Fierce, Fabulous, and Fluid: How Trans High School Students Work at Gender Nonconformityby LJ SlovinPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$32.95 ISBN 9781779400505 To write the academic text Fierce, Fabulous, and Fluid: How Trans High School Students Work at Gender Nonconformity LJ Slovin (the Martha LA McCain Postdoctoral Fellow at the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto)...
Charged!: The Dangerous and Misguided Promise of the Electric Vehicleby M.G. BucholtzPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch $21.99 ISBN 9781990863677 I’ve always been wary about how so-called experts have pushed consumers to purchase electric vehicles over gas powered modes of transportation. Logically I can’t wrap my head around it. After all, running an electric vehicle takes electricity, a resource that requi...
Walking Upstreamby Lloyd RatzlaffPublished by Thistledown PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.95 ISBN 9781771872706 Saskatoon’s Lloyd Ratzlaff—essayist, former minister, walker in wild places—has released his first poetry collection, and wow. I know this man and have long believed that poetry lives in him; I’m grateful his mostly contemplative poems—alive with water, birds and creatures—have found a deserving home in Walkin...
Helloby David CarpenterPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Brandon Fick$34.99 ISBN 9781998273270 Hello is the first book of fiction I have read by Saskatchewan writer, David Carpenter, after having read two of his nonfiction books, Courting Saskatchewan and The Education of Augie Merasty. His versatility and credentials are well established, but in spite of that, I imagine his work still does not get the level of praise and attention ...
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: Psychogeogr...
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 wond...
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;...
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 Pres...
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....
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 f...
