The Old Arbutus Tree
Stuck in a small town in Alberta, Rose misses her father and watches in horror as a local widower wins over both her mother and sister. She finds solace in a fellow nerd, Jason, but when her sister, Sara, is violently assaulted Rose must decide whether to stick to the town's story or find the strength to help a friend. Exploring the vulnerability of difference in a closed community, The Old Arbutus Tree is a story of discovery, empathy and learning how and who to trust. It lays bare the common confusion of adolescent sexual identity and the devastating effects of a small town's prejudice. When power, privilege and access conspire against justice, Rose and Jason are forced to see how desire is policed by our peers, our town, and the wider judicial and medical establishments. Can they help each other recognise real love, in whatever form it comes, and give themselves permission to accept it? Detailing the events leading up to an unknown gunman opening fire in the town of Pitcher Creek, The Old Arbutus Tree forces us to consider how violence begets violence and how we can break free of this cycle. Is sexual difference really something to fear? How did government-sanctioned institutions in 1980s Canada fail young men as they discovered love for the first time, with each other? Does tragedy need to hit a whole community, not just a single family, before someone speaks up for those without a voice?
Arthur's Magazine
The Ladies' Magazine
Nanaimo
Nanaimo is one of Canada's fastest-growing communities. Positioned beside a stunning and vibrant harbour, where the sight of seaplanes, fishboats, ferries, kayaks and sailboats paints an ever-changing seascape, Nanaimo is a city blessed with spectacular natural beauty, a vivid commercial history, cultural diversity and a vibrant attitude towards the future. Through Goody Niosi's broad knowledge of Nanaimo and its surroundings and through the discerning vision of local photographer Terry Patterson, Nanaimo: The Harbour City captures the human spirit and broad landscape that have clearly marked this place as being special. Designed to be a treasured keepsake for locals and visitors alike, this elegant, colourful visitor guide showcases the cultural fabric, arts community, recreational activities, tourism amenities, transportation links and shopping options that have made Nanaimo the premier trading centre of Vancouver Island's inland coast. Nanaimo also describes walking tours in and around the city's historic centre and in neighbourhoods that shed light on Nanaimo's fascinating past and its growth from small Aboriginal settlement to thriving city and modern-day playground.
The Arbutus Tree, and Other Poems
The Mystery of the Secret Caves
When eleven year old Tony and his older brother, Jack are on the ferry to Galiano Island at the start of their summer holiday, Tony sees a pickpocket steal a wallet. The pickpocket, a girl about Tonys age is caught but the wallet cannot be found. The girl makes a daring escape when the ferry docks at the island. Tony thinks she is part of a gang of young thieves led by an older man and a woman. Tony and Jack set up camp overlooking a popular pleasure boat harbour close to the home of their parents friends from Africa. Their sister Meg is staying with these friends who have a daughter named Sam. Sam believes she has discovered an ancient tunnel and the four children decide to investigate. Anchored in the harbour is a large motor launch.Tony sees the girl pickpocket on deck. He also sees the man and woman who were on the ferry. On a shopping trip with Sam and her mother Tony and Jack see the gang of thieves stealing wallets and purses and they discover how the gang conceals the stolen items. Finally, the secret of the ancient tunnel is revealed and leads to an exciting escape and the capture of the gang of thieves.
The Brilliant
The Brilliant
The Tree Pruner
The tree pruner, a manual
Secret of Light
Short-listed for the 2004 Chocolate Lily Book Award Darrell Connor is back for another term at Eagle Glen, but is shocked to find that along with her friends Brodie and Kate, her nemesis, Conrad Kennedy, has enrolled at the school. The memory of her recent visit to medieval Scotland is still fresh, and when Darrell and her dog, Delaney, investigate an abandoned lighthouse, they discover another route into the past. Lost in the magical beauty of Renaissance Italy, Darrell meets a young artist with fiery ambition named Leonardo Da Vinci. Does Leonardo hold the key to resolving the tragedy of her own past? Ignoring the advice of a kindly stranger, Darrell embarks on a desperate journey to find the answers to her own fears, unaware of the price she and her friends will pay for dancing with time.