Gabrielle Rougeby Maureen UlrichPublished by Flatlands PressReview by Sally Meadows$21.99 ISBN 9781778296505 Full confession: alternate historical fantasy novels for young adults is not a genre I typically reach for. But when the opportunity came up to review Maureen Ulrich’s Gabrielle Rouge (Book 2 in the Winds of Change series), I jumped at it after reviewing and enjoying her middle years’ book Kimeto’s Journey, about an 11-year-old African boy who has an extraordinary adventure. The fact that Ulrich has published in multiple genres, for different age groups, attests to her skills as a writer, and I, as a reader, am all in on her writing journey. At the beginning of Gabrielle Rouge, 16-year-old, flame-haired Gabrielle is returning home from the riots in Andwarf. Accompanied by Thomas, the young blacksmith who has pledged to serve her as the prospective incoming leader of the town of Lille after the untimely death of her war-hero father, and with her brother out of the picture, Gabrielle will need all the support she can get. It doesn’t take long for our female protagonist to declare her intentions to the townspeople; and just as quickly, she is met with both quiet and outright opposition. The remainder of…

A Home for Hairyby Maureen Ulrich, Illustrated by Brenda BlackburnPublished by Flatlands PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$24.99 ISBN 9781069113511 What I know about Saskatchewan’s Maureen Ulrich is that she understands how to engage readers, her genres and subject matter are varied, and her children’s picture books—ie: Sam and the Big Bridge, which I previously reviewed—are delightfully heartwarming. Ulrich, a former teacher, recently released another moving story for young readers. A Home for Hairy is a softcover featuring a foul-breathed cat (Hairy) with low self-esteem, and Alison, a busy healthcare worker and weekend-warrior (aka adventurer) who takes a chance on fostering the scruffy-looking feline at the animal shelter, and welcomes him into her life. Though Hairy’s weekdays are spent inside young Alison’s brick apartment building while she’s at work or reading medical texts and crashing, exhausted on her couch (the illustration for this page shows her asleep on her couch with phone in hand, kitty litter escaping the cat box, and household chores undone), he enjoys “watching the world go by” from his windowsill perch, and during the weekends he and Alison get up to outdoor adventures like hiking, canoeing, and, when winter blows in, snow-boarding. These are daring and questionable…

Kimeto’s Journeyby Maureen UlrichPublished by Flatlands PressReview by Sally Meadows$17.99 ISBN 9781778296574 While watching over his family’s cattle grazing on Kenyan rangelands, eleven-year-old Kimeto spots a leather strap hanging from an acacia tree, a sure sign of a poacher’s snare. The next morning on their way to school, he and his two younger sisters come across the carcass of a large elephant. Splashing noises nearby lead them to a baby elephant struggling to escape the muddy red waters of a steep-sided well. Despite the potential danger to himself, Kimeto slips in to help. As he comforts the baby elephant, he begins to bond with her. When two park rangers finally arrive, the three of them manage to rescue the elephant calf. What will happen to her next? Has Kimeto made her life better–or worse? The bulk of this middle grade (ages 8-14) coming-of-age novel documents Kimeto’s journey to the wildlife sanctuary in Nairobi to find out the little elephant’s fate. Along the way, the reader is given a fascinating glimpse into the Kenyan cultural landscape. The juxtaposition of the traditional way of life of the rural Maasai against modern-day perils in the big city makes a compelling story as it…

Sam and the Big Bridgeby Maureen Ulrich, Illustrated by Matt GonyaPublished by Flatlands PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$24.99 ISBN 9781778296529 Multi-genre writer Maureen Ulrich has released a new illustrated softcover for children, and its moving conclusion left me with a lump in my throat. The Lampman-area author is no stranger to the pen: she’s previously published the Jessie Mac Hockey Series of novels; the YA alternative history series, Winds of Change; the middle grade novel Kimeto’s Journey; and a poetry book, Something’s Different, described as “A COVID journal in verse.” When it comes to writing for young people, Ulrich clearly knows her audience. In her first children’s picture book, Sam and the Big Bridge, the former teacher-turned-author delivers a short tale about two brothers, Sam and Derek, and her initial three words set the stage for the story: “Sam was anxious.” Interestingly, Sam is the elder brother, and he’s concerned that his little brother might get hurt on the playground swing or monkey bars, or that he might leap into the swimming pool “without his waterwings,” or even fail to check for cars when he crosses a street. Sam even worries in his dreams: his mother says she’s signed the…

Gabrielle and the Rebelsby Maureen UlrichPublished by Flatlands PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $21.99 ISBN 9781778296536 Lampman-based Maureen Ulrich, author of the much-loved Jessie Mac Hockey Series, has crafted a new series, Winds of Change. It is a fantastical coming of age story. What a wild ride readers are in for! I love the premise of Gabrielle and the Rebels, the first book in the Winds of Change series. Travel back to a time a few centuries ago, throw technology in the mix, and see what happens. From page one, this was a fun read. I found it categorized in many ways – fiction, urban fantasy, historical fantasy, and alternate history, among others – but for me the only important category is “must read.”   With such a unique storyline, I was intrigued as to how Ulrich came up with the idea for Gabrielle and the Rebels. This is what she had to say: “The concept of the book actually came from a popular Lloyd Alexander series called Westmark, which utilized alternative history/historical fantasy, colourful characters, and NO magic. Real life problems aren’t solved with a magical wand or ring, but through human interactions and technology. That’s my goal. This series has been on my desktop in various forms…