Cyclone! The Regina Tornado of 1912 by Warren James and Carly Reimer Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Michelle Shaw $14.95 ISBN 9 781894 431712 One hundred years after the legendary tornado of 1912 left the city of Regina devastated, tornadoes are once again touching down in Saskatchewan. So it’s not surprising that I was a little reluctant to pick up Regina author Warren James’s latest book! Warren James is a storyteller with a passion for history and folklore. Cyclone! The Regina Tornado of 1912 is a carefully researched picture book with an old silent movie feel. It’s simply written and filled with vivid details which give a sense of the magnitude and devastation of the tornado. Children will especially appreciate the numerous detailed images which his words conjure up, such as the fact that the switchboard at the Telephone Exchange literally fell into the basement with the operators still in their chairs. He also relates how the tornado sucked up tons of water, a canoe and two boys from Wascana Lake. Although the book is obviously aimed at young children, its appeal is far broader. At the back of the book are four pages of detailed notes…

Return of the Fearsome Critters by Warren S. James Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing Review by Shanna Mann $12.95 ISBN 978-1-894431-26-2 Have you heard of the horrible Hodag? Do you know what an Agropelter is? Regina storyteller Warren James has parlayed his interest in cryptozoology into this creative and original book of poems featuring some of the nearly lost creatures of North American folklore. Each silly poem is preceded by a short encyclopedic entry (complete with pseudo-scientific name!) of the fearsome critter in question. The handsome facing illustrations by Susan Hopkins McQuarrie are reminiscent of Edward Gorey or Maurice Sendak. The whole family will enjoy the spooky illustrations and the amusing and inventive poems. The poems are clearly meant to be read out loud, the same way that many years ago these stories were told by lamplight. Though the stories began as eerie tales told to frighten unwary greenhorns and travelers, the regrettable lack of gullible greenhorns (and the resultant lack of sightings) meant that these weird and terrifying creatures would have been almost forgotten, if not for the author and his delightful poems. Take this book camping with you, or read it around the fireplace for an authentic…