Forever Birchwood

By Danielle Daniel

Junior Fiction 

Reviewed by Manitou Elementary School Book Club

Over the past six weeks, some Grade 5 and 6 students in the book club at Manitou Elementary School (MES) have been reading Forever Birchwood, written by Danielle Daniel.

The book is one of many that has been nominated for the 2024 Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award (MYRCA) in the Sundogs Category (for readers in Grades 4 to 6).

The book is about adventurous, trail-blazing Wolf, who lives in a northern mining town and spends her days exploring the mountains and wilderness with her three best friends Penny, Ann and Brandi. The girls' secret refuge is their tree-house hideaway, Birchwood, Wolf's favourite place on earth. When her beloved grandmother tells her that she is the great-granddaughter of a tree talker, Wolf knows that she is destined to protect the birch trees and wildlife that surround her.

But Wolf's mother doesn't understand this connection at all. Not only is she reluctant to engage with their family's Indigenous roots, she seems suspiciously on the wrong side of the environmental protection efforts in their hometown. To make matters worse, she's just started dating an annoying new boyfriend named Roger, whose motives--and construction company--seem equally suspect.

As summer arrives, so do bigger problems. Wolf and her friends discover orange plastic bands wrapped around the trees near their cherished hangout spot, and their once stable friendship seems on the verge of unravelling. Birchwood has given them so much--can they even stay together long enough to save this special place?

Below is a summary of what the students thought about the book:

“In Forever Birchwood, my favourite character was probably Hari, because he is really resilient. I loved this book because it was really exciting. Thank you, Danielle Daniel, for sharing this book and the experience.”

“I loved this book because I could relate to the characters in this book. I love the drama in the book and the middle school life. My favourite character is Brandi because I’m almost exactly like her.”

“The storyline of this book has a little bit of everything – happy, sad, confusing, and mad. I enjoyed this book’s characters because I felt like I could relate to them.”

“I really like that this book has so many mysteries happening, so there is lots to talk about. There are also many twists in the story, so I had to really think about it. I also love the characters!”

“I give this book a 10 out of 10 because it is full of action and cool characters. I really enjoyed the book!”

MES has a very active and engaged book club and the students will be reading more of the MYRCA titles over the next few months. As well, Manitou Branch has all of the titles nominated for the MYRCA in both categories – Sundog (Grades 4 to 6) and Northern Lights (Grades 7 to 9) - available for our young readers to borrow and cast their vote for their favourite. Online voting will take place between April 12-19, 2024. You can see the full list of titles at https://www.myrca.ca/ or contact the Manitou Branch at manitoucirc@gmail.com for more details.

With thanks to MES teachers, Laurie Serle and Brenda Atkinson.

To place this book on hold, click here.

A Bad Case of the Almosts

 By Janet Sumner Johnson

Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo

Junior Easy

Reviewed by Stacey-Library Patron

    A Bad Case of the Almosts, written by Janet Sumner Johnson and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo is a bright and energetic book about being realistic about life’s challenges in a world of toxic positivity. Little Abby has a case of the almosts, always falling short on her endeavors, whether it be completing a school project with her bestie, having enough money to purchase a prized toy, or succeeding at a task. It’s only when she nearly falls in the same spot someone does fall, that she comes to realize that maybe something almost happening isn’t a negative thing but the opportunity to count your blessings (like when she almost got hit in the face at soccer) and quite possibly the door to new beginnings. The book reaches a pinnacle when Abby realizes that maybe the difference between her overcoming or succumbing to her fears is only an ALMOST! “What if I’m only almost too scared?” An aha moment for kids and parents alike. The book concludes with the realization that when something almost happens it could be both good and bad. Instead of forcing kids to push down their fears, anguish and disappointment and carry on like their feelings are irrelevant, this book reminds readers of all ages to acknowledge the reality of the situation but to still make use of what good there is to be found. Illustrations include diverse characters and relatable situations. Postface includes “The Decision Tree” a chart for discovering whether your choices will lead to “sunshine or storms”. 

    I think this is such a charming book, very approachable for young readers and non-readers but still poignant for the most mature of readers. The book is direct and colourful but leaves plenty of opportunity for group discussions. Excellent read for families and classrooms alike!

To place this book on hold, click here.

Struggling for Perfection: The Story of Glenn Gould

By Vladimir Konieczny

Junior Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Kirsty from the Manitou branch

    This book is a junior biography of the great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. It provides a thorough overview of his life and its notable events.  A good portion of this book focuses on Gould's early years as a boy in Depression-era Toronto.  It speak to relatable events this gifted musician experienced, including a difficulty fitting in at school, developing a social conscience beyond that of his family of origin, and his deep love for his mother.  The book also delves into aspects of Gould's life which are, arguably, more unique to a child prodigy, including his propensity toward hypervigilance to his health, specifically, the safety of his hands, which only became more extreme as he aged.  

    I enjoyed the mix of historical photos and illustrations interspersed with the text.  I found the added historical tidbits fascinating, particularly the story of how J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations were commissioned and the details surrounding Gould's controversial time spent in the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  Although an older book in SCRL's collection, this book remains an excellent resource for a late elementary school book study of a famous Canadian artist.

 To place this book on hold, click here.

After Anne

 By Logan Steiner

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Angela from the Manitou branch

    Although based on personal journals published after her death, After Anne is the fictional account of Lucy Maud Montgomery's life.

    Maud (the name she preferred and went by), recopied and edited her journals around 1919 when she was in her mid-forties, removing several pages.  Later, towards the end of her life, she burned many of her private letters and papers, leaving some gaps in her life story that have always fascinated the author.  In After Anne, Steiner tries to fill in some of those gaps based on her own research into Maud's life, although no one will ever know the true story of certain aspects of her life, as there were some things that Maud obviously didn't want to share with her public audience.

    The story begins as Maud is about to publish her first Anne of Green Gables novel at a time when her life is full of promise, good friends, and a new fiancée, the local minister, Ewan.

    Throughout the book, we see how Maud is the alter ego of her famous and beloved fictional character, even as she longs to be more like Anne.  Anne is bubbly, eternally optimistic, irreverent, and defiant, while Maud is proper, sensible and restrained by a strong sense of duty.  Maud even postpones her wedding to Ewan for several years to continue taking care of her frail grandmother.

    While her public persona as a celebrated author seems positive and exciting, Maud's personal life becomes more tragic with the loss of her dearest friend and her husband's decline into mental illness and prescription drug abuse.  It is the voice of Anne in her head that helps her deal with the challenges, until that voice isn't there anymore.

    This is a beautiful read; poignant and sad, but an excellent tribute to a great literary talent.

To place this book on hold, click here.