Set in an apartment building that is “like a big hug,” The Secret Office is aimed at Grade Three readers, “but its appeal transcends easy age categorization.” —Ginny Ratsoy reviews The Secret Office,
by Sara Cassidy (illustrated by Alyssa Hutchings) (Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2024) $8.95 / 9781459839465
The fifth book in an “inspired by” series “succeeds in being true to form: this Anne Shirley is imbued with the characteristics that have made the original Anne Shirley endure nationally and internationally for over a century.” —Ginny Ratsoy reviews Anne Dares, by Kallie George (illustrated by Abigail Halpin) (Toronto: Tundra, 2023) $16.99 / 9780735272101
A note from Richard Mackie, publisher, The British Columbia Review. * Dear friends, supporters, and readers, On behalf of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of The British Columbia Review, I must mention our pressing need for continuing financial support from our reading community. We make this request for private donations annually to keep the…
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Flights of fancy and a motley crew of creatures: they’re only part of the many charms of two new picture books. —Ginny Ratsoy reviews What Inspires, by Alison Hughes (illustrated by Ellen Rooney) (Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2024) $21.95 / 978145983768 and My Bunny Lies Over the Ocean, by Bill Richardson (illustrated by Bill Pechet) (Halifax: Running the Goat, 2024) $21.99 / 9781998802098
Former government lawyer and author Richard Butler writes that there must be a better way than trying to implement the principles of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) through law reform. He sees it an exercise in futility and potentially risky for reconciliation. Richard Butler presents his essay The Futility of Aboriginal Law Reform.
Reissued edition of the acclaimed, award-winning volume also reflects on the pandemic and MAID.—Jodi Lundgren reviews In the Slender Margin: The Intimate Strangeness of Death and Dying, by Eve Joseph (Vancouver: Anvil Press, 2023) $22.00 / 9781772142150
“They seem to be talking about a kind of respectful and meaningful community belonging. That is really where the power lies.” Richard Butler reviews Where the Power Is: Indigenous Perspectives on Northwest Coast Art by Karen Duffek, Bill McLennan, Jordan Wilson (eds.) (Vancouver: Figure 1 Publishing, in collaboration with the Museum of Anthropology, UBC, 2021) $65 / 9781773270517
“The book suggests that future efforts should prioritize rebuilding Lytton with a strong focus on sustainability and resilience. This involves implementing policies that address the root causes of vulnerability, such as historical injustices and environmental degradation.” Amy Tucker reviews Lytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life Before the Fire by Peter Edwards and Kevin Loring (Toronto: Random House Canada, 2024) $36 / 9781039006157
“If all you do is read the textile manifesto, you’ll come away with a lot to think about. But this book really shines in later sections, where McCabe brings us the stories of the people who work on the land and share relationships with their fibre, all combined with useful reference material.” Sarah Thornton reviews Fleece and Fibre: Textile Producers of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands by Francine McCabe (Victoria: Heritage House, 2023) $34.95 / 9781772034530
In a pair of picture books, a young audience can learn about the wonders of the sea… and even a back yard. —Ginny Ratsoy reviews Have You Ever Heard a Whale Exhale?, by Caroline Woodward (illustrated by Claire Victoria Watson) (Charlottetown: Pownall Street Press, 2024) $24.95 / 9781998129072 and Bompa’s Insect Expedition, by David Suzuki with Tanya Lloyd Kyi (illustrated by Qin Leng) (Vancouver: Greystone Kids, 2023) $23.95 / 9781771648820
“History is never simple and nor is the truth. The sooner everyone steps away from the rhetoric of genocide on the one hand and benign paternalism on the other, the better in terms of healing those who feel they need it, and their reconciliation with those whom they feel were responsible.” Richard Butler reviews Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools) by C.P. Champion and Tom Flanagan (eds.) (Ottawa: True North/Dorchester Books, 2023) $21.00 / 9798867599317
“As someone who has grown up with abuse and worked with at-risk youth and clients on bail or conditional release inmates before my current career in academia, I found Grabb’s reflections on childhood trauma particularly resonant. His discussions on the long-term impacts of abuse and the challenges of overcoming such trauma are insightful and align with my professional observations.” Amy Tucker reviews Traces of a Boy: Reflections of the Unfathomable by Russ Grabb (Victoria: Tellwell Talent, 2023) $20.99 / 9781779410061
Book #11 in the series “scrutinizes a dark chapter in Canadian history while simultaneously charming her readers with the picturesque Kootenay locale and setting their teeth on edge as her heroine comes perilously close to an untimely end.” —Ginny Ratsoy reviews Lightning Strikes the Silence, by Iona Whishaw (Victoria: Touchwood Editions, 2024) $21.95 / 9781771514323
“Author Richard Butler, in his two recent titles, has decided, quite admirably, to describe his own path in addressing reconciliation. He begins Taking Reconciliation Personally upfront about his own settler privilege.” Trevor Marc Hughes reviews Taking Reconciliation Personally (Victoria: A&R Publishing, 2023) $15 / 9798849376998 & I Dare Say…Conversations with Indigeneity by Richard Butler (Victoria: A&R Publishing, 2023) $11 / 9798871999066
“Her story is not just a recount of a physical undertaking but a profound voyage into personal resilience and discovery.” Amy Tucker reviews Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race by Meaghan Marie Hackinen (Edmonton: NeWest Press, 2023) $23.95 / 9781774390801
“Far too many non-Indigenous books on the North are presented in the ‘front lines of history’ format, with the authors determined to emphasize their path-breaking work, travels, observations, or experiences. Yukon Wanderlust has none of that self-aggrandizement. Their northern activities are described in a matter-of-fact and unexaggerated fashion.” Ken Coates and William R. Morrison review Yukon Wanderlust by Don Barz (Celtic Frog Publishing, 2021) $29.95 / 9781989092415
With these colourful tales, young readers (or listeners) can discover, learn, and enjoy. —Ginny Ratsoy reviews Salma Joins the Team, by Danny Ramadan (illustrated by Anna Bron) (Toronto: Annick Press, 2024) $24.99 / 9781773218281 and Not a Smiley Guy, by Polly Horvath (illustrated by Boris Kulikov) (Toronto: Margaret Ferguson Books, 2024) $25.99 / 9780823449873
“In this present book, Ross has himself embarked on a mission, in the Christian sense. It has been a mission of love in which he engages in re-missionizing his own denomination to a better understanding of its historical relations with the Indigenous people whom the Northland Mission set out to reach.” Richard Butler reviews The Holy Spirit and the Eagle Feather: the Struggle for Indigenous Pentecostalism in Canada by Aaron A.M. Ross (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023) $39.95 ISBN 9780228017660
Romance novel stands out for its approachable characters and inclusion of real-world problems. —Myshara Herbert-McMyn reviews The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch, by Jacqueline Firkins (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2023) $18.00 / 9781250836526
“The book features over 150 campgrounds, listed alphabetically, with clear maps and detailed directions.” Amy Tucker reviews Camping British Columbia, the Rockies, and the Yukon: The Complete Guide to Government Park Campgrounds, 9th Edition by Jayne Seagrave (Victoria: Heritage House, 2023) $29.95 / 9781772033991