Harvey Comes Home

Finished June 17
Harvey Comes Home by Colleen Nelson, illustrated by Tara Anderson

This middle grade book about the delightful West Highland Terrier Harvey and his adventures is set in Winnipeg. When Maggie and her family go off on vacation, a dog sitter is engaged, but it doesn't take long for Harvey to follow his nose out of the yard to adventures.
Once Harvey has followed those interesting smells for long enough, he no longer smells his way home, and he must scavenge for food and shelter until a boy finally spots him outside a seniors home. Austin has been going to the seniors home daily, as a punishment. At the home, he helps his grandfather with cleaning and light maintenance work, and begins to interact with the residents. One of them asks for his help with crossword puzzles, and another supplies him with delicious baked goods. There is one resident, the oldest one at 96 who keeps to himself, until the arrival of Harvey.
Harvey provides a bridge for Austin to connect to Mr. Pickering, as the older man begins to share the stories of his childhood, Bertie, the girl who was his best friend, and his farm dog General.
Austin is reluctant to let Harvey go, and doesn't do what he should in finding Harvey's owner.
Meanwhile Maggie is kept in the dark about Harvey going missing until after they return from vacation, and then she is distraught. She makes up posters and begins posting them all over town, as she is desperate for his return.
The eventual reconnection as Harvey reunites with Maggie is poignant as Austin feels his loss and Maggie sees the connection that Harvey has made with Austin.
I really enjoyed this book.

Harvey Holds His Own

Finished June 11
Harvey Holds His Own by Colleen Nelson, illustrations by Tara Anderson

This book continues Harvey's adventures from the previous Harvey Comes Home. Maggie is entering high school at St. Ambrose's Academy, a private school for girls in Winnipeg. Two of her friends are also going to the school which provides some continuity.
One of the requirements at school is to do volunteer hours, and after looking at the list of approved places, Maggie chooses Brayside Retirement Villa, a place she and Harvey are already familiar with. She is a bit nervous, but the staff and residents at the villa are welcoming and some even recognize her from her earlier visit. She is also allowed to bring Harvey with her when she volunteers. Austin, also volunteering at the Villa, is happy to see Harvey again, and a friendship develops between the two young people.
Maggie sorts the books in the library, which are in a disorganized state, and helps a new resident, Josephine Fradette, unpack. She begins to develop a friendship with Josephine as she learns her story.
I really enjoyed this book, as we see Maggie grow and venture into new experiences. She shows good character, and we learn a little about Winnipeg history as well.
Harvey also develops. We see West Highland Terrier nature in his doggedness and his hunting. When he senses an intruder in his territory, he hunts it down to ensure it doesn't return. He also shows an empathetic side towards Maggie, sensitive to her emotions, and a caring side when he interacts with the various seniors at the villa.
The drawings bring Harvey to life, and I liked how the drawing at the start of each chapter gave a hint to the story to come.
There are lots of interesting characters here, and I look forward to more books about Harvey and the people he loves.

Clean Sweep

Finished August 22
Clean Sweep by Michael J. Clark

This mystery novel is set in Winnipeg, around Guiding Light Mission, a mission run by a former convict. Pastor Tommy Bosco found his calling in prison after losing his only son in a drive-by shooting. While everyone knows that Tommy runs the mission, very few know that he also runs a way out of town for those sought after by local criminals syndicates. As the book opens, Paul Noonan is looking for a way out, and Tommy offers it to him. Soon after, a well-known prostitute, Claire Hebert, known as Claire Bear, kills Stephanos, the head of a local syndicate in self defense, and things really go crazy in town. As Claire runs for her life, she draws in friends and acquaintances, including her ex, Tommy. The syndicate has a hit out on her, and several local men are looking for her, from Tommy's dad, Ernie Friday, to The Two Pauls, a couple of men named Paul, each crazy in their own special way, who team up to do jobs.
A local reporter, David Worshuk, of the Winnipeg Sentinel, is also on the trail. And of course the cops are looking for Stephanos killer too. One of the local cops, Miles Sawatski, has been getting payoffs for tips from an unknown source, but he's starting to feel a little weird about that.
This story has elements that reach a long way into the past, and that have a more sinister quality than your usual crimes.
The characters are interesting and complex, from Jasmine Starr, former prostitute now running a sex shop called The Other Woman, to a librarian with a sideline in fake IDs. I enjoyed this story and will be interested in more from this author.

Debut Novel

Finished January 31
The Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon
This is a great novel of a woman and her relationship issues. Anna Lasko is a high school teacher whose long-term boyfriend has taken a job overseas just at the moment their relationship has tumbled, once again, into a negative place. Anna is depressed about her job, and about being a bridesmaid in the wedding of one of her longterm friends. She is looking for a way out of her relationship, but feels guilt over her feelings. Essentially she is a woman who has always tried to please others, but never feels happy about the end result.
Adding to the angst her younger sister has moved to Iran with her new boyfriend and is now only communicating with Anna about the way her life has been changing.
Besides her three best friends, Anna also communicates with Buddy, the squirrel who has taken up residence in her house, and her Ukrainian grandmother. Her Baba is losing her sight, but insists on staying on her farm by herself. Anna helps her with her household and farm chores and runs errands.
As you immerse yourself in Anna's life, you see how she got herself into the situation she is now in, and you root for her to find a life that she will be happy in. This is a great book and a new author to keep an eye on.

More Canadian Fiction

Finished December 9
Holding My Breath by Sidura Ludwig
This book takes place in Winnipeg after World War II, and the characters are part of the Jewish community in the city. The narrator is Beth Levy, an only child. She grows up in a household where they are often other family members living, including her grandmother and aunts.
Beth's mother has aspirations to own a particular home and take a leading role in the Jewish community. Her aunt Carrie shares story of Beth's uncle Phil, who died in the war. Carrie alters clothes for women in the community, working out of the back room at Beth's father's pharmacy.
Beth's younger aunt, Sarah, is a rebel and a beauty. She doesn't follow what is expected of her and has dreams beyond their community. Beth is drawn to all of them for different reasons as she tries to find her own place, struggling against pressure to conform, but afraid to rebel too much. Beth is a clear voice here and the reader can see how she is influenced by the women around her.

Teen Novel

Finished July 8
Innercity Girl Like Me by Sabrina Bernardo
Set in Winnipeg this book follows Maria, alias G Child, as she becomes a member of the Diablos gang until she leaves it several years later. It looks at the forces that drew her and her friends into gang culture, the relationships in the gangs and between gangs, and the results of gang life.
G Child's friends include Gina and her brothers, Roland and Darrell, who all end up in gangs, as well as kids from both poor families and middle class families who look to gangs for what they aren't finding in their life.
This is an interesting look at a side of life most of us don't see.