Am I the Only One?

Am I the Only One? Struggling Being a Teen by Treena Wynes Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Jessica Bickford $16.95     978-1-927756-37-9 Navigating our modern world is tough enough as an adult, let alone as a teenager.  In Am I the Only One? Treena Wynes, a social worker with fifteen years experience working with teens, sets out to create a quick and honest guide to the challenges, and possible solutions to the many, many problems teens these days face.  This is a book written directly for teens, and even though a couple sections focus on giving advice to caregivers, the bulk of it is straightforward, simple, and perfect for anyone in the 13-18 bracket. Wynes focuses primarily on healthy bodies and minds – discussing puberty, eating disorders, mental wellness, and emerging sexuality in a non-judgmental way.  She encourages open communication, but also recognizes that many teens may not be able to talk to their parents, or that their parents might be the root of much of their stress, what with high expectations and pressure to conform. Wynes also touches on social media and how it can be a very positive source for friendship and belonging, but the dangers…

Woods Cree Stories
University of Regina Press / 17 March 2015

Woods Cree Stories by Solomon Ratt Illustrated by Holly Martin Published by University of Regina Press Review by Keith Foster $24.95 ISBN 978-0-88977-345-5 Woods Cree Stories is a collection of nine Cree folkloric tales related in three versions – syllabic, Cree, and the English translation. Author Solomon Ratt embellishes his stories with humour as an aid to learning the Cree language. If they seem a little weird, it’s probably because Ratt describes himself as having “a weird sense of humour.” Some of the tales may seem far-fetched. In “Buffalo Wings,” Ratt takes readers on a fanciful flight of fantasy going back to olden days when buffalo had wings. According to Ratt’s mythology, buffalo were hunted just for their wings, which were a delicious delicacy. Shaking-Spear, a character in another story, talks to animals, and they talk back to him. In the end, he makes a talking tree very happy. Another amusing tale involves a mouse who tries to form a friendship pact with a rabbit, a man, a cat, and a porcupine, all of whom are quite conversational in both Cree and English. Inevitably their alliance starts to break up. The last straw is when man gets ravenously hungry and…

Honouring the Buffalo

Honouring the Buffalo: A Plains Cree Legend Told by Ray Lavallee Written by Judith Silverthorne Illustrated by Mike Keepness Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Michelle Shaw $14.95 ISBN: 978-1-927756-33-1 If you’ve ever wondered why the buffalo plays such a significant role in the culture and ceremonies of the Plains Cree, then this beautifully illustrated children’s book may assist you on your journey of discovery. When I first opened the book, I was struck by the fact that the story is told simultaneously in English and in the Plains Cree language (Y dialect). I don’t speak Cree but as a relative newcomer to Canada and a linguistic nerd, I was intrigued by the opportunity to be introduced to, not only a story so intrinsic to Cree culture, but also to the language. I loved the fact that certain Cree words are given their phonetic pronunciation which I think enables a reader who may not be familiar with Cree to get a linguistic sense of the language and perhaps enables them to enter the story more fully. The book is written by well-known Saskatchewan writer Judith Silverthorne, who wrote it based on an oral story told to her by…

We’re Already Home
Wild Sage Press / 4 March 2015

We’re Already Home by Terry Jordan, Lorna Tureski, Arnie Hayashi Published by Wild Sage Press Review by Shelley A. Leedahl $18.00 ISBN 978-0-9881229-7-0 It takes so little time to read We’re Already Home, a two-act play that draws attention to both cultural differences and universal semblance between two neighbouring families—one Christian, one Muslim—but the play packs a lasting emotional punch. Written collaboratively by Saskatchewan’s multi-talented Terry Jordan (who served as dramaturge and, interestingly, also created the book’s collaged cover art), and BC residents Lorna Tureski and Arnie Hayashi, the realistic play was created by the Interfaith Bridging Project in Vernon with a literary goal of connecting characters “to create story in a meaningful way,” and a social goal of connecting people of different communities and faiths “with imagination, understanding and tolerance.” This play works on several levels. On the one hand it is a realistic representation of two Canadian families, each with a 17-year-old teenager, and how seemingly small matters—like a leaf and shoot-spreading chestnut tree—can irk one person and provide joy for another, but numerous well-placed metaphors and a sprightly “Senklip/Coyote trickster spirit” character, Violet, lift the story beyond realism and give it a multi-textured dynamic. The timeless Violet…