Books and the City: Psychogeographical Wanderings Around Toronto’s Independent Bookstoresby Annabel TownsendPublished by Pete’s Press, The Wandering SeriesReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$24.99 ISBN 9781069000996 It’s entirely wonderful to finish a book and immediately recognize that the author could be your new best friend. Annabel Townsend is a British-born, Regina, SK writer, and her nonfiction title Books and the City: Psychogeographical Wanderings Around Toronto’s Independent Bookstores contains all the elements I require for a wildly successful read: it’s well-written and structured; its author is passionate and clear about her mission; and it opened my mind while delivering a plethora of fun. Huge points also for the adventure of big-city, solo travel; staying in hostels; and using Toronto’s Bike Share program. And, naturally, I share her belief in the “magic” that bookstores (and books) contain. Books and the City details Townsend’s January 2024 pursuit to find a particular book, Stroll, by Torontonian Shawn Micallef, whom she heard present at the Toronto International Festival of Authors in 2022. Like Micallef, Townsend is a psychogeographer. Psychogeography, she explains, is “a marriage of psychology and geography but with a good dose of creativity and ethnography thrown in.” It’s “a lens through which we can view…

The Lavender Childby Harriet RichardsPublished by Shadowpaw Press RepriseReview by Toby A. Welch  $24.99 ISBN 9781998273201 The Lavender Child is a beautifully unique and creative story with unforgettable characters and a plot that keeps readers intrigued. I wasn’t surprised to learn that this powerful read was a winner of the Saskatchewan Book Awards First Book prize when it was initially published. If you are like me and wonder what the title is referencing – what the heck is a lavender child? – I have the answer! When one of the main characters is born, Dion, he is limp and looks close to death. Another child was born into the family decades earlier that only lived for two weeks and fought for every breath. Both babies were a shade of blue, hence “lavender child.” (I should mention that this book might be a bit challenging for people who have lost babies or experienced children with health issues.) I loved that when reading this story about three generations of a family that we are thrown back into a time when life wasn’t so chaotic and technologically driven. But it’s not so far back that this would be considered historical fiction. After all, the book mentions…

Little Big Sister: Big Little Brotherby Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated by Mario Vianni and P Aplinder KaurPublished by Home Style TeachersReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$25.00 ISBN 9781778152948 As a longtime reviewer, I’ve noted that some progressive children’s writers are publishing books that tell a good story while simultaneously addressing the subject of diversity, whether that’s through stories that highlight cultural diversity; include representations of non-traditional families (ie: same-sex partnerships); spotlight intergenerational relationships; or contain depictions of characters who are differently-abled, ie: an Autistic boy or a visually-impaired girl. I believe this to be a positive trend in the publishing industry, and these inclusive books deliver a much more accurate depiction of what contemporary Canadian schools—and society—really looks like. Saskatchewan writer and Home Style Teachers’ publisher, Ashley Vercammen, appears to have made it her mission to be inclusive in her illustrated children’s books. She writes about how motherhood can mean many different things, how “family” can also include friends from various cultures, and—in her longer illustrated book, School Readiness—what children can expect when they begin school, and how they should conduct themselves in that sometimes intimidating and/or confusing new setting. Her illustrated book Little Big Sister: Big Little Brother features adult siblings…

Gehl v Canada: Challenging Sex Discrimination in the Indian Actby Lynn GehlPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $26.95 ISBN 9780889778252 Knowing I am a reader, a friend of mine asked me an interesting question recently: “Are there any book publishers that you will read their books without even knowing what the book is about?” I immediately replied, “Yes – Harlequin and University of Regina Press. The first because I’m a sucker for a heartfelt romance and the second because every single book they publish is so thoroughly researched that any topic they cover is fascinating to read about.” So when University of Regina Press publication Gehl v Canada landed on my desk, I couldn’t wait to dive in! Detailing in a brief review what Gehl v Canada is about is nearly impossible as the subject matter is gigantic. We hit on so many familial, feminist, and Indigenous issues, among others. It’s challenging to encapsulate it. Perhaps Mary Eberts says it best in the forward: “Dr. Lynn Gehl describes the effort she made to document the sex discrimination affecting her and her family, her decision to challenge that discrimination, and how she applied herself to various proceedings… until she achieved victory.” To be clear,…

The Glass Lodge: 20th Anniversary Editionby John Brady McDonaldPublished by Shadowpaw Press RepriseReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$34.99 ISBN 9781998273119 As the name suggests, Shadowpaw Press Reprise is in the business of publishing previously-released books, often with edits and other improvements. The Glass Lodge: 20th Anniversary Edition, a holds-no-punches poetry collection by Saskatchewan writer John Brady McDonald is one such book. First published in 2004 by Kegedonce Press, the Néhiyawak-Métis writer/artist/actor/musician/historian—yes, he has a lot going on—from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and the Mistawasis Nehiyawak has given the new hardcover edition a spit-shine, with “frank, fascinating insight[s]” into the poems’ angsty geneses, and several images of the initial handwritten pieces. McDonald’s been recognized for both his writing and artwork. His nonfiction book Carrying it Forward: ESSAYS FROM KISTAHPINÂNIHK garnered two Saskatchewan Books Awards in 2024, and his art’s been shown internationally. This multi-talented, Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal awardee (Saskatchewan), has had an extraordinarily diverse life, ranging from promiscuity and addiction issues to studying at England’s University of Cambridge and presenting his work in Australia. The book’s told chronologically in four parts—“Emergence,” “Eros,” “Kuskitew Peyesis” and “Renaissance,” and includes a “Denouement.” The poems reach back to McDonald’s difficult teenage years: the first…

Spark: On Writing for Kids & Young Adultsby Alice Kuipers Published by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $22.95 ISBN 9781779400222 I must come clean – the title of this book threw me off. Spark: On Writing for Kids & Young Adults. I thought the title meant that this was a book geared for kids and teens who wanted to be writers. But it’s not. It’s for writers of any age who want to write books for children and adolescents. With that cleared up, let’s jump into one of the best books about writing that I’ve ever read! (And as a writer of almost three decades, I have devoured almost every writing book on the market.)  Canadian powerhouse writer Richard Van Camp said that “Spark is right up there with Stephen King’s On Writing” and I agree 100%. This is a phenomenal book on the craft of writing and it covers so many topics. The first third of the book covers how to write for a younger audience. Kuipers does an overview of writing for young people first and then goes into the specifics of writing picture books, chapter books, and then writing for middle grade and young adult readers. That covered, Kuipers delves…