Love Big Country: Tales of Wildfire, Wildlife & Wild Timesby Mark FletcherPublished by YNWPReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$29.95 ISBN 9781778690471 At 398 pages, I harboured reservations about reviewing Love Big Country: Tales of Wildfire, Wildlife & Wild Times, a memoir conveyed in storiesby Mark Fletcher. What if it was dull and/or poorly written? Then I began reading, and before I’d turned the first page, I was rapt, as Fletcher—wildland firefighter, smokejumper and adrenalin junkie extraordinaire—not only writes exceptionally well, this natural storyteller’s lifetime of intense experiences could make for blockbuster movies. He was in a helicopter that “flew directly through a residual cottonwood tree” and crashed. He’s shared rivers with grizzlies, was threatened by armed criminals, and, most terrifyingly, experienced burnovers: “fire penetrated the surrounding green fuels in a rush of flying embers, licking flames and loud, thick, wind-driven smoke. Burning trees fell close with muted thuds. The dragon was upon us.” His “beloved profession … nearly killed [him] a number of times,” and he earned ten concussions in the 1980s. “Parachuting into forest fires and firefighting in general come with risks,” he asserts. “Everyone knows I push boundaries.” But there’s no braggadocio here: the author regularly credits his associates,…

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….

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…

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…

Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspirationby Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky DancerPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$27.95 ISBN 9781779400840 Award-winning Saskatchewan writer Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer is renowned for her candid, Cree-infused poetry and presentations. Her latest book, Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspiration, braids memoir, poetry and essays to reveal where the author’s found inspiration and, I would say, contentment, after a tumultuous early start. In the eloquent introduction by the author’s daughter, Omeasoo Wahpasiw, the latter writes: “My mom dances with both her bones and the bones of our people, and when they poke and punch her with their insistent rattling, she does us all a favour, as painful as it is, and leaves them naked in the wind.” Until age seven, Halfe lived with her family in a log cabin on the Saddle Lake Reserve and practiced traditional Cree ways of life. She doesn’t pretend that it was perfect. Her father drank and was emotionally volatile (“His heart was a cave of stalactites.”). Her parents “stooked hay, picked rocks/in white farmers’ fields”. Halfe “learned to hunt, skin, and butcher game through non-verbal methods. [She] also watched [her] grandparents work…

Blue thinks itself within meby Kim TrainorPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$27.95 ISBN 9781779401205 I knew I was in for a different kind of book when I read the author’s dedication, which begins: “For the flying beings, the ones with sharp teeth,/the ones who swim, the fire stones, the trees, the rain.” By the end of prize-winning Vancouver writer Kim Trainor’s text, Blue thinks itself within me, I can affirm that her dedication tracks. Trainor sees, hears, experiences and questions with the intensity of a scientist and the detail of an artist as she draws readers both into the forest at the two-year Fairy Creek blockade near Vancouver Island’s Port Renfrew—where she joined other protestors to protect old growth logging—and through her elegiac and philosophical quandary re: how best to approach writing a long lyric poem about the oldgrowth specklebelly lichen (a rare and threatened species found on yellow cedar in ancient forests) in a kind of respectful co-making with this oldgrowth resident. Trainor describes artist Natasha Lavdovsky’s discovery of “over sixty trees draped in glittering specklebelly,” and explains that “The finding of such a large community of oldgrowth specklebelly was evidence of the age of…

Thatcher versus Douglas: The CCF, the Liberals, and the Mossbank Debate of 1957by M. G. BucholtzPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch$21.99 ISBN 9781990863349 Saskatchewan never fails to amaze me! Its political history is richer and deeper than many of us realize,and Thatcher versus Douglas captures one of its defining moments. Ross Thatcher and Tommy Douglas both played integral roles in shaping modern Saskatchewan and this book explores how their ideas – and their rivalries – helped define our political identity. Before reading Thatcher versus Douglas, I had never heard of the Great Debate that happened in 1957, apparently a pivotal point in Saskatchewan politics. At a time when politicians relied on speeches, door knocking, and newspaper coverage, Thatcher and Douglas debated face-to-face with a moderator between them, with reporters covering it for newspapers and the discussion broadcast over radio. What feels commonplace now was groundbreaking then, foreshadowing the future of media-driven politics. As the chapters unfolded, I found myself wondering which of the men I would’ve aligned with had I been alive seventy-five years ago. Both men are fascinating and Bucholtz dives deep into their lives so we can see what shaped their political views and careers. Even readers who…

A Line Runs Through It: A Story of Sexual Abuse, Addiction, and Redemptionby Niall SchofieldPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch  $22.99 ISBN 9781990863868 One of my goals for 2026 is to be a more empathetic person. Everyone is carrying something and learning to give people grace feels more necessary than ever. So when A Line Runs Through It landed on my bookshelf, I couldn’t wait to dive in. It’s a powerful reminder that everyone has a story, everyone struggles, and kindness costs us very little. But enough about me – this moment belongs to Niall Schofield. His memoir is gripping, tender, and emotionally disarming. I found myself laughing in some moments, crying in others, and picking my heart up off the floor and putting it back together in other parts. This is the kind of story that stays with you. What makes A Line Runs Through It work so well is Schofield’s vulnerability. He is unflinchingly honest about his past, his mistakes, and the choices that shaped his life. Rather than diminishing him, that honesty deepens the reader’s admiration. He has endured more in his first five decades than most experience in a lifetime, and he tells it without self-pity or pretense. …

Nēhiyawēwin: paskwāwi-pīkiskwēwin/Cree: Language of the Plainsby Jean L. OkimasisPublished by University of Regina PressReviewed by Madonna Hamel$24.95 ISBN 9780889778856 This new edition of Okimasis’ lab workbook is an indispensable companion to the recorded language labs available through the University of Regina Open Textbook program (https://www.uregina.ca/oer-publishing/). As an eager learner of the Cree language I appreciate how this workbook works as a clear visual map to bridge the rich aural world of the historic language of the plains, reinforcing the fact that Cree is indeed alive and integral to both people and place. You begin to speak Cree and Cree begins to speak you, a great teacher once said, and it is true. Using this workbook, I see how my inherited languages of English and French are constructed in a less storied and inter-connective manner than the nehiyawewin way. It gives me a door into the opportunity to be spoken “by” Cree. So much of a student’s ability to enter new territory lies in the efficacy and abilities of the teacher. Jean Okimasis is without a doubt the woman for the job of sharing this whole other world of Cree with the rest of us. Her books and CDs are used…