Last year I participated in the Canadian Book Club Awards as an avid reader for the first time and loved the experience. I was really excited when I found out I was accepted to judge the Memoirs and Children's categories again this year.
Here's a reminder of the criteria judges can consider when making voting for their top three choices in a category.
Professionalism: (PRO) Is this book well-edited? Does the book's layout help or hurt how the book reads? (Ie. Is there appropriate paragraph and chapter spacing to help the reader enjoy the story.)
Character/Narration: (C/N) Are the characters (fiction) or narrators (non-fiction) likeable and/or easy to follow?
Pacing: (P) Is this story dragging, or do you find yourself wanting to get to the next page to see what unfolds?
Accessibility for buyers: (A) How easy is this book to purchase? Is it available on Amazon or just an author's personal website.
As I read books I will write short reviews without giving a star rating or comparing it to the other books in the category. I will try to comment on the four criteria above but will not share whether or not I think it is one of my contenders for my top 3. I may also comment on whether or not the book is written by a Canadian author and/or set in Canada, as I feel like that is important for this particular award, though I don't know think it is actually an official requirement.
So stay tuned and I look forward to sharing my reading journey with you!
Skip down to the Children's Category reviews by clicking here
Memoirs Category
My Roots Are Showing: My Hutterite Story
Helen Hofer Kubisewsky
This memoir gives some background historical information about some of the Hutterite Colonies in Manitoba, as well as how the Greenwald Colony was formed. The author shares her's and her family's experiences growing up on the colony in the 1950s-60s, and the circumstances that led to her family's decision to leave the Colony and move to Selkirk. The majority of the book is actually about her life outside of the Colony, mainly her adolescent and teen years. There is quite a bit of interesting information about Selkirk and Winnipeg during the 70s, as well as her adjustments to school and community life in Selkirk and finally, her experiences as a teen and young adult dating and attending events etc. I found that while there was a fair amount of information and details, there wasn't a lot of feeling and emotion so it left me wanting more in that respect. The author's mother also wrote a book and I would definitely be interested in reading it to gain more perspective on life in the Colony. I picked this one first because it definitely piqued my interest, and while it was good, it left me wanting more.
PRO - Pretty professional looking, no major errors or obvious edits
C/N - the author described most of the family members with as much detail as possible. I got to know the author fairly well, but a little more feeling and emotion would have made it even better.
P - The second half was fairly slow and at times very skimmable
A - It is available on Amazon, but seems like there might be additional shipping costs and I don't see an ebook version though I did read an ebook so maybe it is available somehow? I checked my local independent bookstore, McNally Robinson, not available and googling the book title brings up a couple of reviews and a facebook page. An author website might be helpful for accessibility. The author is on instagram though!
Canadian? - Yes, and set in Manitoba!
A Darker Shade of Blue
Keith Merith
There is a quote very early on that in my opinion perfectly explains the reason for and purpose of this book:
The book will discuss why race matters, both internally within a police organization and externally, and touches on the importance of social justice reform. It is about Black and brown and Indigenous people of colour and why they matter. When folks express frustration about systems, whether in the realm of justice, housing, finance, or social services, what do they really mean and how does it affect them? I knew that I was able to speak to many of these issues as I had experienced them first-hand.
Keith Merith. Darker shade of blue (Kindle Locations 131-134). Kindle Edition.
While I do think the book did those things, unfortunately I found it a little boring. I felt at times like I was listening to my grandfather's stories, which while they usually made sense and were very interesting, at times led somewhere very different from where they started. I didn't always know where the author was going with some of the stories but they were pretty good. I think this is an important book and that the topics are very relevant but I wasn't super into it.
PRO - Pretty professional looking, no major errors or obvious edits
C/N - the author did a pretty good job of giving his background information so character development was good, narration was a bit disorganized at times and sometimes confusing.
P - A little slow
A - It is available on Amazon and at my local bookstore!
Canadian? - Yes, set mainly in Ontario.
My Father, Fortune Tellers and Me
Eufemia Fantetti
My Father, Fortune-Tellers & Me by @eufemia_fantetti
This coming-of-age memoir follows the daughter of southern Italian immigrants who weathered the devastating consequences of her mother's schizophrenia for years before moving from Toronto to the West Coast to escape the chaotic and unsafe existence she and her father were suffering in for decades.
I learned this the hard way: Words—the source of endless wonder for a writer—are worthless in the punishing world of psychosis.
Eufemia Fantetti. My-Father-Fortunetellers-and-Me(Kindle Location 1864). Kindle Edition.
This book reminded me a lot of What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo which I have been recommending non-stop since I reviewed it a few weeks ago. So if you've read that one, pick this one up asap. Despite many differences, Foo's focused on therapy and the diagnosis of C-PTSD, as well as sharing an Asian-American culture and upbringing, where Fantetti focuses more on setting boundaries and navigating schizophrenia from a family-member's perspective, as well as sharing an Italian-Canadian culture and upbringing, there are many parallels between the two books.
Italio-Canuck. The first generation born or raised away from the ancestral land inhabits a borderland, dangling between two countries, two cultures. Effectively exiled from one and tentatively embraced into the other.
Eufemia Fantetti. My-Father-Fortunetellers-and-Me (Kindle Locations 1132-1133). Kindle Edition.
My favourite moment, which also does a pretty good job of showing how her parents were absolutely disconnected from reality, was when her parents started bickering over which Italian foods to serve to the police officers who were there in the middle of the night after her mother committed a hit and run. Another example of this distorted reality, though much more serious, but equally telling, when her father asked: "I should stay here and be insulted in my own home?" insinuating that he must leave the situation, despite knowing that he would be leaving his young daughter alone with a mentally unstable and highly violent caregiver. No. You should stay and protect your daughter. This is still a newer understanding for me when it comes to my own childhood trauma, but children require and have a right to protection by their caregivers. If one caregiver cannot meet those requirements and there is another safe adult in the family, it is their responsibility to ensure safety and protection, not abandon the child to figure it out alone.
I also appreciated a lot of the discussion around mental health care (or the lack there of), both in her mother's treatment for schizophrenia and in her own trauma treatment. Eufemia's therapist suggested she become more independent and take the subway to her office alone next time instead of with her father. She was 15, highly traumatized, and living in Toronto. I wouldn't want to take a subway in Toronto alone as an adult, much less a teenager who is experiencing panic attacks due to a lack of stable and safe environments. I actually wrote "F U lady" as my note for that section... She also commented on how police shouldn't be tasked with front-line mental health services despite the fact that they unfortunately are and which is probably a root cause in many of the challenges of both our justice and mental health systems in Canada...
PRO - Pretty professional looking, no major errors or obvious edits
C/N - I felt like I knew the author through her carefully detailed and vulnerable descriptions of events throughout her life.
P - Good pacing
A - It is available on Amazon
Canadian? - Yes!
Fostering Resilience
by Angie Vanderwees
In Fostering Resilience, the author reflects on her personal struggles, experiences, and adventures, while starting a new journey to become a psychotherapist. Sharing lessons or strategies from both her training and practice and her own experiences, as well as affirmations that can be applied in many situations.
I appreciated the affirmations and the connections to real personal experiences. I would have liked a bit more detail and descriptions though, as at times it felt like glossing over stories that could have been very meaningful.
PRO - Fairly professional
C/N - There were lots of areas where quality/depth of detail might have been better than the quantity of simple ideas strung together.
P - some glossing over of things so at time felt quite quick
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - Yes!
Printmaker's Daughter, Painter's Wife
Nina Barragan
Described as: "a work of fusion moving beyond memoir to a juggling act of reality and imagination" Printmaker's Daughter, Painter's Wife by Nina Barragan is a definitely a unique spin on memoir. Not told in a linear/chronological fashion, and weaving in some fiction as well as making parallels between real life and writing, there is a lot going on. Unfortunately, as a result of this fairly creative take on memoir writing, it was very difficult to follow. As soon as something got interesting I was thrown in some other direction, so I think some way-finding strategies such as titles or segues and other support for the reader would have made this book a lot more accessible and may have allowed for the author's intended meanings and ideas to make their way through to the reader.
PRO - While relatively free of mechanical/grammatical errors, this book could benefit from editing and revision to make it easier for the reader to follow.
C/N - Very hard to follow.
P - All over the place.
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - sort of, the author has lived in many places, including some Canadian provinces but Canada is not the primary setting.
The Good Girl is Burned Out
Jo Bolt
I recently read The Good Girl is Burned Out by @joboltcreates which was one of the submissions in the memoir category for @thecanadianbookclubawards.
This book intrigued me from the title. Am I pretty much a stereotypical good girl? Yes. Am I perpetually hanging somewhere near the edge of the burnout cliff? Yes. Also me. So it definitely wasn't too surprising when I found myself relating to a lot of what the author had to say about mental health and work life balance and situations that were very similar to ones I had found myself in as well. I liked the comparisons the author drew between her own experiences of burnout and those she witnessed in her mother while she was growing up. It was really interesting to see how we actually have come a long way in normalizing the importance of taking time off when we need it, but also showing that we have a long way to go before people can really get the help they need and stop burnout for good. I also liked how she made connections between her childhood experiences (wanting to control the situation when her brother was acting out, being confused and scared by her father's silent periods) led to her desire to people please and be seen as capable and in control of the situation.
PRO - Well done, no major editing/grammatical errors
C/N - It was at times a bit hard to follow because the narration skipped from one time period to the next. While I related very strongly to the narrator, I didn't feel very connected because it was more surface level descriptions of events, I needed a bit more detail and feeling.
P - A little quick, taking the time to slow down and add more details (quality over quantity of event descriptions) would have made it even easier to connect with the narrator, leading to a greater impact on the reader.
A - It is available on Amazon (looks like free on Kindle Unlimited!), and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? I believe she was born in the UK, but lives and works in Canada.
Part of being an #avidreader for #thecanadianbookclubawards means reading lots of Canadian authors and memoirs on a wide variety of themes that I might not otherwise have picked up. Spinning on a Barstool is definitely a bit more out there than I normally would pick.
Spinning on a Barstool follows author Glenda Toews who serves drinks in the Corky’s pub in Chilliwack River Valley, British Columbia. The interactions she has with her unusual customers is the premise of the story, but the real subject is the connection Glenda makes with one specific customer, Daryl, an investor who rubs shoulders with the rich and famous. As her connection with Daryl grows he begins to advise her on investments. Will his advice lead to wealth and prosperity for Glenda or are Darryl's intentions less than pure?
Set in Chilliwack BC I think this small down pub setting and the somewhat quirky characters might make a really enjoyable read for readers from the area.
PRO - Could definitely use some more editing guidance to support readers in following the story.
C/N - quite confusing primarily because of the alternating points of view (despite being a memoir...)
P - slow
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - Yes, set in BC.
Love is Not Pie
Katherine Lazaruk
Goodreads Description:
Caught between a loving husband and a man from her past, one woman chooses an unconventional way to explore her personal “road not taken.” Love is Not Pie is a personal exploration navigating the world of consensual non-monogamy and polyamory. This collection of poems was written by Lazaruk to and about her two beloved men over the course of several years. Collected here for the first time, the original poems are woven together with new pieces that provide context for how the story unfolded, how the love affair finally ended, and why.
I kind of understand why this book made it into this category, because there definitely is a memoir storyline, but the collection of poems wasn't enough for me to get the full story I was hoping for. I appreciate the themes of fear, love, grief, relationships etc that were covered and the writing was professional enough, but even though goodreads said it was woven together, I didn't get enough weaving unfortunately. I'm not sure I'm the best reviewer for this book because of that, judging it against memoirs, in my opinion, isn't super fair.
PRO - Looks fine, well written.
C/N - more non-poetry pieces to help tie the story together would have been helpful
P - poems are pretty quick reads so I'm not surprised this was a pretty fast one for me.
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - I think so... not 100% sure.
When Lightning Strikes Your Child
Kelly Cannon
I read When Lightning Strikes Your Child by Kelly Cannon as an #avidreader for @thecanadianbookclubawards! Cannon's memoir tells the story of hers and her 12 year old son, Nicky's, journey through chemo, radiation and other intense treatments for cancer. While very emotional, this story is also one that readers can look to as a guiding light if they are going through something similar. Cannon explores mindfulness and Reiki as tools to support grief, anxiety and all of the other emotions that come along with this kind of illness. She also is extremely vulnerable, sharing the hardest moments with her husband and both of her sons as they navigated this difficult time in their lives. There were a few chapters that were a bit more thematic in nature and didn't go as deep in the emotional and descriptive sense, but overall this book goes well beyond surface level, giving readers a chance to connect with the narrator and her story.
PRO - Well written and organized
C/N - easy to connect with the narrator because of her vulnerability and emotion-filled writing.
P - good pace. A few chapters were more thematic and less emotional, but it didn't really affect pacing.
A - It is available on Amazon, but not my local book store.
Canadian? - Yes, set in BC.
Don't Ever Call Me Mother: Homeless in my own Home
Helen Martin
This book. Yikes. I can't believe how difficult and traumatic the author's childhood was. It is definitely a hard read, but also so hard to put down!
Set in a small primarily Ukrainian town in rural Saskatchewan in the 1950s, this memoir tells the story of Halia. Halia is about 5 when her mother dies and doesn't fully understand where her mother went. Her family are also grieving and struggle to support her in developing an understanding of what it means to lose a parent at such a young age. Halia's father remarries shortly after her mother's death and her new stepmother and infant stepsister move into the family home. Klara, the stepmother, is verbally and physically abusive to Halia almost immediately after she moves in. Klara also uses relational aggression to make it impossible for Halia to get help from her father, neighbours and other family members. Halia's father is physically around but not present and does not stand up for Halia when she is being abused. Soon the abuse is coupled with neglect, as Halia is not allowed to bathe, her clothes are unwashed and ripped, she is often left without food or criticized for taking portions that were deemed too large causing disordered eating, and all gifts of clothes and toiletries from others were taken away. Halia suffers from low confidence and self-esteem, is abused and traumatized daily and experiences incredible loneliness each day.
I love that the author wrote each chapter from Halia's perspective, describing the world as she saw it at that age. It created a very immersive experience for the reader and made it very easy for me to connect with Halia and empathize with her. The writing was really well done, very emotive and fairly easy to understand and follow. There was a fair amount of words in all capitals which did take away from the professionalism a bit, but at the same time, it was authentically used because of how Halia spoke about her stepmother as "HER/SHE" rather than mother, hence the title.
Thanks so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book to read and review for the CBCA competition.
PRO - Well written and organized
C/N - easy to connect with the narrator because of her vulnerability and emotion-filled writing.
P - Great Pacing. I do wish the author shared a bit more about life after this situation, but perhaps that is a different story altogether.
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - Yes, set in Saskatchewan
Perhaps Joy is the Reward: A late start, going far, and a 50/50 chance
Randy Klassen
This memoir is about Randy, a BC man who was advised by this Physio Therapist to take up running as part of his physio program, and which led to many new adventures, conquering marathons he never imagined he'd be able to do. It is a cool story and very inspirational, but it is a bit repetitive as it discusses the marathons he signed up for an competed in, many of which are similar in style and description. I think this would be a great book for people who are enthusiastic about running, or are on a similar life journey.
PRO - well crafted
C/N - easy to connect with the narrator
P - a bit slow and repetitive.
A - It is available on Amazon,but not at my local bookstore.
Canadian? - Yes, set in BC
The Box in the Closet
Jayne Doxtater
This is an interesting memoir, and one that, even a few days after finishing reading, I am a bit unsure how I feel about.
One day Jayne discovers a strange box in her husband's closet. It has women's clothing and other objects she didn't expect her husband to own. After she confronts her husband, Rick, she is relieved to find out that he is not having an affair, but unsure what to make of the fact that he admits he likes to wear women's clothing. The box goes back in the closet, both literally and metaphorically, and stays just out of sight, but not out of mind. Over time, Rick continues to experiment with women's clothing, both at home and slowly in public, and comes out to Jayne, first as a "cross dresser", and later as transgender, a woman named Ricci. Jayne is fairly supportive of her, but struggles to keep up with the lies and secrets Ricci is telling family and community members. Eventually Ricci, starts the gender reassignment process and begins to distance herself from Jayne, signalling an end to their marriage.
Doxtater's writing about this challenging time in her life and the lives of her family members, is emotional and honest. She shares the many thoughts and feelings that go through her mind, and explores the grief that comes with losing the partner she knew and loved. I appreciated how she was often able to be supportive of her partner, and let her take the lead when it came to making changes or coming out to others. I am sure that made a very difficult process somewhat easier for Ricci having her support. That being said, there were moments I found a bit uncomfortable, especially when Jayne expresses her frustration with Ricci's choices prior to transition, kind of along the lines of "why can't he just be normal?". That being said, I appreciate how vulnerable she was able to be in describing the real feelings she experienced. I feel it is unfair of me as an outsider, reading something and expressing opinions of how she reacted or processed emotions, when I have no idea what feelings I may have had in a similar situation.
Overall it is a well written book, with some great insight about transgender adults and coming out later in life.
PRO - well written
C/N - narrator is vulnerable and open about her experiences and feelings.
P - a bit slow at times, but mostly a good pace
A - It is available on Amazon, but not at my local bookstore.
Canadian? - Yes, set in BC
We're Going Home
Cynthia Thayer
This memoir follows the traumatic experiences the author goes through after her husband is hospitalized following a farm-related accident. Thayer quickly learns the importance of advocating for her husband's needs and accepting help and support from those around her as her life is completely turned upside down. The story also goes back in time to share the the good times between Cynthia and her husband over their decades-long marriage and life on the farm.
The book is fairly interesting most of the time, but a bit boring at others. The use of alternating between past and present is helpful in keeping the story going, but I did find the looking back chapters a bit less interesting. It is fairly well written and an interesting story about life on an organic farm in Maine, as well as navigating the medical system and fighting for what your loved one needs.
PRO - fairly well written
C/N - good sense of Bill and Cynthia's lives and relationship
P - a bit slow about half the time, but the dual timelines helped with overall pacing.
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - the author was raised in Nova Scotia but was born in the US and the story is set in Maine.
Growing Pains Sarah Taylor-Malo
Part memoir, part collection of essays, Growing Pains is a semi-thematic non-fiction text about the author's various life stages and what she learned about herself and the world around her. It is a very short read, with less than 120 pages, and each chapter is quite short, making it a fairly light and easy read. The downside to this is that there is not a lot of emotional depth or descriptive writing, making it more difficult to connect with the author on a deeper level. I really enjoyed the chapter on Winnipeg, but the other chapters were easy to speed through and didn't leave me wanting to really reflect on or absorb the story. There are definitely lessons you can take away from this author's story, and some moments in her life are quite interesting, but overall it is sort of surface level and a bit boring.
PRO - could use more depth and descriptive language (editing and revision) to make it look and seem more professional
C/N - basic, surface-level connection with the narrator
P - too quick
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? yes
It's Okay She's Just Gone Home
This memoir starts with a prologue that explains how the collection of family stories was important to the author and her uncle especially around the time her grandmother passed away. This was intended to be something special for family members to remember the past. I am sure this was a great project and a really lovely collection of memories for family members of the author, I'm just not entirely sure how interesting these stories are for those outside the family. There are a few interesting themes, especially an undercurrent of reincarnation and spirit energy, but overall the book is exactly what the author intended, a book about her family, for her family. I made a comment a few chapters in that said "family tree" because the first few chapters were basically just a list of people and how they were connected to each other with some descriptive language attached.
PRO - relatively.
C/N - limited ability to engage the reader.
P - slow
A - It is available on Amazon, but not my local bookstore.
Canadian? yes
How I Lost the Love of my Life and Became Wealthy as a Result
Tommy Thompson
This memoir is incredibly short. It is hard to tell an interesting story that has enough context and detail in under 100 pages, and as expected, this book fell short trying. The chapters were about 1 page each, and the sections were made up of about 5 of these little chapters. While the book was written in chronological order and each chapter led to the next, I wasn't entirely sure of that at first so having the second chapter start with a line like this:
I used to say to Ann that we were in the best and the worst place that we’d been in for a long time.
I immediately was unsure, when did you say this? Where were you? Why was it the best and worst? How long is a long time? There was no context at all in really any of the chapters, and very little transition from one chapter to the next. I had no idea what was going on, and quickly I began to stop caring that I had no idea what was going on because I didn't see that problem getting better anytime soon. I'm not sure why the author wrote this book or what his intent was but it's unfortunately not one I'd recommend.
PRO - Not at all.
C/N - very confusing
P - too quick - more detail needed
A - It is available on Amazon, and apparently is also available to order at my local bookstore
Canadian? I'm not even sure where it took place so who knows?
A Guitar Player on the Yukon Border
Paul Lucas
Paul Lucas is a professional guitarist whose focus on jazz and original music has kept him on the stage for over 50 years. The unusual part of his story is that much of this time was spent in the ‘outback’ of British Columbia, Canada. Born in South Shields, England, he moved with his family to B.C when he was nine. His was a musical, theatrical family and Paul began to see a future in music when he was in university. A composer, performer, teacher, and author of several instruction books, his love of the wilderness kept drawing him into the mountainous back country. In 1979 Paul left the comforts of Vancouver music scene to build a cabin on the Yukon border, choosing to live a ‘wood and water’ life off the grid. This book is about the work, the people, and the adventures of a guitar player living in the North. You can't make this stuff up!
PRO: Not very
C/N: Fairly flat, not super intriguing
P: slow
A: Available on Amazon but not my local bookstore.
Canadian: yes, and the title makes that pretty clear!
The book just wasn't super interesting to me and I found it hard to get into. I love that it is Canadian, and that it is set in Canada's Northern Territories, making it a great contender for these book club awards, but the story just didn't hit where it needed to. It did not make my top 5.
Hard Landings
Bonnie McGhie
While I was at dinner with my inlaws last night the conversation turned to flights up to the north on tiny 2 prop planes and the potential of getting stuck there. I shared that I was in the midst of reading this super interesting story about a couple who moved up to Inuvik, NWT in the 1960s, and that I was shocked at times how remote these northern settlements were in the 24 hour a day darkness and crazy weather conditions that often made flying anywhere (and as a result; transportation in general) impossible. In fact, the entire book Hard Landings is quite surprising, as if McGhie is describing life in a completely different country than the one I live in and at some weird time in history, when really it was only 60 years ago and in Canada. Once I have the chance to finish the entire book I will write a more reflective review, but I am about half way through and have enough information to give me a pretty good idea where I want to place this one in my rankings this year.
Full review:
Hard Landings is a memoir written by a woman who lived and worked in the high arctic with her husband and children in the 1960s. Bonnie's husband, George, was a pilot who made trips across the arctic and even started multiple businesses there, including a trading post and restaurant (though really it was Bonnie who ran those businesses). Bonnie describes day to day life in the arctic from living who no running water, to planning her meals and needs for over 9 months at a time, ensuring that supplies can arrive during the short summer when the river barges can bring up supplies, to learning to live and raise young children in such a harsh climate.
I learned so much about life in the arctic while reading this book. Some of the things that stood out to me, were again the danger and death in the arctic, from high infant mortality rates, to Bonnie's own experience being stranded for multiple days on a remote island after an emergency landing, the harsh conditions, remote communities and lack of access to health care (especially prenatal care) and other services available in the south led to more danger and sometimes death. I also really reflected on the aspects of colonization in the north that Bonnie touched on, from residential schools, to imposed catholic beliefs (no access to birth control for Inuit women), forced changes to ways of life to conform with White Canadian ideals, racism and assimilation. I could tell that Bonnie, having lived in this specific time and place but also able to reflect back now that the truth about residential schools has become public knowledge, was conflicted at times due to her own experiences being discordant with what she now knew. For example, she described how her interactions with priests made it difficult for her to believe they were also child abusers or how the "strict discipline" at the hostel was later described to be quite harsh by survivors. In both examples she eludes to the differences between herself or her son David, but is not completely forth right that her skin colour and privileged role in the community (wife of a pilot) clouded her version of events. Though, she does discuss how the forced assimilation to the practices more common in Southern Canada meant changing life and culture and that it wasn't necessarily a good thing and that sending children away to be educated about "white ways" was a high personal sacrifice for families. Personally, I would have liked a little more reflection from the author on these ideas, but at the same time understand that this was not the focus of the book, it is a difficult subject, and perhaps she is not the best person to discuss the the harms of this time period.
PRO: Well done - I appreciate the photos especially!
C/N: Interesting and easy to connect with the narrator
P: Good
A: Available on Amazon, and potentially to be ordered at my local bookstore.
Canadian: Yes!
Magic Travels
Patrick McLaren
Amazon Description:
Magic permeates the remarkable journey of the young Patrick McLaren. With the spirit of adventure embedded in his genes, Patrick packs up his magic case and hitchhikes across Canada, spending two summers as a cowboy-guide in Jasper National Park. His off-duty magic shows are much appreciated, and Patrick is often asked to repeat his sleight of hand. While hitchhiking through Europe during a subsequent summer, Patrick continues to sharpen his craft as he finds himself performing in many unlikely situations, on one occasion, for a hostile audience at the British Embassy in Geneva. Always wanting to be at the ready, Patrick packs his magic case again when he accepts summer jobs that transport him into remote locations in Canada's Rocky Mountains and High Arctic.
Magic shows and travel are not Patrick's only interests. Indeed, much of Magic Travels is taken up with the tasks associated with geological fieldwork taking him to the tops of the Rocky Mountains and the High Arctic. But, somehow, the ordinary becomes quite extraordinary as horses seldom cooperate as planned, a trek to retrieve a vehicle becomes an eye-to-eye standoff with a grizzly bear, or a move to a new work camp on a Baffin Island ice cap becomes a marathon, sixteen-hour, skidoo trip in whiteout conditions. Patrick manages these and every situation with humour. It, along with optimism and a healthy dose of luck, ensure that Patrick and his colleagues come out unscathed.
My thoughts:
I was looking forward to this one, based on the description it looked really intriguing. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to that description for me. At 14% in I said to myself: "I have no clue what is happening here". I think the author probably has some interesting stories, but the book really did not hook me.
PRO: Maybe some revision to hook the reader would be helpful? Or some more clarity?
C/N: I couldn't connect.
P: Unsure.
A: Available on Amazon, but not my local bookstore.
Canadian: Yes.
Never, Never Hardly Ever
Kelly McKenzie
I need a bit more time on this one. The original file would not download for me, so this one is going to be a down to the wire one for me.
PRO: Looks good
C/N: Easy to connect with the narrator
P: Good
A: Available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian: Yes.
We Exist in Each Other
Edith Alig Gagne
We Exist in Each Other is equal parts memoir and spiritual reflection. The author shares the difficult moments in her life while also exploring how she connects with her own "true self" both in the difficult times and just the day to day. I found this book had a lot of really interesting ideas and some cool themes connecting to the spiritual world, however it felt very scattered. I also wonder if it was just difficult for the author to properly convey her understandings and the way the spirit world communicated with her in a way that makes sense to the reader.
PRO: Scattered, revision for coherency would be good.
C/N: A little difficult to connect with the author
P: Fine
A: Available on Amazon, but not at my local bookstore.
Canadian: Yes.
Still, I Cannot Save You
Kelly Thompson
This book was enthralling, I could not put it down.
I read Still I Cannot Save You by @kellysthompsonwriter as part of @thecanadianbookclubawards and even though I finished it a few weeks ago, it's one I am still processing and thinking about today.
Kelly's older sister Meghan survived Kidney cancer as a child, but went on to battle addictions as a teen and young adult. Kelly starts her memoir by reflecting on the conflicting feelings she had towards her sister growing up. As a child she looked up to Meghan but as a young adult she felt frustrated by Meghan's behaviour and addictions. After returning home to Ontario after time in the military, Kelly is surprised, but also skeptical about the changes their parents have recently seen in Meghan. Meghan seems to be sober, holding down a steady job and is in a relationship. While her family isn't 100% on board with Meghan's choice in partner, overall, she seems to be doing better. That is, until she is diagnosed with cancer, again. Over the course of months and years, Kelly documents Meghan's bravery, pain and love for others as she battles an awful disease and struggles to be the best wife, mother, daughter and sister she can be.
A childhood friend of mine, Katie, was quite ill while we were growing up, also related to her kidneys. I remember a huge change in her personality in junior high, she began to rebel and choose friends who were into more risky activities (I was busy reading and writing my way through my angsty early teenage years lol) and we drifted, but always came back to one another. As a young adult she was diagnosed with a cancer in her eye that was a result of the treatments she received as a child. She persevered, got a glass eye and was still the outgoing, risk-seeking, and caring person she'd always been. At around age 21 her cancer came back with a vengeance and I was devastated that I had to say goodbye to such an amazing young woman.
I couldn't help but connect with Kelly throughout this novel. My role in Katie's life was very different, but the feelings and challenges Kelly described definitely hit home. Kelly describes the challenges Meghan faced with the kind of beauty and care that only someone so intimately connected to another could truly capture. She was completely vulnerable and honest about her conflicting feelings, the challenges she faced when caring for Meghan, and the pain she felt looking at her young niece and nephew who could not possibly understand what was happening to their mother. Kelly's relationship with her husband, while not a large part of the story, also serves in juxtaposition to Meghan's struggling marriage and the abuse she experiences on top of everything else she is going through. I think the way that she wrote about both marriages made the differences in the two relationships even more clear, yet in a really subtle way.
This story is told mostly in chronological order, making it easy to follow, and it is also written in way that fosters connection between the narrator and the reader. This book is very emotional, and quite heavy at times, but it is also an incredible story, and one that I would absolutely recommend, if you're ready for it. TW include: cancer, domestic violence, palliative care, grief.
PRO: well done
C/N: Excellent
P: Very good.
A: Available on Amazon, and to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian: Yes, set in the GTA
Backstory
Granville Johnson
I had a really hard time with this one. I read a lot of memoirs, and I have seen them written both well and horribly in first, second and third person perspective. This one is written at least partially in third and that style just was not a good fit in my opinion.
PRO: Alright - might be better if more revision to make the POV style more smooth.
C/N: Uncomfortable writing style
P: Okay.
A: Available on Amazon, and to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian: I don't think so.
Empowered By The Dream
Gladys Barrio
Just started - Looks Promising.
No One Else Can See Your Fire
Trevor Beaman
This one was really interesting. Beaman tells about his childhood, including detailing the extensive sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his step father. Inspite of, or potentially because of, this trauma, Beaman later enters the army and does multiple deployments in Afghanistan which are extremely dangerous and traumatic. He copes with both his childhood and veteran-related trauma by using drugs and alcohol. His addictions lead to him being rejected from an important training course, which is just the wake up call he needs to make better choices and get clean.
I liked this book and thought it was well done, but it was a bit short. I felt there was a good amount of emphasis and detail related to the childhood trauma and less on the veteran-related trauma, as well as what life after becoming sober was like for the author. I think a little more detail there would have been nice. I wonder if this is because the author has worked through and been able to distance himself from the childhood trauma, at least more so than the more recent trauma he experienced, making it easier to write about and reflect on, but either way I think this book could use a bit more content especially in the second half.
PRO: Good
C/N: Easy to connect with the narrator, especially in the first half, more disconnected in the second.
P: Good first half, too quick in the second
A: Available on Amazon, and to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian: I don't think so, seemed quite American-based.
Freeing Teresa
Franke James
This book is super interesting. Franke is an environmental activist and one of 7 adult siblings. Her sister Teresa is 49, has Down Syndrome, and while fairly independent, continues to live with their father who is in his 90s. Franke's father describes him and Teresa as a team, supporting each other as he ages, and has a strong desire to stay in his condo with Teresa as long as possible. Franke's siblings disagree with this plan and feel that Teresa and their father both need to go into nursing homes, despite Teresa's young age and incongruent level of support needed (she does not need the services a care home typically provides, but does need the supervision and reminders to practice self care etc.). Franke soon finds herself caught in the middle, unhappy with what her siblings are planning behind their father and Teresa's backs, but unsure how to help them get the support they do need so that they can be safe.
As you might expect, a disability/inclusion rights memoir is totally an area of interest for me. I am midway through and forced myself to put it down for a bit so that I can read some of the other contenders, but I feel I have enough information to give me a pretty good idea where I want to place this one in my rankings this year. Once I have the chance to finish the entire book I will write a more reflective review.
My one downside is that at times I think the author focuses a little to much on her own environmental activism, which takes away from telling Teresa's story. I definitely see why including some of it would be beneficial so that readers understand Franke's career and personality and see her advocacy in another light, I just think a bit less focus on that side of the story and perhaps a bit more detail into Teresa's life and personal history might have been a nice choice.
PRO: Good, I appreciate the photos and the effort put in to protecting anonymity.
C/N: Easy to connect with the narrator
P: Good pace
A: Available on Amazon, and to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian: Set in the GTA
Once Our Lives
Qin Sun Stubis
I actually read this one back in May 2023 and have the benefit of having already reviewed it! A win for me when this category had 28 entries this year!
I don't think I've heard of the genre Historical Memoir before, but A) this book totally does fit in that genre and B)I think I found a new fave subgenre!
From the Press Release:
Qin Sun Stubis grew up in the squalor of a Shanghai shantytown during the Great Chinese Famine, her once-prestigious family shunned as political pariahs and forced to endure chronic poverty, torture, treacherous political shifts, and even an assassination attempt. But their nights came alive with stories of the family’s incredible history: colorful tales of pirates, prophecies, fortunes won and lost, glorious lives and gruesome deaths. Based on actual experiences and family lore from the Post-Imperial to Post-Cultural Revolution eras, Qin – a longtime newspaper columnist exploring the similarities and differences between East and West – has united these stories in a gorgeously-written and gripping nonfiction narrative, “Once Our Lives”, uncovering one of the most fascinating yet largely overlooked portions of Chinese history, as told by those who lived it.
My Thoughts:
This book is so interesting and unique. I love that it is made up of family histories passed down generations about brave and independent women living in a cultural and historic period where women were bought and sold and undervalued across the board. While obviously very important contextually, I felt that the major events such as the wars almost blended into the background of the storyline, instead the stories of the women, impacted only indirectly by these world events, drove the timeline and the context. It was a really interesting writing choice and I really liked it!
I would definitely recommend this book, it is filled with really neat perspectives and some very intriguing storylines!
Fever of Unknown Origin
This one was a late addition, I think, but I was able to get about 2/3 of the way through so far and I am loving it. I think I have read enough to give me a pretty good idea where I want to place this one in my rankings this year. Once I have the chance to finish the entire book I will write a more reflective review.
Children's Category
The Magical Adventures of Quizzle and Pinky Palm
By: Theresa Mae Waterland
This middle grade chapter book tells the story of two fairies, Quizzle and Pinky Palm. The writing is quite descriptive and a bit witty at times. While I think some of it might go over young reader's heads, if parents are reading along with the child they might enjoy that. I do think quite a bit of the text is fairly high level, I'd say around Grade 5-6, but potentially higher. I don't think the majority of my Grade 3/4 students would be able to read and comprehend it, and I think that they would be at the top end of the interest level since it is fairies and most Middle Years students are less interested in fairies. The font is quite small and tightly spaced with some hand drawn illustrations mainly in black and white.
PRO - Looks good. Illustrations are nicely drawn but may not draw in young readers are they are very artistic but not necessarily captivating for young readers.
C/N - Interesting fairy and animal characters.
P - Might be a bit on the slower and longer side.
A - It is available on Amazon, and potentially to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - The author is Canadian.
The Morning Hendriks Lost His Happy
By: Stephanie Foreman
Ills: Chelsea Lewicki and Carla MacGillivray
This picture book tells the story of a hippo who wakes up one morning and thinks he has lost his happy. He visits friends across the African savannah asking for their help looking for his happy. Through the course of the story he gets some advice from his friends and also learns that happiness can be found in many ways, including by being in a comfortable place with some great friends or family.
There are a variety of interesting and colourful illustrations that look to be made from pencil crayon and/or watercolour paint. I like the fact that the little African Malachite bird is hidden around the book. My Grade 1/2 students LOVED finding images like those in books. The text is generally black on a white background, is relatively large and well spaced. Additionally, the use of single story a and non-looped g makes it more accessible for younger readers. That being said, the sound words which are added to the illustrations, like"boing" and "Shwook" are hard to read and a little strange.
I'm not 100% sure if saying to yourself "I am happy" is the best strategy. Children are very literal, and if we tell them that when they are sad they should say "I am happy" I'm worried that might confuse them or cause them to feel like it is not ok to feel sad. I did appreciate that the turtle told him to go back to where he last felt happy, (the classic lost advice of where you last remember having it) because teaching about a happy (or safe) place both physically or in your mind is good advice.
The book has several introductions and resources at the front and back for readers. In some ways I felt it was almost a bit too repetitive, but I do think it is good that they included what they did.
PRO - Looks good. Illustrations are nicely done.
C/N - Interesting characters, good narration.
P - Good pace and length.
A - It is available on Amazon, kindle for $5.99 but $40+ for a physical copy. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - The author and illustrators are Canadian.
Hair Pride
Tami Wong
Illus: Amanda Dowell
This picture book celebrates all types of hairstyles and reminds young readers to love their hair and wear it they way they want to. The author reminds readers that your beauty comes from within while also showing that all hairstyles are beautiful. Overall a good story and important messages. The diverse characters and hair styles are great.
One phrase is repeated throughout which is:
Black, brown, blonde, red
You’re more than just what’s on your head
Curly, straight, thick, thin
Your beauty comes from what’s within
I think that the reminder to readers that your beauty comes from within is great, but I also think it might have been helpful to include something about how all hair is beautiful in this piece that is repeated, since the book is titled "hair pride". (note that it is mentioned in other areas of the story, just not in this mantra)
When I first read this section:
Hair Pride What does it mean?
It’s loving yourself, being seen
For who you are outside and in
Feeling happy in your own skin
I wondered, is hair pride really loving yourself inside and feeling happy in your skin? Or is it loving your hair and the relationship between your hair and your personal identity? Looking at this book through a lens of diverse ethnicities and their relationships with their hair, not necessarily, but if you look through a hair loss lens (which I realized later is more likely the author's intention), then yes, hair is just one part of you, you should be able to feel happy with who you are, separate from what your hair looks like.
PRO - Looks good. Illustrations are nicely done. Nice size font, pretty easy to read.
C/N - There isn't a lot of characters really as there is no dialogue or main character in the writing, but many children of diverse backgrounds are featured in the illustrations.
P - The book is fairly short, but feels like a good length.
A - It is available on Amazon. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? - The author lives in BC.
Ode to a Pug
By: Jill Rosen
Illus: Stephanie Rohr (@stephdoespictures)
This cute and silly picture book tells the story of a woman who is frustrated by her pug's crazy antics and bad behaviour, but eventually realizes how much she loves her pug and that all of the things that drive her crazy and also the things she loves about him. The illustrations are funny, especially the looks on the dog's face and the bathroom humour about toots and accidents in the house are bound to have kids laughing.
The owner does threaten to give the dog away, which is a bit heartbreaking for me as a former Humane Society employee, but she does reassure the dog later on that she would never give him away. I think that the message that pets are a commitment and part of the family is important though and if I could make one change it would be around that, but showing kids that we sometimes say things we don't mean is important too. And the book is a reminder that pets are a lot of work, so that's a good thing too!
PRO - Looks good. Illustrations are nicely done. Nice size font, pretty easy to read, black text on white background and just 2 lines per page or so.
C/N - Good character development both through the words and illustrations
P - Good length and pace.
A - It is available on Amazon about $11. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore, (though the price is much much higher than on Amazon, $40 for hardcover, $20 for paperback :s).
Canadian? - I had a hard time finding the author's nationality, but the odetoapug.com website says she does workshops and the reviews are all from Ontario schools so looks like she is Canadian! (I should also mention the website is cute and professional looking and has some fun stuff like colouring pages!)
Can We Get a Rhinoceros?
Christian Kueng
Illus: Nana Melkadze
This book is adorable. The child in the story really wants a rhinoceros and his mother keeps giving him reasons it wouldn't work such as the size of the animal and its needs. He tries some other fun animals but those seem to have other problems he hadn't thought of. It is funny and relatable for both kids and adults and one I could definitely see kids enjoying. The font is large and blue and is generally fairly easy to read, though occasionally a letter overlaps a blue background but no really issues with legibility. The illustrations are very well done, especially those that include the silly ideas like a rhino at the car wash and dung all over the house. I really love that there are great facts sprinkled throughout the story and some detailed paragraphs at the end that teach about each of the animals mentioned and are positioned beside real photos of those animals.
PRO - very professional
C/N - Good character development both through the words and illustrations
P - Good length and pace.
A - It is available on Amazon. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? No.
Please, Oh Please Don't Squeeze Your Cheese
John Nursall
This cute and silly, rhyming picturebook is all about not playing with your food. With hilarious illustrations of children covered in random foods, some made up words and strange events like playing musical instruments at or scaring your food. The font is large and easy to read with black font on white background underneath colourful illustrations.
As a teacher, I don't love that the writing is all in caps except for the letter i, and the made up words, but even still I think the comedic nature is fun and one that children will enjoy. I think the messages about not playing with your food might be a nice way to introduce manners, especially in a classroom. It is one I would recommend and that I think children would enjoy.
Thanks to the author for sending me a physical copy. I plan to share it with my grade 1/2 students.
PRO - fairly professional
C/N - Characters are developed through illustrations, the narration is silly and entertaining.
P - Good length, decent amount of text on a page, a short book.
A - It is available on Amazon. Not available at my local bookstore.
Canadian? Self published - not sure.
Bird, A Boy and a Big Adventure
Tanya Ney
This is an unusual true story about a boy and a bird who sail on a ship from Nova Scotia to BC through the panama canal. The story is well done and interesting, the illustrations are pretty good, with lots of colour and help tell the story. The book ends with information about the true story, a photo of the ship, and a colourful map of the journey. I think this would be a cool book to teach about Canada and the oceans. The font is nice, a bit hard to read when on top of illustration - light colour over illustration to make black font more visible but still a bit hard to read at times.
PRO - fairly professional
C/N - well developed characters, story is easy to follow
P - Good length
A - It is available on Amazon. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? definitely
Carrie Can Fly Too
Authors/Illus: Ashley and Breanna Bolliger
This picture book tells the story of a yellow bird, Carrie, who is made fun of by some blue birds for not being able to fly. She is embarrassed and sad but eventually learns to fly and the other birds feel bad for teasing and judging her.
The book is rhyming, but the lines do not end in the rhyme necessarily
ex: At the end of the day, she stood at her favourite
spot, taking a moment to ponder a lot.
I don't love this, as if I am planning to read a rhyming book to kids I would likely be teaching rhyming couplets.
That being said, the story is well written, and the messages are great. The illustrations are simple but colourful and help tell the story.
PRO - fairly professional
C/N - developed characters with an arc, story is easy to follow
P - Good length
A - It is available on Amazon. It is potentially available to order through my local bookstore.
Canadian? yes, authors are both Canadian
Alice's Allergies
Jessica McCready
Ills: Lou Dahl
This picture book tells the story of Alice, a young girl who suddenly starts having allergic reactions to some of her favourite foods. After visiting a doctor, Alice finds out that she is allergic to gluten. It is a cute story with a repetitive nature that I think children will enjoy. It normalizes a variety of allergic reactions, both skin and digestive related, which I think would be helpful for young readers who experience those reactions, as well as to help other children understand what it means when their friend can't eat certain foods. The font is fairly small and there is quite a bit of text on a page but the font is relatively easy to read. The text is quite advanced, especially when the doctor is talking, using words like "indicate", "substance" and "immune system", so I think this book would be best read with an adult. Exposing children to higher level vocabulary is a huge plus, but I think this would be a little difficult for young readers to read independently.
I didn't love Alice's mother's reactions, she said things like "you must be allergic to cake!" and "you must avoid eating gluten forever". Neither of these things are super harmful or incorrect, but saying things like "maybe something in the cake made you feel sick" or "gluten makes you sick, so you won't be able to eat it, but I will help you find lots of foods you can eat" might be slightly more reassuring. Just a bit negative lol.
PRO - looks good!
C/N - developed characters with an arc, repetition is nice
P - Good length
A* - it was a bit harder to track down, I didn't see it on amazon's website, but when I googled it, it came up at chapters. It is also available through the author's website alicesallergies.com
Canadian? yes, the author is from BC
*as a downside to the limited availability, it was harder for me to find an image of the cover to use in creating graphics and content.
Image credit: Robyn Wishart Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robyn-wishart-93b324a1_great-book-by-a-new-local-artist-jessica-activity-7194160443152633858-KpL3
Harriet's Hungry Worms
Samantha Smith & Melissa Johns
This picture book tells the story of a little girl named Harriet who is in charge of feeding the worms who live in a compost bin in her yard. The book shares all of the foods and materials she gives the worms and also how the worms produce natural fertilizer for the vegetable garden. I really love the illustrations which are made by mixed media. I could see using this book as a mentor text for creating art, maybe even around earth day when we are talking about reusing things. I didn't love that they called the liquid worm wee (though at the end of the book they did explain that what is produced by the worms in called vermicast and liquid fertilizer). I just think explaining it to kids is better than the silly reaction saying bathroom words ends up inevitably producing in small humans. I love all of the facts and info at the end of the book as well. I thought the font was ok, it is a little small and harder to read in some instances, but there is a really nice amount of text on the page, and just enough content to keep the story flowing. The level of vocabulary is good, it would be a book that beginning readers could likely read independently. I could see having this book in my class library for sure!
PRO - looks good!
C/N - developed characters
P - Good length
A - available on amazon, potentially can be ordered through my local bookstore.
Canadian? I don't think so, I'm pretty sure they are Australian.
My Ss are Messes
Sherry McMillan
Ills: Carla Maskall
This is a really cool book written by a speech pathologist all about the different types of challenges some people can have with certain letters. The illustrations are fun and show the letters misbehaving and doing silly things. I love the positive messaging that it is ok to need more time or practice in order to say things a certain way. Articulation challenges are coming up more and more in my classroom and funding for school based speech and language support makes it harder and harder for kids who need it to get support. The font is good, quite easy to read and there is good spacing and a good amount of text on a page.
If you've read my other reviews on rhyming texts, you know they are hit or miss with me. I liked the rhyming in this one, however as I often find in rhyming texts, authors end up having to thrown in more complicated vocabulary or awkward phrasing to make the rhyme work for example:
A whisk is a word/that's a risk, that's for sure/it's absurd to observe/what's whipped up by a word
and
We don't need to debate/ there's so much more than speaking/ to how we communicate
That being said, if this book is being read aloud to younger children, which is likely the intent if it is catered towards kids who struggle with some areas of communication, then those complicated words and awkward phrasings can be tackled by a fluent adult reader.
Super good book and definitely one I would look into purchasing for my classroom! One I would also recommend to SLPs and others who work with kids who have challenges communicating!
PRO - looks good!
C/N - the letters are silly and cute and the narrator connects with readers in a reassuring way.
P - Good length, rhyming
A - available on amazon, potentially can be ordered through my local bookstore.
Canadian? Published by Friesen Press so I think Canadian.
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