Welcome, welcome, welcome, to the 5th Roundup of the 3rd Canadian Book Challenge.
Not quite sure where to begin this month, but I figure we should start by congratulating Kailana for making it to 13 books last month. As the first person to reach that magic number, she wins this beautiful Canadian Book Challenge scarf, designed and knit exclusively by Chris:
Who'll be the next to join her?
In other news, CBC will announce a brand new batch of Canada Reads contenders today. Will you be following along? Do you make a point of reading all 5 books? Just the winner?
I'm not sure if you checked out my Sporcle games last month, but I've added another: Name the Mordecai Richler Fiction. Check it out!
Finally, I wanted to talk a little about Canadian Christmas books. We certainly don't have a Christmas Carol, a Grinch, or a Night Before Christmas in our back catalogue, but are there any Canadian books that you think are worthy of Christmas Classic status? I know challenge participant Wanda would probably suggest Kevin Major's House of Wooden Santas.
I'd also throw in Bud Davidge's The Mummer's Song, illustrated by Ian Wallace:
My kids also like Pippin the Christmas Pig, by Jean Little and illustrated by Werner Zimmerman. I'd say they're lucky enough to have had it personally autographed by both Little and Zimmerman, but they're 4 and 6, they really don't care.
And I also enjoy Michael Kusugak's Baseball Bats for Christmas, illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka:
That's pretty much all I could come up with from the top of my head, so I went to Amazon and this is what I came up with:
1. Dear Canada: A Christmas to Remember- Tales of Comfort and Joy- featuring stories by Jean Little, Maxine Trottier, Carol Matas and more
2. Sleds, Sleighs and Snow: A Canadian Christmas Carol- featuring stories by Margaret Laurence, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Grey Owl, Emily Carr, Stephen Leacock and Robert Service
3. Our Canadian Girl series, featuring Christmas themed novels by Lynne Kositsky, Budge Wilson, and Sharon McKay
4. To Everything There Is a Season: A Cape Breton Christmas Story by Alistair MacLeod and illustrated by Peter Rankin
5. Christmas in the Big Igloo: True Tales from the Canadian Arctic editted by Kenn Harper
6. An Orange From Portugal: Christmas Stories from the Maritimes and Newfoundland selected by Anne Simpson
and I thought this was odd: a copy of Dickens' A Christmas Carol with an introduction by our very own Lady Margaret.
There, I'm sure any of those would make wonderful presents under the tree this year. Any you'd like to add? Or perhaps you could suggest some Canadian Hanukkah or Kwanzaa books?
In the meantime, this is the 5th Roundup, so please leave links to all the Canadian books you read and reviewed for the challenge in the month of November. Also, don't forget to tell me where you are on the standings overall. Check the sidebar to make sure I've got it right.
Have fun!
37 comments:
In november, I read
Fox on the Ice by Tomson Highway: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/11/fox-on-ice-by-tomson-highway.html
Dragonfly Kites by Tomson Highway: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/11/t-his-is-second-book-in-songs-of-north.html
Caribou Song / atihko Nikamon by Tomson Highway:
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/11/caribou-song-atihko-nikamon-by-tomson.html
Stephanie's Ponytail by Robert Munsch: http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/11/stephanies-ponytail-by-robert-munsch.html
That brings me up to 7 books total, so I am now a Snowmobile.
I finished a bunch this month:
5. Monsters! Draw Your Own Mutants, Freaks & Creeps by Jay Stephens
6. Wolf Willow by Wallace Stegner
7. Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin (for the location of the research).
I managed 3 Canuck books in November, bringing my not so grand total to 4 so far:
1. The Watch That Ends the Night by Hugh MacLennan
http://gunnersmiscellany.blogspot.com/2009/11/canuck-book-2-watch-that-ends-night-by.html
2. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
http://gunnersmiscellany.blogspot.com/2009/11/canuck-book-3-year-of-flood-by-margaret.html
3. Generation A by Douglas Coupland
http://gunnersmiscellany.blogspot.com/2009/11/canuck-book-4-generation-by-douglas.html
I've read 2 more, taking me to 11. I'm a zamboni!
Fall by Colin McAdam
The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon
I also re-read Oryx and Crake this month (inspired by recently reading and enjoying The Year of the Flood), but I'm not counting re-reads towards this challenge.
I reviewed Louis Riel by Chester Brown:
http://chris-book-a-rama.blogspot.com/2009/11/louis-riel-comic-strip-biography-by.html
That brings me up to 4 books (Louis Riel, Year of the Flood, Not Wanted on the Voyage & Bashful Bob). I'm a Fiddle! Wahoo!
I got two in this month, putting me on a Red River Cart.
Traum Farm by Brian Brett
and
The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe
Umm that should be Trauma Farm...
The first two from me, which makes me a potato.
1. Last Stop Sunnyside by Pat Capponi
2. The Garneau Block by Todd Babiak
Yay! I get to join Kailana on top of that grain elevator.
I read six more this month for a total of 15:
10. Sitting Opposite My Brother by David Bergen
11. Shooting the Stars by John Metcalf
12. Remembering the Bones by Frances Itani
13. Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas
14. 19 Knives by Mark Anthony Jarman
15. The Last Woman by John Bemrose
I did also read the Alistair Macleod story you cited, but as it really was a re-read, I didn't count it for the challenge. It was a lovely story though. It's now in Greece spreading its charms. Here it is.
While not a Christmas book per se, I do love Ernest Buckler's The Mountain and the Valley for his description of Christmas. You can almost smell the Christmas oranges.
As for Canada Reads, I'll be over there like a dirty shirt. I plan to read them all and usually ask for them for Christmas. As my partner and I indulge each other's Christmas book wishes, I can almost be guaranteed of getting them too.
Two books this month, bringing my total to 7.
The first is Whiteoaks of Jalna by one of Canada's most successful writers, Mazo de la Roche.
The second is a Newfoundland classic, House of Hate, by Percy Janes.
Well crumbs! I was just over at Canada Reads and was shocked to discover I've already read four of the five contenders! I have not read Copeland's Generation "A" but I'll pick the winner now. I pick Nikolski. You heard it here first!
Oops! That should have been Coupland and Generation X. Sorry, was all in a dither. :)
Well, I finished the challenge this month also. But I'm going to keep on going with extras!
#12 The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/196-hunchback-assignments.html
#13 Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/trio-of-graphic-novels.html
#14 Hoodoo Sea by Rolf Hitzer
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-tour-187-hoodoo-sea-by-rolf-hitzer.html
#15 The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/207-calling-by-inger-ash-wolfe.html
#16 The Taken by Inger Ashe Wolfe
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/220-taken-by-inger-ash-wolfe.html
#17 The Heroine of Long Point by Leslie and Lois Benham
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/11/225-heroine-of-long-point.html
#18 The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks
http://back-to-books.blogspot.com/2009/12/2-mini-graphic-reviews-japanese.html
As for a Canadian Christmas books. We like "A Pioneer Christmas" by Barbara Greenwood. Will be reading it soon actually!
Sorry, I couldn't be bothered to make links today.
Well, I have to admit, to my great shame, that I haven't finished a single book for the challenge in November! But I do have two on the pile for December. Maybe I'll catch up ;)
I don't usually read along with the Canada Reads choices; either I'm not interested or have already read them. I've only read Nikolski from this year's list, though.
I went guns a blazing in the summer and then stopped, but I might get finished in December, if I read 2 books. Sounds doable.
Congrats to Kailana!
Canadian Christmas book - The True Meaning of Crumbfest by David Weale.
Congrats to Kailana!
I read 2 books in November. Those are:
Hoodoo Sea by Rolf Hitzer
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
That makes a total of three. I am slacking!
I managed two this month. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood and Still Lifeby Louise Penny. Thanks, John!
This month I read and reviewed (on my blog) three more Canadian novels.
The Jade Peony - Wayson Choy,
All That Matters - Wayson Choy,
and
The Flying Troutsmans - Miriam Toews. That brings my total to 12 making me a totem pole.
I am chugging along with two more Canadian dog books:
Jack London's Call of the Wild (thanks for the comment on that one John!)
Erika Ritter's The Hidden Life of Humans
This brings my total to 7 - looks like I'm going to join the snowmobiles. Whoo hoo! Now if we can just get some snow!
And, yes, congrats to Kailana!
I reviewed three more Canadian books in November for a total of seven, I'm a snowmobile.
5. Late Nights On Air ~ Elizabeth Hay
6. Essex County Vol.1 Tales From the Farm ~ Jeff Lemire
7. I Still Have a Suitcase in Berlin ~ Stephens Gerard Malone
Pooker: The Mountain and the Valley is one of my favourites — you're right about those oranges!
My daughter is taking THoWS to school this Thursday for her turn to read in class. She intends to read the first two or three chapters then hook her teacher into reading the rest to the class before the X-mas break. :)
Franklin's Christmas Gift (Paulette Bourgeois) is a great Canadian pre-school picture book that little ones enjoy.
Here's what I read and reviewed in November:
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
http://bambireads.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-summoning-by-kelley-armstrong.html
The Heart Specialist by Claire Holden Rothman
http://bambireads.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-heart-specialist-evening-out.html
I'm at 3/13. =)
Sorry I'm a day late. I read one book this month:
Red Dog Red Dog by Patrick Lane
This brings my total to seven.
Hi John, I did a bit better this month. I read two books, but by authors that are new to me.
'The Cure' by Edmonton author Susan Phelan
'Don't Look Down' by Hamilton area author David Laing Dawson
Guess I can use the snowmobile for my shopping this month.
Yay for Kelly! :)
In November I read four books, bringing my total to 10 and making me an Igloo:
Still Life by Louise Penny
Obasan by Joy Kagawa
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King
I just realised that I forgot to add one from last month! So I'm at 11 and a Zamboni.
Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki
I only read one more Canadian book in November, Thomas King's Green Grass, Running Water, for a grand total of five.
I resolve to read more this month! This should be possible, since I usually squeeze a lot of reading in over the holidays.
That sporcle stuff can get addictive. I got 9 out of 14 on the Richler quiz. I can't believe I forgot The Street.
November for A Certain Bent Appeal:
-The Nymph and the Lamp by Thomas Raddall
-Lemon by Cordelia Strube
-The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
-Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell
That brings me up to 10!!
Sorry! I'd read and reviewed 7 before November so that brings me up to 11.
Hi John,
I didn't read anything in November towards this challenge but I did just finish one so I thought I would post it here so I don't forget.
Cherry Bites is a mystery set in Manitoba, in fact in a part of Winnipeg called Norwood that I know quite well. I really enjoyed all the local references and I thought it was well written. This is my fourth book for the challenge.
After the Canada Reads list was announced my book club decided to read Nikolski. I also have a copy of Good to a Fault so I plan to get to that before March as well. I have already read Fall on Your Knees which I thought was pretty terrific but Pooker makes a pretty effective case for Nikolski.
As for Christmas books I thought I had spotted a major omission because I was sure that the sweater in Roch Carrier's classic tale The Hockey Sweater was a Christmas present. But on looking up the synopsis of the book I see no mention of Christmas so probably my memory is faulty. And I can't think of anything else.
Great job everyone!
Pooker: Thanks for the Ernest Buckler recommendation.
Steve: Loved, loved, loved House of Hate (except maybe the title).
Nicola: Looking forward to that review!
Melanie: I've read Generation X, and own Jade Peony and Nikolski but haven't gotten to them yet.
Raidergirl: Thanks for adding to the Canadian Christmas list!
Wanda: I must have read that Franklin book at some point, but there are so many it's all a blur (though I do like the books).
Gypsysmom: Though I'm sure there are glaring omissions. Let me know of others you think about.
Just thought of another Canadian Christmas Book that's definitely deserving of '"classic" status: The Olden Days Coat by Margaret Laurence!
There's even an early '80's Christmas movie special of this one starring Megan Follows as Sarah.
6th book in the can!
THE REALITY MACHINE, by Cliff Burns
7th book done!
Amphibian, by Carla Gunn
I've been remiss in updating on my progress!
Latest Canadian reads:
Nikolski, by Nicholas Dickner
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/nikolski-by-nicholas-dickner/
Skim, by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/skim-by-mariko-tamaki-jillian-tamaki/
Help Me, Jacques Cousteau by Gil Adamson
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/help-me-jacques-cousteau-by-gil-adamson/
One more as I revisit the Canada Reads Titles:
Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald:
http://kirbc.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/fall-on-your-knees-by-ann-marie-macdonald/
Thanks! JK
Wow, this is a great list! My wish list is growing exponentially. Thanks for sharing it with me.
Post a Comment