Announcing the BC Review interview series by Richard Mackie * In November 2022, at the most recent board meeting of the Ormsby Literary Society, the chair, Byron Sheardown, suggested that we open a YouTube channel and start an interview series. Board member Trevor Marc Hughes jumped at the suggestion. “I’ve got filmmaking experience,” he said,…
Read more 1757 Announcing interview series
Why Humans Build Up: The Rise of Towers, Temples and Skyscrapers by Gregor Craigie, illustrated by Kathleen Fu Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2022 $29.95 / 9781459821880 Reviewed by Ginny Ratsoy * Was the Tower of Jericho built as a defensive watchtower or a mechanism to help farmers calculate the summer solstice? What are the advantages…
Read more 1737 The sky’s the limit
Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2022 $12.95 / 9781459835580 Reviewed by Cassidy Jean * Growing up is tough. Crushes, hormones, and the expectations that come with going from child to “preteen” are difficult to navigate. Add to that racial tensions, and growing up as an Indigenous girl in the…
Read more 1736 Weird rules we all follow
Two books reviewed by Carole Gerson in consultation with Clarissa Gerson Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort Of) by Kathleen Gros Toronto: HarperCollins Canada (Quill Tree Books), 2020 $15.99 / 9780062875969 * Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of) by Kathleen Gros Toronto: HarperCollins Canada (Quill Tree Books), 2022 $28.50 /…
Read more 1722 Time travel with Jo & Anne
When Stars Arise by E.G. Alaraj (text) and Martyna Czub (illustrations) Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2023 $10.95 / 9781459835665 Reviewed by Cassidy Lea * A sweet story to send little ones to sleep, When Stars Arise is the perfect addition to a bedtime routine. The author, E.G. Alaraj, crafts a poetic account of the close…
Read more 1719 Don’t close your eyes
The Valkyrie’s Daughter by Tiana Warner Fort Collins, Colorado: Entangled Publishing, 2022. Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books $14.99 / 9781649373984 Reviewed by Myshara Herbert-McMyn * The Valkyrie’s Daughter is the uplifting story of three underdogs in the Nine Realms. Sigrid is a sixteen-year-old woman who has dreamed her entire life of becoming a Valkyrie….
Read more 1716 Paired with a wingless horse
Sulfur Heart by Brooke Carter Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2022 $10.95 / 9781459831605 Reviewed by Myshara Herbert-McMyn * Sulfur Heart is a wonderfully dark and gritty story with all the elements readers crave in a noir novel: crime, murder, tragedy, whodunnit, revenge. It took me less than ninety minutes to read, and it will no…
Read more 1672 A noir novel for teens
Six books reviewed by Linda Rogers: Meet Your Family/ Gikenim Giniigi’igoog by David Bouchard (text) and Kristy Cameron (illustrations) Victoria: Medicine Wheel Education, 2021 $24.99 / 9781989122662 * The Corn Chief by Karen Whetung (text) and Lindsay Delaronde (illustrations) Victoria: Medicine Wheel Publishing, 2022 $16.99 / 9781989122907 * We All Play by Julie Flett Vancouver:…
Read more 1639 A handful of seeds
Dear Peter, Dear Ulla by Barbara Nickel Saskatoon: Thistledown Press, 2021 $16.95 / 9781771872232 Reviewed by Alison Acheson * Barbara Nickel’s Dear Peter, Dear Ulla is a gift. While written for tweens to young teens, many adult readers would enjoy it too. The full cast of characters of all ages are well-developed for their roles,…
Read more 1632 Expecting full envelopes
If I Tell You the Truth by Jasmin Kaur Toronto: HarperCollins Canada, 2021 $21.99 / 9780062912640 Reviewed by Hanako Masutani * Jasmin Kaur’s If I Tell You the Truth begins with a list of eight trigger warnings. I opened the book, read the list, and considered putting the book back down. Yet while Truth deals…
Read more 1623 The many truths of good fiction
Sunny Days Inside and Other Stories by Caroline Adderson Toronto: House of Anansi (Groundwood) 2021 $16.99 / 9781773065724 Reviewed by Alison Acheson * Caroline Adderson’s work, whether for adults or children, crackles with vibrancy of language, and colour-filled image and tone. Always. Her recent and covid-inspired collection of connected short fiction for middle-grade readers —…
Read more 1585 Truisms of the quarantine
Fire on Headless Mountain by Iain Lawrence Toronto: Penguin Random House Canada (Margaret Ferguson Books), 2022 $23.99 / 978082344654 Reviewed by Phyllis Reeve * Iain Lawrence’s novels for young readers fit into two sub-genres. In last year’s Deadman’s Castle — winner of the 2022 Silver Birch Fiction Award — as in his earlier swashbuckling trilogies The…
Read more 1582 The art of the possible
What’s in it for Me? by LS Stone Nanoose Bay: Rebel Mountain Press, 2021 $13.95 / 9781999241681 Reviewed by Cassidy Lea * How many teens would like to spend their summer shovelling never-ending piles of elephant manure for free? What, no takers? Not even in a third world country? LS Stone’s main character, fifteen-year-old Nick…
Read more 1567 A Kenyan interlude
The Day the Pirates Went Mad by Trevor Atkins, illustrated by Jon Merchant Coquitlam: Silverpath Publishing, 2021 $14.95 / 9781989459027 Reviewed by Cassidy Lea All royalties are donated in support of BC Children’s Hospital * It’s the early 1700s and eleven-year-old Emma Sharpe is in a difficult situation. Her parents have been sent to prison…
Read more 1551 Emma and the pirate treasure
Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade Toronto: Penguin Random House Canada (Puffin), 2022 (hardcover, 2020) $11.99 / 9780735267831 Reviewed by Cassidy Lea * If you ever got lost in the woods, what would you do? What would you need to survive? An axe, maybe some fishing gear, enough dehydrated food to feed you for a…
Read more 1534 Finding Francie Fox
Learning to Carve Argillite by Sara Florence Davidson & Robert Davidson, illustrated by Janine Gibbons Winnipeg: HighWater Press, 2021 (Sk’ada Stories Series, ages 6-8) $21.95 / 9781553799849 * Jigging for Halibut with Tsinii by Sara Florence Davidson & Robert Davidson, illustrated by Janine Gibbons Winnipeg: HighWater Press, 2021 (Sk’ada Stories Series, ages 6-8) $21.95 /…
Read more 1511 Halibut & argillite
Peggy’s Impossible Tale by Slavia Miki and Roy Miki, illustrated by Mariko Ando Vancouver: Tradewind Books, 2021 $19.95 / 9781926890210 Reviewed by C.L. Shoemaker * A beautifully illustrated, hard cover chapter book that details the precious relationship between a girl and her guinea pig, Peggy’s Impossible Tale drew my attention first through its lovely ink…
Read more 1495 Mission: possible
Head to Head by Jennifer Manuel Toronto: James Lorimer, 2020 $12.95 / 9781459414280 Reviewed by Valerie Green * In this young adult book for 10 to 13 year-olds, Jennifer Manuel has written a story which will inspire all young girls who love sports. But the book also carries a strong message of how team work…
Read more 1483 A west coast soccer story
Made in Korea by Sarah Suk Toronto: Simon & Schuster Canada, 2021 $24.99 / 9781534474376 Reviewed by Michelle Ha * Meet Valerie Kwon, an ambitious young teenager in her senior year at Crescent Brook High, who runs a successful student business, V&C K-BEAUTY, with her cousin Charlie Song. All has been well with their business…
Read more 1453 What would Valerie do?
The Atheneum by Trevor Newland Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2021 $23.95 / 9781772290622 Reviewed by Peter Babiak * Whenever I’ve had the pleasure of teaching Children’s or Young Adult Literature, or even Graphic Novels, I’ve suspected that some students think the readings will be quick and easy, and that the critical thinking they’re called to…
Read more 1426 Farewell to the silent past