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Showing 1 - 20 of 36 items
By Carleigh Baker. 2024
From one of the country’s most celebrated new writers, a blistering collection of short fiction that is bracingly relevant, playfully…
irreverent, and absolutely unforgettable.There’s a hole in the ozone layer. Are teenage girls to blame? Floods and wildfires, toxic culture, billionaires in outer space, or a purse-related disaster while on mushrooms—in today’s hellscape world, there’s no shortage of things to worry about. Last Woman, the new collection of short fiction by award-winning author Carleigh Baker, wants you to know that you’re not alone. In these 13 brilliant new stories, Baker and her perfectly-drawn characters are here for you—in fact, they’re just as worried and weirded-out as everyone else.A woman’s dream of poetic solitude turns out to be a recipe for loneliness. A retiree is convinced that his silence is the only thing that will prevent a deadly sinkhole. An emerging academic wakes up and chooses institutional violence. A young woman finds sisterhood in a strange fertility ritual, and an enigmatic empath is on a cleanse. Baker’s characters are both wildly misguided and a product of the misguided times in which we live. Through them we see our world askew and skewered—and, perhaps, we can begin to see it anew.Carleigh Baker’s signature style is irreverent, but her heart is true—these stories delve into fear for the future, intergenerational misunderstandings, and the complexities of belonging with sharp wit and boundless empathy. With equal parts compassion and critique, she brings her clear-eyed attention to bear on our world, and the results are hilarious, heartbreaking, and startling in their freshness.By Conor Kerr. 2024
The Giller Prize-longlisted author of Avenue of Champions returns with a frenetic, propulsive crime thriller that doubles as a sharp…
critique of modern activism and challenges readers to consider what "Land Back" might really look like.Meet Isidore "Ezzy" Desjarlais and Grey Ginther: two distant Métis cousins making the most of Grey’s uncle’s old trailer, passing their days playing endless games of cribbage and cracking cans of cheap beer in between. Grey, once a passionate advocate for change, has been hardened and turned cynical by an activist culture she thinks has turned performative and lazy. One night, though, she has a revelation, and enlists Ezzy, who is hopelessly devoted to her but eager to avoid the authorities after a life in and out of the group home system and jail, for a bold yet dangerous political mission: capture a herd of bison from a national park and set them free in downtown Edmonton, disrupting the churn of settler routine. But as Grey becomes increasingly single-minded in her newfound calling, their act of protest puts the pair and those close to them in peril, with devastating and sometimes fatal consequences.For readers drawn to the electric storytelling of Morgan Talty and the taut register of Stephen Graham Jones, Conor Kerr’s Prairie Edge is at once a gripping, darkly funny caper and a raw reckoning with the wounds that persist across generations.By Richard Van Camp. 2023
Newly sober, Curtis searches for healing in the ancient cultural practices of his Tłıcho Dene grandfather. But will the Little…
People answer his call?Curtis has returned to Fort Smith, six weeks sober. He doesn&’t have any sober friends, his mom&’s still drinking, and his best friend (and secret crush) Lacey probably is too. Still, he&’s determined to abstain from alcohol and help his people. Along the way, he might just be able to help himself.Louis, Curtis&’s late grandfather, was a healer. Legend has it, Louis made a deal with the Little People that gave him the power to heal. No one has heard from the Little People since Louis&’s death, but his cabin may hold the key for them to return. There&’s only one problem: Benny the Bank stands in the way.An infamous bootlegger, Benny has profited off Fort Smith&’s pain for decades. After being critically wounded in an attempt on his life, Benny knows he doesn&’t have much time before the poison in his blood takes him. He also happens to own Louis&’s cabin.Can Curtis convince Benny to return the home that once belonged to Louis? Will the Little People answer Curtis&’s call? And can Benny find a way to make amends and leave a legacy he can be proud of?A stunning, fast-paced graphic novel, As I Enfold You in Petals will keep readers riveted until the last page.By Beatrice Mosionier. 2023
Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others…
are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.Will the sisters&’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?Beloved for more than 40 years, In Search of April Raintree is a timeless story that lingers long after the final page. This anniversary edition features a foreword by Governor General&’s Award–winning author Katherena Vermette, and an afterword by University of Regina professor, Dr. Raven Sinclair (Ôtiskewâpit), an expert on Indigenous child welfare.By David A. Robertson. 2018
&“The ending...is so unexpected that readers will eagerly anticipate [the] third volume.&”—Kirkus ReviewsCole Harper is struggling to settle into life…
in Wounded Sky First Nation. He may have stopped a serial killer but the trouble is far from over. A creature lurks in the shadows of Blackwood Forest, the health clinic is on lockdown by a mysterious organization, and long-held secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. Can Cole learn the truth about his father's death? Why won't Choch give him a straight answer? Where the heck is Jayne? Oh, and high school sucks.By David A. Robertson. 2016
May, a young teenage girl, traverses the city streets, finding keepsakes in different places along her journey. When May and…
her kookum make these keepsakes into a necklace, it opens a world of danger and fantasy. While May fights against a terrible reality, she learns that there is strength in the spirit of those that have passed. But will that strength be able to save her? A story of tragedy and beauty, Will I See illuminates the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women.By Wanda John-Kehewin. 2023
We live in a hopeless old house on an almost-deserted dead-end street in a middle-of-nowhere town named Hope. This is…
the oldest part of Hope; eventually it will all be torn down and rebuilt into perfect homes for perfect people. Until then, we live here: imperfect people on an imperfect street that everyone forgets about.For Eva Brown, life feels lonely and small. Her mother, Shirley, drinks and yells all the time. She&’s the target of the popular mean girl, and her only friend doesn&’t want to talk to her anymore. All of it would be unbearable if it weren&’t for her cat, Toofie, her beloved nohkum, and her writing, which no one will ever see.When Nohkum is hospitalized, Shirley struggles to keep things together for Eva and her younger brother, Marcus. After Marcus is found wandering the neighbourhood alone, he is sent to live with a foster family, and Eva finds herself in a group home.Furious at her mother, Eva struggles to adjust—and being reunited with her family seems less and less likely. During a visit to the hospital, Nohkum gives Eva Shirley&’s diary. Will the truths it holds help Eva understand her mother?Heartbreaking and humorous, Hopeless in Hope is a compelling story of family and forgiveness.By Katherena Vermette. 2023
Métis teenager Echo Desjardins is struggling to adjust to a new school and a new home. When an ordinary history…
class turns extraordinary, Echo is pulled into a time-travelling adventure. Follow Echo as she experiences pivotal events from Métis history and imagines what the future might hold. This omnibus edition includes all four volumes in the A Girl Called Echo series:In Pemmican Wars, Echo finds herself transported to the prairies of 1814. She witnesses a bison hunt, visits a Métis camp, and travels the fur-trade routes. Experience the perilous era of the Pemmican Wars and the events that lead to the Battle of Seven Oaks.In Red River Resistance, we join Echo on the banks of the Red River in the summer of 1869. Canadian surveyors have arrived and Métis families, who have lived there for generations, are losing their land. As the Resistance takes hold, Echo fears for the future of her people in Red River.In Northwest Resistance, Echo travels to 1885. The bison are gone and settlers from the East are arriving in droves. The Métis face starvation and uncertainty as both their survival and traditional way of life are threatened. The Canadian government has ignored their petitions, but hope rises with the return of Louis Riel.In Road Allowance Era, Echo returns to 1885. Louis Riel is standing trial, and the government has not fulfilled its promise of land for the Métis. Burnt out of their home in Ste. Madeleine, Echo&’s people make their way to Rooster Town, a shanty community on the southwest edges of Winnipeg. In this final instalment, Echo is reminded of the strength and perseverance of the Métis.This special omnibus edition of Katherena Vermette&’s best-selling series features an all-new foreword by Chantal Fiola (Returning to Ceremony: Spirituality in Manitoba Métis Communities), a historical timeline, and an essay about Métis being and belonging by Brenda Macdougall (Contours of a People: Métis Family, Mobility, and History).By Beatrice Mosionier. 1999
Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others…
are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.Will the sisters&’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?The first edition of In Search of April Raintree, published in 1984, has since touched many generations of readers, becoming a Canadian school classic. In this edition, ten critical essays accompany one of the best-known texts by an Indigenous author in Canada.By Beatrice Mosionier. 2008
Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others…
are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too. In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind. Will the sisters&’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent? Based on the adult novel In Search of April Raintree, this edition has been revised specifically for students in grades 9 through 12. Great ideas for using this book in your classroom can be found in the Teacher&’s Guide for In Search of April Raintree and April Raintree. A copy of the guide is available for download on the Portage & Main Press website.By Wanda John-Kehewin. 2023
&“Your ancestors have called us to help you.&”&“I think y'all have the wrong number.&” Damon Quinn just wants to get…
through his senior year unscathed. His mom struggles with alcohol and is barely coping with the day-to-day. Marcus and his cronies at school are forever causing Damon trouble. The new girl, Journey, won't mind her own business. To make matters worse, now a mysterious crow is following him everywhere. After he is seized by a waking dream in the middle of a busy street, Damon is forced to confront his mom with some hard questions: Why haven't I met my dad? Where did we come from? Who am I? Damon must look within himself, mend the bond with his mother, and rely on new friends to find the answers he so desperately needs. Travelling through time and space, Damon will have to go back before he can move forward.By Jen Storm. 2016
Fire Starters tackles restorative justice on a contemporary reserve in Northwestern Ontario.When two white teenagers accidentally set fire to a…
gas station, their Indigenous classmates are wrongly accused. The truth slowly comes to light as contrasting systems of justice are explored—both the traditional ways of the community and Canadian law enforcement.Fire Starters explores prejudice, racism, and what reconciliation could look like, "moving it from a concept to [an] on-the-ground example of what reconciliation could mean, in action, in a small community" (Debbie Reese).By Richard Van Camp. 2015
Three young men -- Flinch, Bryce, and Rupert -- have vandalized their community. They are sent by its Elders to…
live nine months on the land as part of the circle sentencing process. There, the young men learn to take responsibility for their actions and acquire the humility required to return home. But will they be forgiven for what they've done?Three Feathers explores the power and grace of restorative justice in one Northern Indigenous community and the cultural legacy that can empower future generations.By Richard Van Camp. 2023
Newly sober, Curtis searches for healing in the ancient cultural practices of his Tłıcho Dene grandfather. But will the Little…
People answer his call?Curtis has returned to Fort Smith, six weeks sober. He doesn&’t have any sober friends, his mom&’s still drinking, and his best friend (and secret crush) Lacey probably is too. Still, he&’s determined to abstain from alcohol and help his people. Along the way, he might just be able to help himself.Louis, Curtis&’s late grandfather, was a healer. Legend has it, Louis made a deal with the Little People that gave him the power to heal. No one has heard from the Little People since Louis&’s death, but his cabin may hold the key for them to return. There&’s only one problem: Benny the Bank stands in the way.An infamous bootlegger, Benny has profited off Fort Smith&’s pain for decades. After being critically wounded in an attempt on his life, Benny knows he doesn&’t have much time before the poison in his blood takes him. He also happens to own Louis&’s cabin.Can Curtis convince Benny to return the home that once belonged to Louis? Will the Little People answer Curtis&’s call? And can Benny find a way to make amends and leave a legacy he can be proud of?A stunning, fast-paced graphic novel, As I Enfold You in Petals will keep readers riveted until the last page.By David A. Robertson. 2018
&“The ending...is so unexpected that readers will eagerly anticipate [the] third volume.&”—Kirkus ReviewsCole Harper is struggling to settle into life…
in Wounded Sky First Nation. He may have stopped a serial killer but the trouble is far from over. A creature lurks in the shadows of Blackwood Forest, the health clinic is on lockdown by a mysterious organization, and long-held secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. Can Cole learn the truth about his father's death? Why won't Choch give him a straight answer? Where the heck is Jayne? Oh, and high school sucks.By Beatrice Mosionier. 2023
Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others…
are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.Will the sisters&’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?Beloved for more than 40 years, In Search of April Raintree is a timeless story that lingers long after the final page. This anniversary edition features a foreword by Governor General&’s Award–winning author Katherena Vermette, and an afterword by University of Regina professor, Dr. Raven Sinclair (Ôtiskewâpit), an expert on Indigenous child welfare.By David A. Robertson. 2016
May, a young teenage girl, traverses the city streets, finding keepsakes in different places along her journey. When May and…
her kookum make these keepsakes into a necklace, it opens a world of danger and fantasy. While May fights against a terrible reality, she learns that there is strength in the spirit of those that have passed. But will that strength be able to save her? A story of tragedy and beauty, Will I See illuminates the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women.By Wanda John-Kehewin. 2023
We live in a hopeless old house on an almost-deserted dead-end street in a middle-of-nowhere town named Hope. This is…
the oldest part of Hope; eventually it will all be torn down and rebuilt into perfect homes for perfect people. Until then, we live here: imperfect people on an imperfect street that everyone forgets about.For Eva Brown, life feels lonely and small. Her mother, Shirley, drinks and yells all the time. She&’s the target of the popular mean girl, and her only friend doesn&’t want to talk to her anymore. All of it would be unbearable if it weren&’t for her cat, Toofie, her beloved nohkum, and her writing, which no one will ever see.When Nohkum is hospitalized, Shirley struggles to keep things together for Eva and her younger brother, Marcus. After Marcus is found wandering the neighbourhood alone, he is sent to live with a foster family, and Eva finds herself in a group home.Furious at her mother, Eva struggles to adjust—and being reunited with her family seems less and less likely. During a visit to the hospital, Nohkum gives Eva Shirley&’s diary. Will the truths it holds help Eva understand her mother?Heartbreaking and humorous, Hopeless in Hope is a compelling story of family and forgiveness.By Katherena Vermette. 2023
Métis teenager Echo Desjardins is struggling to adjust to a new school and a new home. When an ordinary history…
class turns extraordinary, Echo is pulled into a time-travelling adventure. Follow Echo as she experiences pivotal events from Métis history and imagines what the future might hold. This omnibus edition includes all four volumes in the A Girl Called Echo series:In Pemmican Wars, Echo finds herself transported to the prairies of 1814. She witnesses a bison hunt, visits a Métis camp, and travels the fur-trade routes. Experience the perilous era of the Pemmican Wars and the events that lead to the Battle of Seven Oaks.In Red River Resistance, we join Echo on the banks of the Red River in the summer of 1869. Canadian surveyors have arrived and Métis families, who have lived there for generations, are losing their land. As the Resistance takes hold, Echo fears for the future of her people in Red River.In Northwest Resistance, Echo travels to 1885. The bison are gone and settlers from the East are arriving in droves. The Métis face starvation and uncertainty as both their survival and traditional way of life are threatened. The Canadian government has ignored their petitions, but hope rises with the return of Louis Riel.In Road Allowance Era, Echo returns to 1885. Louis Riel is standing trial, and the government has not fulfilled its promise of land for the Métis. Burnt out of their home in Ste. Madeleine, Echo&’s people make their way to Rooster Town, a shanty community on the southwest edges of Winnipeg. In this final instalment, Echo is reminded of the strength and perseverance of the Métis.This special omnibus edition of Katherena Vermette&’s best-selling series features an all-new foreword by Chantal Fiola (Returning to Ceremony: Spirituality in Manitoba Métis Communities), a historical timeline, and an essay about Métis being and belonging by Brenda Macdougall (Contours of a People: Métis Family, Mobility, and History).By Beatrice Mosionier. 1999
Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others…
are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.Will the sisters&’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?The first edition of In Search of April Raintree, published in 1984, has since touched many generations of readers, becoming a Canadian school classic. In this edition, ten critical essays accompany one of the best-known texts by an Indigenous author in Canada.