The Day I Went to My First Football Gameby M Larson, illustrated by FX Color StudiosPublished by M Larson Books Review by Sally Meadows$13.99 ISBN 9781778095641 When Finn’s grandparents give him a football jersey and tickets to his very first professional football game for his seventh birthday, Finn is thrilled…and a little nervous. While he and his two brothers love football, he has heard that the team has the “loudest, craziest fans.” However, that doesn’t stop Finn from soaking up all the excitement with his parents and older brother at the big city stadium. Author M (Melanie) Larson has effectively captured the exhilaration of attending an in-person major league football game for the very first time. Although the team isn’t specifically named – several professional teams wear green and white – anyone who has lived in Saskatchewan or is familiar with the Roughriders will recognize the quirkiness of their football fans, from the ubiquitous green jerseys to green hair to wearing a watermelon on their heads. The author has done a great job of showing that going to a football game is more than just watching a game: it is an immersive experience with its tailgate parties, meet and greets with…

A Clear Christmas Eveby Coreen Bannerholt; Illustrated by Olha TkachenkoPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing|Review by Sally Meadows$19.95 ISBN 9781778690464 “On a clear Christmas Eve, the softly falling snow lay gentle as a blanket on the festive scene below.” Thus begins a brand-new holiday story, A Clear Christmas Eve, with a charming twist on the traditional night before Christmas story that hints at deeper spiritual truths. This lovely story is a must read for children-and those who read to them-and is destined to become a holiday classic. It is Christmas Eve, and Santa’s reindeer are raring to get on their way to fulfill their mission of sharing gifts around the world. Despite weather challenges and an unplanned stop, the reindeer press on in unison for their communal goal of spreading joy from east to west. Finally, with their assignment completed, Santa and his reindeer disappear into the night with the faith, hope, love, peace, and goodwill foundational to the real Christmas story lingering on. I adore how author Coreen Bannerholt bestows a unique personality and role to each reindeer. Their camaraderie as they work together to accomplish the greater purpose of spreading love and care over the entire world is endearing….

The Lake in the Middle of Townby Neil Sawatzky; Illustrated by Julio SalazarPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Sally Meadows$24.95 ISBN 9781778690402 When you do a Google search for things to see in Regina, Saskatchewan, Wascana Park consistently comes up in the top five. With easy access to other popular tourist attractions such as the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, and the Mackenzie Art Gallery, Wascana Park shines as a beautiful green space surrounding picturesque Wascana Lake. Residents and tourists alike marvel at its beauty. But what is the history behind this “sparkling gem in the Queen City’s crown?” An updated, hardcover, 20th anniversary edition of The Lake in the Middle of Town dives into this question both as an easy-to-read poem perfect for inter-generational snuggles and with sidebar information for older children and adults who want to dig deeper into the lake’s fascinating history. Although I didn’t grow up in Saskatchewan, my mother was born in Regina, so this book really opened my eyes up to the historical depth and breadth of this iconic area in Saskatchewan’s capital in a personal way. From its Indigenous roots to the first appearance of settlers to the establishment and…

Loved Beyond Compare: A Journey of Miracles and Resilience During a Wicked Warby Dr. Jane Amana EkongPublished by Living Water PressReview by Sally Meadows$24.99 ISBN 9781990863455 It was with great anticipation that I received Dr. Jane Amana Ekong’s memoir Loved Beyond Compare for review. I love reading about other peoples’ faith journeys, and Dr. Ekong’s story promised to be inspirational. I was not disappointed. From the opening chapter, Dr. Ekong’s compelling writing drew me in through her vivid imagery and frank stream of consciousness. From the miracle of her birth to the “chaos, uncertainty, and fear” of living through the Nigerian Civil War, to the challenges she faced while getting her education, to navigating hurdles as she raced towards her wedding and marriage, this book is bursting with stories of how God kept His promise, as referenced in the opening chapter, to keep her and her family safe—and thrive—under seemingly impossible conditions. Sprinkled liberally throughout her book are stories of miraculous healings, prophetic warnings, visions, divine encounters, and the kindness of others who crossed her path. There are Scripture references, judicious use of bible stories, and wise spiritual tenets that punctuate the life lessons she learned. Dr. Ekong doesn’t shy away from…

A Day of Feelings/A Day of Shapes and Coloursby Ashley VercammenPublished by Home Style TeachersReview by Sally Meadows$15.00 ISBN 9798776175084, ISBN 9781998218004 Looking for colourful and educational books to add to your classroom, school, or home library? Check out Ashley Vercammen’s A Day of Feelings and A Day of Shapes and Colours. Ashley may have grown up in a tiny rural hamlet, but that hasn’t stopped her from thinking big! She has a degree in International Studies from the University of Saskatchewan and has taught English to children around the world. Ashley has drawn from those experiences, along with her work with children with developmental disabilities, to create easy-to-read early reader books that focus on compassion, acceptance, and community. A Day of Feelings is a wonderful resource for teaching about emotions and how to share one’s feelings with others in a socially appropriate way. Her inclusion of multicultural children in her illustrations and the conversational tone of the book particularly benefits students with English as an additional language, as well as children, such as those on the autism spectrum, who learn best from the simplicity and directness of social stories.  Ashley has included interactive activities in the book’s last few pages that give readers…

Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranchby Jackie Cameron, Illustrated by Wendi NordellPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Sally Meadows$19.95 ISBN 9781778690013 In Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch, nine-year-old Ben stumbles across yet another mystery as readers get a glimpse of life on his family’s ranch on the Canadian prairies. The story draws the reader in immediately with a vivid visual of two horses gallopping across the prairies, their riders-Ben and his sister Sarah-shouting about a grass fire. Ben’s family springs into action. The appearance of a stranger in a blue truck who helps put out the fire raises Ben’s curiosity. When he learns from a Hutterite neighbour that there had been another grass fire years ago near an abandoned cabin on his family’s rented land, and that the fire might have been connected to a thief using the cabin as a hideout, Ben’s imagination goes into overdrive. Could the stolen money and jewellery still be at the cabin? And could the mysterious man in the blue truck, who Ben spots again later at the rodeo, be on the hunt for the lost treasure? Swift Current author Jackie Cameron effectively weaves details about life on a ranch-the danger…

Prairie Seasonsby Amber AntymniukPublished by Blow Creative ArtsReview by Sally Meadows$23.00 ISBN 9781999546236 Amber Antymniuk’s newest children’s picture book, Prairie Seasons, is a child’s-perspective love song to life on the prairies throughout the year. With its glorious sing-song rhythm, this book begs to be read out loud, and will be enjoyed not only by the young children it is written for, but also by the adults who read to them. Amber is both writer and illustrator of Prairie Seasons. She has done an admirable job of creating a lyrical narrative that appeals to all of our senses. As a songwriter and former teacher, I personally am drawn to children’s books that rhyme, and Amber has done a wonderful job of creating phrases with movement and flow. Some of her phrasings are quite lovely (“tucking the earth in as summer fades”) and detailed in a way that is fresh and new (“Some days are so frigid that ice forms within our nostrils”). Amber’s illustrations have a lovely soft appeal that perfectly complement her words. Watercolour and ink are her media of choice, and her attention to detail effectively showcases her ability as an artist to capture elements of the flora and fauna, prairie…

The Underdog Ducklingby Sally MeadowsPublished by Your Nickle’s Worth PublishingReview by Amanda Zimmerman$14.95 ISBN 978-1-988783-30-7 How do you get through a time in your life when everything seems upside down? Is it possible to overcome adversity and grow through the challenges? Sally Meadows, a former scientist and educator from Saskatoon, brings us an answer in her powerful and heartwarming story of a little boy facing his mother’s illness. When she is moved into the hospital and his dad is devoting his time to keeping up the farm, Quinn moves to the big city with his grandfather. He has a hard time settling in at his new school and it is only at a nearby pond where he finds an escape. When he witnesses the bad treatment of a duckling by the other birds on the water, Quinn feels a special kinship with The Underdog Duckling. “Why don’t the other ducks like the duckling? And why weren’t its parents taking care of it?” It is through this animal’s trials that Quinn learns how resilient he can be when things are all going wrong. Sally Meadows instantly grabs her readers with the affirming line “Never stop being you” and follows with a…

The Two Trees Written by Sally Meadows, Illustrated by Trudi Olfert Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Shelley A. Leedahl $14.95 ISBN 978-1-927756-43-0 I love receiving new books to review, but sometimes I can’t get to them immediately. Before I had a chance to dive into The Two Trees, a children’s book by Saskatoon writer\illustrator team Sally Meadows and Trudi Olfert, my visiting friend, Flo, picked the book off my kitchen counter and read it. “What did you think?” I asked. “Loved it,” Flo said. “It brought tears to my eyes.” Any children’s story that can move an adult to tears is one I don’t want to wait another moment to read. I took the softcover book to my deck and in the few minutes it took to engage with the sensitively-written and pastel-illustrated story – about the relationship between two brothers, and the younger’s difficulty with the elder’s inability to socially interact “normally” both at home and school – I too, experienced the proverbial lump-in-throat that signifies an emotional connection’s been made. “Wow,” I said, “what a strong metaphor for ‘otherness’”. “I know,” Flo said. “And that word at the end, ‘almost’ … that’s what got me.”…