Another Leaf: A Refugee Storyby Marg Epp as told by Ma They YarePublished by YNWPReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.95 ISBN 9781778690310 Ten years ago, while backpacking around Thailand, I visited a Karen village to photograph a woman with gold rings elongating her neck. I knew nothing of Karen culture and was shamelessly after the sheer spectacle. While that experience deserves to be in a “How Not to Be a Culturally Sensitive Traveler” file, it did have me especially eager to read Another Leaf: A Refugee Story, the memoir of a Myanmar-born Karen woman, Ma They Yare, as told, with the aid of translators, to her friend, Marg Epp. A small reparation, yes, but a step in the right direction. Epp and her refugee sponsorship group at Wildwood Mennonite Church in Saskatoon were responsible, with assistance from the Mennonite Central Committee, for the immigration of single mother Ma They Yare and her five children to Saskatoon in 2016. Ma They Yare bravely fled war-ravaged Myanmar (formerly Burma) with her family, and they remained in Thailand’s Mae Ra Mu Luang refugee camp for fourteen years before their arrival in Canada (sans the children’s father), where everything—food, clothing, currency, weather, customs, language—was new…

Knowledge Under Siege: Charting a Future for UniversitiesEdited by Marc Spooner and James McNinchPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $36.95 ISBN 9781779401243 When I turned the last page of this powerhouse book, I felt so many emotions – enlightened, drained, and wiser. I would expect nothing less from a University of Regina Press publication; they always dig deep into the heart of the topics they cover, leaving readers more informed and eager to continue learning.  Knowledge Under Siege tackles so many questions about higher education, but one of the biggest ones, as the authors point out, is: “What kind of society do we want universities to serve and to aspire to become?” The chapters explore the role of universities (What are universities for? Who are universities for?), the effects of politics and governments on universities, the shortfalls of contemporary institutions, possibilities for the future, and so much more. It even explores whether universities contribute to inequality versus creating equitable societies. A side topic that I appreciated that this book touched on was the role of artificial intelligence. AI is such an all-encompassing topic in our daily lives so exploring how it is impacting universities was especially interesting….

U ALIVEby Chelsea CoupalPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.95 ISBN 9781771872836 Chelsea Coupal’s second book, U ALIVE, is the most enjoyable poetry collection I’ve read in many moons. The rural Saskatchewan-raised writer and new mother documents—through sensorial and beautifully imagistic poems, mostly written in formal styles (couplets, tercets, quatrains)—a quintessentially prairie childhood; the transition from adolescence to motherhood; our often inexplicable attractions and attachments to people; the vagaries of the months and seasons; a close connection to the natural world; and a concern about the environment. The book possesses a self-reflective, questioning tone. Each of the twelve sections begins with a stylized poem named for the months of the year. Coupal has split these calendar poems into two columns, and rather than reading straight across the horizontal lines, the poems are best read down the left column, then down the right. In “March,” Coupal contemplates breastfeeding (“The second week I get mastitis”) and philosophizes about her life: “I could have as much time ahead/as behind me, maybe less./I wonder if everything I’ve done/equals good or bad.” Her breast milk “is the colour of salmon,/dyed by [her] own blood.” There’s plenty of blood in these poems, ie: “Tongues wet/as…

Ashme’s Songby Brad C. AndersonPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $26.99 ISBN 9781998273164 When a Brad C. Anderson book drops into my life, I know I am in for an entertaining ride! I loved his last book, Duatero, so my expectations for Ashme’s Song were high. And it absolutely delivered! Ashme is the main character in this dystopian science fiction novel. An “indigo child” with the ability to manipulate technology to her will, she lives in New Mesopotamia, a futuristic world shaped by control and conformity. She spends much of the story protecting her twin brother, who is quirky and neurodivergent—traits that are not prized in their society.  For me, this is ultimately a story of one’s calling versus one’s loyalty, a struggle that people have faced throughout history. Seeing this theme play out in the future kept me glued to the pages. Ashme is fiercely protective of her brother, yet equally drawn to join the resistance against the regime ruling her country. Those competing pulls wage a constant battle within her. It’s an age-old conflict, told through a fresh lens.  Even as AI and genetic modification become more common in our everyday world, I couldn’t quite imagine a…

I Can Do It Afraidby Lynne Harley, Illustrated by Ben YoungPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Sally Meadows$26.95 ISBN 9781778690686 The monarch butterfly shivers as cooler temperatures signal the advent of the fall season in Canada. She instinctively envisions travelling to a warmer place; but before she starts her 3000-mile (~4800-kilometre) migration to the protected oyamel fir forests of central Mexico where she will join tens to hundreds of millions of other wintering monarchs, she must silence the voice of self-doubt. On her journey she will learn to persevere through challenges and dangers including predators, storms, fatigue, injury, and loss of safe havens due to climate change, urban sprawl, and pesticides. Author Lynne Harley uses delightful, lilting rhymes to detail the monarch’s journey. Her choice to endow anthropomorphic features to the butterfly helps young readers explore the connection between fear, courage, and the drive to overcome as inspired by the whispers and dreams of their own hearts. Through I Can Do It Afraid, children are encouraged to dream big and set their imagination free by letting go of that inner voice that raises doubt about what they can achieve. Harley’s message is that it is okay to “begin your…

Stitching Our Stories Together: Journeys into Indigenous Social WorkEdited by Jeannine Carrière and Catherine RichardsonPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$34.95 ISBN 9781779400574 The stimulating essays in Stitching Our Stories Together: Journeys into Indigenous Social Work—edited by Métis scholars and thesis supervisors Jeannine Carrière and Catherine Richardson—reveal how nine Métis social work graduate students from across Canada are incorporating individual Indigeneity, histories and experiences, plus “Indigenous ways of knowing and being,” into their research in innovative ways, from using dance as a method to learn Michif to beading. The essays are disparate, imaginative, frank, and encouraging. The anthology includes an introduction and conclusion from the editors. They’ve chosen the culturally resonant metaphor of “stitches” in their title, as “Métis have stitched together blankets, quilts, fishing nets, and clothing[,] as well as mended relationships and kept families on track.” They hope the book will inspire “Indigenous undergrads who are contemplating entering a post-graduate program,” and that future students will find a few of “the possibilities offered by Indigenous research” in this handsome collection. The editors point to the importance of “meaning making … the process of how we take the gifts of participant interviews or other information to…

Marika and the Auctionby Helen Metella, Illustrated by Hannah Kate MillerPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Sally Meadows$24.95 ISBN 9781778690679 It might be easy to confuse Marika and the Auction with a children’s book. It is a typical picture book size and shape with approximately the same number of pages plus colourful, amusing illustrations. But there is one fundamental difference: this book is a “storybook for seniors” intended for adults with memory problems. Author Helen Metella wrote this book specifically for adults with dementia as inspired by, and for, her own mother. Unlike most children’s books, the star of the story is an adult. The setting is in the 1970s, when many individuals now in their eighties had young kids and a lively, energetic life. From fashion to tableware to home décor to the challenges of raising children, this book is replete with details that may trigger personal memories of older adults. This in turn may lead to precious conversations about their lives that their families will treasure. At the start of the story, Marika, a resourceful mother of five, longs to have a sleek, sophisticated home where her children can blossom. Knowing that they are on a tight…

Spare the Child: Ending Childhood Corporal Punishmentby Ailsa M. WatkinsonPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $29.95 ISBN 9781779401045 When a University of Regina Press book lands on my radar, I know with 100% certainty that I’m about to dive into an entertaining and informative read. Enter Spare the Child – another U of R Press title that proves difficult to  summarize in just a few paragraphs.  The Criminal Code of Canada declares that it is a violation to apply force upon another without their consent, yet section 43 states that teachers, parents, and caregivers can use reasonable force to correct achild. Spare the Child focuses on section 43, the history of corporal punishment against children in Canada, examples of cases, and the right that children have to safety and protection. It is a powerful read that often took my breath away. Watkinson packs the chapters with fascinating research that deepen the discussion. For example, in the section on Indigenous children and their historical realities, we read that in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, between 1941 and 1945 it is estimated that fifty percent of the children who passed through residential schools died. In the chapter on current research and…