring stories behind its many successes
For many Atlantic Canadian authors and publishers, longevity is about finding a niche.
For Donna Morrissey, that niche is showing readers that stories set in Newfoundland aren’t just for Newfoundlanders or Atlantic Canadians.
“I write from the cradle of my culture,” says Morrissey, the author of several adult books including her debut Kit’s Law from 1999 and Rage the Night from 2023. “So, everything comes through that cradle, but I also know that I write of the human condition and the emotional language of my characters, and we all know that emotion is a universal language.”
For Lesley Choyce, the niche has often changed, at least on the writing side. Choyce, author of such titles as The Republic of Nothing, Nova Scotia: Shaped by the Sea, and The Unlikely Redemption of John Alexander MacNeil, has been an author for over 40 years and written fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s titles, and young adult books.
“I had a very good, long run at writing young adult fiction; there was a time when YA lit just exploded,” says Choyce. “If you went way back to the ‘70s and ‘80s, you couldn’t write about difficult topics, or you were afraid to write about sensitive topics, and then it just kind of opened up.”
by Katie Ingram
The same idea applies to his publishing company, Pottersfield Press, which was founded in 1978. The idea grew out of seeing something that others didn’t. Originally, Pottersfield was a name tied to the Pottersfield Portfolio, an annual anthology Choyce published, but also allowed “me to get things going,” he says.
“I was doing small projects, starting out with poetry, and then an anthology of science fiction; I picked the two areas that probably were the hardest to sell, at least from a small regional publisher, and then just kind of built up things from there,” says Choyce.
Choyce isn’t the only long-standing publisher in the region. Errol Sharpe of Fernwood Publishing started his career in sales and marketing at Fernwood Books (later Brunswick Books) in 1978. However, he noticed that many ideas were being ignored.
“In three years, I brought a number of projects (to a publisher) and they didn’t publish many of them,” says Sharpe. “Someone had to, so we started publishing, but we didn’t intend to be a publisher.”
These early books would be scholarly and academic books he felt had an audience, so Fernwood Publishing was
Atlantic Canadian authors and publishers, Donna Morrisey, Errol Sharpe, and Lesley Choyce.
Photo: Nicola Davison
founded in 1991 and now also includes Roseway, its fiction imprint.
“We filled a need,” he says.
Morrissey says she was “lucky” to start publishing when she did as the types of books publishers are looking for can change with trends and expanding audiences.
The publishing sector has ups and downs, says Choyce, in things like reader trends, grant cuts, and other roadblocks. In the 1980s, for example, he says there was more government interest in publishing across the country, so “this small, literary independent press was a good thing for everybody.”
“The shifts have been great and dramatic. There’s only a handful of big publishers in the country, and there’s all the rest of us little guys, still chugging along, but I guess the fact that we’re still standing is saying quite a lot,” he says.
On the author side, Morrissey’s noticed shifts which make publishing much different from when she started. Published first through Penguin and now Penguin Random House, Morrisey finds there’s a loss of community.
“Penguin’s been really good to me, so I appreciate them,” says Morrisey “(But), you used to know the print person, your publicist, your editors, two or three different editors, your story editor, and your line editor. You knew them all. It’s just not so anymore.”
She says this is because of how big publishers are growing, as Penguin absorbed Random House in 2013. This change also has to do with how people communicate.
“It’s online relationships mostly. It was always online, but there would be more frequent trips back and forth to a big city,” she says. “Now Zoom just takes care of all of that, so that old sense of community and feeling that you’re part of a house, a publishing house, I don’t feel that anymore.”
Morrissey says at smaller presses this might be different.
“I would certainly advise anybody to go to your local publisher, go small,” she says. “They’re more accessible and personal, and you can have a lot more control, whereas in a big publishing house now, you just kind of get lost. It’s just so many people you just get lost.”
But even on a small, local level, Sharpe’s noticed similar changes with everything more or less virtual.
“I think the biggest thing from my point of view is that we are cutting out physical contact personal relationships” says Sharpe. “You no longer sit down and talk to people about what they’re working on, what kind of books they have.”
Changes and challenges aside, Choyce says publishers need to be true to themselves.
“I’ve seen other publishers in other parts of Canada that started out small, and their goal was to just get bigger and bigger all the time. Going back to the early 2000s or something like that, a number of those publishers ended up just failing completely, even some of the regional ones go too big,” he says. “It was maybe my father who said, ‘don’t get
too big for your britches,’ so keep going, keep doing what you’re doing.” ■
KATIE INGRAM is a freelance writer, journalism instructor and author of Breaking Disaster: Newspaper Stories of the Halifax Explosion. She lives in Halifax.
Lesley Choyce is looking forward to Jon Tattrie’s Sword and Soul, a biography of Charles R Saunders (McLelland & Stewart).
Donna Morrissey is looking forward to Majorie Simmins’ In Search of Puffins (Pottersfield Press).
Errol Sharpe is looking forward to The Untimely Resurrection of John Alexander MacNeil by Lesley Choyce (Fernwood Publishing).
Breaking paths on the Rock
Q&A with Dr. Margot I. Duley
Extraordinary Passages: TThe Life and Times of Margaret Iris Duley, Newfoundland’s Pathbreaking Novelist is the extraordinary story of Newfoundland’s first internationally renowned novelist interwoven with the history of women’s rights during tumultuous years. Historian Dr. Margot Duley, Margaret’s niece, is a feminist scholar and Dean Emerita at the University of Illinois. Born, raised, and now living in St. John’s, she follows in her aunt’s footsteps, blending erudition and a gift for crafting a riveting story.
Margaret Duley (1894-1968) published four novels which, in her day, enjoyed wide acclaim. She rubbed shoulders with literary stars in London and New York. Drawing on her elite upbringing in St. John’s and knowledge of outport life, her books reflect the complexities of Newfoundland’s colonial society and a commitment to bettering women’s lives from Edwardian times to the province’s joining Confederation.
Margot Duley’s biography provides intimate insights into the shaping of a writer who never let church, empire, and patriarchy dampen her feminist, antiwar spirit or the quest for enlightenment to discern her life’s “pattern.” It underscores the impact of both world wars on the novelist, which, along with deep reading and unusual spiritual pursuits, informed Margaret’s writing as much as these events shaped Newfoundland’s postcolonial identity.
CB: What was it like bringing your aunt to life?
MD: I had a truly wonderful time. As I reread her novels, I’d think, “There she is!” This was especially true in her hilarious social satires and equally in the lyrical and mystical passages in Highway to Valour (1941). Remembering her decline from Parkinson’s dementia was difficult, plus researching World War One through her eyes and realizing how deeply it affected her and the family. But overall, it was an absolute delight to spend time with my aunt. She could be formidable but always entertaining and she always encouraged me. I think it helps that I went into history. If I’d tackled a novel, it would have been a lot to live up to.
CB: Most but not all Margaret’s ideas were ahead of their time. How was it viewing her and other family members critically?
MD: Historians routinely struggle with critical distance especially when it’s the recent past. You can’t judge people by the viewpoints of your own age. I struggled most with Margaret’s mother Tryphena who was a very conservative maternal feminist. Tryphena was harsh on her very achieving daughter. I’d read things she wrote and gasp, but I had
by Carol Bruneau
to enter her Victorian evangelical world and see how it shaped her. Eventually I depicted a clash of generations and tried to present a rounded picture of them both. Margaret’s failings were easier to do. She was quite self-revealing. Novelty on Earth (1943), her novel about adultery, is a wellcrafted, psychologically nuanced confessional.
CB: Why isn’t Margaret’s work better known today, like that of her era’s male writers, including fellow Newfoundlander E.J. Pratt?
MD: She certainly encountered discrimination in her day. If Ellen Elliot at Macmillan, the first woman to hold a senior position in Canadian publishing, hadn’t championed her, I don’t think Margaret would have been published in Canada. However, there’s a continuing problem about how to integrate pre-Confederation Newfoundland into Canadian Studies. Plus, her novels can’t be categorized neatly. Her first, Eyes of the Gull (1936), is a Gothic novel. The second, Cold Pastoral (1939), though set in the 1930s, uses Romantic conventions, while Novelty on Earth is a very modern novel. She also experimented with her writing style. Highway to Valour is at turns hilarious, moving,
mystical, and exquisitely phrased, while Novelty is smart and breezy and reads like a stage script. What is consistent is the quality of her writing, especially her evocative seascapes and her ability to capture the essence of a character in a few telling phrases. I hope some bright academic or editor will come to terms with this. She was a marvelous writer.
CB: She wrote for radio and continued to write short stories well into her illness, but her years of international fame were short. Did refusing to compromise play a part?
MD: After her last novel was rejected, she never fully recovered her creativity, at least in a sustained way. She could still summon up a wonderful turn of phrase in conversation. She tossed the rejected manuscript into the fireplace. Judged from a surviving fragment, the theme was humanity’s spiritual failures in spiraling downwards into another World War. The heroine chooses between a daring-do pilot who had rushed to sign up and a reflective poet. However, winning, not examining human failings, was the overwhelming concern once World War II was on. Macmillan had seen Margaret as a potential successor to Mazo de la Roche and she was aware of these high expectations. The rejection was devastating.
Then her feminism was out of favour in the 1950s, the age of domesticity. Margaret was adrift. She tried to write short stories for the mass market, but she’d lost her spark. She also had to make a living, and the Parkinson’s symptoms got worse. There were many, many pressures on her.
CB: Only Cold Pastoral, reprinted by Breakwater Books in 2014, remains available. Given the success of writers like Michael Crummey and Donna Morrissey, whose recent novels mirror Margaret’s Newfoundland, can we look for renewed interest in hers?
Extraordinary Passages: The Life and Times of Margaret Iris Duley, Newfoundland’s Pathbreaking Novelist
Margot I. Duley
Memorial University Press
MD: There’s always been some interest in Margaret and her writing in Newfoundland, though not, I think, as much as she deserves. Eyes of the Gull was adapted into a play and now there’s a film nibble. Persistence Theatre, a wonderful feminist theatre company, mounted a play about her life based on what was then known. A new generation is finding she has something of relevance to say; she was a forward-thinking woman who dared to be herself and faced life with courage and humour…Highway to Valour [Margaret’s reflection on World War One, framed around Newfoundland’s 1929 tsunami] [is] relevant to our own age of global disfunction. The heroine struggles to find a way forward emotionally and spiritually and every character represents a possible answer or a failure to find one. Margaret suggests an answer that satisfied her at least. It’s a beautifully told tale and a great discussion book. Republishing would depend upon the potential market. I hope this biography will help. ■
CAROL BRUNEAU is the Halifaxbased author of eleven books.
PPrince Edward Island’s beloved Acorn Press is keeping PEI stories alive
This year, Acorn Press is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary in business. It’s an opportune moment to plan for the future, and to look back a few years—to how it all began.
Terrilee Bulger, Acorn Press
Nicola Davison
icture the scene: 2010 and two members of the Atlantic Publishing Marketing Association are sitting beside each other at the same table during APMA’s yearly AGM in Halifax; they had been talking earlier and now, with the meeting in full swing, they’re discreetly communicating by … napkin.
“How much?” says the napkin that Terrilee Bulger, the sales manager at Nimbus Publishing, slides over to Laurie Brinklow, owner of Acorn Press.
Brinklow writes a figure, slides the napkin back to Bulger. Bulger nods. “Okay.”
Not long after, Bulger became the proud owner of Prince Edward Island’s only trade publisher, Acorn Press, founded by Brinklow in 1994.
That’s Dr. Laurie Brinklow, now.
“Yes, that’s right,” laughs Brinklow. “That conversation really happened. I wanted to do a doctorate in island studies and that meant some international travel. So as much as I loved the work, I couldn’t keep on as the publisher at Acorn. I’d put the word out generally, and Terrilee said she was interested. I was delighted. I knew the press would be in good hands.”
An assistant professor at the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), as well as a poet, writer, and editor, Brinklow has long been fascinated by the history and cultures of island life around the world. But career-wise, publishing books came first.
“When I first moved to PEI from Vancouver Island on the West Coast, I worked at Ragweed Press as the managing editor,” says Brinklow. “It eventually went out of
by Marjorie Simmins
business in 1990, but by then I knew that publishing was in my blood.”
The name of the press was a considered choice.
“The red oak is PEI’s provincial tree,” says Brinklow. “And you know—from the tiny acorn grows the mighty oak tree.” Brinklow was also thinking of PEI’s own Milton Acorn, a Governor General award-winning poet.
The early years were financially challenging, but exhilarating, too, she says.
“So many people helped with reading the manuscripts, editing, and design,” says Brinklow. “In general, we were supported not only by the artistic community but by the whole island. It was so exciting to give voice to PEI authors. Stories need to be echoed back to people for them to feel pride and purpose, and a sense of identity. It’s so important to see yourself reflected in literature.”
Born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Terrilee Bulger knew all about the rich history and literary culture of PEI, and how important Acorn Press, the island’s only trade publisher, was to the island’s writers and residents, and readers beyond its borders, too. Acquiring Acorn Press, after working in the book industry since she was fifteen years old, and completing a commerce degree in business, along with accreditation as a chartered account, seemed an obvious choice.
Only two years later, in 2012, Bulger would say yes again, and acquire Nimbus Publishing with business partner, Heather Bryan. Nimbus is now the largest English-language publisher east of Toronto.
Sometimes a deep breath and an affirmative answer can change the course of your life in the most extraordinary ways.
Photo:
“With Acorn, we started with Riptides, a fiction anthology,” says Bulger, “and did that for two years.” The anthologies offered work by island-born writers and newcomers, showcasing stories about out-migration and immigration.
Acorn now publishes 12 books a year in many genres. “I feel we have to do a variety of genres for the readers on the island,” says Bulger. “At Christmas, for example, I’d like people to be able to buy a book on-island for everyone on their shopping list. People love to buy gifts from home, about home.”
Bulger is grateful for the hard work and commitment of Acorn Press staff member Tracy Belsher, who helms the press in Charlottetown, aided by a roster of freelance professionals within the community.
The press’ mandate remains unchanged, says Bulger. “Books by PEI writers about PEI.” On a personal note, she says, “For me it’s more about connection to PEI culture, keeping PEI stories alive.”
Bulger is also determined to keep broadening the diversity of voices the press publishes.
“There are still a lot of doors to open,” she says. “We need more diverse stories, and underrepresented voices.”
Brinklow agrees. “There has been so much change since 1994. The island is much more multi-cultural. There are so many great new writers out there. I applaud what Terrilee is doing.”
“We’ve navigated some stormy waters in recent years,” says Bulger. “From COVID on, the complications were something else. But we made it. It’s so important to get PEI’s stories out to the world. Who knows, maybe one of these years, we’ll even find the new L. M. Montgomery.” ■
MARJORIE SIMMINS is a journalist, author, and teacher who specializes in personal narratives and biographies.
New & Noteworthy from Acorn Press
by Lori Doody
Unbreakable stories
Memoirs built on the strength of resilience and the human spirit
by Meg D. Edwards
Storytelling is a way of preserving the past, but it is also a path for finding yourself and a way to connect with others.
In Ashleigh Matthews’ otherwise grossly unremarkable: a memoir of cancer, Craig Francis Power’s collection of poems Total Party Kill, and Alpha Nkuranga’s Born to Walk: My Journey of Trials and Resilience, the authors open their hearts and tell their personal stories of triumph over adversity.
The three authors fought very different demons. Matthews battled the cancer demon, one that she describes as “spectral and almost seeming to have intention;” Power lives with addiction, a nasty demon that once made his life feel like a “horror movie in which (he) was the star;” and Nkuranga managed to survive a genocide and pursue an education in war-torn Rwanda and then in a refugee camp in Tanzania.
Today Power is eight years sober, Matthews is cancer free and adjusted to living with the effects of the cancer treatments, and Nkuranga is busy working in a woman’s crisis centre in Canada and preparing for her fourth child. Brave, strong, and determined, all three wrote their books in the hope that they could help others.
Ashleigh Matthews started documenting her medical journey for her children when she wasn’t sure she would survive but ended up writing her cancer memoir for other cancer patients and to help what she calls “Cancer Muggles” (people who have never been diagnosed with cancer) to understand the trials and tribulations of cancer care.
Matthews was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer as a young mother in her mid-thirties. Her medical journey is described in detail in a friendly and un-self-pitying tone sprinkled with a small dose of profanity. For example, when a nurse informs her that she will have to have chemotherapy
as part of her treatment, she bravely mutters, “F*ck these shoes.”
Matthews’ cancer memoir describes every diagnosis and all the tough decisions about medical interventions, leaving “nothing behind.” For this reason, Matthews only recommends her book for people who are like her and want to know everything. Matthews even wanted to see the tools used in the biopsy before her procedure, much to the surprise of the medical professionals.
Matthews says that writing up her medical experience “was 100 per cent painful at times,” even driving her “back to my therapist” because of having to re-process her experience.
“But there is nothing better than someone saying, ‘I did this thing that you suggested, and it was exactly what I needed,’” says Matthews. “There is nothing better.”
Alpha Nkuranga is a natural storyteller; her memoir flows along like a deep river pulling you along with thoughtful descriptions and gentle, generous insights. Her story begins with unthinkable violence but that is just the beginning of her trials. Her determination to get an education, against her violent father’s opposition and amidst cruel teachers and fellow students, is impressive.
Nkuranga’s life changed dramatically in1994 when she was about eight years old and preparing to go to school
Alpha Nkuranga, photo courtesy of One for the Wall
in Uganda. After rebels caused a plane crash that killed the President of Rwanda her peaceful life became horrific. Coming from a family that had both Hutus and Tutsi, Nkuranga was stunned to see her home, family, and friends consumed by civil war.
Nkuranga saved herself and her small brother by hiding in a swamp for three days, drinking rainwater, and eating roots. Her wits saved them from death many times and her decision to wear boy’s clothes while living in the massive refugee camp saved her from forced marriage and further violence.
“I would say I am very proud to be a girl, but I am going to try everything possible to protect myself,” says Nkuranga.
Nkuranga put her mind to her studies, getting a university education in Uganda before applying for permanent residence in Canada. When Nkuranga and her husband landed in Moncton, they fell in love with New Brunswick. Now settled in Ontario, Nkuranga misses the East Coast. “I miss being there, I miss the people. People talk! It’s my home in Canada, it is my place.”
Nkuranga kept her story to herself for much of her life but writing it down has lifted that weight and now she “feels peaceful.” She wanted to share her story “for the people who died and their children but especially for the women from back home, because I survived, I can share what happened to us.”
In Craig Francis Power’s Total Party Kill, his fourth book and first book of poetry, Power bravely exposes his struggles at the lowest point in his life. The collection of poems follows his battles with addiction and his journey to sobriety, cradled in the imagery and iconography of a Dungeons and Dragons game.
Power borrowed the titles and storyline of a 1970s D&D adventure that he had once played, that had “cheesy” but enticing ad copy and worked his way through the story line, writing poems that corresponded to his “hellish journey” through rehabilitation.
At the top of each short passage of free verse poetry are descriptions of D&D environments thick with dragon bones, creeping vines, and rusted metal fences in broken cement. But as the lyrical and electric verse draws to the end of each section, the poet’s voice emerges from the fog with real-world glimpses of his everyday struggles, such as his visits to a flourescent-lit basement room for AA meetings or memories of his father.
Light moments shine through the dark imagery when Power describes flowers like “cowslip and creeping moon flower” among the urban detritus, and when he refers to his mother and daughter, who were anchors of safety and love.
Looking back on his life as an alcoholic, Power is dismayed by his behaviour and calls himself a “monster.” Power hopes that his poetry collection, the first book that he has written in sobriety, might give “solace” to others.
The writers who bravely exposed their hearts and guts in these personal memoirs had to re-live their trauma as they sought the words to describe it, but through telling their stories they also found healing and empowerment. ■
MEG D. EDWARDS is a writer living in Baie Verte, NB. She writes plays and poetry, and her personal essays can be read on her blog, Notes from a Sinking Isthmus
ADDITIONAL READING: Resilient poetry
The poems in The Work explore love, loss, and the hope of carrying grief. Simmers reflects on her father’s sudden death, her mother’s descent into dementia, and her sister-in-law’s terminal illness, and of the work of slowly making wholeness out of brokenness.
Island explores the Newfoundland Mi'kmaq experience following the controversial Qalipu First Nation enrollment process. Through narrative poems, it examines lingering fractures and mistrust in communities, tracing identity not through status documentation, but through childhood memories, family, spirituality, and dreams.
A powerful collection of poems that weaves fragments of experience into a cohesive narrative of strength and beauty. Through precise language and vivid imagery, McLean guides readers from trauma and hardship to healing and compassion, crafting a poetic mosaic of resilience, recovery, and joy.
Nature and nurture: the art of place
Four new Atlantic Canadian art books focus on the importance of place and of creativity as a passionate practice full of deep thought and love.
by Elissa Barnard
Four Seasons: The Art of Ed Roche (Flanker Press Limited) is a hardcover book full of high-quality reproductions of Newfoundland artist Ed Roche’s gorgeous, panoramic, coastal paintings of his beloved island during bygone days.
Structured seasonally, this folksy, conversational book reveals Roche’s process and Newfoundland’s history of outport fishing communities as Roche honours past lives and a lost way of life. Veteran journalist Reg Sherren talks to Roche, lets him speak for himself, and poetically describes each season and what it brings.
Roche’s skillful, compositionally powerful paintings, with breathtaking skies from pale beach sunsets to dark blue blizzards, come with brief notes about each place and its history. The book could have used sharper editing in a few spots and a map; however, it will send viewers online to book a trip to Newfoundland.
Boston-based photographer Susan Lapides’ book of colour photos, St. George: ebb and flow / au gré des vagues, is also about love of a place and its people but without a nostalgic lens. Goose Lane Editions and the Beaverbrook
Art Gallery published the small-scale, square book in connection with curator John Leroux’s exhibit of Lapides’ photographs at the Beaverbrook this fall.
Lapides pays tribute to a small fishing community on the Bay of Fundy between Saint John and St. Stephen in New Brunswick. There is little written context for these images but they speak loudly for themselves.
Lapides, who summers with her family every year in St. George, considers the ever-changing community with her unique eye. A celebrated photojournalist with work in the New York Times and Life and People magazines, she goes beyond
Port Rexton, from Four Seasons: The Art of Ed Roche
journalism to find the unusual—an arresting quirk, a mysterious mood, an iconic element—in ordinary scenes.
A beautiful young woman in a salmon factory is a greenhooded Madonna; three adolescent sisters in swimsuits by a beach fire stare with suspicion like a Diane Arbus trio; even a picture of kids at play in a coastal meadow has the slightly sinister, isolated feel of an Edward Hopper painting.
The final compelling image, The Fisherman’s Daughter, 2016, is a barely visible girl as a black silhouette on a boat against a vast, midnight-blue sky.
Of a feather ( Anchorage Press) is an experience in art as viewers pair imagery and poetry to come up with their own thoughts and feelings about birds, nature, and the nature of life.
This elegant volume, the third in a series by Sackville, N.B. photographer Thaddeus Holownia and Nova Scotia poet Harry Thurston, presents Holownia’s beautiful closeups of breast feathers, described by Thurston as “the heart of the bird,” next to a Thurston poem—spare, evocative, intellectual, and imaginative.
A simple, straightforward design allows readers to fill in what’s not there. The whole bird is never shown; the poems are not naturalistic bird descriptions. They are lovely, metaphysical meditations with a few characteristics of each bird. Thurston says his intent is “an intimate address” to each bird to convey “their integrity as individuals and their collective beauty.”
The blue jay breast feather belongs to a dead bird Holownia found on the road and brought to the late Gay Hansen, a Mount Allison University biology lecturer and lab instructor who was passionate about birds. Hansen was Holownia’s partner and a longtime friend of Thurston’s and this book is dedicated to her. The photographs were made with a GFX 100s digital camera using natural light from a window in Hansen’s lab.
Messenger (detail), 2008, Sarah Maloney, Sarah Maloney’s Pleasure Ground (Goose Lane Editions with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Art Windsor-Essex)
striking photographs in close-up and wider installation images, the book defines Maloney’s textile art and bronze sculpture as serious investigations into feminism, the body, society, and culture in particular systems of colonialism, capitalism, and gender difference.
Biographical and analytical, the book is a complete picture of Maloney’s development into a major Canadian artist at the mid-point in her career. Like Ed Roche, Maloney also deals with the land but in resistance to the Group of Seven’s sublime Canadiana. She positions the land within the context of colonialism but always with a sense of humour and sexual awareness.
Sarah Maloney’s Pleasure Ground (Goose Lane Editions, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Art Windsor-Essex) is a large and expansive hard-cover publication fully contextualizing the Maritime-based artist’s work in her nationally touring exhibit Pleasure Ground: A Feminist Take on the Natural World.
Artfully designed by Goose Lane’s Julie Scriver and full of
Sarah Maloney’s Pleasure Ground is edited by Laura J. Ritchie, former MSVU Art Gallery director, with essays by Ritchie; Sarah Quinton, curatorial director emeritus of the Textile Museum of Canada; and Art Gallery of Nova Scotia CEO Sarah Moore Fillmore.
These new books point to the wonderful range within visual art in Atlantic Canada from a love of the land and its history to environmental awareness to intense, intellectual art analysis. They all honour humanity and nature. ■
ELISSA BARNARD is an award-winning freelance arts journalist from Halifax.
A delicious dive into food books
Over the past twenty years, Nova Scotians have been attending—and opening—farmers’ markets in droves. Appetites and ingredients have diversified, as has the make-up of the communities who buy and sell at these markets. What was once a landscape studied with cabbages, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes has expanded into highly seasonal and specific varietals. You want beets? Golden, white, or candy-striped Chioggias? Do you want Napa or Savoy cabbages, instead of classic red or green? But the biggest question asked at farmers’ markets, no matter where you are, is “What do I make with this? And when is the best time?”
This is the question that Elisabeth Bailey is looking to answer with The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook (Nimbus Publishing). Bailey is keen to give Lunenburg Market vendors and visitors ample opportunity to cook at home, with a keen eye towards simple, delicious, and achievable recipe results.
The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook
Elisabeth Bailey Nimbus Publishing
by Simon Thibault
Pumpkin Whoopee Pie from The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook. Photo: Alyssa Valletta
Farmers’ Market cookbooks aren’t a rarity these days, and Bailey knows this. But Bailey is interested in ensuring that people understand the breadth and depth to which people are devoted to the cultivation of markets as a whole. In the book, the Lunenburg Farmers’ Market itself feels like an entity, nourished by vendors and buyers who are interested in supporting local food economies. In the same vein, Bailey understands the somewhat universal nature of what people expect to buy and cook with at markets. “My friends in Florida, Ontario, British Columbia, Mexico, England— they’re all buying and cooking carrots and tomatoes and garlic and spinach, just like I am,” Bailey writes. “We can all make the same recipes and share our love for food and the importance of supporting our local food producers.”
Bailey also notes that in “conversations with farmers, cooks, artisans and other folks at the market, two themes consistently come up: creativity and community.” This is what Bailey and photographer/food stylist Alyssa Valletta want to convey: that creativity in a kitchen, no matter
PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES
FOR THE COOKIES:
» Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
» With an electric beater, thoroughly beat butter and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl, then add pumpkin purée, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat again.
what community it is, is available to us all, in our own ways. The authors also know their audience, as well as how broad said audience may be. The recipes in the book vary from the somewhat expected—muffins and dips, pancakes and pies—to the possibly-new-to-you ingredients such as Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes.
Highlights in the book include recipes for a quick pickle of ginger and radishes, cod cheeks with saffron (bonus points for the ground fenugreek, which will keep diners wondering, “what is that wonderful aroma?”), pumpkin whoopie pies (arguably the only decent reason for pumpkin spice blends outside of the actual pie), Bostock (a sadly less-well-known relative in the “I need to use up this bread” family that is an excuse for all things jam and almonds) and the Blueberry Clafoutis (a delicious French homestyle dessert that is traditionally made with sour cherries) that will wow home diners with its custardy goodness.
» In a second bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until evenly combined.
» Using a soup spoon, drop spoonfuls of batter, spaced two inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Bake until just baked through, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool.
FOR THE FILLING:
» Cream butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy, then add Fluff and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
» Fill whoopie pies by smoothing about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie, flat side also facing in.
» Assembled cookies can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
INGREDIENTS (cookies)
1 cup room temperature butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin purée, either canned or homemade
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
INGREDIENTS (filling)
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
one 213-gram jar marshmallow Fluff
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Hypholoma sublateritium
Oneof the first thing mushroom hunters will tell you when you’re interested in learning more about edible mushrooms is to be cautious and curious. The caution is important, as some mushrooms can be noxious at best, toxic at worst. The curious part of the advice is that you should always be asking questions, finding references in the form of other, more learned individuals. Foraging is always a question of respect and trust—to trust that others will ensure that all who are interested in doing so can do so safely, with the smallest possible imprint upon nature—and our own bodies.
It is with that same spirit that Jeffrey C. Domm opens Edible East Coast Mushrooms, with a caveat-cum-warning of “STOP! Read this before foraging,” as an opening salvo.
And like any beginning—or beginner—Domm wants readers to engage with mushrooms safely and sanely. The book is light in tone—of the less than one hundred pages, only a dozen are text-heavy—but in a knowledgeable way. The book is introductory, a starting guide to the complementing conversations and deeper knowledge that is shared amongst amateur and professional mycologists. Domm understands that we all begin somewhere, and that one can easily get bogged down with too much information. The book is clear in its focus, with seasonal indexes, foraging tips, and a list of “must-have” features to help identify various fungi. A great book for those who are curious, understand the need for caution, and the joys that can come from an abundance of both. ■
SIMON THIBAULT is a journalist, editor, and radio producer who looks at where food and culture intersect, and the stories found within those places.
More cookbooks to devour
Old-Fashioned East Coast Cookies, Cakes, Pies & Sweets: Second edition
Alice Burrick Formac Publishing
The East Coast Christmas Cookbook
Alice Burdick Formac Publishing
Whole Grains
Jess Ross Nimbus Publishing
Edible East Coast Mushrooms: A Guide to Atlantic Canada’s Common Edible Mushrooms
Jeffrey C. Domm with Ben Kendrick Formac Publishing
English-Gaelic Recipes from Pictou County Bradan Press
Illustration by Jeffrey C. Domm
I’m starting to forget a few things now
An excerpt from Living with Dementia: the collected columns of Darce Fardy
Hope blooms. More promising news on Alzheimer’s. As reported in [The Chronicle Herald], after twenty years of studies, a group of researchers in Halifax have made a world-leading breakthrough in early Alzheimer’s detection.
To help in any small way, Dorothea and I continue our volunteer work at a clinic engaged in trying to find a cure for the disease. We are signed up for a four-year study. On our latest visit we were both interviewed separately by the staff of True North. I learned later that Dorothea, in her own session, was asked about our recent activities in and outside the house. Some of that information was used in a subsequent interview with me to determine if I could remember and comment. For example, they were told by Dorothea about a movie we saw recently and how much we both enjoyed it. When they asked me about it later, I remembered seeing the movie but not the name of the movie or the name of the famous English star or even the name of the theatre. But I did remember the movie. So I guess I didn’t strike out. On our way home from the clinic I remembered the answer to all three questions and was tempted to rush back to the clinic to announce: “I got it.”
Usually, from time to time, I like to share how I’m doing. I am certainly forgetting more. I may be asking Dorothea the same question a few times and forgetting the answer in the end. Recently, we went with friends to Peggy’s Cove, where there are cottages and a wonderful restaurant. I had driven there myself before and now I couldn’t remember the way. Later, we drove Dorothea’s visiting brother, Doug, to the Chester/Lunenburg area to sightsee and have lunch. When we got back, I was asked by my daughter where we had gone and I couldn’t grab the names of the towns we drove through.
I’m still doing okay writing my columns, but I can’t type like I used to. I have been at a keyboard since I was a young journalist sixty years ago. Never a “touch typist,” but close. Not anymore, though. Now I’m almost back to the “hunt and peck” way. I have to proofread the column again and again, as does Dorothea. I do remember the spelling of
Nimbus Publishing
words even if I don’t always strike the right keys. I decided to recharge the batteries on my camera in advance of a crowded Easter dinner with the extended family. I have done it dozens of times. This time it was challenging. On the upside, I don’t have to hide my memory problems. Most everyone knows, and my offences are venial. I also put the wrong kind of soap in the dishwasher and soap bubbles began escaping. All of this a few days before a large family Easter dinner. I wouldn’t categorize this as a venial error!
Recently, we were invited to meet the organizers of Hospice Halifax, a first for Nova Scotia. Two large homes will be joined to prepare a place for patients to spend their final days. Briefly, a hospice provides a place to die in comfort and relative privacy, tended to by health professionals. I understand it will be only the second one in the Atlantic Provinces. Patients would have their own room where families could gather around in peace and quiet to say goodbye. Large windows would bring in the sun. I understand it will be one of only two such hospices in Atlantic Canada.
Pets are invited to come with their visiting family. I’m guessing the visiting pets don’t include snakes or squirrels… and the dogs are expected to behave. Dorothea and I were invited to meet the wonderful group of volunteers in one of the two large houses that will form the hospice. And we were interviewed together for our reaction. We were impressed by the energy and passion of the volunteers and the plans they have. (Hospice Halifax has a website.)
As we were driving our grandson David, our youngest grandchild, home from school recently, he asked me what it was like to lose your memory. I’ll try to work out some of the answers in my next column. I suspect frustration will be at the top of the list. It’s a tough disease.
In other columns I spoke of my sister Margaret in a nursing home in St. John’s for the past ten years. She died, mercifully, while I was writing this column. It was a few days before her ninetieth birthday. A gift and card were in the mail. ■
FICTION
Death & Other Inconveniences
Lesley Crewe
9781774712795
$24.95 | paperback
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Michelle Hébert
9781774712740
$22.95 | paperback
NEW FROM Nimbus
CHEERS TO 100 ISSUES OF ABT!
SHORT STORIES
The Majestic Sisters
Jessica Ilse
9781774712719
$24.95 | paperback
The Nowhere Places
Susan LeBlanc
9781774713280
$24.95 | paperback
Threshold
Carol Bruneau
9781774712719
$22.95 | paperback
We’re Not Rich
Sue Murtagh
9781774713402
$22.95 | paperback
LITERARY
Anne of Green Gables & Anne of Avonlea
Lucy Maud Montgomery
9781774712627
$15.95 | paperback
The Blue Castle
NONFICTION
Living with Dementia
Darce Fardy
9781774713365
$24.95 | paperback
Treat Them Where They Lie
Dr. Ron Stewart with Jim Meek
9781774713105
$26.95 | paperback
Searching for Mayflowers
Lori McKay
9781774713303
$23.95 | paperback
Second Degree
Kayla Hounsell
9781774712771
$26.95 | paperback
Lucy Maud Montgomery
9781774712757
$24.95 | paperback
The Old Moon in Her Arms
Lorri Neilsen Glenn
9781774712696
$24.95 | paperback
A Canadian Chaplain in the Great War
Edited by Ross Hebb
9781774713259
$24.95 | paperback
GIFT
Atlantic Ghosts
Bee Stanton
9781774713358
$24.95 | paperback
Nova Scotia Folk
Art
Ray Cronin
9781771088343
$24.95 | paperback
CULINARY
LaHave Bakery
Jane Morrigan and Susan Ivany
9781774712726
$24.95 | paperback
The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook
Elisabeth Bailey
9781774712634
$24.95 | paperback
Rise
Jess Ross
9781774712641
$27.95 | paperback
Mitji – Let’s Eat!
Margaret Augustine and Lauren Beck
9781774712276
$29.95 | paperback
Medicinal Herbs of Western Canada
Brenda Jones
9781774712658
$24.95 | paperback
BABY BOOKS
Seaside Lullaby
Briana Corr Scott
9781774713082
$14.95 | board book
Folk Art Animal
Sounds
Barry Colpitts, Carol McDougall, and Shanda
LaRamee-Jones
9781774713341
$13.95 | board book
KIDS’ NONFICTION
Be a Close-up
Nature Detective
Peggy Kochanoff
9781774713235
$17.95 | paperback
Girl Takes Drastic Step!
Words: Jillian Dobson
Art: Genevieve Simms
9781774712788
$24.95 | hardcover
PICTURE BOOKS
MIDDLE GRADE
She is Hope for Wildlife
Words:Wanda Baxter
Art: Leah Boudreau
9781774713327
$19.95 | paperback
Lobster’s Vacation
Words: Michelle Robinson
Art: Paul G. Hammond
9781774712801
$13.95 | paperback
Wild Trails to the Sea
Words: Penelope Jackson
Art: Elena Skoreyko Wagner
9781774712733
$14.95 | paperback
Snow Day
Words: Lindsay GloadeRaining Bird
Art: Ashley Thimot
9781774713112
$24.95 | hardcover
Old Oak Tree
Words: Hilary Briar
Art: Angela Doak
9781774711996
$13.95 | paperback
The Book Witch, the Wee White Dog, and the Little Free Library
Words: Lana Shupe
Art: Tegan Thomas
9781774713075
$14.95 | paperback
The First Ones on the Ice
Words: Lana Button
Art: Alex MacAskill
9781774713051
$14.95 | paperback
Swan
Sidura Ludwig
9781774713211
$19.95 | paperback
How to Kidnap a Mermaid
Andy Tolson
9781774713099
$14.95 | paperback
YOUNG ADULT
Dear Dad
Laura Best
9781774713389
$14.95 | paperback
Beyond Amelia
Heather Stemp
9781774712702
$16.95 | paperback
Bertie Stewart is Perfectly Imperfect
Melanie Mosher
9781774712764
$13.95 | paperback
The four elements
An excerpt from Sacred Thought: Mi'kmaq Meditations for Our Times by
Elder George Paul
Nothing exists in isolation; everything exists only relative to something else. The four elements remind us of this. In Mi'kmaq, these four elements are called Maqamigew (Earth), Buktew (Fire), Samqwan (Water), and Ukju’sn (Air) and they are more than the sum of their parts. These components are absolutely vital for life to exist and flourish upon Mother Earth, and they exist in all creatures, whether it is plant, animal, bird, or fish.
Physical, mental, spiritual: we see these not only in our everyday activities, but also through the things we do to stay alive, be it our need for sustenance, for breath, to replenish our fluids, and most importantly, to feed the fire within us, which is our life’s electrical energy.
Since the dawn of time, humankind has been developing highly intellectual and sophisticated lifestyles to fit its environments. The way that humankind has realized to harness the energy from the four sacred elements to benefit from the potential of its mighty powers, has been nothing short of miraculous.
Introduction to the Sacred Wheel
With balance comes clarity. Empty the mind, then focus on being in harmony with your soul. The universe and our world within it will continue to exist and do what it naturally does; you have to find that balance within yourself to attain the peace and harmony you need for your own spiritual enlightenment. Apologies in advance for sounding like a guru.
The original medicine wheels, some of which are over five thousand years old, were stone structures built to represent ancient Sacred Wheels. The oldest that we know of was discovered in old Major Ville Cairn, in southern Alberta, Canada. There is evidence of dancing and ceremonies on some of these Sacred Wheel sites.
Depending on what part of Turtle Island you are on, the Sacred Wheel (also known as the Medicine Wheel) brings with it some slight differences in the philosophies, while certain meanings remain similar.
The Medicine Wheel is unique; it does not originally exist anywhere else in the world, nor does it represent races, as some believe in error. The Sacred Wheel of today has been redefined and distorted to suggesting each colour represents a race, yet when the original wheels were built, Native people had no contact with any other races. This inclusive symbolism signifies a spiritual awakening; it is a new era of understanding.
The Sacred Wheel represents the four corners of our land, with the following colours representing seasons as they change direction. The East white quadrant represents morning, spring, and birth. The South yellow quadrant represents midday, summer, and adulthood. The West red quadrant represents evening, fall, and the elder phase of life. The North black quadrant represents night, winter, being a senior, and death.
As Native Aboriginals, it is imperative that we reclaim our culture and what is ancient and sacred within it. For too long, we have adapted our ways to accommodate the ways of others, and we must discontinue this. Others may participate in our sacred ceremonies, but must not try to conduct them on their own, or claim that they have earned the rite. Language is the key to our sacred ceremonies, to communicate with our ancestors, and they respond in the ancient language. Only in this way will our spirituality continue to be respected. Tahoe! ■
ELDER GEORGE PAUL, or Spirit name “Sky Blue Eagle”, was born on Metepenagiag First Nation. Elder Paul is the author of three books: Sacred Thought: Mi’kmaq Meditations for Our Times, The Mi’kmaw Honour Song and My Journey to The Honour Song.
Pownal Street Press
THESE BOOKS WERE REVIEWED FROM ADVANCED GALLEYS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHERS.
John Boileau reviews the solidly researched newest edition to the New Brunswick Military Heritage Series
During the First World War, Canada punched well above its weight in providing men and women to the Allied effort to defeat Germany and Austria-Hungary. When the war began on August 4, 1914, the Canadian armed forces were practically non-existent. The army had only 3,100 full-time soldiers, plus a 64,000-man militia.
The country’s major contribution was the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which raised about 620,000 soldiers and provided the powerful Canadian Corps that grew to four divisions. The Corps quickly gained a reputation as shock troops.
More than 2,800 nursing sisters joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps. They served in Canada, England, France, Belgium, Russia, and around the Mediterranean, bringing care and compassion to soldiers suffering from wounds or illness.
The fledgling Royal Canadian Navy, founded in 1910, had less than 400 sailors and only two vessels capable of open-ocean operations. By the end of the war, it numbered more than 100 small warships and 5,500 sailors. Another 3,000 Canadians served in the Royal Navy.
In the air, it was a different story. Canada had no air force and an attempt to establish the Canadian Aviation Corps quickly ended in failure. The three-man, one-plane force was formed in September 1914 and disbanded the next May, never having been in combat. A two-squadron Canadian Air Force was created in 1918; too late to enter operations.
But about 22,000 Canadians served in the British flying services: the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, amalgamated on April 1, 1918, as the Royal Air Force. By the end of the war, one third of those in uniform in the RAF were Canadians; of the top 20 British aces each with over 30 victories, eight came from Canada.
Historian J. Brent Wilson highlights New Brunswick’s contributions to the air war in Volume 31 of the New Brunswick Military Heritage Series. War Among the Clouds: New Brunswick Airmen in the Great War is Wilson’s third volume in this series. He brings to it solid research and a knack for personalizing the stories of the New Brunswickers who served in the British flying services.
Goose Lane Editions with the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society
Of the nearly 250 who served, 13 were killed or missing in action, three died of wounds, 13 died in accidents, 12 were wounded in action, and 10 became prisoners.
Wilson begins with a chapter-by-chapter chronological approach to his history (recruiting, training, operations on the Western Front, operations on other fronts), followed by a thematic one (casualties, prisoners of war, behind the lines, and the home front). He makes extensive use of the airmen’s own words, from letters, diaries, and other sources, bringing their experiences to life. Photographs of some of the airmen and their aircraft add to the narrative.
Most of the airmen covered were young—in their late teens or early twenties—while ground crew tended to be older. Many had prior militia service, came from prominent families, and were from cities and towns, rather than the country, especially in the earlier stages of the war.
Along the way, we are introduced to some of the great and the good. Among them: K.C. Irving made it to Britain and qualified as a pilot, but too late to get into combat. He later became one of Canada’s most prominent businessmen.
Albert Carter was Canada’s 11th highest scoring ace, with 28 victories, for which he received the Distinguished Service Order and Bar. He became a prisoner of war in May 1918. After the war, Carter died while piloting a captured German fighter, bizarrely at the same location as he made his first flight.
Leonard Richardson flew in No. 74 Squadron with “Mick” Mannock, one of Britain’s greatest aces with 61 victories. Sadly, Mannock, the recipient of the Victoria Cross, three Distinguished Service Orders, and two Military Crosses, was killed in action on July 26, 1918.
A vast amount of research went into writing this book. Wilson has a definite talent for skilfully summarizing his subjects’ pre-war lives, wartime service, and post-war existence. Quite rightly, his emphasis is on their wartime experiences and he has done a masterful job of telling these stories. ■
JOHN BOILEAU’s 15th book, The Lucky and the Lost: The Lives of Titanic’s Children, was published by Nimbus in April.
Bob Mersereau reviews a new collection of music biographies of remarkable songbirds
Charlie Rhindress based his new collection of music biographies, Nova Scotia’s Stars of Song, on the premise that his home province has produced a remarkable number of exceptional women singers over the past few decades. If anyone wants to challenge that, he backs it up in the Preface. The Juno for Top Female Vocalist was won by a woman from Nova Scotia 11 times between 1971 and 1998, thanks to Anne Murray, Rita MacNeil, and Sarah McLachlan. And from 1974 to 1991, the Juno for Country Female Vocalist was won by Nova Scotia women every year but three, by Murray, MacNeil, and Carroll Baker. Clearly the province is pulling above its weight.
While there are plenty of examples of other Atlantic Canadian women who have risen to award-winning and top-selling heights (Patsy Gallant, Lisa LeBlanc, Catherine MacLellan, Rose Cousins, a bunch of Rankins, etc.), Rhindress has chosen to narrow it down to his home province, and six in particular: Murray, MacNeil, Baker, McLachlan, Holly Cole, and Portia White. Simply, he had too much to write about. He started out wanting to include more Nova Scotians but found the stories of these six too rich to pare down.
There has been much written about all six over the years, including by Rhindress, who has already written an acclaimed play about MacNeil and a full biography. What Rhindress does here is connect them all to their home province, and each other. The idea of home is of course a recurring theme for Atlantic Canadians, an emotional tug, but it also serves as a great equalizer. We expect our heroes not to get too high and mighty with success; after all, they are just from the Maritimes or Newfoundland.
While celebrating their successes, Rhindress is mainly interested in knowing them as people, and examining their struggles. It’s a sympathetic look at each. White faced racism and manipulative management in her 1940s vocal career, Murray was the reluctant star who battled to find a sane place in crazy business, and MacNeil escaped abuse, poverty, sexism, and health problems to become a most unlikely star in an image-obsessed world. McLachlan was bullied growing up, Baker stared down country music stereotypes, and Cole was a wild child battling the jazz purists and narrow radio programming.
Michelle
Robinson, photo by Saffron Morriz
Rhindress does his best work with the artists he’s gotten to know best. Rita MacNeil became a friend, after agreeing to cooperate on Rhindress’s play, and he’s able to guide us through the harrowing details of her early life, the tough choices made as she fought for a music career, and how remarkable her success was. Though not bosom buddies with her, Rhindress has better access than most to the global superstar Murray through his role on the board of the Anne Murray Centre in Springhill and lets us know how much living in Nova Scotia again in retirement means to her. He shows a definite fondness for Carroll Baker after meeting her for the book, admiring her humble attitude and family focus. While her music and many hits from the 70s and 80s are largely gone from today’s country music radio, he points out she was Shania before Shania, a pioneer bringing sexy songs and fiery performances to the airwaves. With the others, Rhindress draws together all the interviews and source material out there and concentrates on the Nova Scotia roots. We don’t get to know them quite as well. Both McLachlan and Cole have grown up in a media-savvy time and do interviews when it suits them. But they both have been open about their roots and Rhindress paints a good picture of their upbringing. White, who passed away in 1968, is the least documented of the bunch, and the author wisely sought out remaining family members for interviews and mined the growing body of research of this important but underappreciated trailblazer.
Rhindress is a people person. There’s little critical analysis of the star’s music here, but lots to humanize them. In each case, he shows how their Nova Scotia upbringing helped mould each of them to combat their struggles. There’s also plenty of female empowerment on display. These are strong women who had to fight to be heard. Rhindress has identified traits of Nova Scotia that helped that to happen. ■
BOB MERSEREAU is a music writer and broadcaster from Fredericton, NB. He’s the author of four books, including the best-selling The Top 100 Canadian Albums (Goose Lane), and his most recent, The East Coast Music Book of Fame Top 50 (SSP).
Laying bare the human heart: Renée Hartlieb reviews We Rip the World Apart
HarperCollins Canada
Inthe Author’s Note at the end of We Rip the World Apart, Nova Scotia writer Charlene Carr talks about one of the seeds that grew into her novel. The initial inklings, she says, came from wondering how her family’s story might have been different if they’d had a matriarch to guide their family as they moved from Jamaica, to Toronto, and eventually to the Maritimes.
Although Carr didn’t know her grandmother Violet, who died at a young age, she dedicated the novel to her and also gave the character of the grandmother her name. Violet’s voice is one of three that carry this expansive multigenerational story. The other narrators are her daughter-in-law Evelyn and her granddaughter Kareela, a 24-year-old living in Halifax.
When the story begins, Kareela’s life is getting more complicated by the second. She’s a biracial woman whose father has died and whose white mother lives in rural Nova Scotia. They are not close—in fact, they barely speak—with the daughter feeling resentful of her mother’s cold distance.
Kareela lives with her boyfriend, a young white man who is well-meaning but a bit clueless about race issues. He wants to go to the same Black Lives Matter rallies and events that Kareela is attending, but she finds it awkward to bring along her white boyfriend. She begins grappling with “the politics of race in choosing a partner” and friction in the relationship ensues. The plot thickens when Kareela discovers she is pregnant and is pretty sure she doesn’t want to have the baby.
Carr, who has written 10 previous novels, vividly depicts a post-pandemic Halifax at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. From the first few pages of the novel, the reader is made aware that Kareela’s brother, Anthony, died by police violence. She was a small child at the time, but as she grows into a young woman, she becomes hungry for more information about her brother’s death and experiences pressure to speak out on his behalf and tell their family’s story.
The only problem is she doesn’t know the whole story. This is a book rife with secrets and the shame that secrets cause. Carr does a masterful job of advancing the plot as we move between the alternating perspectives of Kareela, written in first person in 2022, and her mother Evelyn, written in third person at various points in the past.
Through Evelyn’s eyes, we experience the politically charged mass exodus of Jamaicans from their homeland in the1980s. She and her husband escape to Toronto with their young son, only to endure social challenges as a biracial couple, on top of the racist roadblocks that limited her husband’s career potential.
Although they had hoped for a better life, discriminatory police violence is common in the new place they call home. As their son Anthony grows up, he becomes impassioned about anti-Black racism in the police force and begins speaking out and demonstrating, which ultimately leads to his death. After his brutal murder, the family falls apart. Carr shines an unsparing light on the devastation and horror of losing an innocent family member to a racist act with no one ever being held accountable.
It’s this trauma, plus other buried family secrets, that Kareela must face and deal with. The skillful storytelling through the point of view of multiple narrators, all grappling with the realities of the ugly face of racism in Canada, allows the reader to clearly see the secrets and the shame they keep from each other. “Another yell erupts, shattering through me—for how broken we all became. My father. My mother. Me. So broken and lost in our pain, our grief, our history, that we lost each other—the one thing that may have saved us.”
We Rip the World Apart is a passionate, well-rendered exploration of intergenerational trauma within families; the kind that when left unexamined or unacknowledged tragically gets passed to the next generation.
But Carr doesn’t leave it at that. She also unpacks and examines the healing that is possible when truth is not only sought after but spoken aloud. And when family members dare to be vulnerable and reveal themselves. She doesn’t give us tidy answers, but she certainly lays bare the human heart. ■
RENEE HARTLIEB is an author, writer, and writing mentor based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her greatest passion is to help others connect with themselves and bring their creative dreams to life. Her book, Writing Your Way: A 40-day Path of Self-Discovery brings that wisdom to the page
Sharon
Bala reviews a captivating and all-consuming collection of linked stories set in a drug-riddled
Newfoundland outport
Bay Mal Verde is down, if not quite out. Once a place of consequence, the town’s expectations have dwindled and now she languishes, Miss Havisham-like, “left with a cathedral that sat on her hand like the engagement ring from a called off wedding. Expensive to insure with little re-sale value.”
That’s an amuse-bouche from the opening story in Susie Taylor’s linked collection, Vigil, which follows the denizens of a fictional rural community where family trees entwine and opioids are as endemic as gossip.
This is a polyphonic narrative, with a large cast, all of whom have main character energy. There’s Gary Coombes who runs the Ultramar; his employee Brenda; her son Carter; plus Stevie Loder, who’s gone missing; Kev Babcock, who might know something about that; Stevie’s mother Arlene; Joseph Finn, whose waste disposal company is a drug front; and his sister Carly, who will pull a pocketknife on a mouthy teenager, just you try her.
The reader may be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed, especially in the early stories where dozens of characters are swiftly introduced, many only fleetingly, sometimes in a single, breathless paragraph. (I haven’t even mentioned Susie. She’s a Come-From-Away queer artist who may or may not be the author’s fictional avatar.) But a little persistence pays off and as the book unfolds, Taylor cunningly reveals how these myriad townsfolk are tangled together.
Vigil reads like a novel, its form reminiscent of Brandon Taylor’s The Late Americans, Jamaluddin Aram’s Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on a Wednesday, and George Eliot’s Middlemarch. Like Eliot, Taylor excels at character. The whodunnit of what happened to Stevie is compelling, yes. But it’s the denizens of Bay Mal Verde who make this book a page-turner.
My favourite is easily Kev, the resident tough, with a rap sheet, face tattoos, and a gun in the glove compartment. Kev isn’t just sweet to his mom and kind to dogs—two traits that, on their own, would have been facile—he’s also hilariously superstitious and surprisingly house-proud. He’s scrupulous about social distancing during lockdown (endearing) and he tries to seduce a 15-year-old
(repugnant). Taylor’s characters are all like this: complicated and real. It’s a testament to her skill that they don’t jockey for space. Instead, she knits their individual narratives into a captivating tapestry.
Readers would be wise to read the stories in order because this is a curated collection with small moments that pay off later. On page 20, Kev and Susie lock eyes over an alarming vision. A hundred and fifty pages later, this wordless connection comes full circle during an unexpected encounter.
As children, Justin and Kev jockey for a ball with a “combination of intimidation and brute force.” One hundred pages and a couple of decades later, the acrimony between these two alphas turns deadly when they tussle over a dog.
In Vigil, death is as mundane as opioids. The sale of the latter is tacitly deemed an essential service during the pandemic and we watch everyone in town, from the veterinarian to the school librarian, getting their fix. Taylor isn’t interested in sensationalizing or moralizing. Thank goodness.
Neither is she interested in a hackneyed cops-and-robbers tale and smartly keeps the police on the margins, unnamed and mostly ignored by the characters, in a way that feels faithful to life.
And although there is addiction, murder, and a torn garbage bag that smears a character’s thumb with the fetid contents of a used diaper, Vigil isn’t bleak. Taylor mines the comedy from the pathos, striking a middle-ground with aplomb. An example: Stevie, perpetually scrawny and ridiculed, a pervy sexpest in life, becomes sanctified in death. The town’s residents—most of whom couldn’t stand the guy—take up a collection to fund a gravestone with the etching of an ATV that’s far nicer than anything he’d owned.
Vigil is such a compulsive read, you’ll be tempted to finish it, as I did, in a single sitting. Fortunately, you can gobble your book and savour it too; this is one of those collections that rewards repeat reading. ■
SHARON BALA is the author of The Boat People.
Naomi MacKinnon reviews a masterful blend of setting and character in moving debut novel
The Nowhere Places is a story of family and community, set in 1979 North End Halifax. At the heart of the novel are June and Lulu, a middle-aged woman and a teenaged girl, leading parallel lives in the same neighbourhood.
June Green, an unwed mother of 28-year-old Gerald, has been living with a secret for almost 30 years and may finally be ready to face it and move on. Lulu pays close attention to the women around her and reflects on their circumstances while holding onto secrets of her own.
Susan LeBlanc’s debut novel is an effortless read, shifting seamlessly between all the moving parts of the story while building up intricate layers of place, identity, injustice, and longing. LeBlanc explores the strong sense of community in the North End at the same time as the instability and hardship often felt there. Women’s stories are the focus of this book and while June has been living with the shame of being an unwed mother for thirty years, Lulu is just beginning to see how unkind and unjust the world can be
for women: “‘Sexual revolution and all that crap […] Women still get screwed, in the end.’” Readers root for June and Lulu as they work to overcome the odds stacked against them. Despite the heavy topics contained within its pages, the author’s light touch and the small moments of joy prevent the reader from feeling weighed down.
Written with compassion for both setting and characters, LeBlanc has created a moving and memorable reading experience; it’s clear that the author put her heart into every word. I will happily read whatever Susan LeBlanc writes next. ■
NAOMI MacKINNON lives in Nova Scotia where she blogs about books at Consumed by Ink.
E.R. Zarevich reviews a satisfying, cozy mystery novel
Author Emily Hepditch has the speed and the setting of a mystery novel mastered: quick, sharp, and with few fanciful thrills crowding the ensemble. In the true fashion of the genre, the characters of her new novel Murder at Painted Place are introduced without fuss and immediately shuffled onto a boat to be escorted to a cramped, claustrophobic, and inescapable island where suspicion and tension will keep them guarded under one another’s watchful eyes. They’re all after an inheritance, and they will all be entwined in the forthcoming drama. It’s Agatha Christie, minus the all-knowing detective. There are only suspects to drive each other slowly to madness.
The pace doesn’t mean, however, that Hepditch skimps on character study. Using the skills of a painter, Hepditch is able to present characters easy to conjure up in a reader’s imagination. With a few short but on-point descriptions, she is able to establish the presence of a full person and their place in the storyline without tedium or implying special favouritism. Observe how Hepditch introduces the shady housekeeper, who carries around the resentments of a dark past:
“My name is Lucy. I am the head housekeeper here and will be one of your hosts for this evening.”
Despite the tight smile fixed on her face, Lucy’s tone, like the angry house behind her, was unwelcoming. Her words sounded so rehearsed, so disingenuous, that despite their polite form it felt as though her hospitality came at some great personal expense.
Murder at Painted Place does not necessarily break any of the boundaries of the mystery genre but abides to them safely enough to offer a story that will satisfy a reasoned mystery novel reader’s craving for a cozy, comfortable, familiar book to read by the fire in the winter months. ■
E.R. ZAREVICH is a writer from Burlington, Ontario. Her literary criticism has appeared in The Monitor, Herizons, and Shrapnel Magazine, among others.
Vagrant Press
Flanker Press
Kathy Mac reviews a new and revised edition of award-winning fiction from Lesley Choyce
In every story from the mythical Penchant communities on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, where most of The Second Season of Jonas MacPherson takes place, life wrestles death to the very brink of defeat.
The matchups include a heroic effort to save a beached whale. Kelly, an itinerant art college student, abets Jonas in the rescue and afterward sketches him naked in his kitchen, “all skin and bone, pale as milk but for a sunburnt face and two arms red as lobster claws from too many hours at sea in a dory trying to haul some fool whale back into the deep.”
The local visionary Nora drops by just then, but it’s no big deal because “she was so used to seeing any number of strange things that were possibly real or fanciful and this fit somewhere in between, so she just accepted as she had learned to accept all things.”
Readers would do well to emulate Nora; a strong current of magic realism runs along the Penchant coast, which will take you to places both gritty and wonderful if you let it.
A lot of the delight the book provides rests in the varied characters inhabiting Jonas’s life, including the “pugilistic sea which has been waiting for the fight since it first cooled its belligerent youth in the boiling adolescence of the planet.”
But the real adversary of 69-year-old Jonas is time. He does not accept its linear insistence that life ends in defeat to death. Instead, he narrates a memoir in which events separated by decades swirl about each other like sand grains in the tide. Jonas knows that the past persists within each of us, and the worst losses—a beloved spouse, a barely remembered parent—can be transformed to present joy through compassionate acts of remembering. ■
KATHY MAC is an award-winning poet, adjudicator, and workshop leader.
Clarissa Hurley reviews a depiction of grief that explores the relationship between the living and the dead in original, provocative ways
Author of five award-winning-and-nominated books, Fawn Parker was recently appointed poet laureate of Fredericton, where she currently resides, chasing a Creative Writing PhD at UNB. Her fourth novel, Hi, It’s Me, follows close on the heels of her 2023 poetry collection, Soft Inheritance. Both works mine the recent loss of her mother to breast cancer.
Hi, It’s Me is structured in 18 chapters which correspond with the hours between 8am and midnight. Each has a Latin title, lending a ceremonial gravitas that contrasts with the propulsive energy of the story. Narrator Fawn arrives at the farmhouse her mother had shared with four other women, a second-wave feminist collective of soap-making man-shunners. Having come to deal with the usual estate detritus, Fawn finds herself excavating and reconstructing her mother’s life, seeing vestiges of her in everything. “At times we melded to the point that I couldn’t tell you where she ended and I began. And so when she did end, you see what the problem is.” Fawn is obsessively self-critical, anxious, and at war with her own body, its all-too-material
desires. Sex and food are always on her mind, compelling and revolting her. On the grounds of the farmhouse, she meets an attractive PhD student with whom she engages in encounters that feel at once tender, voracious, and tormented.
Writer Fawn frequently uses footnotes and segues into long, multi-page run-on sentences. The digressions mirror the teeming, repressed chaos of her narrator’s mind and emotions, the altered state of acute grief. Later sections become increasingly non-realist, approaching a Joycean stream of consciousness. Parker is a strikingly original writer who combines the unflinching candour of Jowita Bydlowska, and the philosophical depths of Sheila Heti. Hers is a unique voice, wise, vulnerable, and unsettling in a most compelling way. ■
CLARISSA HURLEY is the founding co-editor of the new literary journal, Camel
Pottersfield Press
McClelland & Stewart
Emilia Morgan reviews an artfully curated collection of speculative short fiction that contends with the reality of unquantifiable loss
Collected in the pages of Thyme Travellers is an array of stories so varied and disparate, yet expertly linked in their collective imagination. This collection of speculative short fiction brings together authors from the global Palestinian diaspora to engage in an extraordinary act of world building through storytelling and reimagining pasts and futures that have been erased, denied, and suppressed.
The stories are exemplary of the Palestinian experience—at once bleak and hopeful, joyful and tragic, and all affirming the same truth: we were here, we are still here, and we imagine a future where we remain. In “A Table Set for Two,” it is the year 2048, and a scientist who is tasked with observing the past has the opportunity to change it. In “The Generation Chip,” three grandchildren inherit Teta Hind’s memories and dreams of a place both familiar and alien, present and absent, real and imagined. Here, editor Sonia Suleiman has artfully curated a collection that highlights the conflicting desires that arise from exile, and yet the glimmering hope of return
permeates through stories that examine spiritual, cultural, linguistic, and material exile.
These stories contend with the reality of unquantifiable loss by bursting outwards and forwards into imagined futures and surreal folklores that ripple beyond the present and speak to the potential of imagination as a liberatory practice. And what better genre than speculative fiction to act as a vehicle for the things we wish so much to say, but cannot find the words to express? With the continued profound loss felt by Palestinians everywhere, this collection serves as a salve for the wounded psyche—a glimmer of hope in the minds of Palestinian writers, and perhaps a catalyst for those who have yet to find their voice. ■
EMILIA MORGAN is a Palestinian literary editor, writer, and co-founder of Coven Editions small press.
Andre Fenton reviews a lyrical poetry collection from an icon of contemporary Labrador culture
JamieJackman’s debut collection opens with a passage about his inspiration, telling readers that this book began as an exercise to see if his lyrics could stand without piano, drums, bass, or vocals, and if his poems could flow into songs. He succeeds in showcasing his vibrant storytelling. But these poems do more than tell a story; they bring us into moments with layers and underlying messages, like the beginning of Storms:
“If I don’t see you in my dreams tonight, I’ll see you in the morning with a cup of tea and the radio telling sailors to take warning”
This excerpt, transitioning into a song about the hardships of navigating romance, is one of many stanzas that create a more intimate setting often missed in music, offering a sincere look into Jackman’s mind. The lead singer of Silver Wolf Band provides nuances that encourage reflection on our own connections, both in relationships and community.
I felt moved by the structure of Estuary, a strong opening leading to a catchy and soulful chorus.
“Don’t you forget that you were born before the storm came crashing through the thickets.
Don’t you forget that you were born before the rain started coming down in buckets.......
.....This is not a bay, no, this is an estuary. You said, “It’s not a bay, no, no, no, no, it’s more of an estuary.”
This was an intriguing read, and a treat to jump into the creative process of a talented songwriter and poet like Jackman. Recommended to anyone who is searching for versatility and lyrical inspiration. ■
ANDRE FENTON is an award-winning African Nova Scotian author, spoken-word artist, screenwriter, and arts educator.
Roseway Publishing
Brack and Brine
David Howlett reviews a quirky collection of comic strips that portray small town weirdness
Everyone coped with their time during the COVID19 lockdown differently. Some people busied themselves with learning how to bake bread, while others began writing and performing sea shanties on TikTok. Cartoonist Brandon Hicks, newly transplanted to the town of Saint Stephen, New Brunswick, at the height of the pandemic, spent his lockdown chronicling the strange behaviour of his new neighbours—human and otherwise—in a series of short comic strips that have been collected by Conundrum Press under the title On The Border.
What emerges from Hicks’ observations of a small town on the Canada/United States border is a portrait of a population that is, at times, cheerfully quirky, while at others seems to be verging on madness. Some of the episodes recounted here are charming and folksy, like the strange “Hands Across The Border” event where residents on each side are encouraged to meet and shake hands.
Others are mysterious and occasionally surreal: an abandoned house is vandalized in the night and the headstone of a 15-year-old boy is left on the lawn. Another house hosts
a giant, unexplained cannon in its front yard, aimed directly at the tennis court across the street.
The tedium of lockdown sees Hicks, his spouse, and their neighbours becoming obsessed with otherwise banal occurrences.
Hicks contemplates the possible contents of a stack of photo albums left on the curb (by the time he’s decided to investigate, they have vanished), while the entire town becomes enthralled with a nest full of duck eggs until some unknown party makes off with them in the night.
Taken together, the individual vignettes that Hicks recreates in On The Border form an indelible portrait of smalltown weirdness, where the mundane and the strange can often be found on the same stretch of street. ■
DAVE HOWLETT manages the Halifax location of Strange Adventures Comix & Curiosities and is the writer/artist behind such comics as The Makers, Scenester, and Slam-a-Rama.
Mathias Rodorff reviews a well-researched history
of aviation in Newfoundland and Labrador
Thehistory of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
Station Torbay, which is now the St. John’s International Airport, located south of the town of Torbay, could be summarized with the statement that this station was built in 1941 to protect the English colony of Newfoundland and Labrador from any German attacks during the Second World War. As stated in the title, the authors follow a chronological approach showing the war era and the post-war commercial era of this airport. However, the value of this book lies in the chapters presenting the rather unknown historical events of RCAF Torbay: a detailed analysis of the incidents, accidents and the crash sites.
As an aviation archaeologist and expert in Newfoundland and Labrador’s aviation history, Dr. Lisa Daly, who holds a PhD in Aviation Archaeology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, has already published a list of notable academic publications on aviation, aircraft crash sites, and airport infrastructures in Newfoundland during the Second World War and the Cold War. Co-author Nelson John Sherren, a decorated member of the Canadian Armed Forces,
who passed away on 29 April 2019, provided the manuscript.
The nineteen chapters are divided into three parts: summarizing the history of the RCAF Station Torbay (pages 24-60), focusing on the aviation archeology (pages 61-129), and finally the legacy of Gull Pond (pages 130-198). Their Sturdy Pride contains not only a rich collection of 63 images and 19 tables, but also some personal accounts of Dr. Lisa Daly’s own military family history. This book is an invaluable addition to any reader who wants to learn more about both the military and commercial aviation of the RCAF Station Torbay and the mysterious crashes of heavy bombers and commercial planes, and who wants to dive into detailed archaeological studies of the crash sites. ■
MATHIAS RODORFF is the research manager of the Gorsebrook Research Institute at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, and the editor of the Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society Engen Books
Conundrum Press
Ryan Van Horne reviews riveting non-fiction about a boy who survived abuse at a reform school in Newfoundland
Invisible Prisons is a tragic and heroic tale about Jack Whalen, who was taken from a loving home after brushes with the law.
Sent to Whitbourne Training School to “learn a trade” and get straightened out, guards there abused Whalen and put him in solitary confinement repeatedly, once for the inhumane period of four months.
Whalen escaped 24 times—mostly to get away from the horror—but on one occasion, it was after learning his two little brothers were sent to Mount Cashel. A passage describes him storming into the infamous orphanage to rescue his brothers from the perversion therein.
Initially sent for a “few months,” Whalen stayed at Whitbourne for four years because of vindictiveness. He didn’t learn a trade or get any education.
Co-authors Lisa Moore and Whalen had vastly different upbringings in St. John’s, N.L. Still, they share an important trait: “the belief in the power of telling a true story.” That forged their partnership to write this book and expose stories
of injustice buried over the years. As “Whalen is hauling them up,” the irony of a boy once deemed incorrigible now fighting to expose systemic rot is a delicious twist.
Moore and Whalen call out powerful people for “wilful blindness” and a society that knew and did nothing. Those with morals should be haunted by how they allowed it all to happen, they write.
Moore’s clear prose is made more savoury with a dash of Newfoundlandese that evokes the smell of Jiggs dinner. Despite touching on childhood trauma, there’s a comforting way Whalen’s saga is shared; it’s as though they’ve put on a pot of tea and invited you into their kitchen.
This is a heart-wrenching and heartwarming yarn you won’t put down if you have time to read it in one go. ■
VAN HORNE is a journalist who lives in Halifax.
Hillary Titley reviews an author’s quest to unravel the 140-year-old mystery of a complicated family legacy
Lori
McKay captures what she can of her family history in Searching for Mayflowers: The True Story of Canada’s First Quintuplets. In 1880 in Little Egypt, Nova Scotia, five infants were born to Maria Murray, with Elizabeth Murray, a neighbour and relative to Maria, and McKay’s great-great grandmother, serving as midwife. The babies were likely premature and tragically all died within a matter of hours and days.
From this strand of family lore, McKay crafts a book that, in her words, works as “preservation” of this story, the people that lived it, and the generations that held on to it. McKay’s research is a catalyst for connection with family, friends, and community contacts though the results are bittersweet, with McKay acknowledging that without the pretext of her book, she might not otherwise have reached out, and her interview subjects often not having much information about the quintuplets to add. McKay’s full transparency about how little remains (from memory, records, or gravesites) today about the quints is welcome, but is rendered into a bothersome reading experience with a repetitive cycle of prospects for
new information arising and swiftly dashed.
“If only I started writing this story a decade or so earlier,” she laments when some suggested contacts are all, by this time, deceased.
In contrast to this frustration are gripping sequences where McKay is able to summon what she does know and conjure vivid renderings of moments in the brief life of the quints, including an evocative farmhouse scene where the babies are photographed together (four are dead, one is still alive) and preserved in images reprinted in Mayflowers
This deep capacity to convey the past via realized scenarios is McKay’s most successful act of preservation, though it would not have been possible without the relentless footwork she documents. ■
HILLARY TITLEY makes her life in Dartmouth, NS, with a spouse and two cats in tow.
RYAN
Knopf Canada
Nimbus Publishing
Marjorie Simmins reviews a charming collection of essays and illustrations depicting PEI’s North Shore
Early in 2020, Barbara Palmer Rousseau was ready for change. An artist, writer, and nature lover, Ontarioraised Rousseau hungered for a sense of belonging since childhood. Rousseau and her family had visited Prince Edward Island in the past, but this time, children grown, she and her husband were moving there to live full-time at their cottage on the North Shore of PEI. A software designer for 30 years, Rousseau planned to continue her course work at the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI. As the COVID epidemic settled in she realized, with relief, that they were in a safe place to ride it out.
If Rousseau had known that only four years later, she’d be enrolled in graduate studies at the institute and the author of a resonant collection of essays on making space and place a priority in life, she might have left the city lights sooner.
Finding Home at the Harbour, published by Island Studies Press, UPEI’s press, is Rousseau’s first book. It’s a charmer, stories and images alike. Rousseau has illustrated the book with images of her new heart’s home, Prince Edward Island,
and more particularly, St. Peters Harbour on the northeast shore. The artwork is appealing and varied, in the styles of a naturalist, a landscape artist, and a playful illustrator.
Chair of UPEI’s Institute of Island Studies, Laurie Brinklow, says, “Barbara’s eye for detail captures the Island’s North Shore in all its seasons and moods. She paints a dramatic picture of how the ocean shapes the land and its people in ways that Islanders and visitors alike will recognize and cherish.”
The nine essays cover island history, flora and fauna, beach studies, the environment, the effects of climate change and hurricanes, and more. Each story makes it clear that Rousseau belongs to the Island now, and the Island belongs to her. ■
MARJORIE SIMMINS is a journalist, author, and teacher who specializes in personal narratives and biographies.
Susan Bernard reviews a short story collection of moments that make up the beauty of the storyteller’s everyday life
Storytelling is a gift that brings the spirits of our loved ones back to this physical space for brief periods. They are honored in our retellings of everyday memories filled with their idiosyncrasies. These memories are the ones that slip through the mind over time. The collection of these moments connects our life together and makes them unique.
In My Mi'kmaw Mother, author Julie Pellissier-Lush shares the beauty in the everyday moments that make up her life. The reader learns about Julie’s life as if they are growing up with her. Memories are filled with laughter, gentle innocence, and grief. These moments are alongside her family and childhood friends. Her collection of stories is imbedded with imagery of red sandy beaches, campfires, and childhood mischief.
Throughout the book, she gently reminds the reader of human mortality. Julie’s mom passed at age 24 due to a fast, unexpected terminal illness. This collection follows Julie’s healing process throughout various stages of her life.
She shares heart-wrenching stories as she grows up and begins to understand what that loss means. Expressing grief as a young girl she describes how it feels to lose someone dear to you.
Acorn Press
In addition to the mournful moments of navigating complex emotions for the first time, Julie brings the reader along in her joyful experiences as well, reminding the reader of their own childhood of adventures, humour, and curiosity: riding a bike for the first time, catching frogs in the pond, and the mischief stemming from curiosity.
This book reminds readers the importance of remembering and sharing stories of our relatives, keeping the memories of family members alive, and memorizing their idiosyncrasies. Retelling the everyday moments of loved ones who have left this word means they live on in our hearts and for future generations. ■
SUSAN BERNARD is a Mi'kmaw storyteller and aspiring writer from Membertou, Unama’ki.
Island Studies Press
E DITOR’S PICKS
Atlantic Canadian books that are generating buzz
Fiction
Epic Tales
Outcaste
Sheila James
Goose Lane Editions
A sweeping, intricate story that spans five decades, four generations, and two continents. Outcaste shines with emotional intensity and vivid energy, revisiting a pivotal era in India’s history while giving everyday lives remarkable depth. It offers insight into contemporary India, the diaspora, and Queer identity.
A Secret Close to Home
Ida Linehan Young Flanker Press
Jimmy Bailor is stranded with limited supplies on the North Atlantic coast, finding refuge with Flory White and her family, isolated after their men are jailed for murder. As they endure the harsh winter, Jimmy’s past unravels, forcing him to confront betrayal, family secrets, and a dangerous killer. A novel inspired by true events.
Oil People
David Hubert
McClelland & Stewart
Hubert’s debut novel intertwines two narratives across generations. In 1987, 13-year-old Jade Armbruster navigates family tensions over their oil farm while grappling with personal rivalries and her ancestral mysteries. In 1862, her ancestor Clyde strikes oil, gaining wealth but facing dark, life-altering consequences. The
novel explores family secrets, and the toxic allure of oil, revealing a landscape marked by beauty and destruction.
The Diapause
Andrew Forbes
Invisible Publishing
Ten-year-old Gabriel and his parents retreat to his late grandfather’s cabin to wait out a pandemic, enjoying a seemingly carefree summer. As family tensions rise, the experience shapes Gabriel’s life over the next fifty years as he unravels the consequences. This speculative fiction explores isolation, climate change, and the complexities of familial relationships.
Mystery / Thriller / Crime False Bodies
J.R. McConvey
Breakwater Books
Follow monster hunter
Eddie “The Yeti” Gesner to Newfoundland where he investigates a mysterious mass death on an oil rig, rumoured to be caused by a kraken. As Eddie uncovers a world of squid cults, corporate greed, and ancient sea creatures, he must confront an undersea force that threatens his very sanity.
Friends and Consequences
DJ Watt
Somewhat Grumpy Press
of the case, the story also reflects on high school friendships, first loves, and teenage life in the 1970s.
Ken’s Corner
Kate Mac Acorn Press
Neilly Reid is caught in a web of small-town corruption, working in a crooked public works department and falling for Jesse Root, a mob bagman running for political office. As her loyalty is tested and she’s pursued by an ambitious cop, Neilly devises a daring plan to protect what matters most.
The Romanian Cleaning Lady
Zev Bagel
Merlin Star Press
Lizzy Bright, a newly minted private investigator, stumbles into a dangerous case involving prostitution and human smuggling. In over her head, she gets help from retired Detective Inspector William Breasy, who has mysterious ties to her vanished father. Set in Canterbury, England, this is the first title for the Bright & Breasy mystery series.
Third Wife of Faraday House
B.R. Meyers
HarperCollins
A coming-of-age thriller set in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in 1973.
Fifteen-year-old Donnie witnesses a murder, pulling him and his friends into a dangerous situation. As they navigate the excitement and fear
Emeline Fitzpatrick, eager to escape her restrictive life in 1816 Halifax, sets her sights on a British Navy lieutenant, but a scandal leaves her with one suitor: the wealthy, enigmatic Captain Graves. At his eerie seaside manor, she uncovers dark
secrets, including a ghostly presence, and must rely on her wits and unexpected allies to survive.
Counted Among the Dead
Anne Emery
ECW Press
Anne Emery is back with another CollinsBurke team-up. This time, a play about the 1917 Halifax Explosion sparks threats against Father Brennan Burke’s choir school. When a young woman is murdered and a hockey player becomes the prime suspect, lawyer Monty Collins investigates. Joined by his daughter and Father Burke, they uncover links between the murder and century-old secrets.
The Treasure Hunters Club
Tom Ryan
Simon & Schuster
Three strangers—Peter, Dandy, and Cass—converge on a seaside town famed for its lost pirate treasure. Peter is drawn back to his estranged family’s mansion; Dandy seeks to solve her grandfather’s lifelong mystery; and Cass uncovers the perfect story for her novel. Together, they unravel century-old secrets—and face new dangers.
Short Stories
The Art of Forgiveness
Chris Benjamin
Galleon Books
This coming-of-age collection of eight linked short stories follows three boys growing up in the Halifax suburbs, frustrated with their parents and unaware of their own inherited flaws. Together, they navigate bullying, racism, domestic abuse, first love, and family loss. Despite their struggles, the boys draw strength from each other, offering hope for personal growth and resilience.
Non-fiction
My Ancestors Live Here
Ellen Hunt
Formac Publishing
This memoir tells the story of Mi'kmaw Elder Ellen Hunt’s twenty-year mission to protect sacred Mi'kmaw burial sites in Nova Scotia. Driven by ancestral guidance, Hunt recounts her activism, the historical significance of these sites, and the challenges she has faced from indifferent officials and resistant locals.
Berries of Labrador
Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Valerie Powell Memorial University Press
This field guide blends storytelling with science, celebrating over 40 berry species and their diverse uses from food to medicine. Featuring Valerie Powell’s stunning watercolour illustrations and personal anecdotes from community members, it highlights the cultural, historical, and ecological importance of Labrador’s berries.
Memoir
A Rogues Tale
Lenore Zann
Pottersfield Press
Lenore Zann shares her journey through the highs and lows of show business, grappling with drugs, alcohol, and a spiritual awakening that redefines her purpose. Her inspiring story will resonate with readers of all ages, offering a fresh perspective on navigating life during uncertain times with a pop culture twist.
Treat Them Where They Lie
Dr. Ron Stewart with Jim Meek Nimbus Publishing
This is the memoir of Dr. Ron Stewart, a pioneering emergency physician and former Nova Scotia Minister of Health. It traces his journey from a coal miner’s son to a trailblazer in modern emergency medicine, including his role training LA’s first paramedics and transforming Nova Scotia’s healthcare system.
I heard a crow before I was born
Jule Delorme
Goose Lane Editions
A poignant reflection on generational trauma in Indigenous families, Delorme’s chapters explore his troubled relationships, revealing the deep pain at the heart of his story—residential schools and their lasting aftershocks that continue to affect communities today.
Politics
Speaking Truth to Canadians at their Public Service
Donald J. Savoie
McGill-Queens
Donald Savoie explores the evolving relationship between politicians and federal public servants in Canada. The book addresses public service challenges, critiques traditional accountability measures, and proposes reforms. It categorizes officials as “poets” (policy writers) and “plumbers” (program deliverers) to analyze their roles, concluding with recommendations for revitalizing the public service.
FOR YOUR READING LIST
Acclaimed Atlantic Canadian authors and the books they can’t wait for
Amy Spurway
Amy Spurway is a Dartmouth-based writer and author. Her awardwinning debut novel, Crow, is published by Goose Lane Editions.
I’m looking forward to reading Jenny Haysom’s Keep (Jenny is England-born and NS-raised) published by Anansi. I’m drawn to stories that explore our relationships with ourselves and each other, contemplate what we hold on to and why, and dig into the messiness of life that simply can’t be contained no matter how hard we try. Jenny Haysom’s Keep looks like it will be chock-full of these very themes!
shalan joudrey
shalan joudry is a Mi'kmaw poet, storyteller, podcast producer, playwright, actor, and singer. She is also an ecologist and cultural interpreter.
I’ve read the digital copy of She is Hope for Wildlife by Wanda Baxter, illustrated by Leah Boudreau (Nimbus Publishing), and can’t wait for the real thing to read to my granddaughters. I want to pass on my love of animals to them!
James Mullinger
James Mullinger is an award-winning British comedian and the co-founder of [Edit] Magazine. His book. Brit Happens: Living The Canadian Dream, published by Goose Lane Editions, is a national bestseller.
Bestselling author
Amanda Peters’ debut short story collection Waiting for the Long Night Moon.
Lesley Crewe
Lesley Crewe is the author of several novels, including Recipe for a Good Life, Spoon Stealer, Kin, Relative Happiness, and Death and Other Inconveniences, her newest national best seller.
Hope Swinimer is an inspiration! She loves wildlife and helps the helpless. An admirable Maritimer I respect.
Mark Blagrave is a uniquely skilled writer and his novels are as globally admired as they are moving and masterful. I am phenomenally excited about his latest novel Felt (Cormorant Books) because it happens to be set in my favourite place in the world— Saint Andrews, NB. It is also bursting with themes that are very close to me—Alzheimer’s, aging relatives, immigration, war, and home. I have been told it might just be his masterpiece.
Carol Bruneau
Carol Bruneau is the Halifax-based author of eleven books.
The Atlantic books I’m looking forward to this fall are Sue Murtagh’s short story collection We’re Not Rich and Lori McKay’s Searching for Mayflowers. As well, I’m thrilled at the release of Susan LeBlanc’s amazing
novel The Nowhere Places, which I was lucky enough to read and blurb. All these are Nimbus publications. No bias at all. So many great books!
Sharon Bala
Sharon Bala is the author of The Boat People
I’ve been eagerly anticipating Invisible Prisons (Knopf Canada) for months. With every book, Lisa Moore seems to reinvent fiction so I’m especially eager to see how her visceral prose style melds with Jack Whalen’s courageous true story. Invisible Prisons is sure to be a work of non-fiction, activism and beauty.
Lisa Moore
Lisa Moore is the author of several bestselling novels. She has won the Commonwealth Fiction Prize, CBC’s Canada Reads, and the Writers’ Trust Engel Findley Award and received nominations for the Man Booker Prize, the Giller Prize, and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
Vigil by Susie Taylor (Breakwater Books) is a collection of linked stories set in a drug-riddled Newfoundland outport where opportunities are thin on the ground and characters are hammered to the page. That’s the way Taylor writes—funny and wise, and the writing, exquisite.
Beyond fairytales Children’s literature that confronts reality
by Lindsay Ruck
I’m a firm believer in the power of words. Words have the power to inspire, to educate, and to bring forth change. I think that’s why I’m so passionate about writing for younger audiences. There’s so much noise and misinformation in the world, and as a children’s book author I have the amazing privilege to write stories that will connect with a child who may feel they are not heard, not seen, or perhaps not fully understood by the world around them.
At least that was my hope when I was working on my latest children’s book, This Big Heart, published by the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute. I drew inspiration from a poem I had written not long after my grandfather passed away. He had Alzheimer’s disease, and I was mad that this awful illness played a part in taking him away from us. I was sad because I missed not being able to see him every day. I was emotionally exhausted one day, and inexplicably joyful the next, and the jumble of emotions didn’t always make sense, but those feelings were an integral part of healing my broken heart.
Despite book bans happening around the world, authors and illustrators are stepping up and creating children’s literature that digs deeper and puts a spotlight on topics that have been hidden or sidelined for far too long. I’ve learned in the past few years as a mother of two small children that if there’s anyone who can handle books that go beyond the status quo, represent groups who have been
pushed to the margins, and show families in all shapes and forms, it’s children.
The Little Red Dress (Bouton D’or Acadie) is one of those books. This trilingual picture book was created by Julie Pellissier-Lush (English version), Julie Gagnon (French version), Emma Hassencahl-Perley (illustrations), and Kenneth Prosper (Mi'kmaq version). The story aims to “raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls,” a topic Julie Pellissier-Lush receives frequent requests about as a cultural teacher.
“As a knowledge keeper, I am asked by many schools about this important topic, and how best to approach it. But I can’t be everywhere, so this book was an amazing way to get the story, the truth, told in a gentle way, out to everyone.”
Julie Gagnon shares that same passion as an educator.
“I feel a moral responsibility to expose my students to the realities of our society, as they are leaders and agents of change for tomorrow,” says Gagnon. “When you are writing a story for children, it’s important to include details that spark meaningful conversations, while ensuring the story and images connect with their lives and call to mind strong emotions. This book addresses the difficult topic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, young women, and Two-Spirit individuals, a topic not typically discussed in children’s literature. The Little Red Dress serves like a
Julie Pellissier-Lush
stone thrown in water that creates ripples, encouraging deeper reflection and understanding.”
It’s an empowering feeling to take the lived experiences from our own lives and the lives of our ancestors and put them into beautifully composed words and images.
Andi Vicente and Allan Matudio wrote a children’s counting picture book called One Box (Fernwood Publishing). The book is about a migrant worker who sends a box of gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines. Traditionally known as Balikbayan boxes, they are typically filled with things like food and clothing. But in One Box, they’re also full of hope.
“Writing One Box was a collaborative effort between myself and the illustrator,” says Vicente. “We spoke about wanting to share the narratives of our family members’ experience as Filipino caregivers and domestic workers. Both of us are active in the Filipino community in Montreal and have a particular lens as part of the second-generation Filipino diaspora immigrants. We wanted to feature a story that didn’t focus on the hardship of family separation and indentured labour, but around the possibilities of what a rekindled relationship can look like. Instead of offering material gifts, the parent in the story offers the time to get to know their child again.”
The reality is, we’re not all in the same boat. One size does not fit all. And one broad brush stroke does not paint a realistic picture of the world we live in. This truth is something Vicente and Matudio wanted to visually represent in One Box
“I think it’s important to feature Filipinos who are darker skinned, Queer Filipinos, Queer families, families that are apart, but are still families because children only know what they see,” explains Vicente. “Allan and I grew up with children’s books that didn’t have people that looked like us, who didn’t experience the same things as we did. And I think because of that, we grew up with the notion that something’s wrong with us; that we should feel that we don’t have enough; that our families are not families because they’re atypical.”
The ultimate hope is that we’ll see more and more books that accurately represent our children, our families, our communities, and our lived experiences, both past and present. Because a more authentic, more empathetic, and more accepting society is moulded through our words, one book at a time. ■
LINDSAY RUCK is an author and editor who lives in Dartmouth, NS, with her husband and two beautiful children.
Further Reading Ups and Downs
Nancy MacNairn, illustrated By Doruntina Beqiraj Second Story Press
Grampy’s Chair
A young girl weathers the highs and lows of daily life with her mother, who has Bipolar Disorder. Inspired by the author’s own experience growing up with a parent with Bipolar Disorder.
Rebecca Thomas, illustrated by Coco Lynge Annick Press
A heartwarming story about lifelong love and loss told from the perspective of a grandfather’s favourite chair, inviting readers of all ages to explore love, grief, and the important moments in life that take place in our favorite spots.
Penny’s Triumphant Turnaround
Stacey MacLean, illustrated by Danelle Vautour Monster House Publishing
A young girl has a really bad day at school and is left to figure out how to deal with a bully that is threatening to make her never want to go to school ever again.
When the Rain Comes
Alma Fullerton, illustrated by Kim La Fave Pajama Press
Set in Sri Lanka, a little girl is both excited and nervous to help plant the rice crop in her community for the first time and needs to summon the bravery and courage to help when things become challenging. Written in free-verse.
Dear Dad
Laura Best
Nimbus Publishing
A young adult novel that takes a brave and hopeful look at a teen boy’s struggle with his father’s terminal illness, disability, death, and the right to choose MAID.
Young readers’ reviews
Picture Books
Agnes’s Garden
The Pup
Written & illustrated by Lori
Running the Goat, Books &
Doody
Broadsides
In Agnes’s Garden, the first of two new picture book offerings from beloved author/illustrator Lori Doody, a woman’s neighbours can’t understand her love for gardening and wonder why she chooses to grow so many fruits and vegetables when she could invest her time and energy into other (potentially more meaty!) pursuits. But when their village is threatened by marauding pirates, Agnes comes up with a veggie-fueled plan to send the pirates packing, giving her neighbours ample reason to rethink their misgivings. Meanwhile, Doody’s other recent release, The Pup, features a girl who decides that she needs a pet. En route to a local animal shelter she finds a seal pup, who makes a promising pet candidate. Jenny brings the pup home, names her Lucille and the two settle into a very happy relationship. However, when a circus troupe arrives on her doorstep, Jenny discovers that that is where Lucille belongs. Or does she? Jenny comes up with a perfect solution for Lucille and her animal friends.
With her trademark tidy, fine-lined and brightly-coloured illustrations coupled with economical text and playful humour, Doody once again delivers simple messages in a pair of entertaining tales. Both books boast quirky, independent female protagonists who find clever solutions to the challenges they face (also: a feisty lady pirate in Agnes’s Garden!). In her flowing yellow dress and bright red boots, Agnes lovingly tends her garden despite what the neighbours
by Lisa Doucet
think. Ultimately it is the neighbours who realize that maybe they have misjudged Agnes. Jenny also gives the circus owners in The Pup occasion to rethink their notions of what a circus can and should be when she offers to adopt all of the animals. In both stories the short, simple sentences and understated storytelling invite readers to consider the bigger story while the one-dimensional, jewel-toned illustrations with their simple shapes and thin outlines provide enough detail to keep eyes glued to the pages and abundant visual interest. Cheerful and uncluttered, her distinctive artwork is expressive and filled with wit and whimsy.
Kuekuatsheu Creates the World
Retold by Annie Picard, illustrated by Elizabeth Jancewicz, translated into Sheshatshiu Innu-aimun by Anne Nuna Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides
Author Annie Picard shares a legend of the Innu people that her grandmother used to tell her in this beautifully illustrated creation tale. In the time after the great flood, a group of animal friends found themselves in a canoe. Kuekuatsheu (Wolverine) announces “If I had some earth, I could create land for us all.” Several of the animals try to dive to the bottom of the water to procure a bit of earth but to no avail. Then Utshashku (Muskrat) offers to try. The others greet his offer with scorn since he is the smallest and least likely to succeed. Undeterred, he leaps out of the boat and descends into the deeps. A very long time later, they find him drowned... but clutching a bit of earth in his wee paw. Kuekuatsheu then blew on the tiny piece of earth and it grew and grew until Kuekuatsheu couldn’t keep holding it and Missinaku (Turtle) offered to carry it on his back.
This retelling of a traditional Indigenous tale conveys a timeless message about the importance of not underestimating what even the humblest of creatures can accomplish. Elizabeth Jancewicz’s colour-saturated
watercolour illustrations feature thick, dark outlines and a flat aesthetic. Loose-lined and suffused with light and with an abundance of blue on each page, they capture the folkloric tone of the story and its watery milieu. With both the English and Innu-aimun text, this story introduces children to both this language and a foundational myth of Indigenous peoples, providing a welcome glimpse into Innu culture.
Kuekuatsheu Creates the World is also available in an edition featuring the Mushuau dialect of Innu-aimun, translated by Penash Rich.
Tove and the Island with No Address
Written
& illustrated
by Lauren Soloy Tundra Books
Tove and her family spend their summers on a remote island with hardly any other people but a myriad of fascinating things to do and to find for a young girl who is full of curiosity and wonder. On her first morning there, Tove sets out to explore the salvage on the beach and to visit her tiny, secret friend who lives in the grotto with his five mischievous daughters. To be helpful, Tove offers to take the tiny, shell-sized girls with her on her walk. But when the wind rises, it suddenly snatches them out of her hand and carries them away. As she races after them, the wind grows stronger and snatches her coat from her hands, along with all the salvage she had found on the beach. Once she recovers the impish daughters and returns them to their father, a wind and rain battered Tove makes her way back to her own tiny cabin where her mother greets her with a big hug, a warm sweater and a plate of hot pancakes.
Inspired by the life of Finnish writer Tove Jansson, this fanciful tale provides a wee glimpse of her childhood. In prose that is restrained but precise and carefully chosen, Soloy tells a story that is filled with whimsy and adventure, with the wonders and wildness of nature, and with the comfort and warmth of home and family. With exquisite turns of phrase and thoughtful descriptions, she brings readers into the mind and heart of her protagonist, and
her immersive illustrations are energetic and atmospheric. Loose lines and bold black outlines, a more muted palette and a dynamic composition that employs varied and playful perspectives enables Soloy to balance both action and introspection and to capture a sense of the capriciousness of nature in this imaginative tribute.
What’s in Alanna’s Secret Sauce?
Sarah Jane Conklin, illustrated by Venus Monster House Publishing
Alanna remembers a time when she and her Nan planted seeds and cultivated a rich harvest, how they gathered their bounty and put it all into Nan’s great pot and together they made Nan’s famous secret sauce. Alanna couldn’t wait to see and taste the rewards of their labours. But as the delicious aroma wafts out the window and throughout the neighbourhood, it draws people to their doorstep. As Nan keeps inviting more people to come back for supper, Alanna worries, “Is there enough for all of us, but mostly lots for me?” That is when her Nan shares the true secret: that it is the sharing of what one has that is the magic of each meal that she makes. Soon the townspeople begin to arrive, each bringing something to the table and—miraculously—there is enough to feed each and every one. Years later, when Alanna is herself a famous chef, she still treasures her Nan’s very special recipe.
In lively, effervescent verse, Sarah Jane Conklin tells a story that is timely and touching of a young girl who learns the importance of sharing. As Alanna helps prepare the secret sauce, she longs to keep it all for herself but her wise and loving Nan helps her to see that they have a responsibility to help their neighbours by giving of what they have, and that if each person is prepared to do the same, there will be enough “on Earth to feed us all.” Venus Angelica’s warm-hued illustrations in rich shades of red and gold, orange and green are dynamic and energetic. With thick, loose lines they have a Seussian style of playfulness and are warm and expressive as they capture the bustle and busyness of Nan’s kitchen. This book is a feast for the eyes and ears with a beautiful message of hope.
Santa’s First Christmas
Mac Barnett, illustrated by Sydney Smith Penguin Young Readers Group
When a polar bear expresses shock that Santa himself doesn’t do anything special for Christmas once he returns from his annual
round the world toy delivery, the somewhat sheepish elves decide to correct this oversight. Beginning with breakfast in bed, they give Santa a festive and unforgettable day complete with tree trimming, stockings and Christmas cookies. They decorate the North Pole with beautiful, twinkly lights and read stories and sing carols. The polar bear himself gets in on the action when he dons a red suit and turns up at Santa’s house to stuff stockings and hand out presents. A magnificent feast concludes the celebrations and prompts Santa to declare “We should do this every year.”
This playful twist on classic Christmas tales puts Santa in the spotlight as the elves enthusiastically take him through all the elements of a traditional Christmas Day. By the story’s end, Santa seems to be genuinely moved by the elves’ efforts and fully immersed in the warmth and wondrousness of the day. The elves’ eagerness to ensure that Santa himself gets to experience all the joy and wonder and cozy magic of Christmas is heartwarming and reminds even the youngest of readers of not only all that is special about this day but also the true spirit of Christmas: looking out for others. Sydney Smith’s distinctive illustrations are rich and luminous (note especially the double page spread that shows the North Pole aglow with coloured lights). The exquisite interplay of light and shadows in several of the scenes create a sense of otherworldliness that contrasts perfectly with the cheerful clutter on other pages that captures the warmth and coziness of a home filled with love and Christmas cheer. Vibrant, warm-toned and filled with detail, the illustrations help to firmly establish this as a new Christmas classic.
Early Readers
She is Hope for Wildlife: The Story of Wildlife Rescuer Hope Swinimer
Wanda Baxter, illustrated by Leah Boudreau Nimbus Publishing
Even as a child growing up in rural Nova Scotia, Hope Swinimer was known for her love of nature and animals. Although she dreamed of someday studying science or having a farm of her own, money was scarce and her parents weren’t able to pay for her to continue her studies. With quiet determination, Hope found ways to earn money and finance her own education. She also continued to work hard at various jobs until she discovered what she really wanted to do: to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals. From a rickety old trailer to a big old farmhouse, Hope’s dream of providing a home for creatures in need gradually materialized. As time went on, word spread about the work she was doing. Donations helped her facility to grow and expand, and today, she and her volunteers continue to tend to wild animals in need. By achieving her dream and following her heart, Hope has been a source of inspiration to many and has saved the lives of thousands of animals big and small.
This heartfelt tribute introduces young readers to a woman who is using her passion and abilities to make a difference in the world. Wanda Baxter deftly relates Hope’s story in a way that is engaging and accessible, highlighting the tenacity and persistence that Hope has displayed throughout her life in order to realize her dream. Many children will relate to her deep love for animals and to her desire to actively contribute to their care. The tone of the story is uplifting and encouraging, suggesting that even when things don’t come easily, hard work and perseverance can lead to great things. Leah Boudreau’s cheerful illustrations are soft and inviting. With whimsy and folksy charm, they capture the details of Hope’s daily life.
Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher and Ahasiw’s Forest Powwow
Sita MacMillan, illustrated by Azby Whitecalf Annick Press
It has been three months since Sarah Ponakey and her mother moved to an apartment in the city but she still misses her Kohkom and her best friend Eden. She hasn’t made any friends at her new school and when Eden talks about things like the powwow her mother is taking her to and the ribbon skirt they are making for it, Sarah feels sad and left out. After one especially difficult day at school, Sarah and her stuffed animal friend Ahasiw lay down for a nap. When she awakes, Ahasiw has grown life-sized and takes her into the forest for a powwow to celebrate the longest day of the year. Sarah learns about this special tradition and discovers that even she can follow her heart and participate in the dance. When she returns, she finds herself ready to share this special experience with her classmates. Happily, she realizes that “maybe we aren’t that different after all.”
Author Sita MacMillan skillfully explores Sarah’s experience of loneliness and uncertainty when trying to find her way in a new school and her questions about her Cree identity and where she belongs. The powwow in the forest gives readers an opportunity to experience the vibrance and sense of community that this joyous celebration evokes while also describing what it involves and what the different aspects represent. Sarah not only finds a much-needed sense of belonging there but also the confidence to let herself enter into the dance despite her worries about not getting it right. This in turn helps her to find the courage to open up and share herself and her culture with her classmates, who turn out to be supportive and interested to learn more. Azby Whitecalf’s energetic black and white illustrations with their thick black outlines and expressive cartoon-like faces help newly-independent readers engage with the story and its characters.
Middle Grade
Swan
Sidura Ludwig Nimbus Publishing
When twelve-year-old Anna Swan’s parents decide that they are going to pack up and move in with her grandmother on her farm in Central New Annan, Anna is nervous and uncertain. Six feet and ten inches tall and still growing, Anna is accustomed to standing out in every crowd, but she longs to be just an ordinary girl. She dreams of one day being a teacher and not having to worry about her toes bursting out of her shoes or splitting the seams of her dresses. Surrounded by her loving family who try their best to help her fit in, she nevertheless struggles with always being the object of unwanted attention and with the many ways in which the world around her simply can’t accommodate a girl of her size. But is it true that people would pay money to see her? Could this be a way for her to earn money to help her family and to maybe help her find a miracle drug that would make her stop growing?
Based on the true story of Nova Scotia’s renowned giantess, Sidura Ludwig’s novel in verse beautifully captures Anna’s insecurities and fears, highlighting both the ways in which her childhood worries were typical (fitting in, making friends) and yet also utterly unique (being able to fit in the wooden desks at school, worrying about the pains in her body and the fear that her heart may not be able to support her too-large body). This book depicts the warmth and love of her family while providing readers with an insightful look at how it feels to be so different. Poignant and heartfelt, Ludwig’s quiet novel will touch the hearts of readers while giving them much to ponder in terms of the way the world has often treated those who stand out from the norm.
Lisette of Louisbourg
Margaret MacKay
Bradan Press
A feisty and resourceful young girl finds herself cast adrift when a fire destroys the convent that had been her home. Mother Superior and the others believe that Lisette died in the fire which leaves her free to find a new life for herself. Unable to find her uncle, her only living relative, Lisette readily accepts when a couple who are returning to Louisbourg, now that the British have handed it back to the French, offer to take her on as their indentured servant. Thus, she finds herself on a ship bound for a new life in a new land. In her time at the convent, Lisette had become a skilled lacemaker and her artistic vision, along with her ability to read, write and do sums, make her a valuable addition to the DuBois’ household and to her new community. While she soon makes friends in her new home, there are some who resent her abilities and still others who try to cause trouble for her. And unexpectedly, it is in Louisbourg that she finally finds her uncle who eventually presents her with a surprising choice.
Lisette is a spirited protagonist whose adventures will engage readers while giving them a more nuanced understanding of this time in history. The author provides rich and vivid descriptions of life in the Fortress along with Lisette’s earlier life at the convent, including interesting details of daily life. She also weaves an abundance of historical information about the social and political situation of the time into the narrative while giving a more personal sense of how everyday people were impacted by politically motivated decisions and events. Lisette’s friendship with Jean-Francois and his mother and with Jacques Plaid, as well as her interactions with the rakish André, add to the richness of her experiences in Louisbourg and help establish her as a sympathetic character.
The Last Witch on Skye
Carolyn J. Nicholson
OC Publishing
A young witch named Magaidh and a pair of fairy soldiers race against time to retrieve the stolen Fairy Flag and restore it to its rightful place on the Isle of Skye in this spirited fantasy for young readers. In doing so, the trio manage to keep The Portal between the world of the fairies and the human realm open. While the fairies rejoice at this momentous achievement, the members of the BW&F (Ban the Witches and Fairies) Party, the organization that had originally forced all supernatural beings away from the Isle of Skye, are not pleased. Back in her human form, Magaidh decides to reopen her former business, Spells Inc. But first: a visit to her family in Greenland. Having never really felt like she fit in with her younger siblings, Magaidh makes a shocking discovery about her father. As she struggles to process everything she now knows about her family, she also finds herself caught up in a variety of adventures with her fairy soldier friends, Iain and Sean. A baby kelpie, an unhappy ghost and a dragon that longs to be reunited with its mother are among the various creatures that the three friends encounter and assist, while Magaidh comes to terms with her complex family situation.
Magaidh is an earnest and likable protagonist whose yearning for a sense of belonging and acceptance will resonate for young readers. Iain and Sean are secondary characters who add levity and humour to the tale. The intriguing assortment of supernatural beings that they find themselves entangled with provide further whimsy. Reading like an extended fairytale of sorts, it will be a lively, engaging and accessible read for young middle grade readers as well as a good choice for reading aloud to younger children who are in search of more robust stories. ■
LISA DOUCET is the co-manager of Woozles Children’s Bookstore in Halifax. She shares her passion for children’s and young adult books as our young readers editor and book reviewer.
Animals at Play in Mi'kma'ki
Mel Beaulieu
Formac Publishing
EDITOR’S PICKS
This board book introduces young readers to Mi'kma'ki’s charming animals. Featuring vibrant beadwork, it includes Mi'kmaw names and pronunciation guides, making it a delightful introduction to modern Mi'kma'ki for young children.
The Creator’s Plan
Richard Pellissier-Lush, illustrated by Jessica Jerome Acorn Press
This book reflects the authors experience navigating his identity as a Mi'kmaq child who felt different. Through his mother’s reassurance, he learns to embrace his culture and understand that his unique appearance does not define his worth.
Poppa and the Sacred Kitpu
Judith M. Doucette, illustrated by Rebecca Reid Flanker Press
A Mi'kmaw Elder shares cultural wisdom with his grandson and friends. They learn about the Sacred Kitpu (Bald Eagle) and its significance as a spirit guide, cultural ceremonies, traditions and rituals. Their newfound appreciation culminates in a heritage project.
Shining All the Way
Reeva Kulkarni
HARP Publishing
Written and illustrated by fourthgrader Reeva Kulkarni, a spirited young eagle named Shine embarks on a
journey of self-discovery. Leaving her safe home to explore, Shine encounters various creatures who help guide her. The story emphasizes exploration, friendship, and self-belief.
Lapin recherché
Julie Royer, illustré par Maagali Ben Bouton d’or Acadie
Fifteen original nursery rhymes full of humour invite toddlers to investigate between the rows of vegetables. Over the course of a summer day and night, they’ll plunge into the colourful world of the vegetable garden, following in the footsteps of a thieving rabbit.
Le tien, le mien, le sien
Philippe Garon, illustré par Réjean Roy Bouton d’or Acadie
Jacob dreams of becoming a pirate who will protect the oceans, just like his Uncle Christophe. After he courageously confronts three threatening giants with his magic sword, a storm pushes his ship towards an unknown shore. There, he meets a mysterious grandmother who guides him to a world where nature is respected without conflict.
Reg Takes a Trip
Lori Gard, illustrated by Emma Martin Pownal Street Press
The Tales for Big Feelings series features Reg, a bear whose name rhymes with “egg.” Written by a seasoned counselor, these stories help parents and children navigate
emotions. Reg Takes a Trip explores co-regulation using the five senses to soothe reluctant sleepers.
The Adventures of Spencer the Church Mouse
Tracy Barron, illustrated by Georgia Graham Boulder Books
Spencer is a gentle church mouse who enjoys his quiet life in the countryside. When construction machines threaten his home, he embarks on an adventure. As he leaps into the unknown, he encounters his field mouse cousins and discovers new experiences await.
The Book Witch, The Wee White Dog and the Little Free Library
Luna Shupe, illustrated by Tegan Thomas Nimbus Publishing
A witch and her dog face the challenge of having too many books. After a storm causes a pile of books to fall on her dog's tail, she realizes action is needed. The story celebrates the magic of little libraries and community connections.
An Unbalanced Force
Valerie Sherrard Cormorant Books
Ethan Granger is bewildered by his father’s secretive work, which supports their affluent lifestyle. When Ethan discovers a lie, he embarks on a dangerous investigation, using deceitful tactics he learned from his father. As he uncovers a potential criminal operation, he questions how far he’s willing to go for the truth.
MARKETPLACE
The 100th issue
Three Centuries of Public Art : Volume II (120 new stories in 200 colour photos) 9781895814804 - by Barbara DeLory. $27.50 COMING SOON: When Volume I was completed 12 years ago, it was applauded by artists, historians and those in culture as original, accurate and unrivalled for its time. Since then, artifacts & memorials in rural areas have been uncovered; many artworks were created in new places ... then the pandemic arrived with Public Art virtually exploding within the region. Volume II completes the story by adding 70% more artworks in high colour, similar formats, fewer pages, and with the high quality maps that readers enjoyed in Vol. One.
Three Centuries of Public Art : Volume I (170 pieces of art in 300 photos) 9781895814354 B. DeLory. Reg. $35; now $25 !
Nightingales Vision: Nurses’ Voices in the 1920s -1930s
9781989564301- $22.50 (202 pp.) - BarbaraKeddy,RN(Rtd.)PhD New book (Nov. 2023) is based on extensive author inteviews of 40 practising nurses. Given the world-wide shortage of nurses today, it is essential to understand, in their own voices, the evolution as a profession from student days to the completion of their careers. The images of this period were likely more glamourous than the reality encountered. Stories date from WWI, through the deadly Spanish Flu pandemic, and the Great Depression up to WWII. The COVID pandemic was again a stressful time for nurses with staff shortages and being over-worked. The Lamp Was Heavy: Nurses-in-Training in the 1950s - 9781897462553 $20.00 “Theprofessiondevelops.”-Keddy’s first ‘sold out’ title, is back !
New World Publishing: 902-576-2055 www.newworldpublishing.com
