Face Off by Maureen Ulrich Published by Coteau Books for Teens Review by Karen Lawson $12.95 ISBN 978-1-55050-452-1 After the success of her first teen hockey novel, Power Plays, Maureen Ulrich has once again scored big with her second hockey novel called Face Off. Set in Estevan, SK, this story follows the next chapter in the life of Jessie MacIntyre, who was the main character in Power Plays. The author is no stranger to the classroom or the hockey rink, as she has had many years of experience in both environments. Ulrich knows her subject matter and her audience well and the result is a contemporary story that captures the reality of high school life and all the trials and tribulations that go with it. Jessie is a likeable and typical prairie teenager who is still grappling with fitting in to a new school. Her friends and teammates are strong willed young women with a wide array of different personalities and problems. The author has created a colourful cast of characters, most of which were introduced in Power Plays. On the surface, this book appears to be about girls’ hockey and the competitive spirit that fuels the sport. But Face…

Beliefs & Religions Around the World by Judy Kirton illustrated by Val Lawton Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Jessica Bickford $16.95 978-1-894431-60-6 Beliefs & Religions Around the World is a colourful and informative starter guide to world religion for small children. The sincere story by Judy Kirton spotlights seven different belief systems in descending order based on worldwide membership, and the illustrations by Val Lawton depict bright, happy families enjoying their culture and faith. Each different belief is introduced by a child who says where most of the people of that faith live, with an accompanying illustration of the globe. This is followed by any special books or teachings, any particular prayer location, and one or two special holidays. Any words that would be difficult for a small child, such as mosque, are also spelled out phonetically so it is a great opportunity for kids who are learning to read to tackle some more challenging words. The illustrations show families celebrating their faith in traditional clothing, which demonstrates a bit of cultural diversity around the world. The book presents a joyful global community that includes those of a particular faith, those whose family has more than one…

My Human Comedy by Gerald Hill Published by Coteau Books Review by Shelley A. Leedahl $14.95 ISBN 978-1-55050-371-5 Sometimes, when I’m particularly fond of a poetry collection, I send the poet a gift. Not flowers, or cash; not even a Tim Horton’s gift certificate. I send the poet’s words back to him or her, extracting several of my favourite lines and reordering them to make a new poem, a tribute poem. It’s both a thank you and my highest praise. The last time I sent such a piece it was to Regina writer Gerald Hill, shortly after Coteau Books released his eclectic poetry collection, My Human Comedy: The Man From Saskatchewan Book Two. I couldn’t help myself; the book’s an absolute delight, and the excerpts – Hill’s an original – came together with ease: Sunlight In Patches, These Moments After Rain (A Poem For Gerry, By Gerry) Here between the street and his heart – a little place, not too far away – he wants to get rid of himself. Late afternoon, afraid to find more light. All of this easy as gravel to see. It’s hard to make a difference in this heat. He’s full of stillness, gets quieter…

Bison Delights: Middle Eastern Cuisine, Western Style by Habeeb Salloum Published by CPRC Press Review by Jessica Bickford $29.95 978-0-88977-215-1 As the title indicates, Bison Delights strives to integrate the traditional prairie meat, bison, with the flavours of the Middle East. Habeeb Salloum, an expert in Arab cuisine and a child of Saskatchewan homesteaders, begins by describing his long-standing love of bison, both the majestic animal, and the flavourful meat. He goes on to describe the many benefits of bison beyond the fact that it is truly a prairie meat. Bison is exceptionally healthy and the animals thrive without the aid of hormones or antibiotics; thus it is a great choice for those wanting to live a more healthful life. This cookbook has my favourite feature – a great index that can be quickly referenced either by the cut of bison used, or the other main ingredient (which is important as every recipe contains bison). It also has a bison facts and tips section, which includes nutrition information, basic tips for cooking bison, and other general bison knowledge, which is great if you have never worked with bison before. The book itself is broken down into accompaniments, appetizers, soups, stews,…