The Foxholes at the Borders of Sofa Cushionsby Counce BramptonPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.95 ISBN 9781988783994 They say it’s about the journey, not the reward. In the literary world, the reward might be considered the publication of a book. For Saskatoon poet Counce Brampton, a “quiet observer of life” who’s lived most of his adulthood in a group home (as a result of OCD and other mental health issues), my sense is that it’s always been about the journey, yet his first poetry collection, The Foxholes at the Borders of Sofa Cushions, has been published, and it opens with a generous introduction by his friend and mentor, internationally-revered writer Yann Martel. Martel began meeting with Brampton when the former was serving as writer-in-residence at the Saskatoon Public Library twenty years ago. The Life of Pi author quickly gleaned that Brampton wasn’t seeking “editorial guidance but affirmation and validation”. Martel continues to provide that today, and explains that “This book is the result of a wish to safeguard what is essentially Counce Brampton’s life work, the mark he will leave”. Interestingly, the poems appear next to images of their first incarnations, handprinted in Brampton’s coiled notebook….

Seagull Island: kiyāsko-miniscikosby Myles H. Charles and Miriam KörnerPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$22.95 ISBN 9781778690105 Seagull Island: kiyāsko-miniscikos is a beautiful children’s book that celebrates traditional life and blends English and Cree to create a captivating tale of family and their deep connection to nature. One morning Luke’s grandfather wakes him up and tells him they are going for a boat ride for the day – to Seagull Island! When they get there, they see lots and lots of nesting seagulls. Carefully Luke’s mosōm and his kohkom show him how to gather the eggs. Finally, when their pail is full, they thank the seagulls for the eggs and set off. They stop at a nearby island to boil the eggs and have some BLT – bannock, lard and tea. Then it’s home to share the rest of the eggs. Miriam Körner’s illustrations are glorious. The pictures fill most of the double pages which gives the reader a chance to immerse themselves in the visuals of the story. There is lots of attention to detail so children can find the butterflies and count the fish and spot the different types of birds. The 24 page, hard-covered book…

Nature’s Apprentices: The Magic of the Peatlandsby Elizabeth Bekolay, illustrated by Jennifer Lynn BeckerPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$19.95 ISBN 9781778690020 Every so often you come across a book that so inspires you that you want to eagerly hand it out to as many people as possible. This is a book about the importance of the peatlands, which are a type of wetland. It’s a book that’s packed full of fascinating facts and educational resources. But it’s the story — a beautiful blend of ecology, fantasy and the joy of childhood adventures — that draws you in and enchants you. Johnny and Marty are two brothers who spend time with their mother, a biologist, up north every summer in a cabin in the boreal forest. Friends nearby have a daughter Willow, who is about the same age as the boys and the three children love roaming the forest. Willow is fascinated with learning about different types of plants and frequently stops to draw one in her notebook. One day on one of their adventures they hear a flute playing a very old and beautiful melody and the children fall asleep. When they wake up, they discover they…

Duty Done: Memories of Fairmont BarracksEdited by Donna Morse and Ric HallPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Toby A. Welch$19.95 ISBN 9781988783802 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a lengthy, distinguished legacy in our country’s history. They were established in 1873, just six years after Canada was created. This phenomenal book delves into a slice of that RCMP history.  In 1914, a building was erected in the Cambie Corridor in Vancouver, BC. It served as a private boys school and then a military hospital before the Mounties took up residence there in 1920; they renamed it Fairmont Barracks. I’d wager they had no idea at that time that members of the RCMP would call the place home for the next 93 years.  Duty Done was clearly a labour of love for dozens of people. Beyond the Vancouver division of the RCMP Veterans’ Association, the list of people who devoted time and energy to ensure this book came to fruition is impressive.  You’ll find 28 chapters in this book, although they are called memories instead of chapters. Each of the 28 sections is a story from someone with ties to the Fairmont Barracks. The stories they share are diverse but…

Lola’s Woolly Jumperby Samantha Van De KerckhovePublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$18.95 ISBN 9781778690068 Prairie author Samantha Van De Kerckhove’s love for drawing, painting and storytelling come together beautifully in her children’s book Lola’s Woolly Jumper, which she wrote and illustrated as a gift to her beloved niece and nephews. The term “woolly jumper” is a nod to their family’s Irish heritage. The story follows the adventures of Lola, a happy little lamb who has one wish above everything. She wants a jumper (sweater) just like Farmer Joe’s. Farmer Joe just smiles at her and says: “You can have a jumper like mine. You just have to make it yourself!” Lola tries out various possible solutions around the farm as she puzzles over this problem. But nothing seems to work. The seasons slowly change and finally winter gives way to spring. And Lola discovers that the answer was quite literally all around her. But the story doesn’t end there. We follow the process as Lola’s woolly coat is clipped, cleaned, untangled, spun and dyed. And finally, she has her very own jumper. It’s a simple story on the surface but filled with so much that children can…

The Last Green Dragonby Rud VerhagenPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$19.95 ISBN 9781988783918 The Last Green Dragon is a magical tale of courage, mystery and adventure between two very unlikely friends. Gus is a green dragon who has been raised by a pair of owls since he was a hatchling. Ev is a young girl who was left on the doorstep of a kind old lady named Granny Jenkins when she was a baby. But thanks to a magical opening in Ev’s backyard the two meet and become friends. Although they don’t know it, they are both on a quest and it’s only by joining together that they will each be able to unlock the secrets of their past. Both Gus and Ev are prepared to sacrifice something precious to help the other and they encourage each other when the challenges seem too hard. But just when their friendship seems unbreakable there’s a shocking discovery at the end of the book that threatens to destroy it forever. Fantasy is not usually my go-to genre, but I was absolutely delighted by The Last Green Dragon. Gus and Ev are interesting characters who each have their own personal challenges…

Jessie the Doo-Doo Dog and the Visitors from Outer Spaceby Bill and Jocelyn HutchinsonPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$14.95 ISBN 9781778690006 Dogs, poop, flying saucers and “a tail that’s out of this world”. This is a chapter book that children will adore. The story is told from the perspective of Jessie, a Maltipoo who lives with her bigger cousins Katcha and Krissy, and their human mom and dad. Jessie’s sister, Jo-Jo, also lives close by and comes for frequent sleepovers. One night, on one of their regular walks around the neighbourhood, the dogs come across an incredible sight: a flying saucer! And inside are two small creatures who “looked a lot like Jo-Jo and me—except they had green fur and a pair of matching antennas sticking out of their heads. Space dogs?!” The space dogs have a serious problem. They have run out of fuel for their space craft…and a very special type of fuel is needed. The dogs and their human dad come up with a plan that involves enlisting the help of as many animals as they can find including the rabbits, the squirrels, the gophers, the geese and the beavers. The moose end up…

A Silly Willy Christmasby Brenda RedmanPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Cindy Wilson$14.95 ISBN 9781988783987 A Silly Willy Christmas is a children’s book written by Brenda Redman and illustrated by Wendi Nordell. Right from the beginning, the title of the book tells you it will be fun to read! The moment I saw the cover, with its bright, vibrant colours, and its little smiling faces, I knew I wanted to open the book and read what was inside. The story is as happy and charming as its cover. A little girl, who Gramma calls Peanut, her baby sister called Muffin, and her Mom and Dad, arrive at Gramma and Papa’s house for Christmas. Gramma greets Peanut with “a million zillion kisses”. When Peanut comments to Gramma on the “million zillion” boots in the closet, the many relatives filling up all the couches and chairs, the family members napping everywhere, enough food in the kitchen to feed all of Saskatchewan, and finally the “million zillion” Christmas stockings on the fireplace, Gramma always has an unexpected and innovative way to fix things. Every time Gramma tells Peanut of her solution to each of the problems caused by a “million zillion” of…

Sariri: Travels Through Boliviaby Ivar MendezPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Toby A. Welch$24.95 ISBN 9781988783796 This is a fascinating read to add to your collection of travel books! You’ll find 20 chapters in Sariri (not counting the introduction, afterword, and glossary.) Each chapter covers a specific place in Bolivia, a terrific way to lay out a book about a country. Close to the front of the book you’ll find a map that pinpoints the location of each chapter – so handy! If you are confused by the title of this book, ‘sariri’ is the Bolivian word for the nature of a traveller – a pilgrim on a spiritual quest, a traveller in search of new horizons, adventures, and cultures. That sums up Mendez himself perfectly. Mendez does an amazing job of describing each place he visits in Bolivia without being flowery – I love that! For example, when detailing the houses in the village of Culpina, he writes, “A row of brick houses… are still in use. These small red houses with chimneys look like they belong in an English town rather than in the middle of the Bolivian pampas.” Of all the interesting places Mendez wrote about,…

The Pickle in Grandma’s FridgeStory by Elena Bentley, Art by Tonia LairdPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Cindy WilsonISBN 9781988783857 $16.95 The Pickle in Grandma’s Fridge is a children’s book written by Elena Bentley and illustrated by ToniaLaird. It has a grandma, a fridge, and a fuzzy green pickle–of course it’s an interesting story! Annie is a little girl who goes to her grandma’s after school. How lovely is that? Annie tells Grandmathat her friend says if you leave food in the fridge too long it will grow legs. When Annie goes toGrandma’s fridge to get a snack she sees a very fuzzy green pickle! She thinks Grandma should throwthat pickle out before it grows legs. Grandma says ,“Don’t be silly. Food can’t grow legs.” But that night a tap, tap, tap, coming from the fridge wakes Annie. She opens the fridge door and outjumps the fuzzy green pickle! Follow along to find out what happens with Annie, Grandma, and Dil theFuzzy Pickle! Laird’s vivid illustrations will capture the attention of readers young and old, and clearlanguage makes reading along both easy and fun. The illustrator lets us know Annie’s personality through her very expressive facial expressions. We alsosee…