CHALLENGE: The Canadian Book Challenge

This is a challenge I can not refuse. I read Canadian authors already, so a challenge to celebrate Canada? To show we have more authors than Margaret Atwood? Sorry Margaret, not a putdown of you - you're great, but so are so many others.

john mutford, from The Book Mine Set, is sponsoring this one, from now until July 1, 2008. That's our Canada Day, which is becoming more and more of a celebration. He wants us to read 13 books, and is giving away some allegedly famous prizes (to steal a phrase from CBC radio)

John has done a bunch of research, and has listed books by the author's province if you are interested in The White Stripes Way - Read a book from each of the 13 provinces and territories. I'm picking this one because I love the name the best. :) He has other options, like prize winning authors and books: look into the Giller prizes, I haven't read one of them yet I haven't enjoyed immensely, or obscure authors, or whatever you can come up with. I'd suggest some children's novels by Gordon Korman or Eric Wilson, but I am getting distracted.

From my list of books I've been meaning to read anyway, here is my potential list by province:

Newfoundland: Latitudes of Melt by Joan Clark
Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston

Nova Scotia: Lost Salt Gift of Blood (short stories) - Alistair MacLeod

PEI: don't know yet, something local. I've a former student who published a book of poetry, and my great Aunt and mother are publishing a family heritage book this winter

New Brunswick: One More Step (YA) - Sheree Fitch

Quebec: Stories from the Vinyl Cafe - Stuart MacLean
Barney's Version - Mordecai Richler Giller Winner 1997
Shaking Hands with the Devil - Romeo Dollaire

Ontario: Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures - Vincent Lam Giller Winner 2006
Crow Lake - Mary Lawson framed and booked is giving this one away!
Clara Callen - Richard B Wright Giller Winner 2001

Manitoba: Stone Diaries - Carol Shields Pulitzer Winner 1995
A Boy of Good Breeding - Miraim Toews
Bachelor Buttons Bed and Breakfast sequel - Bill Richardson

Saskatchewan: The Dog Who Wouldn't Be - Farley Mowatt

Alberta: Why I Hate Canadians - Will Fergeson

British Columbia: The Gum Thief, JPod, Eleanor Rigby, Microsefs - Douglas Coupland

Yukon:

Northwest Territories:

Nunavit: The Inuk Mountie Adventure - Eric Wilson*

Somewhere here in the territories, I should try to read a Pierre Berton book. There were 67 listed in the library. 67! Some are children's, some are Canada as a whole, but I feel I must read at least a Berton book for this challenge. Maybe 1967 - The Last Good Year, as that was the year I was born, Canada's centennial.

* Eric Wilson has a series of YA mysteries set all across Canada. You could do only Eric Wilson and cover the country.

May I suggest some of my family's favorite children's books, especially if you are looking for short easy books:

PEI: Stompin’ Tom and Brenda Jones (Illustrator)- The Hockey Song (Children’s Book)
NB: Sheree Fitch - Sleeping Dragons All Around, Monkeys in my Kitchen, Mabel Murple (Children's Books)
Quebec: Roch Carrier- The Hockey Sweater (Children’s Book)
Ontario: Robert Munsch- The Paperbag Princess (Children’s Book) + so many others
Dennis Lee - Aligator Pie (Poetry)
Saskatchewan: Farley Mowatt - Owls in the Family (read aloud/chapter book)