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Hope for Wildlife
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95One day, a couple who had run over a skunk with their car brought it to the Dartmouth Veterinary Hospital. When the veterinarians couldn’t look after it, Hope Swinimer decided to take the helpless animal into her care, and that was the start of it all. Now, through her rehabilitation centre called Hope for Wildlife, Hope’s name is synonymous with wildlife rescue in Nova Scotia.Since 1997, hundreds of animals have been saved through the tireless efforts of the staff and volunteers at Hope for Wildlife. Some animals’ stories were so unique that they even garnered national attention-such as Hope’s battle with the department of natural resources over Gretel, a member of the endangered pine marten species. Each creature comes with its own challenges, either through a particularly difficult injury or a quirky personality-like Lucifer the inexplicably bald and ornery raccoon-but each patient leaves an indelible mark on the lives of those around them.Hope for Wildlife tells the stories of fourteen different wild animals from Nova Scotia that have passed through the centre. Colour photographs of the animals and the centre’s efforts supplement the text, and info boxes offer further information on the province’s wildlife. The stories in Hope for Wildlife are educational, heartwarming, and sometimes heartbreaking-but always filled with hope.
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The Gift
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95When Margaret Miller’s son, Bruce, was killed at age twenty-six by a drunk driver, her grief threatened to consume her. Mother’s Against Drunk Driving became her lifeline, and as she slowly became involved with the organization, she found a way to use her grief and anger to start helping other families and to fight impaired driving across the country.In this moving memoir, Margaret details her journey through grief and describes how she turned her sadness into action, first volunteering with and then becoming national president of MADD Canada. She also introduces us to other victims and bereaved families she has met through her work with MADD Canada. Poignant and inspiring, The Gift tells not just heartbreaking stories but also uplifting and hopeful stories of life after injury and loss.Believing firmly that the hope MADD Canada has brought to her life is a gift from her son, Margaret has dedicated her life to bringing that hope to other victims. This book honours the victims of impaired driving, provides hope for the bereaved, and gives every reader a strong reminder that with the help of ordinary Canadians, MADD Canada is saving lives.
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Only in New Brunswick
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95IN HIS LATEST VOLUME of offbeat New Brunswick history and lore, popular Saint John storyteller David Goss delivers over forty-five new stories gleaned from his years as a columnist and tour guide. Goss introduces readers to local personalities like Perth Andover, artist Violet Gillett, chainsaw carver Albert Deveau, and the key-collector of Neguac. Other New Brunswickers have shared their memories of some of the province’s oddities, including Deer Island’s town clock, a quest to save the largest tree in the province, and the story of the Bricklin SV-1, manufactured for a brief time in Minto and Saint John. In these pages you’ll also find some of the ghost stories and legends that Goss has recounted to visitors in the parks where he’s worked as a a guide. The ghost ship Squando, the Hampton werewolf scare, and the Norton noise have made the rounds of many campfires and are captured here in print.
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Miracles and Mysteries The Halifax Explosion December 6, 1917
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Mary Anna Monnon’s father was one of the lucky survivors of the Halifax Explosion, the great World War One disaster that devastated Halifax and killed over two thousand people. His personal story, along with the stories of other survivors, are woven into this captivating account of the events leading up to and following the explosion of the munitions ship Mont Blanc in Halifax Harbour. Monnon begins the story in the days just prior to the explosion, providing news items, ads, and public notices that give readers fresh insight into life in the city at that time. Monnon’s interviewees provide candid recollections of where they were and their initial responses to the disaster. What emerge are unusually personal stories of confusion, injury, loss, and the eventual resurgence of hope-raw remembrances that bring back into sharp focus those first days on the ground.
Miracles and Mysteries is a reminder of the tragedy of war, and how ordinary people respond to overwhelming and inexplicable events.
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Nova Scotia’s Curious Connections
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95Previously published as 59 Stories, this new edition brings back into print Bruce Nunn’s collection of quirky stories. With his entertaining style and penchant for library and word-of-mouth research alike, Nunn introduces readers to the province’s claim on some world-famous stuff, including Moby Dick, mutton-chop sideburns, and the very first Donald Duck comic. The collection includes chapters on the interesting origins of words like “Bluenose” and “Acadian” and strange homegrown inventions like the telephone-flashlight. Nunn’s passion for history and the unusual make Nova Scotia’s Curious Connections a must-read for anyone looking to add a little quirk to their knowledge of Nova Scotia’s past.
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Molly Kool First Female Captain of the Atlantic
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Born and raised in Alma, New Brunswick, Molly Kool started her life at sea helping her father sail the lumber scow the Jean K through some of the most challenging waters in the world, including the changing tides of the Bay of Fundy and the Reversing Falls in Saint John. When it came time for Molly to choose her own career, her first instinct was to get her captain’s licence, but doing so would involve more than just hard work—it would also mean changing some of Canada’s oldest laws. But thanks to her inspiring example and the tireless efforts of contemporaries in the 1930s and ’40s, the Shipping Act of Canada was changed and Molly became the first female sea captain in North America. With interviews, colour photos, and background on other women pioneers and shipping practices in the early twentieth century, Molly Kool: Captain of the Atlantic also includes an interview with the first woman to command a Canadian warship, Commander Josee Kurtz.
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A Day With You In Paradise
Artist: Patsy MacKinnonPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95This beautiful picture book depicts a family’s fun-filled day at a Prince Edward Island beach. Racing past dunes, building sand castles, and singing songs by a bonfire at night, the family revels in the peaceful beauty of an Island beach. Lennie Gallant’s lyrical description of a PEI summer day is matched perfectly with Patsy MacKinnon’s sun-soaked illustrations. A Day with You in Paradise is based on Lennie’s song of the same name from the Juno-nominated album When We Get There.
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Lost on Brier Island
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95Fourteen-year-old Alex’s life is in ruins. Her family ripped apart by unspeakable tragedy, she is stuck on Brier Island for the summer with her aunt. At first, Alex is desperate to escape this place where everyone’s business is public knowledge and there is too much time to think. But the island begins to work its magic, with its quirky characters, rugged landscape, and whale-filled ocean, and Alex forms a special bond with an adventurous baby whale she names Daredevil.
Through her attachment to Daredevil and the beauty of Brier Island, Alex slowly begins the long journey toward healing. But everything changes when Alex is suddenly thrown into a life-or-death struggle. Can she find the courage and the strength to save Daredevil- and herself?
Moving, funny, and honest, this is a powerful story of losing loved ones and finding yourself, set against the stunning backdrop of Brier Island. -
Sinking Deeper
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95The tiny fishing community of Deeper Harbour is in deep trouble-and so is fourteen-year-old Roland MacTavish. Roland’s mom wants to move with him to Ottawa, away from his father, his weird friend Dulsie, and his even weirder grandfather, Angus. So Roland does what any sane teenager would do: he invents a sea monster. Unfortunately, the scheme quickly spins out of Roland’s control, and he has to go to greater and greater lengths to keep up the illusion. And then Roland must deal with a situation far more terrifying than any sea monster.As moving as it is irresistibly funny, Steve Vernon’s portrait of Roland and Deeper Harbour is perfect for anyone who’s ever been stuck badly enough to do something awesomely, brilliantly, heroically stupid.
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Louisbourg: From its Foundation to its Fall
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95The only complete history of Louisbourg.
“J.S. McLennan’s Louisbourg From Its Foundation To Its Fall is in several ways a remarkable book. To begin with, it is because of its continuing popularity. Though it was first published many decades ago, it remains the standard work on the 45 year history of the French settlement at Louisbourg. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of detailed studies have been done on Louisbourg since McLennan’s appeared, each one illuminating some theme or aspect of life there, but none has replaced it as the authoritative chronicle of the town’s history.” –A. J. B. Johnston, Historian and Author
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Big Town A Novel of Africville
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$18.95Seventeen-year-old Early Okander lives with his father in a shack, a white family on the outskirts of the Halifax community of Africville. It is the early 1960s, and Early and his young friends, Toby and Chub, start to hear whispers that the city wants to move the residents of Africville out of their homes. As the three try to sort out what relocation might mean for the community, they also struggle to come to terms with their own problems: Early’s abuse at the hands of his father, Toby’s illness, Chub’s family breakdown.
Written from Early’s unique perspetive, Big Town is an unforgettable account of a community in crisis and the remarkable spirit that persists in the face of adversity.
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The Apple a Day Cookbook
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95“An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” It’s no secret that apples are both good to eat and good for you, and The Apple a Day Cookbook is full of inventive and enticing recipes that will have you adding apples to dishes of all kinds. From appetizers to entrees, soups to salads, cookies to cakes, there’s something here for everyone—savoury meals like apple-stuffed spare ribs, delectable desserts like chocolate chip apple cookies, and even an entire chapter devoted to apple pie.
Along with her delicious recipes, author Janet Reeves offers up a wealth of apple trivia, including many tidbits from the Maritimes that are sure to fascinate.
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Cape Breton Facts and Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Cape Breton is famous the world over for its senic trails, Celtic music and traditions, strong Mi’kmaq community, and unique dialects. Called Unamakikia by the Mi’kmaq, Ile Royale by the French, and Eilean Cheap Breatainn in Scottish Gaelic, the island of Cape Breton is a colourful blend of cultures and history. After the slow decline of the coal and steel industries following World War Two, Cape Breton became a major tourist locale, with such draws as Fortress Louisbourg, the largest eighteenth-century restored fortress in North America and a national historic site; the Cape Breton Highlands, with stunning views and winds that can reach up to 220 kilometres an hour; and the Cabot Trail scenic drive, which attracts thousands of people every autumn to take in the stunning views and foliage.
Cape Breton Facts and Folklore is full of fun and interesting facts about the people, places, and events that shaped this fascnating island. Includes photos of some of the island’s prominent places and personalities.
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Rogues and Rascals True Stories of Maritime Lives and Legends
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Open Rogues and Rascals to any page, and you’ll find yourself drawn into the fascinating lives of ordinary Maritimers. A natural storyteller, Bob Kroll relates more than 200 true tales of our very own ancestors, and introduces us to heroes, failures, murderers, and soul savers who bring the everyday history of the Maritimes to vivid life.
The stories in Rogues and Rascals are loosely arranged into five sections, but can be read in any order you please. With tales from the 1700s through the mid-twentieth century, there are plenty of good starting points–a crime-ridden town on Prince Edward Island where residents take justice into their own hands; a daring escape from the Nova Scotia penitentiary; the tale of a New Brunswicker who smuggles tea for fun and profit; a captain whose ill-timed fit of laughter lands his entire crew in prison…and that’s just to name a few. Interesting, unusual, and always entertaining, these historical anecdotes are an enjoyable window into the feats and follies of Maritimers of the past.
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Dramatic Life of a Country Doctor Fifty Years of Disasters and Diagnoses
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95Dr. Arnold Burden’s career began unintentionally when he performed his first surgery in the woods following a hunting accident at age 14. As a 20-year-old hospital clerk, he handed battle casualties after D-Day in France and Germany. His early years as a doctor began in rural Prince Edward Island, where he served in the combined role of doctor and coroner. Back home in Springhill, Nova Scotia, Dr. Burden was the first medic to enter the mines after the deadly No. 4 mine explosion in 1956 and the No. 2 mine bump, the most severe bump ever recorded in North America, in 1958. In both cases he risked his life alongside the underground rescue teams to bring the gassed and trapped miners to the surface.
In this new edition Dr. Burden gives his account of an active life and of a man dedicated to his patients; a man full of common-sense and interesting stories, who writes candidly of his dealing with patients, unusual cases, and brave efforts made under difficult conditions. As the author states: “The real satisfaction in life has come from helping people.”
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Sable Island the Wandering Sandbar
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Though it was discovered almost 500 years ago, few people have visited Sable Island. Despite modern navigational tools, excessive fog and stormy weather still make travelling to Sable a challenge. Add government restrictions limiting visitors to the remote island and prohibitive travel costs, and Sable is virtually inaccessible.
But the island is part of Maritime lore–dubbed the “graveyard of the Atlantic” because of the number of ships wrecked on its shores. Sable Island also hosts wild horses, tens of thousands of seals, and enchanting “singing” sands and “wandering” dunes. With 18 species of sharks patrolling Sable Island’s waters and the regular fights between bands of horses, not to mention the treacherous patches of quicksand, the island is as dangerous as it is alluring.
In this colourful book, author Wendy Kitts introduces the wonders and stark realities of this wild place. Full of photographs and sidebars, Sable Island: The Wandering Sandbar is an accessible and exciting look at this unprotected, untamed ecosystem.
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Crosswords from Atlantic Canada Volume 3
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95A lifetime resident of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Walter Feener has been constructing crossword puzzles for twenty-eight years. He has completed crosswords for the National Post, Forever Young Magazine, the Winnipeg Free Press, and several other newspapers across Canada. He is also the author of O Canada Crosswords (book 11).
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Mabel Murple (pb)
Artist: Sydney SmithPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$13.95What if there was a purple planet with purple people on it? Sheree Fitch answers this question with a zany tongue-twister of a poem featuring Mabel Murple, a daredevil who rides a purple motorbike through purple puddles, skis on purple snow, and on her pancakes pours maple syrup.
With a rich and vivid purple palette, Sydney Smith’s brand-new illustrations reflect the wild joy in this classic poem. Originally published in 1995, Mabel Murple won the Ann Connor Brimer award for children’s literature.
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Best of Buddy The Bluenose Reindeer
Artist: Brenda JonesPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$18.95Both Buddy books—truly the best of—now in one handsome edition!
First heard on CBC radio, Buddy the Bluenose Reindeer became an instant Maritime Christmas classic. Buddy the Bluenose Reindeer is sad because, despite his best efforts, he just can’t fit in with Nick Klaus’s fishing crew on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Santa, that normally jolly proprietor of Christmas cheer, is worried because his star performer, the famous Rudolph, is sick with a bad cold! How will Santa and Buddy set everything all right?
In Buddy the Bluenose Reindeer and the Boston Christmas Tree, the search for the perfect Christmas tree to send to Boston isn’t going well, and Buddy the Bluenose Reindeer is called on to help. Of course, with his nose so blue and his aim so true, Buddy easily finds the right tree. Little does everyone know that that’s the easy part.
Packed full of playful puns and perfect for old and young listeners alike, Buddy’s adventures are real treats to read and share aloud.
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Last Summer in Louisbourg
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$11.95Fifteen-year-old Andrea Baxter is thrilled when she is offered a summer job on Cape Breton Island. Although her mother worries that Andrea is too young to move so far away, Andrea welcomes the chance to strike out on her own. It seems the perfect opportunity to escape from all the changes that have come into her life with her mother’s recent marriage: a new stepfather, a new school, and a new house in the suburbs, worlds away from all her old friends.
At last, her mother’s fears alleviated and her bags packed, Andrea sets out on a journey to the east coast that marks the beginning of her most memorable summer ever. Not only does she play a role in a movie that is being shot at the historical site where she works, but Andrea also makes great new friends, finds romance, and learns a family secret that will change her life forever.
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Nova Scotia’s Historic Rivers The Waterways That Shaped the Province
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$21.95While Nova Scotia may be known as “Canada’s Ocean Playground,” the tributaries and meandering streams that flow through the province have a significance that runs just as deeply. In Nova Scotia’s Historic Rivers, Joan Dawson takes us on an insightful expedition around the province. From the original portage routes of the Mi’kmaq, such as the Margaree and Shubenacadie Rivers; to shipbuilding, logging, and mill-based industries along the LaHave and Sackville Rivers; to the settlers and communities that flourished along their banks, Dawson demonstrates the myriad ways in which Nova Scotia’s rivers have always been imperative to the sustenance and survival of the province. Featuring over 50 archival and contemporary photographs and illustrations, Nova Scotia’s Historic Rivers is a fascinating glimpse into the settlement an development of the province, and the ever-evolving rivers that continue to shape its landscape and culture.
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Oak Island Revenge A Jonah Morgan Mystery
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95Jonah is fourteen and lives on the Western Shore of Nova Scotia in 1958. He and his best friend, Beaz, have figured out a way to get to the forbidden Oak Island to seek treasure. They find a gold locket down one of the treasure shafts and can’t believe their luck—until they realize that the locket is not pirate’s booty but possibly evidence in a current murder investigation, one which Jonah already knows more about than he can handle. Beaz is in danger from his abusive mother if she finds out he’s gone to Oak Island, so Jonah keeps the secret even though there is a killer at large in his small community.
Oak Island Revenge is a coming-of-age story, with much higher stakes than most teenagers have to contend with.
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South Shore Facts & Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95With a history that dates back centuries, Nova Scotia’s South Shore is filled with a diverse and eclectic range of cultures from all over the world. It has produced some of Nova Scotia’s most famous personalities, such as writer Thomas H. Raddall, painter Maud Lewis, and actor Donald Sutherland, just to name a few. It is the birthplace of the Bluenose. It is the balsam fir Christmas tree capital of the world, and its picturesque coastline make it a popular location for film shoots, including for The Scarlet Letter, Pit Pony, and The Shipping News.
The region’s history, geography, and culture are presented here as fun and occasionally quirky factoids in the newest edition of the “Facts and Folklore” series. With a map and 20 images interspersed throughout, South Shore Facts and Folklore is a must-have for anyone who wants to learn more about the region.
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Evangeline
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$13.95The epic poem Evangeline is a superb example of romantic poetry and a masterpiece of world literature. The publication of Evangeline represented a “milestone in the awakening of the collective consciousness of the Acadian people. By lifting Acadie out of the forgotten past, Longfellow honoured the courage and tenacity of the Acadians.” This new edition of the classic text includes a critical introduction from scholars Sally Ross and Barbara LeBlanc.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was an American poet. Sally Ross and Barbara LeBlanc are both Acadian scholars and authors living and working in Nova Scotia.
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Long Shots
$16.95Today, the National Hockey League holds a monopoly on professional hockey, at least on this side of the Atlantic. In the early 1900s, a host of professional, minor-pro, senior, junior, and college leagues competed across the continent. More than a decade remained before the Stanley Cup would become the sole property of the NHL. In this era, it was a challenge cup, and it seemed as though every Canadian town–big or small–had a fair shot at the big prize.
In these pre-NHL days, four teams from the Maritimes took up the challenge, competing for what was, even then, hockey’s biggest prize. The 1900 Halifax Crescents club was followed in 1906 by the New Glasgow Cubs, in 1912 by the Moncton Victorias, and in 1913 by the Sydney Millionaires. In Long Shots, author Trevor Adams traces the development of early hockey in the region and follows these four Maritime clubs that competed for hockey’s greatest prize, from their hard-fought victories and local celebrity, to their crushing disappointments.
Includes 25 historical photos and an appendix of statistics and standings.