Walking Together: The Future of Indigenous Child Welfare on the PrairiesEdited by Jason Albert, Dorothy Badry, Don Fuchs, et al.Published by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $39.95 ISBN 9780889778900 This fascinating book touches on so many topics. Walking Together begins by diving into why it is such a struggle for so many families to access services for their children. We then get right into Bill C-92, the connection between FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) and colonization, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. We learn about the importance of supporting Indigenous child welfare workers as well as how Indigenous people are making changes in the welfare systems for their children.  As I went through the chapters, I loved the constant reinforcement that one of the ways forward for Indigenous children is with culture and a sense of belonging through Indigenous stories and traditions. We need to remember the past while we look toward the future.  I value books that don’t steer away from tough issues. Life blows sometimes and reality can be harsh. So even though it was uncomfortable, I appreciated reading about topics such as the forced sterilization of Indigenous girls and women. As we dove into the…

What Shade of Brown?by John Brady McDonaldPublished by Radiant PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $20.00 ISBN 9781998926282 What Shade of Brown? is what I call a ‘pocket book’ as it’s small enough to tuck into your bag or pocket. It’s seventy-eight pages long so it’s not very thick. But wow, does it ever pack a punch!  This book of poetry is made up of thirty-five poems. Each and every one of them is dynamic. The poems delve into the struggles McDonald has lived through as a light skinned person who toggles between two groups; undermined by the settler-colonial society and not accepted as an Indigenous person in lands that feel strange to him. The poems are unforgettable – readers are immersed in the struggles that are McDonald’s reality. The poems cover a wide range of topics from mourning a misspent youth, the joys of rain, admitting you drink too much coffee, the early days of Covid, struggles with insomnia, concepts of race, and dozens more. I especially enjoyed the poems that are nature focused as I strongly believe, like McDonald does, that nature is an impressive beast. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite poem – that’s like asking which of…

The Traitor’s Sonby Dave DuncanPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $26.99 ISBN 9781989398913 The Traitor’s Son is the ultimate worst case scenario book and I couldn’t put it down! This science fiction read is about a colony in futuristic times. The colony has limped along for centuries but it is now at a crossroads; either they change almost everything in their world or they face extinction. I don’t want to give away too much! Duncan does a phenomenal job of making readers feel like they are immersed in the action taking place on the pages. For example, check out this paragraph about a crew fighting to keep their ferry on course despite storm surges and squalls: “Melchior sighed in relief. ‘That’s Touchdown. Stand by for a sharp turn.’ He has landmarks to guide him now, and swung the boat to the left just as it cleared the island. The tide itself shot them around into the calmer water in the lee, although Doig’s stomach thought he had slid over a cliff.”   Science fiction isn’t one of my must-read genres. But every time I dive into a sci-fi book – especially one as engrossing as The Traitor’s Son – I resolve to make…

Prison Born: Incarceration and Motherhood in the Colonial Shadowby Robin F. HansenPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch$32.95 ISBN 9781779400079 Did I ever learn a lot from Prison Born! I’m humbled to admit that so much goes on in our blessed country that I am clueless about. This book left me feeling like I’d been walloped upside the head with a battering ram of information. (Although none of that surprises me as this is a University of Regina Press book, a publishing house that puts out well-researched, thought-provoking books that have an impact and educate readers.) Saskatchewan has a policy – it’s been applied for decades – that every baby born to an incarcerated woman is immediately removed from its mother’s care. (The same policy is in play in most of Canada as well as most states in the US.) A true scenario involving Jacquie, an Indigenous woman from a Treaty 6 First Nation who is in her third trimester, carries throughout the book. Incarcerated in Prince Albert, she is terrified about what will happen to her child when he is born. Her story kept me glued to the pages, eager to discover the outcome. You’ll find so…

Selected Writings: Six Years of Philosophyby Leighton D. PeartPublished by Pete’s PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $21.99 ISBN 9781069345967 I love little books like this. They are great to throw in your bag and pull out when you have a fewmoments. Or devour it in one sitting. Either way, it’s a win-win situation as Selected Writings is a thought-provoking read.  Selected Writings is sixty-eight pages long. It is made up of nine essays that Peart wrote over the last six years, although most were written in 2019 before his Covid writing slump hit. He is upfront that the essays are reflections and things for us to ponder, topics that we won’t necessarily agree with. I admire that as I don’t want to always hear opinions that align with mine. I want to read different viewpoints to expand my own mindset.  The nine essays deal with a variety of topics: growing up poor, this life being our only refuge, the highs and lows of existing, finding meaning and authenticity in a chaotic world, religion and morality, the decision to not have children, boredom, and metaphysical depths. It was interesting diving into Peart’s mind as he shared his views on topics that aren’t usually discussed in…

Gold Rush on the Prairiesby Roderick E. MacDonaldPublished by Roderick E. MacDonaldReview by Toby A. Welch  $30.00 ISBN 9781069362704 Gold Rush on the Prairies is a must-read for all history enthusiasts, especially those interested in the olden days of southern Saskatchewan. The amount of time, effort, and research that went into Gold Rush on the Prairies is obvious from the first page. This was clearly a passion project for Roderick E. MacDonald. The retired lawyer dug deep researching the history of the Town of Radville and the mysterious death of the town’s namesake, Conrad Paquin. Tourism Radville assisted MacDonald with his research and the end result was Gold Rush on the Prairies.  This book is a glimpse into the Radville area during the time that Conrad Paquin lived his life there. (Radville is in southern Saskatchewan, one hundred and thirty kilometres south of Regina, fifty kilometres southwest of Weyburn.) It was during the gold rush era, which adds a unique element to the story. But there are so many more levels to the mystery including politics at that time, railway issues, legal maneuvers, and complicated family dynamics.  The real-life story that unfolds in these pages is fascinating. Had Conrad Paquin lived in modern times, I…

Homegrown Radicals: A Story of State Violence, Islamophobia, and Jihad in the Post-9/11 Worldby Youcef SoufiPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $29.95 ISBN 9781779400611 How do you sum up a book as comprehensive as Homegrown Radicals? It’s challenging as it covers so much in its 250 pages. The world after September 11, 2001, is such a different place than it was the day before. The story of the years since then is a powerful one.  Canada was greatly affected by the 9/11 tragedy, especially Canadian Muslims. Winnipeg is one of the largest hubs of Muslims in Canada; that community is closely linked to the pockets of Muslims in the United States – places like Chicago, Houston, and Dearborn.  Homegrown Radicals delves into the topic of Islamophobia, which is anti-Muslim prejudice. Muslims were already on the CSIS’s radar – Canadian Secret Intelligence Services – and past academic studies show that the CSIS generally saw the Muslim community as an object of suspicion. And in reverse, many Muslims were skeptical of security agencies. Soufi is hopeful that one day there will be a deep national contrition for the treatment of Canadian Muslims during the War on Terror; we are just not…

Transforming Pain into Purpose: My Story of Mental Illness, Addiction & Redemptionby Allan KehlerPublished by Your Nickel’s Worth PublishingReview by Toby A. Welch  $19.95 ISBN 9781778690495 Everyone you meet is going through something. Everyone has a story. Those are two facts I try to focus on when I meet people. Transforming Pain into Purpose is a literary reminder of that – you never know what struggles someone is trying to survive.  I couldn’t put Transforming Pain into Purpose down; I devoured it in one sitting. (It’s a medium length book, clocking in at 130 pages including the resources at the back.) Kehler’s story kept me drawn in from the first chapter. What an interesting journey he has been through! His life has been touched by sexual abuse, alcoholism, anxiety, manic episodes, self-harm, depression, loneliness, gambling, suicide, shame, and bipolar disorder, among other things. A romantic at heart, I loved reading about how Kehler met his now-wife, a strong, compelling woman named Tanya. I won’t spoil the story for you but I will say they didn’t meet on a dating app like most couples these days. Kehler’s writing is simple yet powerful. He conveys what he is trying to say with as few words as possible…

The Dark King Swallows the Worldby Robert G. PennerPublished by Radiant PressReview by Toby A. Welch  $25.00 ISBN 9781998926152 This book drew me in immediately with the title – The Dark King Swallows the World. How could a royal leader swallow the entire world? What a claim! I couldn’t wait to crack the book open and dive in. The Dark King Swallows the World is the story of Nora, a preteen girl whose brother dies in a car crash. Consumed with grief, Nora’s mother jumps into a relationship with a man into sorcery and the occult; he is a cohort of the Dark King. To save her family, Nora sets off on a journey into the Dark King’s world. Along the way she battles various creatures and otherworldly challenges. I greatly value a book that features a main character that I will remember long after the book is collecting dust on my bookshelf. (Sadly that doesn’t happen often enough, in my experience.) Nora is that type of character. She is a brassy twelve-year-old who comes across as much more mature than her years. Her adventure is a pleasure to read. I would go as far as to say that The Dark King Swallows the…

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 requires energy to make. Just like gasoline and diesel take energy to get to the pump. Does electricity make more sense to power a vehicle? I never felt knowledgeable enough to make an informed decision about that. So when Charged hit my radar, I was thrilled for the opportunity to become more educated about electric vehicles. Should my next car be an electric one? I dove into Charged with gusto, eager to learn everything I could on the topic. And Bucholtz is the perfect teacher. The Mossbank, Saskatchewan, resident is an engineer by trade and is clearly an expert on geopolitics, numerous areas of science, and future trends. But he didn’t just rely on his expertise to author Charged. There’s over twenty pages listing where Bucholtz sourced the information included in the book.  One of the many fantastic things that stood out to me about Charged was that…