a beautiful rebellionby Rita BouvierPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.95 ISBN 9781771872348 I took an extended pause before opening a beautiful rebellion, the fourth poetry collection by Saskatoon’s Rita Bouvier. The Métis writer and educator grew up beside the Churchill River, and the cover photo of a forceful river flowing between forested banks before a backdrop of white sky is immensely effective. To me, the scene says: Yes, this is the answer to all that ails us. This is holy. Indeed, a sense of reverence permeates much of the work in this moving and intimate collection, with its odes to jack pine, bear, the moon, aunties and other relatives, and “feathery snowflakes/whirling down from the heavens above”. One of my favourite pieces, “holy, holy, holy,” ingeniously juxtaposes “waves crashing against the rocky shoreline” with “God/reaching in and then out again”. Bouvier’s narrator in “daylight thief at Amigos Café” watches the other patrons-including a dancing child-and considers herself “a thief … in broad daylight/stealing the sacred … all around me.” This careful poet continually turns to the natural world for restoration and peace as she considers colonialism, patriarchy, “the murky waters of truth and reconciliation,” climate change and the…

Gordie’s SkateWritten by Bill Waiser, Illustrated by Leanne FransonPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$14.95 ISBN 9781771872355 Few athletes in Canadian history are as iconic as Gordie Howe. Nicknamed “Mr. Hockey,” the Floral, SK-born hockey legend played professionally for an astounding five decades (plus a single game in a sixth decade), and a school, campground, football stadium, and hockey arena are named in his honour. The Gordie Howe International Bridge across the Detroit River–Howe was the Detroit Red Wings’ star player for 25 seasons–is set to open in 2024. It’s fitting that this historically-revered Canadian be celebrated via the arts, as well, and that one of Canada’s foremost historians, Saskatoon’s double GG Award-winning Bill Waiser, has shifted genres (Waiser’s well-known for his non-fiction work) and written an illustrated children’s book, Gordie’s Skate, to share the story of Howe’s humble beginnings, his passion to play, and his ultimate success. Waiser’s successfully transitioned into the magical world of children’s literature with a compelling story that introduces us to a young Howe who “would have played [hockey] all day and night if he could … even in his sleep.” Inspired by Howe’s autobiography Mr. Hockey: My Story, Waiser’s book is set in…

Sacred Geometry for the Soul: Volume 1by Ann ChatfieldPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch$39.99 ISBN 9781990863066 What a beautiful book – every page is a feast for the eyes! For those who think this may be a book about math, it’s actually more about mandalas. Sacred geometry is the practice of attaching sacred meanings to certain geometric shapes and their architectural proportions. It has its foundation in nature and the mathematical principles at play there. The circle, for example, typically plays a huge role in sacred geometry.  In case that isn’t clear, Chatfield explains in this book that sacred geometry is an ancient science that explores and explains the energy patterns that create and unify all things in our universe and beyond. To truly cover the depth of this topic, it would take a lot more space than this review provides. Diving into the book, once you get past Chatfield’s story, she covers numerous topics: her explanation of the Akashic Records; descriptions of the symbols, crystals, and numbers used in her mandalas; the meanings and energy of colours; the seven basic chakras; and how to use mandalas for meditation. The rest of the book displays 63 mandalas…