SaskBooks Reviews

The Four Seasons of Rusty-Belly: Ode to the Seasons and the Birds of Boundary Bayby Danielle S. Marcotte, Illustrations by Francesca Da SaccoPublished by Éditions de la Nouvelle PlumeReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$14.95 ISBN 9-782925-329046 I am très pleased that The Four Seasons of Rusty-Belly: Ode to the Seasons and the Birds of Boundary Bay flew into my hands for review. Apart from the important facts that this geographically-specific children’s book is bilingual, well-written, and educational, I am perhaps especially pleased that it was illustrated by a real, living and breathing artist, not by Artificial Intelligence. It really does make all the difference; too often, of late, I’ve noticed that many writers and publishers are opting to use featureless, clichéd, computer-generated images in their children’s books, rather than investing in human talent. Tsawwassen, BC author and former Radio-Canada host Danielle S. Marcotte has been publishing books since 2014—nineteen titles—and if The Four Seasons of Rusty-Belly is indicative of her talent, I need to get my hands on more of her stories. As indicated by its title, this is a seasonal story set in BC’s Boundary Bay Park, which is “located on a major [bird] migration route,” the Pacific Flyway. Each…

My List, My Rules: The Year A Checklist Changed My Lifeby Angie CouniosPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Toby A. Welch  $29.95 ISBN  9781778690211 Holy smokes – I don’t think I’ve read a memoir more exposed and vulnerable than this one. Usually books in that genre feel a tad curated to me, which takes away from the authenticity you want in a memoir. But not this one. Counios laid it all out there for us and it is magnificent! The layout of this book is genius. I incorrectly assumed that since Counios was going to do 101 things in 365 days, she would just list them and tell us how she tackled each one. Wrong! The 365 days weren’t a calendar year, they were one birthday to the next. So the book is categorized into months, starting with her birthday month: November. I loved that she laid out the book that way as it flowed perfectly with each month having eight or nine random items from her list. (For those of you who like seeing the list in numerical order, you can find that at the back of the book.) This is catalogued as a memoir but it could also be considered a…

Half-Wild and Other Stories of Encounterby Emily PaskevicsPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$24.95 ISBN 9781771872485 It’s entirely rare that a first book packs a punch like Emily Paskevics’ Half-Wild and Other Stories of Encounter. The Ontario writer’s auspicious debut is multi-layered, engrossing, and technically well-wrought (Paskevics is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers), and it credibly features the no-nonsense, hunting-and-fishing folks who populate Ontario’s hardy wilderness communities. If you love gothic literature, you’ll devour these dozen stories. Think taxidermy. Animal fetuses in jars. Hitting a strange creature with your car on a dark, lonely road. Think “mobile home with its porch light swinging … The blue painted door is all scratched up from when a bear tried to get in”. Often characters are fleeing, or someone close to them has recently died, and the remote landscapes—rife with bears, wolves, coyotes, harsh climate and dangerous waters—brilliantly parallel the characters’ dire situations, their psychological turmoil, and the endangered ecosystem. “Bear Bones” is set in Sadowa, where “deer-crossing signs [are] half-battered with buckshot,” a snowstorm’s afoot, and Louisa’s gone missing in a “man’s oilskin coat”. There’s a touch of magic realism at play, but the next story—also featuring loner…

The Three Heirsby Monique DesrosiersPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch$26.99 ISBN 9781990863219 Over a year ago I read an amazing book by Monique Desrosiers, The Cartwright Men Marry. I devoured the book and wanted more from Desrosiers. I was disappointed to find that the book I had just finished was her first novel; there were no others in her repertoire to enjoy. I was bummed but such is life. But recently I learned about The Three Heirs – Monique Desrosiers finally published her second novel! My universe tilted back into alignment. I couldn’t wait to dive back into a world created by Desrosiers’ imagination.  This is the story of a woman who dies and brings three strangers together for the reading of her will. None of them know the recently deceased Delilah but they are all connected. What takes place leading up to the will reveal as well as the fallout afterward will keep you rapidly turning the pages.  The Three Heirs will be a hit with readers of period fiction. The book starts in the 1860s before flashing back to the 1790s and then covers the seven decades in between. Desrosiers clearly researched those decades as she does a great job of making…

The Sock MomsterWritten by Mari Lemieux, Illustrated by Mario VianiPublished by Home Style Teachers$25.00 ISBN 9781778152917 Hunting With My DadWritten by Patty Torrance, Illustrated by Putut PutriPublished by Home Style Teachers$20.00 ISBN 9781998218028 Reviews by Shelley A. Leedahl Have an idea for a children’s book, perhaps featuring your own family members or pets? These days, with numerous self-publishing companies available to help new authors navigate the steps toward seeing their own work in print, there are perhaps more books than ever out there vying for coveted space in a child’s collection of titles. One of the best reasons to self-publish is that the whole process can happen quickly. With traditional publishers, writers can wait years to hear back about a manuscript (only to receive a rejection), or receive an acceptance and then have to wait years for the book to be released: I had a book accepted by a reputable trade book publisher in 2012, and it was released in 2019. Home Style Teachers is a Saskatchewan-based publisher that offers self-publishing services, including finding an illustrator for the story, if the author desires. It is the brainchild of Ashley Vercammen, whose own diverse, illustrated children’s books are included in Home…

The Heathens and the Dragon: A 13th-Century Adventureby Kate A. BoormanPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Toby A. Welch$16.95 ISBN 9781771872478 It’s been decades since I was in middle school, the suggested reading demographic for The Heathens and the Dragon. But I loved every word. Don’t let the age recommendation turn you off if you are a fan of fun historical fiction. This is an enjoyable read that people of all ages can get into.  The Heathens and the Dragon tells the story of a spunky 12-year-old named Elodie. She and her younger brother become orphans when their mother passes away and their master is arrested. Not sure how to survive, they attempt to follow and find him. They head into a forest, which is where the real spice in the book kicks in. They encounter a troubadour – a French medieval lyrical poet – who offers to help them and their amusing pet chicken. To survive, they create a music performance to make money for food and supplies. (The music and magic show they perform is called The Heathens and the Dragon, hence the name of the book.) A prevalent dynamic of the story is Pagan beliefs and rituals as well as resistance toward anyone…