The Gnomes of Boundary Bogby Audrey GartnerIllustrated by Sheila KasickPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Michelle Shaw$24.95 ISBN 9781778690181 It was the gorgeous cover that captivated me first, but the gnomes quickly drew me into their magical world. The Gnomes of Boundary Bog is a wonderful collection of stories by first time Saskatchewan author Audrey Gartner. Almost every chapter of the book is told from the perspective of a different gnome which gives the book an almost kaleidoscopic feel as you gradually get a fuller picture of the Quire, which is what the community is called. I love books that are set in actual physical places that children can explore. Boundary Bog where the Quire is, is a real place in Prince Albert National Park, in Saskatchewan. You can even walk the Boundary Bog Trail (although it’s closed to the public, at present, due to a revitalisation project). Children can tangibly discover for themselves the details of the world in which the story is set and that makes such a difference to their experience. Gartner has done a wonderful job of world building. She uses concrete details to create a world that the reader can clearly visualize. For instance,…

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…

Phasesby Belinda BetkerPublished by Shadowpaw Press RepriseReview by Michelle Shaw$17.99 ISBN 9781989398449 Phases, a debut poetry collection by Saskatoon poet Belinda Betker, beautifully captures the stages and transformations of one woman’s life. It unravels like a journey that begins in childhood and culminates in the “triumphant release of coming out and the liberating power of drag.” Along the way Belinda reflects on stereotypes, conformity and society’s expectations. She captures distinct moments in time with an exquisite touch and an often-soul penetrating choice of words. And while one’s instinctive response is to read it as memoir, Belinda notes that not all the poems are strictly autobiographical. I marvelled at the accuracy of her descriptions and the accessibility and emotional intensity of her words. The book is divided into four sections, each describing a particular lunar phase. I was so fascinated by the terms: Saros Cycle, Grazing Occultation, Perigee Syzygy and Orbital Eccentricity, that of course I had to look them up. The explanations gave such an added dimension to the poems in each section, which I imagine was Belinda’s intent. As I’m sure each definition is open to interpretation, I encourage you to look them up yourself! I also learned a…

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…

Tunnels of Treacheryby Mary Harelkin BishopPublished by DriverWorks InkReview by Michelle Shaw$19.95 ISBN 9781927570692 Time travelling tunnels, thrilling, heart-stopping adventures. It must be a Mary Harelkin Bishop book! Tunnels of Treachery is the third book in Mary Harelkin Bishop’s well known Moose Jaw Time Travel Adventure series. This is the 20th anniversary edition of the series, and the book has been updated with shorter chapters, illustrations, historical notes and new resources, as well as a gorgeous new cover by illustrator Wendi Nordell. I think it’s much less well known than the first two books so I’m delighted that more readers will get a chance to enjoy it. In Tunnels of Treachery, Andrea’s friends Kami and Eddie Mark accidentally fall into the time travelling tunnels below Moose Jaw. They discover that Chinese immigrants are being forced to work in terrible conditions in the tunnels until they can pay the government-imposed Head Tax. Kami and Eddie are of Asian descent and don’t have documentation to show that they can legally be in Canada. They are forced to work as indentured labourers in the tunnels. Will Andrea and her brother Tony manage to help them escape and find their way back to the…

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…

What If You Could?by Lynne Harley, Illustrations by Kiram AkramReview by Michelle ShawPublished by Shadowpaw Press Premiere$16.99 ISBN 9781989398463 What If You Could? by Lynne Harley is a wonderful book for all ages with a deep and profound message that will resonate with every reader. The author cleverly uses the familiar story of the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly to highlight the different “inner voices” we all experience. “One grey and rainy morning, a caterpillar, as caterpillars do, was eating a big, green leaf, munching, crunching, thinking, too.” One of the voices the caterpillar hears is positive and loving and encourages him to dream big, exciting dreams and to let his imagination run free. The other voice is “cold and quite mean” and full of “know-it-all advice”. This voice sternly tells the caterpillar: “forget it, little caterpillar. From this branch, you won’t go far! … HA! Who do you think you are?” Lynne Harley has spent forty years as a social worker and a transformational life coach, so it’s not surprising that this book is so profound. Through her work she encourages individuals to believe in themselves. She says this book speaks to the power of listening deeply to our…

Ruby’s Camping Adventureby B. A. TomkaPublished by Shiba BooksReview by Michelle ShawISBN 9781778147500. $14.99 Ruby’s Camping Adventure is a gorgeously illustrated adventure story with a great message for children of all ages. Mother-daughter writing team, Bonnie and Anna Tomka, who live in Northern Saskatchewan, have written a fun story featuring their Shiba Inu dog named Ruby (a Shibu Inu is a breed of hunting dog from Japan.) I always love reading books set in Saskatchewan. They are invariably filled with pictures, words and situations that Saskatchewan children can relate to. And this book is full of them. The story revolves around Ruby and her owner (and best friend) Anna who decide to go on a camping adventure. We are told very early on that this isn’t your ordinary story about a cute, cuddly puppy. “Sure, she’s cute and cuddly. But she’s also trouble.” The friends are looking forward to roasting marshmallows and singing camping songs but when Ruby chases a rabbit into the forest, things start going awry. Ruby is so intent on catching the rabbit that before she knows it, she’s lost. It begins getting dark and the northern lights start dancing across the sky. Ruby is starting to…