“Confessions of a Dance Mom”
by Alison R. Montgomery
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth
Publishing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$16.95
ISBN 978-1-927756-28-7
Saskatonian Alison R. Montgomery recently published Confessions of a Dance Mom, and simply put, I love this book. From
the outside, it’s an honest, naturally-voiced retrospective of the author’s
son’s journey from a child with an interest in dance to his employment with the
prestigious Stuttgarter Ballett. But
it’s much more. It’s a compelling story about family, and a strong treatise on
dedication, pride, loss, and letting go.
Maternal love is at the heart of this beautifully designed and
well-written testimony. Interesting, then, that my out-of-province daughter was
visiting days before I began this book. She saw it on my desk, and said:
“Alison was one of my high school teachers.”
Of course. I hadn’t made the connection, but then I also remembered
Montgomery, and my daughter and I recalled the tragic loss of her elder son,
who died at 24 while mountain-climbing in BC. This is important, because that
early loss forms the bass-line in this story: a mother fully supports her now
only child’s rise from Brenda’s School of Baton and Dance in Saskatoon to
Canada’s Royal Ballet School in Winnipeg as a young teen, and then to
Stuttgart. While technology like Skype makes the separation easier,
Montgomery’s protective instinct is fierce for good reason, yet she selflessly
accepts that for her son to be the best dancer he can be, she’ll have to “lose”
him, too.
The book begins with a Foreword by Mongtomery’s son, Jesse Fraser, who
continues to dance professionally in Germany. He writes: “My journey to
Stuttgart was not a straight line,” and states that “the preparation part would
not have been possible without the unwavering support and encouragement I
received from my parents-especially my dance mom!”
Each short chapter that follows is framed as a numbered “Confession” by
the author, and includes telling anecdotes. In “Confession #4: I only watch my
kid,” Montgomery says that she had “no idea what was happening anywhere else on
stage,” and “it took me years to begin to tell the girls apart” due to their
similar hairstyles, make-up, and costumes, and their sheer numbers compared to
the males.
The author loved to watch her son in class, rehearsals and performances,
and often travelled to Winnipeg, and eventually to Europe, to continue
supporting him in every way. At one point while Jesse was in Winnipeg-and
eating solely at the school cafeteria-she noticed he’d lost weight, so she
contacted the dean of residence about the quality of the food, which thankfully
improved with a new chef. She was also so committed, when she learned he was
moving to Europe-where “the arts in general, and ballet especially, were much
more revered, respected and funded”-she
began studying German!
The best writing here concerns the author’s acute and complimentary
observations of Stuttgart. Although the book’s subjects “missed out on a lot of
family time over the years,” this satisfying story demonstrates that passions
should be acted upon, because life-as Montgomery well knows-is short, and as
“Confession #30” affirms: “Family is everything.”
____________________
“Grateful”
by Marion Mutala, illustrations by E.R.
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth
Publishing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$9.95
ISBN 978-1-927756-29-4
Many of us have been greatly influenced by an older family member.
Perhaps a loving grandmother, a wise uncle, or an elder sibling with unique
hobbies has helped to shape the adult we have become. Saskatoon writer Marion
Mutala has shared her story about a mother’s positive influence on an unappreciative
daughter in her illustrated moral, Grateful.
In this appealing little book (it
measures 5 x 5 inches) a child ages a year with the turn of each page, and
always yearns for more than she has.
Mutala begins with a note expressing what she herself is grateful for,
including “the wonderful province of Saskatchewan” and “strong, faith-filled
parents and grandparents with beautiful Ukrainian and Slovak traditions.” She
writes that her Ukrainian “matya,” a mother of ten, told her children not to
complain about shoe size and would say: “Be grateful you have feet!”
This advice clearly served as the prompt for Mutala’s story, in which
the main character, a five-year-old girl at the outset, complains to her mother:
“Why can’t I have a teddy bear? I wish I had more toys,” and is told to be
grateful for the toys she has, including “a baby doll with the clearest blue
eyes and the softest hair … Some children have no toys.” To this the child
responds: “But I’m 5. I want lots of toys … and I’m not grateful.”
As the child ages she expresses her frustrations, like having to wear a
sister’s hand-me-downs when she really wants “new clothes from the store like
[her] friends,” and, at 10, having to eat “a hunk of kielbasa and homemade kolach”
in the car rather than eating in “a fancy restaurant”. Matya responds to the
latter as many parents would, and do: “Be grateful you’re not hungry ... Some
people have nothing to put in their bellies.”
Near the end of the book, the main character is suddenly fifty-years-old
and she receives sage advice from her ill, eighty-nine-year-old mother.
Mutala’s created a touching and relevant conclusion.
It’s interesting that the book’s artist-attributed only as “E.R.”-has
chosen a manga style for the illustrations. Manga is a Japanese comic that
conforms to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. The
stylized figures are recognizable by long, straight hair; over-sized,
expressive eyes; and a circular face with a pointed chin. Manga stories are
usually printed in black and white, just as Grateful
is. Manga has become extremely popular, perhaps particularly with young
readers, all over the world. E.R. has also used a Ukrainian motif for the
borders on each page: a series of small squares and diamonds that emulate
Ukrainian embroidery. It’s an interesting juxtaposition, and it works.
This would be a great story to share with a young child. Anyone who grew
up in a large family and had to “make do” with less than they desired will also
appreciate the lesson relayed here.
To learn more about Mutala and her works, including her “Magical
Ukrainian” trilogy, see www.babasbabushka.ca.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
“ABC’s Down on the Farm”
by Eileen Munro
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth
Publishing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$12.95
ISBN 978-1-927756-27-0
Have you ever thought about how much fun it would be to create an
alphabet book? There would be so many ways to approach it, from simple animal
alphabets to esoteric books geared, mostly, for adults-it just depends on your
interests and experience.
Saskatchewan writer and painter Eileen Munro grew up on a farm, and this
year she put her own brand on the alphabet, with ABC’s Down on the Farm, a colourful burst of farm-inspired pages
that reveal some of the best features about rural life via relatable text and cheery,
down-home illustrations.
Like many who desire to release their work in a professional quality
book, this Rocanville creator has selected Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing to
package her lively creation. Throughout the rhyming story we follow a
pony-tailed girl and a blond boy as they enjoy a country lifestyle that
includes picking apples, violets and flax flowers; interacting with various animals;
and taking part in activities like hauling grain to the elevator and collecting
eggs.
The tone is light and musical, ie: “Cc is for combine in the field,
threshing grain. Dd is for ducks that splash in the rain. Ee is for elevator,
so big and so high. Ff is for flax as blue as the sky.”
Munro’s ABC’s Down on the Farm
is also just the right size for little hands-
or visiting Grandma’s purse! If there
is someone on your gift list at the right age for learning the alphabet, add
this ABC book to their shelf … it’s like a smile on every page.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
____________________
“Jamie and the Monster Bookroom”
by Kerry Simpson (with Jamie Simpson)
Published by DriverWorks Ink
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$13.95
ISBN 978-1-927570-15-9
Saskatchewan boasts a wealth of writers and artists, and, increasingly,
companies that help new writers get their books into print. Deana and Al Driver
are the experienced husband and wife force behind DriverWorks Ink, a
Regina-based company established in 2008 to publish “true stories of
fascinating Prairie people and unsung Canadian heroes, books for children,
fiction and humour.” Deana Driver is a journalist, writer, and editor, while Al
comes from a long history as an editor in the Canadian newspaper industry.
Their evolution into publishing seems a natural one.
I opened my first DriverWorks Ink book, Jamie and the Monster Bookroom, ready to embrace a fresh
Saskatchewan voice. The story features a little girl, Jamie, who loves books,
her local library, and, as the back cover copy states, “all the smells and
textures that come with the books she’s read on her weekly visits there.”
Kerry Simpson, a teacher by profession, wrote the book with the help of her
own young daughter, Jamie, and from the bio notes I assume this is a story that
reflects the “real” Jamie’s life. The story is filled with specific details,
ie: “Jamie and her mom warmed up their car and travelled the fifteen minutes it
took to get to their town’s library.” A few lines later we read: “With her
recycled library book bag in hand, Jamie and her mom battled their way up the
steep steps”. The inclusion of specific details like “fifteen minutes” and
“recycled” suggest that this tale is likely based on fact.
The book highlights childhood curiosity,
imagination, bravery, and-of course-book loving. There is one room in the
library the main character, Jamie, is afraid to enter. She calls the dark and
dusty room the “Monster Bookroom,” and fears what’s inside might be a monster
or “a ghost who scared children so much that they hopped into the book, never
to return.” On her birthday Jamie gathers the courage to enter the strange room
to find books that “looked lonely” and “sleepy”. Within this unusual environment
the child finds the “perfect,” book, and is led on an amazing journey within
its pages.
The darling watercolour illustrations are provided by Regina artist and
educator Erika Folnović, and from snowflakes to spiders to happy looking
spooks, there is much for the young reader (or listener) to delight in. A
purple character named “Aooga” plays a big part in this story, as well, and, I’m
guessing, we’ll be hearing more about Aooga-and Jamie-from this mother-daughter
writing team in books to come. Congratulations to all involved in this pleasant
debut.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
____________________
“Maskisina: A Guide to Northern-Style Métis
Moccasins”
by Gregory Scofield and Amy Briley,
Historical Overview by Sherry Farrell Racette
Published by Gabriel Dumont Institute
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$24.95
ISBN 978-1-926795-11-9
Here’s a test for the efficacy
of a “How To” book: 1) select one on a subject you have no knowledge of, and
perhaps no previous interest in. 2) carefully read it. 3) if said title
inspires you to want to do the “How
To,” then you’ve just read a successful book.
I came to maskisina: A Guide to
Northern-Style Métis Moccasins, by Gregory Scofield and Amy Briley, without
knowing anything about the subject, though I spent years in northern
Saskatchewan. The attractive, coil-bound guide is filled with step-by-step
instructions and large photo illustrations that even the uncrafty could easily follow to create fur-trimmed, cuffed, or
wrap-around moccasins from home-tanned moose hide or commercially-tanned
leather. (Gorgeous beaded “vamps” that cover the forefoot are another skill,
and literally, another book; see wâpikwaniy: A Beginner’s Guide to Métis Floral Beadwork,
also published by the Gabriel Dumont Institute.)
The actual instructions, “Helpful Hints,” and brief anecdotes\advice
(ie: “Acknowledge and respect that you are making a connection. The pair of
moccasins you create connect the person to this Earth. The feelings, thoughts
and energy that you put into them need to be good …”) are only part of what
makes Maskisina an interesting read.
It begins with an introduction by well-known poet Gregory Scofield, whose
“maternal ancestry can be traced back to the fur trade.” Scofield is also an
expert bead artisan. He was taught by his Auntie Georgina, and says both his
beadwork and stories are “distinctly rooted in Cree/Métis
tradition and art form and … in the soft rhythmic sound of my Auntie’s voice.”
Scofield tells the story of his aunt receiving a pair of moccasins in
the mail from her sister-in-law, and upon opening the package, she inhaled deeply
and said, “Oh my boy … Dat just smells like home and dah old days.” Then she
slipped the moccasins on and “did a little jig.” In the spirit of “Pass it On,”
Scofield taught his co-author, Amy Briley-who works for Gabriel Dumont
Institute and lives in Martensville-to bead.
This durable book also includes an historical perspective by Sherry
Farrell Racette, an artist, educator and academic, and a member of Timiskaming
First Nation. She’s also a moccasin-maker, and her overview contains gems of
information, ie: “Every major exploring expedition in what became northern
Canada included women whose central role was caring for the clothing critical
to survival, especially moccasins.” She writes that Sir John Franklin and John
Rae “hired the wives of men employed for their expeditions,” and that the craft
of making moccasins also engaged men, including Gabriel Dumont. I learned that
on “very special occasions or for greatly revered and loved individuals,” the
moccasin’s soles were beaded, as well. These decorative moccasins were not made for walking!
I am inspired: maybe someone on my Christmas list will actually get a
pair of Leedahl-made moccasins! And if I run into any trouble while making
them, I can also consult the instructional DVD provided with the book. Sweet
package, Gabriel Dumont Institute!
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
____________________
“Gina’s Wheels”
by Mary Harelkin Bishop
Published by DriverWorks Ink
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$13.95
ISBN 978-1-927570-12-8
I lived in Saskatoon for seventeen years, and during my frequent runs
along the Meewasin Valley Trail, I would sometimes encounter a pleasant and
energetic woman in a wheelchair. I recognized her to be Colette Bourgonje - one
of Canada’s most accomplished Paralympic athletes - and I’m so pleased that the
accomplished Saskatoon writer, Mary
Harelkin Bishop, has penned an inspiring picture book celebrating both
Bourgonje’s positive energy and achievement and the compassionate nature of a
young child.
Gina’s Wheels is based on a
true story as experienced through a curious “real-life” girl named Maeve, whose
mother co-taught with Bourgonje in a Saskatoon school. Impressed by Colette in
the classroom, at three Maeve began using her own stroller like a wheelchair to
“[explore] the world in a different way”. Harelkin Bishop – whose name many
will recognize from her highly successful Tunnels
of Moose Jaw Adventure Series – learned about Maeve when she was doing
research for her biography, Moving
Forward: The Journey of Paralympian Colette Bourgonje.
Sometimes stories come about as if delivered on a plate, and kudos to
the author for recognizing that this would make a good one.
On a “typical shopping day” in a mall, young Gina observes the
passersby. She “love[s] watching people best of all,” and soon notices Colette
as she’s rolling toward a display table graced with metals and photos. Any
parent knows that children are naturally direct, and – to her mother’s
embarrassment - Gina realistically asks the sit-ski athlete: “Why can’t you
walk?” Colette discusses her spinal cord injury - the Porcupine Plain-raised
athlete suffered a paralyzing car accident at eighteen - and explains what the
Paralympics are before she has to leave for another mall engagement. Outside,
Gina watches as Colette maneuvers her wheelchair into her truck. The child is
impressed, and wonders what it’d be like to be in a wheelchair.
Back home, she fishes her old stroller out, and even though her mother
attempts to “convince Gina to use her legs,” the empathetic girl spends “the
next several weeks” before kindergarten doing “everything from her
wheelchair\stroller.”
The story features a heart-warming conclusion, and the author’s added
information about and photos of “the Real Gina” and Colette Bourgonje, a
ten-time Paralympian. I was delighted to read that in 2000, the City of Saskatoon
honoured Bourgonje by naming a crescent, court, and terrace after her, and that
in 2010 she was awarded the Whang Youn Dai Acheivement Medal, a special gold
medal given to two world class athletes at the Paralympic Games.
The book’s illustrations – some full bleeds, extending to the edges of
the pages - are credited to Diane L. Greenhorn, an artist, drawing instructor
and animal lover who lives on an acreage near Saskatoon. The text is easy to
see, even when superimposed in white over the pastel images.
It’s interesting to follow the careers of writers from my home province
and learn how they’ve diversified re: genres. Congratulations to Mary Harelkin
Bishop for trying something new, and succeeding so nicely.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
____________________
“Art, his Heart …and the Phlart?!”
by Fawn Einarson, illus. by Arthur
Karakochuk
Published by Hear My Heart Books Inc.
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$10.00 ISBN 978-0-9877251-5-8
One of the coldest facts in this world is that horrific things sometimes
happen to our most vulnerable members of society: children. It takes a
courageous and discerning writer to tackle difficult subject matter and present
it in a way that children will understand, learn, and heal from. Saskatoon
writer Fawn Einarson braves the task in her empowering illustrated book Art, his Heart … and the Phlart?! This sensitive
picture book is published by Hear My Heart Books Inc., a small Saskatoon press
publishing “therapeutic stories”.
We
learn the author’s intent in her dedication: “This story is meant to act as a
shield to protect children from sexual abuse.” Einarson provides seven pieces
of advice to adult readers who share this story with a child who discloses his
or her own abusive experience: remain calm; ask if it’s okay to take notes;
record exactly what’s said; do not ask leading questions; ask the child to draw
a picture; “Let the child know that telling is okay;” and immediately phone a
professional.
The story concerns a shy boy, Art, who “spent a lot of time alone,
watching the other kids skip.” While en route to school, an adult - “the
phlart” - talks the hesitant boy into skipping with him, while the other end of
the rope is tied to a tree. The lonely child “love[s] skipping so much” and is
happy to have the attention. The adult continues to beguile the boy, feeding
him both candy and compliments. Soon the pair are meeting both before and after school. One day the phlart
wants to play a “secret game that [makes] Art feel bad.”
The abuser uses threats - “If your mom finds out about our new game, she
won’t love you anymore!” - to keep the child from revealing what’s happening.
Einarson writes that “Art had a bad feeling in his tummy all the time” and “his
hurting heart grew lots and lots.”
As is sometimes the case, the
victim begins to feel that it is his own fault. He recognizes that the phlart
is his sole friend, and the boy’s “feelings [are] all mixed up like a
blizzard.” As the abuse continues, Art shuts off his emotions altogether. Fortunately,
the boy eventually discloses and the story becomes one of healing for Art, and,
ultimately, for any child has also suffered the horror of sexual abuse.
As this book is also a resource, the author has included telephone
numbers for the National Childhelp Hotline, the Kids Help Phone Hotline, and
the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
llustrator Arthur Karakochuk,
from Prince Albert, portrays the characters and scenes in simple,
animation-styled illustrations. He has intelligently chosen to depict the pedophile
with just a single arm and a menacing, razor-toothed shadow. We gradually see
colours lighten as Art makes a friend, discloses, and gets help.
This ten dollar, 32-page softcover book is ideal for use in childhood
sexual abuse prevention or therapy,
and if it helps even one child, it is
priceless.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
____________________
“Opening Up: How To Develop Your
Intuition And Work With Your Angels”
by Lisa Driver
Published by DriverWorks Ink
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$19.95
ISBN 978-1-927570-13-5
Are you as happy as you’d like to be? I’m guessing that most would
answer “no” to this glaring question, whether our challenges concern illness,
loneliness, grief, financial woes, strained relationships, confidence issues,
employment worries, addictions, or something altogether different. Of course
many books promise happier, healthier living, but Lisa Driver’s Opening Up: How To Develop Your Intuition
And Work With Your Angels takes a unique approach: it combines elements of
Christianity (the author was raised in a Christian home and uses “God” to
describe the “loving energy” we all share) and what some term “new age”
beliefs, ie: developing intuition through meditation; using crystals; participating
in Angel Tarot card readings, energy work, and Reiki; and recognizing when our
angels are communicating with us.
Regina-born Driver was in
transition in her own personal life - she’d had “about seven jobs in as many
years” - when she attended a “Natural Health and Healing Expo” in her adopted
city, Medicine Hat. There the “’regular’ Saskatchewan prairie girl” was introduced
to an “angelic medium from Swift Current,” who professed that Driver was “meant
to” become a spiritual coach who guided others via Angel Therapy. Driver was
impressed by how much the medium articulated about the author’s life and
desires. A book by Doreen Virtue confirmed Driver’s belief that “we are all
connected and made of a loving energy and are meant to come together, to love
each other, and enjoy each day on this beautiful planet.” Her studies continued
with Virtue’s “Certified Angel Card Reader” and “Angel Therapy Practitioner”
courses.
This candid guidebook is extremely positive about the improvements we
can make in our lives, but emphasis is put on the fact that change doesn’t come
of its own volition. Driver realized firsthand that “when you leap, the net
appears.” Her big “leap” was starting
her own business, “Flight of the Phoenix Spiritual Healing,” through which she
offers mediumship readings, angel readings, and more. She writes: “know in your
heart you are surrounded by departed loved ones, angels, archangels, and guides
who are sending you energy, guidance, and love every day.”
In a chapter titled “The Ways We Can Talk To Heaven,” she discusses
clairvoyance and its sisters, “claircognizance,” “clairaudience,” and “clairsentience,”
and how everyone has some degree of intuition. In the chapter “Surrounded By
Signs,” she suggests that we receive unexpected signs from our angels through
the recurrence of certain objects in our lives, like coins, feathers, or
dragonflies. These signs, she says, can be a response to questions we’ve asked
the angels, and “can help [us] navigate through life and bring [us] peace.”
This subject matter may be new and surprising for some, and Driver
accepts that “Not everyone is open to these ideas”. Her message is that life is
a “tremendous miracle,” and her book and work are her attempts to help people
experience more of this joyous miracle by connecting with the energies of
others.
“Opening Up” is a beautiful concept, and this guidebook explains just
how to do it.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
