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Noteworthy Books on the Family

English Titles - continued

Denotes that the book is either a translation or is available in translation.

January, February, June or July

Helen Porter
St. John's, Nfld.: Breakwater, 1988
199 p. ISBN 0920911277
Ages 14 to 16.

Heather at 15, lives in St. John's, Newfoundland with her older sister, Shirley, and her weary and immature mother, Eileen, who works as a hairdresser. Heather yearns to reestablish close ties with her father, a former United States serviceman who years ago divorced her mother and maintains only cursory contact with them. Her grandmother, Nan, has been the one sure source of love in Heather's life but now she is dying of cancer.

Heather is seeking her own identity without overtly rejecting her family. She is wise enough to not want to be caught in the feminine/poverty dilemma, but teenager enough to want a boyfriend. He appears in the guise of Frank, a first love, seemingly caring but who uses and abuses Heather just before he leaves for work in Alberta's oil fields. With help from medical staff, Heather goes through an abortion, an overt reconciliation with her mom, and finally a somewhat weary and resigned self-realization in her relationship with both Frank and her dad.

Reprinted with the permission of the publisher. Copyright Helen Porter.

A Morning to Polish and Keep

Julie Lawson
Illustrations: Sheena Lott
Red Deer, Alberta: Red Deer College Press, 1992
27 p. ISBN 0889950822
Ages 4 to 9.

Amy sets out by boat on a fishing expedition with Mom, Dad and brother Michael. About to land a salmon, Amy loses rod, reel and fish when Michael spots some whales. Later, Michael hooks the salmon and the rod and reel. Amy hangs the silver lure in her window as a souvenir of a special day.

A gem -- evocative descriptions and beautiful watercolour illustrations that sparkle with light.

Text Copyright © 1992 Julie Lawson. Illustration Copyright © 1992 Sheena Lott. Used by permission of Red Deer College Press.

Mr. Kneebone's New Digs

Ian Wallace
Illustrations: Ian Wallace
Toronto/Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre/A Groundwood Book, 1991
32 p. ISBN 0888991436
Ages 6 to 10.

This picture book can be categorized as a "brave" book for it feelingly portrays a growing, sad trend in today's society, that is, the plight of the poor and the homeless. The elderly April Moth and her only family, her dog Mr. Kneebone, share a tiny room in a dilapidated rooming house. With Mr. Kneebone at her side, April searches for a new home. But the rooms are either too expensive or as bad as the one that she has just vacated. Realizing that her quest is impossible, she looks for a park and there, finds a small cave in which she settles with her dog. In spite of her meager, sorrowful existence, she tries to keep a positive outlook on life and even shows, now and again, a wonderful sense of humour. Fortunately, she has Mr. Kneebone to keep her company.

The illustrations, in muted colours, are done in pen and ink and watercolour and admirably complement the text. They are filled with interesting detail.

Mr Kneebone's New Digs Copyright © 1991 by Ian Wallace. Douglas & McIntyre/A Groundwood Book.

My Family Vacation

Dayal Kaur Khalsa
Illustrations: Dayal Kaur Khalsa
Montreal: Tundra Books, 1988
24 p. ISBN 0887762263
Ages 5 to 9.

May and her family pack up the car and take a trip to Florida. The family does all the typical things: stopping for roadside meals and souvenirs, swimming in motel and hotel pools, looking at fish from a boat with underwater portholes, visiting parrot Jungle, frequenting penny arcades, bowling and taking a trip to a nightclub before the long journey home. Along the way, May happily collects souvenirs such as little bars of soap, postcards and parrot feathers and fights with her brother.

The brightly coloured gouache paintings that make up this picture book suit the 1950s setting. Tacky souvenir shops, motels, pink flamingos and miniature golf courses all have their proper place here.

My Family Vacation © 1988 Dayal Kaur Khalsa published by Tundra Books.

My Mother's Ghost

Margaret Buffie
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 1992
214 p. ISBN 1550741144 (bound), 1550740911 (paperback)
Ages 12 and up.

What terrible secret is Willow Creek Ranch hiding? And what tragedy has brought Jessica Locke and her parents here? Her father pretends everything is just fine. Doesn't he see that neither she nor her mother want to be here? Her mother, swallowed up in her grief, has retreated into her own little world, and now she is seeing ghosts. Is her mother going crazy or is the Ranch really haunted? To save her family Jessica must find out the terrible truth.

My Mother's Ghost by Margaret Buffie. Text Copyright © 1992 by Margaret Buffie and cover illustration © by Ron Lightburn.