BarkskinsBy Annie Proulx At one time, forests, seemingly endless and eternal, covered much of North America. These forests were occupied by aboriginal people who understood the symbiotic relationship between humans and the forest ecosystem. As the Europeans arrived, wood became more than a source of shelter and heat: it became a commodity. Annie Proulx’ Barkskins […]
Commonwealth by Ann PatchettAnn Patchett’s new novel, Commonwealth, grabbed me from the first page. Some stories take a while to get into, but this one had me from the opening section of the novel, set at a family christening party. It flows — from character to character and room to room and even house […]
Any Questions? By Marie-Louise Gay A thought-provoking release from Marie-Louise Gay, this picturebook aims to not only answer questions but more importantly, encourage children to keep asking questions. Often children will express an interest in where stories come from and how a book is made, and Gay inspires children to capture their imaginations on paper. Through a creative […]
by Alexander McCall Smith The lovely setting of a train journey between Edinburgh and London lends itself to the tales we hear as we eavesdrop on four travellers who share a compartment in Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith. These travellers are thrown together by way of train tickets and have no other connection […]
Spirit BearBy Jennifer Harrington, illustrated by Michael Arnott Annuk is a baby bear, born to a black bear mother. Deep in the Great Bear Rainforest, Annuk discovers that he is special; unlike his siblings, Annuk is a white “Spirit Bear”. His mother tells him that one day, he will “catch more salmon than any bear […]
Serafina and the Black CloakBy Robert Beatty Serafina is a 12-year-old girl who lives in the grand Biltmore Estate in 1899. Owned by the famous Vanderbilt family, the house itself is beautiful and vast, almost a castle. The grounds are lovely, manicured, and surrounded by forest. But Serafina is not a rich girl or even […]
The Swallow By Charis Cotter Polly is an awkward and lonely girl with a big family – too big in her estimation. There are so many kids that her parents barely notice Polly. Even her own bedroom, which has always been her sanctuary, has now been invaded by baby Sarah, with whom Polly must share […]
Three Day RoadBy Joseph Boyden The violence and brutality of war are not my idea of enjoyable subject matter. Joseph Boyden’s Three Day Road is indeed a story of war. But it is also the story of best friends. Their physical journey from the Ontario bush to the trenches of Europe mirrors their interior journey […]
Where Are You Going Baby Lincoln?By Kate DiCamillo In the third installment in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series, Baby Lincoln is feeling stifled by her older sister Eugenia. Having been bossed around by the rule-bound Eugenia all her life, Baby Lincoln decides she must go on a “necessary journey”, although she does not know […]
The Wonder TrailI checked out Steve Hely’s “The Wonder Trail: True Stories from Lost Angeles to the End of the World” for a few reasons: 1. He’s a former staff writer for “30 Rock”, which I think is one of the funniest North American sitcoms of all time; 2. Los Angeles is featured quite prominently […]