Jann Arden Boeken

A funny, heartfelt and fierce memoir on becoming a woman of a certain age.

Wearing poppies on your lapel during the month of November. Enjoying local fiddlers playing music on Cape Breton Island. Cheering your favorite team on during Hockey Night. Swatting mosquitoes in Muskoka on the first long weekend in May. Driving the Trans-Canada Highway. Questioning why the ABC song ends in "z" and not "zed." All these things are distinctly Canadian and now there's another one Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul. Written by fellow Canadians from Cape Breton Island to Prince Edward Island, from Montreal to Vancouver, this book reveals the people, the history and the special moments that give Canada such a distinctive charm and character. With chapters On Being Canadian, Living Your Dream, Overcoming Obstacles, On Love, On Kindness and Making a Difference, these stories weave a rich tapestry of life from the people who call Canada home. Notable stories hockey player Paul Henderson's "Goal of the Century"; Chief Dan George's recounting of his great land; Marilyn Bell DiLascio's historic 1954 Lake Ontario swim; cartoonist Lynn Johnston's delightful story of an encounter with Wayne Gretzky; and journalist Sally Armstrong's details of Princess Diana's first trip to Canada. Like hearing a heartfelt version of "O, Canada!", this book will instill renewed pride and patriotism in a well-deserving country and its people.

Set on a struggling farm, the story follows Willa Bittlemore, a 14-year-old questioning her family's narrative about her missing sister and her true parentage. As she navigates her own rebellion, the cows on the farm, desperate for freedom, plot their escape but hesitate due to Willa. Meanwhile, a young police officer investigates a decades-old cold case involving a stolen baby, uncovering dark family secrets. Blending humor with poignant insights, this debut novel explores themes of cruelty and kindness, framed within a rural fairytale and coming-of-age mystery.