Clang, by Ember Ashworth, is the kind of high fantasy I want to read on a Sunday afternoon under a blanket with a cup of chai. It's cosy fantasy done well: warm, hopeful, and impeccably human, even when the err … humans in question are actually a dwarven master metal smith, an elven enchanter, and an endearing cat with wings named Menace. At its heart, this is a story about a family being built one stray at a time. Characters keep finding their way to Phoenix Forge, whether b

The way that Canadians understood homelessness by the Canadian definition was about not having a house to live. I realize that it was more about a dispossession from something called 'all my relations' which is an Indigenous worldview where everything is interrelated, interconnected. ― Jesse Thistle From the Ashes by Jessie Thistle is about loss, trauma, loneliness, substance use disorder, pain, broken health care, broken judicial systems, depression, anger, fear, abandonment

In her podcast with Austin Channing Brown, Brené Brown mentions that when she's reading a kick-ass, important book that makes her angry about the world, she throws it across the room. A book that's dog-eared and dented is one that has impacted her and changed her perception. Although I studied colonialism and Canadian Indigenous history, there are still things I didn't know about the Indian Act. Studying history is vital to understanding where we came from and where we are no

A group of well-meaning parents challenged this book on Salt Spring Island not because it is LGBTQ+ (according to the posts) but because it contains what some parents deem to be ‘pornographic’ content. This challenge was taken to the Gulf Islands Secondary School Administration, the SD64 school board, and the Parent Advisory Council. Screenshots from a website called “BookLooks” were posted on Facebook. BookLooks launched in 2022 and uses a rating system approved by the right

Writing Prompt #69 The first draft looks like this photo. Write it anyway because it will be fun to revise a glorious, colourful mess....

Maia Kobabe’s Book was the Most Challenged Book in 2021 & 2022. Will “Gender Queer” still be on the list for 2023? Why was “Gender Queer” Challenged at Our School? A group of well-meaning parents challenged this book on Salt Spring Island not because it is LGBTQ+ (according to the posts) but because it contains what they deem to be ‘pornographic’ content. The challenge started on Facebook through a post by an anonymous parent. It was then subsequently taken to the Gulf Islan

The Red Wall Write a story about the person who painted this alley wall. Why did they paint it? When did they paint it? How did it make...

“Them as can do has to do for them as can’t, and someone has to speak up for them as has no voices.” ~Granny Aching (Tiffany’s Grandmother) The Tiffany Aching Series by @terrypratchettbooks and cover art by artist @paulkidby I just spent November and December reading this series. I finished it yesterday. If you like fantasy, witches, wizards, pictsies, and fairies (er, not the fun kind, though, they only exist is picture books). If you like books that can make sense of the b

What?!?!? Who starts at 67? Well, I started creating writing prompts on social media 66 posts ago and now I want to share them here as...

A review of Juno Dawson's book, "This Book is Gay," which was the tenth-most banned and challenged book in schools in the US in 2022.