City of Winnipeg | Libraries

The Great White North

By Lori

Looking at shelves and shelves of books makes me very happy, but choosing which ones to read can be really time consuming. How do I know if the book I’ve chosen is worthy of my time and attention? When I’m in a hurry, one way that I narrow the possibilities is by looking for books with a maple leaf on the spine. That tells me that the book was written by a Canadian author, which generally means that it’s going to be a great read. If you’re really in a rush, like I was before I went on holidays, check for anything with a maple leaf and you won’t be disappointed.

I read a bunch of books during my vacation, but there’s not enough room to list them all here, so here’s a random sample:

hawkHawk by Jennifer Dance
Adam’s life was going along as usual – going to school, training for the provincial cross country championship, and crushing on a girl. Saving oil covered fish hawk from tailings pond in the oil sands in Fort McMurray didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, until Adam also finds himself in a fight for survival. Being diagnosed with leukemia leads Adam on a journey he never could have imagined, one that will alter his life, and the lives of those he loves, forever.


Shooter by Caroline Pignatshooter
For the five kids locked in stuffy bathroom the Friday afternoon lockdown was becoming routine, something they almost looked forward on boring Friday afternoons. After all, it was always a drill, just someone playing a prank. Until one of them gets a text: “OMG not a drill!” This time, there really is someone in the school with a gun, and he may have a partner nobody knows about.


inkWorlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley
Before Anne, Charlotte and Emily Bronte became famous authors they were just teenagers, living quiet, seemingly ordinary lives in the country, with their father and brother. Their lives were far from ordinary, however, as the siblings were able to write stories with such power they literally created another world, one far more glamorous and perilous than their own. But when the characters from their fantasy world begin to manifest in the real world, the danger becomes all too real.


edgarThe Dark Missions of Edgar Brim by Shane Peacock
Edgar couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t terrified. From the time that he was a baby, and his father read him stories filled with monsters and demons, Edgar has been filled with fear. His only comfort was that the horrors in books were only imaginary… or were they? After the mysterious death of his father, Edgar is sent to boarding school, where he learns the truth about monsters, and how to fight them.

I could go on, but you get the idea. The next time you’re looking for a great read, head to the Great Write North and you won’t be disappointed.

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