Two new authors

Karen Autio (first time author) has written Second Watch, a wonderful juvenile historical novel featuring eleven-year-old Saara and her Finnish immigrant parents in 1914 Ontario. Second Watch is based on true details of Finnish immigrant culture and the sinking of the great Empress of Ireland. Its sinking on May 29, 1914, remains Canada's worst maritime disaster during peacetime and more passengers were lost than in the sinking of the Titanic. Yet the Empress of Ireland and its fate remain unknown to most Canadians.

I sent my mother a copy of our Spring 2005 catalogue and after seeing the write-up for Second Watch, she phoned to tell me that both of her parents came to Canada (separately) on the Empress of Ireland when they were young children. She remembers my grandmother (who was six years old when she made the voyage) told her that it was a very rough voyage and everyone, except her (who had an iron stomach her entire life) was terribly seasick. The ship's journey was so rough that even the rats were terrified and were running all over the ship. It prompted an interesting conversation about my grandparents and their families settling in Canada in the early 1900's. Let's hope Second Watch inspires many such interesting family conversations!

Lyn Hancock, author of many books including the bestselling There's a Seal in my Sleeping Bag and There’s a Raccoon in my Parka has brought us a little gem, Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon. Here are a few of my favourite photos that Lyn sent me of Tabasco:1, 2, 3.