“Haunted”
Written by Ruth Chorney
Published by 7SpringsBooks
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$25.00
ISBN 978-0-9939757-9-0
Ruth Chorney’s Saskatchewan-set novel, Haunted, transports readers to interesting places—geographical and otherwise—and it’s just the kind of book that makes me wish more Saskatchewan people would read the good literature that’s being produced within their own province. This engaging story’s set in the rural community of “Deer Creek, population 1242” in the northeastern part of the province, where moose roam, a hoodie is called a “bunnyhug,” and the local Co-op’s where you’ll meet neighbours, friends and the resident hermit/bootlegger. It’s a book about starting over, and accepting the kindness of neighbours. It’s also about generations of family, guilt, and doing what needs to be done. And it’s Saskatchewan, so the weather also gets its share of ink.
There are elements of the supernatural in this mostly realistic story, and like that other writer (Stephen King) who also combines realism and the supernatural to great effect, Chorney scores the right balance between making her characters and situations appear credible—ie: protagonist Marny’s husband needs work, so it’s off to the potash mine he goes—and also preparing us for the suspension of disbelief that’s required when Marny’s four-year-old sees auras and entities, and her mother, Saige—“a flake most of her life”—hosts séances.
Marny, a young mother of two, is trying to keep it all together after housing challenges force her and her family to leave their small apartment “in a somewhat sketchy neighbourhood” in Vancouver and move into her deceased grandparents’ rural home on three quarter sections. Five-year-old Griffin’s response to arriving at the “two-storey house with loose railing from the upstairs balcony banging in the wind” is: “̒It’s like that Hallowe’en movie’”. This is also the novel’s first line, and Chorney’s well-wrought descriptions root us in the long-abandoned rural property and flesh out the neighbours who are keen to help the family settle, like John in his “Dodge Ram cap,” and Tera, who runs a trail-riding business, and may know more about her husband’s mysterious disappearance than she’s letting on. Tera and an older neighbour, Gloria—both well-drawn characters—help Marny plant a garden and teach her how to preserve vegetables.
I previously reviewed Chorney’s satisfying novel, Conspiracy—another Deer Creek novel, with a completely different plot. In Haunted the Kelvington, SK author again spotlights the relationships between multi-generational characters and the beauty of the prairie landscape. Real-world events like COVID, the gentrification of cities, the 1993 “’War in the Forest’” protests at Clayoquat Sound, and the mass stabbing at the James Smith Cree Nation find their way organically into this page-turning new novel, which I really hope you’ll read.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
“Family Potluck”
Written by Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated
by Putut Putri
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$20.00 ISBN 9-781778-152931
Sixteen smiling, digitally-produced characters—including an infant in arms, a bespeckled elder, a girl in a wheelchair and a visually-impaired, non-Caucasian boy—surround a potluck-ready table on the cover of Ashley Vercammen’s children’s book, Family Potluck. Without reading a word of the story, I’m already applauding the author’s inclusive definition of “family”. I soon learn that the purple backpack-wearing main character is the daughter of a teacher, and the potluck will take place at school. The unnamed girl’s grandma and cousin will also attend in this the-more-the-merrier story for young readers.
The book’s format will appeal to children who may be overwhelmed with large blocks of text and “too much happening” in the illustration department. This story unfolds across full-spread illustrations, each with a celery-green background for consistency, and large font text on just the left side of the page. The illustrations are simple and pleasant. The green chalkboard is wiped clean, there are no toys or other hazards on the floor, and there’s little else to draw the eye away from the characters themselves.
First we meet a student named Bowen and his mother, Tracy, who “makes the best cabbage rolls”. Turn the page and there’s Caleb “and his dads,” along with a new baby sister. Before long the look-alike Jackson family arrives: seven children, Grandpa Harry, and Uncle Joseph, as well. More culturally diverse students arrive with their potluck offerings filling the long, draped tables.
Vercammen frequently presents a cast of diverse characters enjoying themselves in communal situations, and it’s what she does best. The Saskatchewan instructor, writer and publisher (of this book and books by other writers) says she “enjoys writing books with the aim to engage both English as an Additional Language Learners, and Native-English speakers”.
The adult-child relationships in Family Potluck extend to “Judy and her nanny” and “Naja’s stepmom” (who barbecues kabobs). Soon the classroom’s joyfully filled with twenty people across the age, culture and ability spectrums. The spirit of community is evident, and everyone—except the one child with closed eyes and a walking stick—is bright-eyed and smiling. Fittingly, the purple backpack-wearing girl seen at the start gets the last word, and the last page: her face appears in a circle beside this text: “What does your family look like? What would you bring to the potluck?” The large white space beneath and the white page opposite invite little booklovers to draw their own family and food items.
This book could become a treasured keepsake item within a family, with siblings and/or successive generations adding their own drawings to the book. With its emphases on community and diversity, it would also be a welcome addition to elementary school libraries.
This glossy softcover is just one bright example of how Vercamman weaves a positive message—ie: we can all be friends, even if we look differently—into her stories for young children. To learn more about this industrious author—who also offers readings and one-on-one English classes—and Home Style Teachers, see ashley-vercammen.ca..
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
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“Little Big Sister: Big Little Brother”
Written by Ashley Vercammen
Illustrated by Mario Vianni and P
Aplinder Kaur
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$25.00 ISBN 9-781778-152948
As a longtime reviewer, I’ve noted that some progressive children’s writers are publishing books that tell a good story while simultaneously addressing the subject of diversity, whether that’s through stories that highlight cultural diversity; include representations of non-traditional families (ie: same-sex partnerships); spotlight intergenerational relationships; or contain depictions of characters who are differently-abled, ie: an Autistic boy or a visually-impaired girl. I believe this to be a positive trend in the publishing industry, and these inclusive books deliver a much more accurate depiction of what contemporary Canadian schools—and society—really looks like.
Saskatchewan writer and Home Style Teachers’ publisher, Ashley Vercammen, appears to have made it her mission to be inclusive in her illustrated children’s books. She writes about how motherhood can mean many different things, how “family” can also include friends from various cultures, and—in her longer illustrated book, School Readiness—what children can expect when they begin school, and how they should conduct themselves in that sometimes intimidating and/or confusing new setting.
Her illustrated book Little Big Sister: Big Little Brother features adult siblings Olive and Charlie, and it’s ingeniously written from the perspectives of both characters: flip the book over, and you’ll find the same story told from the other sibling’s perspective. Charlie’s the elder sibling by three years. Vercammen writes that “his brain works differently, so sometimes he needs a bit of extra help. He has special needs.” The full-bleed illustrations show a bearded Charlie with shoes “on the wrong feet” and pants “tucked into his socks,” while his little sister guffaws behind her hand.
Charlie is forgetful and “always leaves something behind,” like socks or puzzle pieces. His speech can also be difficult to understand, but “If you listen carefully or know him well, it’s easy peasy”.
The story shows the siblings’ close relationship. Charlie calls Olive daily, cheers her with “pictures of his puzzles and new creations,” and is always keen to “build snow forts, or play card games”. (Note: the cribbage board shown on this page has interesting pegs!)
In Charlie’s flipside story, we learn that he has “some special responsibilities,” like always making sure his sister “remembers birthdays, anniversaries, or important dates”. “Helping Olive is one of my favourite things to do as a big brother,” he says. He also addresses the issue of having others believe he “can’t understand them” (not true), and he shares how it feels to have his speech misunderstood. Gulp.
But here’s the kicker: with some quick Googling I learned that Olive represents the author, Ashley, while her real-life elder brother, Derrick, appears as Charlie in this touching story. A photo of Vercammen standing beside Derrick—both radiate joy—closes the book, and adds a visual exclamation mark. The illustrators have created expressive caricatures to represent the amiable siblings.
The heartwarming and beautifully-produced 44-page softcover was published in 2022. To view a Youtube video of the pair reading the story, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqOEqKAla5Y . You’ll also find a few other video versions of Vercammen’s feel-good books.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
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“Where Could My Baby Be?”
Written by Ashley Vercammen, Illustrated
by P Aplinder Kaur
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$20.00 ISBN 9-781778-152962
Of the several books I’ve read by Saskatoon
writer, publisher and teacher, Ashley Vercammen, Where Could My Baby Be?
is among the best. Vercammen’s selected motherhood—in its myriad incarnations—as
the subject of a children’s book, and she’s done so with both a generous and a gentle
eye.
The illustrated softcover opens with the suggestion that the book “is perfect for sparking conversations about motherhood with your little one,” and I agree. I’ve been reading and reviewing children’s books for decades, and this is the first I’ve read that presents such a wide lens re: mothering, and how “there are a lot of ways to do it!”. P Aplinder Kaur’s initial illustrations show a woman breastfeeding (age-appropriate depiction for young readers); a woman changing the diaper of an active baby; an expectant mother having an ultrasound; and an anguished-looking doctor giving a seated woman—face in hands, supportive partner standing behind with his hands on her shoulders—the news she does not want.
This introductory page pulls no punches: “Being a mom is hard work!” In the following pages we’re introduced to a variety of women, some visibly pregnant, like red-dressed Verda, who is “so excited to be pregnant,” and some not, like mauve-clothed Muriel, who’s attending her surrogate’s ultrasound appointment. Muriel explains surrogacy in child-speak: “That means the doctors help my baby grow inside a different person”.
Adoption’s addressed from the perspective of both an adoptive parent, Laural (“I found my baby all the way across the world!”) and from a woman who gives her child up for adoption because—as the illustrations suggest—studies and low finances would make parenting too difficult.
We also meet Gabriella, a stepmom who moved into that role “when [her] babies weren’t really babies anymore,” and whose “kids live with … their biological mom sometimes”. There’s also a Foster mom, and here the text and illustration work especially well together. The foster mom says: “Sometimes I see my babies again, and sometimes I don’t. We draw a picture together to make saying goodbye a little easier”. The block of text is superimposed over a living room setting, where the Foster mom’s looking through an album of painted handprints. This scene has personal meaning for this reviewer; my parents fostered twenty-five children while I was growing up, and mostly, we never saw them again.
I’m guessing that most mothers and would-be mothers should be able to relate to this book. There’s a grandmother included, too, and Melody, a dog mom. “I have some similar responsibilities to a mom,” she says, but her baby’s kisses “are a little wet”.
As with other of Vercammen’s books, she leaves space at the end for children and parents to include their own writing and art. Here two pages are dedicated to anyone who wants to “Write a letter to [their] child about how [they] became their mom,” and another two blank pages to “Draw a picture with your child of things that make you both happy”. Delightful!
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
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“School Readiness”
Written by Ashely Vercammen,
Illustrated by P Aplinder Kaur
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$25.00
ISBN 978-1-77815-29-9-3
Ashley Vercammen’s illustrated softcover, School Readiness, is—as the title clearly states—a book about prepping children for their first days of school, and sharing the story with new students could well ease the jitters that sometimes accompany this transition. The writer is a Registered Behavioural Technician (RBT) and her book “is based on the proven techniques of the School Readiness program at Saskatchewan Behaviour Consulting,” where specialists work with families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities.
Vercammen also holds a BA in International Studies from the University of Saskatchewan, and taught English to students in China. The Redvers, SK-born writer’s education and interests have informed the text in School Readiness, published by Home Style Teachers. The book follows a culturally and ability-diverse group of students as they consider how to conduct themselves at school, ie: how one uses a “quiet, inside voice” in the classroom, and how students should raise a hand “to speak or leave [their] chair”.
There’s information here for students who might be anxious about school structure, as well, ie: scheduling. “I can look at my schedule to know what is happening next” one block of text reads, and on the opposite page, the bordered text reads: “I can ask, “What’s next?” if I don’t understand the schedule.
The book is like a step-by-step guide, providing youngsters with the answers to questions they might have about attending school. It also includes illustrations that demonstrate lessons, ie: how to tie shoelaces, and how to properly wash one’s hands. It follows a “When it is time to do this, then I need to do that” structure, ie: “When it is time to trace, I need a pencil,” and “When it is circle time, I need to go to the carpet”.
The text also goes into some things beginning students might learn about at school, ie: the days of the week, seasons and weather. There are pages that demonstrate how “Everybody likes to play in different ways,” and here we see how different personalities or abilities are represented: “Some friends like to take turns,” “Some friends want to play alone,” “Some friends like to listen to their toys,” and “Some friends want to play pretend”.
Diversity’s common in contemporary Canadian classrooms, and illustrator P Aplinder Kaur’s large-eyed characters reflect cultural diversity and differences in ability: “Some of my friends talk with their mouth,” “Some of my friends talk with their hands,” “Some of my friends talk with a device,” and “Some of my friends don’t talk at all”.
The colourful illustrations will engage young children, and at the end of the book—beneath the affirmation: “Good listening for your name! You will do great in school!—there’s a space for a child to include his or her own name in the story.
The prolific Vercammen has published numerous titles since January 2022. See 222.ashley-vercammen.ca to learn more about her books, and to discover how she’s helping others publish with Home Style Teachers.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL
BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
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“The Sock Momster”
Written by Mari Lemieux, Illustrated by
Mario Viani
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$25.00 ISBN 9-781778-152917
“Hunting With My Dad”
Written by Patty Torrance, Illustrated
by Putut Putri
Published by Home Style Teachers
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$20.00
ISBN 9-781998-218028
Have an idea for a children’s book, perhaps featuring your own family members or pets? These days, with numerous self-publishing companies available to help new authors navigate the steps toward seeing their own work in print, there are perhaps more books than ever out there vying for coveted space in a child’s collection of titles. One of the best reasons to self-publish is that the whole process can happen quickly. With traditional publishers, writers can wait years to hear back about a manuscript (only to receive a rejection), or receive an acceptance and then have to wait years for the book to be released: I had a book accepted by a reputable trade book publisher in 2012, and it was released in 2019.
Home Style Teachers is a Saskatchewan-based publisher that offers self-publishing services, including finding an illustrator for the story, if the author desires. It is the brainchild of Ashley Vercammen, whose own diverse, illustrated children’s books are included in Home Style Teachers’ quickly growing list. After having read and reviewed a handful of Home Style Teachers’ vibrant softcovers, I can attest that they have the look and feel of a professionally-published book. The illustrations are often cartoon-style digital images featuring the now ubiquitous large-eyed characters.
Mari Lemieux, a teenaged writer from Alida, SK has published The Sock Momster with Home Style Teachers. She was “inspired by her dad’s extravagant bedtime stories and her mom’s constant reminders to wear matching socks,” and the result is her delightful story featuring a large-eyed, bob-and-bangs girl who is in a veritable tizzy because she can’t locate her socks. Her mother (same large eyes, Farrah Fawcett hair) says: “̒Did the sock monster take them?’” Is Mom being sarcastic, or does she know exactly what’s been happening to her daughter’s socks? The ending comes as a colourful and shocking surprise.
Patty Torrance’s Hunting With My Dad is another in the Home Style Teachers’ repertoire. The Tisdale, SK writer and mother “wanted to write a book that would capture the attention of small-town Saskatchewan kids”. This is a father-and-son story about rising early to “hunt buck, doe, and fawn” in the woods. One of the full-bleed illustrations shows a star-twinkling sky and a white crew-cab truck before a field of round bales. Attired in orange safety vests, the pair arrive at their camouflage-painted blind. My favourite text in this rhyming story is when the boy says: “We get to our blind and sit in our seat. My chairs a bit big so I dangle my feet.” The hunt is successful, and apart from the suggestion of blood under the buck’s mouth, not too graphic for young children—especially, I surmise, for those who are from hunting families.
Torrance’s dedication includes a family photo; she reveals that her main character is named after her actual son, Hayden.
Both of these glossy softcover books for young readers were manufactured by Amazon.ca.. See 222.ashley-vercammen.ca to discover how to quickly get your own book published with Home Style Teachers.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLISHERS GROUP WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
