Abalone Woman

 

Abalone Woman

By Teoni Spathelfer

Abalone Woman is the third book in the Little Wolf series for young readers. Here, Little Wolf has a bad dream but it reminds her to learn more about Indigenous culture and the importance of passing on knowledge to the new generation. When Little Wolf encounters injustice in her community, she turns to her family for the strength to fight back.

Local author Spathelfer has all three picturebooks at the Richmond Public Library:

The Case of Windy Lake

The Case of Windy Lake

By Michael Hutchinson

Sam, Otter, Atim and Chickadee live on the Windy Lake First Nation.  Although they are just kids, these four cousins love to solve mysteries.  They’ve been nicknamed The Mighty Muskrats for their intelligence and tenacity.

When an archeologist visits their community, many of the people are worried he will try to dig up some of their sacred sites.  But when he disappears in the bush, the Mighty Muskrats jump into action, hoping to solve the mystery despite the involvement of the local police and the RCMP.  Time is running out as the archeologist spends many days alone in the bush.

Meanwhile, the Muskrats’ older cousin Denice chains herself to a dock to protest a local mine that threatens the environment.  The cousins’ grandpa says that she is on a vision quest, and the Muskrats try to support her through her ordeal.  But her activism is preventing work from getting done, and the mine manager, Mr. Makowski, is furious.

All of this takes place against a backdrop of a First Nations community and culture where people respect the land and the Elders.  Will the Muskrats be able to solve the mystery and help find the missing archeologist?

The Case of Windy Lake reminds me of classic children’s mysteries like the Famous Five and Nancy Drew, but with an indigenous twist!

This is the first book in the Mighty Muskrats series.

Lost in the Backyard

Lost in the Backyard

By Alison Hughes

I love survival stories, and this is a good one!

Flynn is 13 and couldn’t care less about nature or the environment.  He finds camping pretty boring and he doesn’t pay attention in his Outdoor Ed. class.  He is far more interested in his phone and his Nike Air Force 1 running shoes.  When his parents take him to visit some friends who have built a house “off the grid” – the house is energy self-sufficient and way out in the woods – he is less than thrilled.  Flynn decides to take a walk in the vast backyard, and that’s when the trouble begins.

Startled by an animal on the path, Flynn rushes headlong into the forest.  He soon finds himself hopelessly lost.  His hoodie and Nikes aren’t much protection against the snow.  As night falls, Flynn discovers that it sure is dark in the woods, and that every noise, including those howling coyotes, could be a predator.  Does that make him prey?

Flynn must gather his wits to survive.  He desperately tries to remember his Outdoor Ed. classes. He knows that in late October, his trip into the bush could be fatal.  Will this city kid last long enough to be rescued?

Flynn represents many modern kids who do not have any experience in the woods.  But he also shows the incredible resilience of someone who is determined to survive.  Lost in the Backyard is a short, easy read but also a suspenseful page-turner.  

Highly recommended.

Eco Warrior

Eco Warrior

Eco Warrior

By Philip Roy

Eco Warrior is a wonderful tale about a sixteen year old boy named Alfred that pulls you in right away and keeps you reading from page one to the end. Alfred is traveling to Australia in a homemade submarine with his pet seagull and dog to learn how to be an environmentalist and save the oceans. On the way Alfred learns many life lessons and meets new friends for life. After Alfred arrives in Australia he gets mistakenly accused of sabotaging a tanker and has to make a daring escape with the help of a friend. Because of that Alfred makes his way over to Tasmania to see if he can help the Sea Shepherd Society battle tankers that supply Japanese whale hunters with fuel for their ships.

Eco Warrior is short book that outlines the dangers that our oceans are in and shows that it’s still possible for us to make a change. You do not need to read the previous six books in the series to enjoy this one. Overall, Eco Warrior is an engaging book that never leaves you in a dry spot. And guess what? The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is real! Take a look at this site to find out more: www.seashepherd.org.

Eco Warrior is a Red Cedar Award nominee this year. Each year, students just like you vote for their favourite fiction and non-fiction B.C. books. You have until the end of April to read, read, read! Then the winners will be announced at a Gala in May. Visit redcedaraward.ca to learn more about B.C.'s Red Cedar Award and see a list of nominees.