correction line by Dennis Cooley Published by Thistledown Press Reviewed by Kelly-Anne Riess $15.95 ISBN 978-1-897235-50-8 Dennis Cooley’s long poem correction line is both touching and poignant, recreating memory and the prairie landscape. Cooley shows his many talents, as his work is vernacular, funny, anecdotal and personal, touching on his own family history. correction line plays with ideas around creation and how things, like poetry, are produced. For instance he writes in response to his surrounding geography, but also from what he’s learned studying others’ poetry and literary theory over the last 30 years or so. A correction line is a device used to compensate for the curve of longitude. And Cooley’s book follows the line between his beginnings in Estevan, Saskatchewan to his current home of Winnipeg. It also traces a poetic line to American poet Charles Olson, writing: /an O pening of the field/ At the beginning of the book, Cooley almost quotes Eli Mandel’s poem “Life Sentence” in its entirety. Mandel was the first poet from Estevan, and now Cooley is the second. Cooley’s words are more than semantic, as he uses them for visual effect. On one page, for example, the words physically create the appearance…

Richardson’s Ramblings by E. George Richardson Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing review by Sharon Adam $16.95 ISBN978-1-894431-12-5 This slim volume is a compendium of poetry, essays, editorials and reflections gathered from Mr. Richardson’s life. A native of Pelly, Saskatchewan, Richardson’s book covers his writing over the past 60 years and is comprised of topics that held significance to his life and imagination. We learn that a young George lied about his age and joined the armed forces in an effort to follow his two brothers into combat during the Second World War. He was restricted to Canada because he was blind in one eye, the result of a childhood accident. He began writing about his experiences during this time and continued throughout his life. Imagination was also a source for his writing and we are invited to share his whimsy on such subjects as life’s journey, winning the lottery and what if? His ramblings are diverse and include thoughts on such subjects as the Calgary Flames, politics, and the British Royal Family. Readers discover his passion for friendship and family as he explores his emotions through poetry and essay. George reveals his personality to his readers through his honesty…

Fight for Justice by Lori Saigeon Published by Coteau Books Review by Ryan Melnyk $7.95 ISBN: 978-1-55050-405-7 School for a child can be one of the most terrifying places he or she might go. In the case of Justice, the main character of Fight for Justice, every corner is one worth worrying about. We all know that school is full of bullies and it is said that if you just mind your own business, no one will bother you. However, the modern bully in an elementary school these days has changed; it is now rare that one will do anything wrong without a group of people to help conceal his or her actions and torment the victim. They also do not resort to physical conflict without reason because they know more trouble will come if the victim had been physically hurt. Even the appearance of bullies today is different; you might think that the biggest kid on the playground is the one who picks on everyone. Bullying today is often mental abuse and even spiritual abuse. Bullies are good at finding kids’ weak points. Fighting for Justice deals with every kind of bullying children might face in the early years…

Dancing in My Bones by Wilfred Burton and Anne Patton Published by the Gabriel Dumont Institute Review by Arnold J. Isbister $12.95 ISBN 978-0-920915-89-9 I found this book insightful and entertaining. It is a good read for young people and adults as well. It takes you into a young boy’s life and shows how his culture plays such an important part in his upbringing. The language of the story is simple with the words written as the people would talk in such situations. I love the full page (21x28cm) colored illustrations with the story in English and below in Michif. These dimensions make the book more entertaining and engaging and make it feel good in the hands as you read, especially to kids who want to see the images whilst peeking over your shoulder. They are big, full of color and full of life, making the imagination ‘dance’. I greatly admire the imagery like the supper scene or the scene where Uncle Bunny is sitting and starting to play his violin as his foot taps the floor. These bring back fond memories that most can identify with. This is why I recommend this book for adults as well because most…