M Is For Murals ~ An Alphabet Storybook by Trudy Stuckless

M Is For Murals, written by retired nurse and first time author Trudy Stuckless, is more than just a children's alphabet book with cute rhythm and rhyme; it is a celebration of art and all the people who produce it including those who partnered with Stuckless, Newfoundland artists Boyd Chubbs and Craig Goudie. Yes, the writing has great flow and a musical lilt that easily rolls from the tongue but the highlight and real appeal of this book are the beautiful muralistic images  located in the seaport town of Botwood, Newfoundland and the ancient calligraphy used to tell their story.

While one would presume that an alphabet book is meant entirely for children, this book is completely different. M Is For Murals is intended for both children and adults. It is not a book that can be devoured and then laid back upon the bookshelf. Rather it begs to be slowly consumed, page by page, reading the words, deciphering the murals, discussing the process and the history that they depict. The duality of the book is a feature I quite admire as without an adult the book is meaningless to a child and without the child the intention of the story cannot be fully enjoyed by the adult. Boyd Chubbs purposeful choice of 700 year old English alphabet to begin each verse in this book reminds us of our past and where the printed word originated. Likewise, the use of cursive writing as a font style will also intrigue young readers of the digital era and lends itself to another whole new discovery and teaching opportunity.

2020 marks the Botwood Mural Arts Society's 10th anniversary. M Is For Murals is a very fitting way to mark this milestone and to celebrate Botwood's claim to fame as "Mural Capital of Newfoundland and Labrador". The 13 murals dotted throughout the town are beautiful depictions of a vibrant past; from historic community places like "Sceviour's Sawmill",  "Twilight of Airmail" and the stunning "The Two R's", artists also pay homage to those who have gone before us in "Clash of Cultures", "Salute To Our Veterans" and "Botwood, WWII". I would be remiss not to mention the iconic railway mural entitled "Come Home"  measuring 9000 square feet. M Is For Murals beautifully illustrates each of these pieces of artwork and aptly recognizes the talented artists from Newfoundland and the world who have come together to produce them. 

M Is For Murals is a delightful read and should be part of your 2020 summer Staycation plans. Kudos to the Botwood Mural Arts Society in believing in a creative economy and working to preserve the life and times of the people of Botwood and kudos to Trudy Stuckless, Boyd Chubbs and Craig Goudie for preserving this history in the form of the printed word. M Is For Murals is a Flanker Press publication.

Please support the Botwood Mural Arts Society by visiting their webpage. 

Harbour Of My Tomorrows by Valerie Wiseman

Nestled in the quiet waters of Notre Dame Bay sits the small community of Fortune Harbour, Newfoundland. As a young Irish lad from Ballygarvan, Ireland, John Gavin never imagined that he would leave his beloved Emerald Isle and find himself a livyer of this new land. Life had not been easy for John and his brother Luke.  Orphaned after the Great Famine of the mid nineteenth century, seventeen year old John Gavin vowed to never leave his little brother's side. Though they had been rescued from the Irish workhouses by their father's sister, heartbreak, poverty and the threat of starvation and disease was always at their doorstep. Eventually John's vow to protect Luke is shattered when, against his will, he is conscripted by the Royal Navy and sent overseas to fight in the Crimean War. Inspired by true events, Harbour Of My Tomorrows is the gripping tale of an ordinary boy from County Cork and his extraordinary will to survive tragedy and betrayal.

"Remember when people were dead in the ditches, an' that cold rainy day when Da defended our home till he couldn't any longer, an' the men wit' guns stormed in on horses and destroyed our cabin? We tried to help our mother but she kept fallin' in the cold mud. I t'ink back sometimes when she would sing and the days were so happy. Father Kelly says it's fine to remember the good t'ings, but how con we remember just the good t'ings? John, m'mind can't stop at just the good t'ings. I wish that our mother could walk on this bog right now an' hug me again."

Published in 2010 by Flanker Press Publications, Harbour Of My Tomorrows is the first novel for Botwood born author Valerie Wiseman. This story is an exceptional retelling of the remarkable life of John Gavin, the great grandfather of Wiseman's husband Joe. Readers are first immersed in the early life of John and his family and their struggles to survive the Irish famine that saw the starvation and death of nearly one million people. Though times were extremely harsh, readers of this novel will be comforted to read about the bright spots of happiness, young love, and toe tapping fun that relieved the monotony of daily heartbreak. Wiseman has done an excellent job at researching the events of this time and of the people of this area. Her characters speak with the Irish brogue characteristic of  that time and the details she uses to describe John's life at sea with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Valda are accurately shocking, especially the event that resulted in John severely beating the Lieutenant and deserting the Navy. But on the horizon, love and hope for a new life are found in the company of strangers who befriend John and accept him as one of their own in Fortune Harbour, Newfoundland. 

Memories flooded his soul as he thought of the many times he had glanced at the late-night skies over Ireland. Ireland had held heartaches, some too horrific to recall, but inevitably the gentle and joyful recollections would always prevail and the pining for home would return. When the want of sleep finally won over nostalgia, he headed back toward the path leading to the house. With the thick ocean aroma still filling his head, John took one more glance out over the water. For now, he would have to subdue his longing for home, for he believed that his future was charted. He had no way of knowing that he was gazing out over the harbour of all his tomorrows. 

Harbour of My Tomorrows is a wholesome truly enjoyable novel from cover to cover. This story will leave readers with an appreciation for the past and the personal hardship that many of our ancestors endured in their quest to make a better life for themselves and the generations that followed. This novel will inspire readers to dig deeper into their own genealogy as they seek to discover where they come from and why they are here. Harbour Of My Tomorrows is a Flanker Press publication.   

Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story by Carl English

Carl English was the face of basketball in Newfoundland and Labrador. As the former General Manager and Shooting Guard for the St. John's Edge, playing with the Canadian NBL League would be the final stop for this hometown hero from Patrick's Cove,  Newfoundland. Hailing from a small community of 70 people on the rugged shores of an island in the middle of the North Atlantic, the life of Carl English was turned upside down when he lost both parents in a tragic house fire at age 5. Separated from his brothers but living with other family members that raised him as their own, English found solace in shooting a few hoops. This narrative chronicles the life and times of a kid who spent hours perfecting his basketball skills on the side of the road to his success as a professional athlete in Europe and with the Canadian Team. But this book is more than just a sports story; this is a story of kindness and love, of hardship and survival, of success and failure. Chasing A Dream is the autobiographical journey of a little boy who had the impossible dream, his quest to achieve it and the life lessons that were learned along the way.

Written in an easy to read conversational style, Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story, is first and foremost a story of overcoming obstacles.  From the beginning of the memoir readers are shattered by the unthinkable when English sadly recounts the tragic circumstances of his childhood and the ensuing bond that was formed with his Aunt Betty and Uncle Junior as they took on the role of parenting their young nephew. The reader is struck by English's honesty in describing the loneliness and profound sense of loss he experienced in losing his parents and the life he had with his four brothers. It is indeed a reminder of the resilience often seen in children when a young child, like Carl, is able to find comfort in the sport of basketball and fill the void in his life by escaping to his homemade net on the side of the road. As English chronicles the next 20 years of his basketball life, from his time as a high school student moving away from Patricks Cove in hopes of  getting prospected by the NCAA, to his college scholarship days in Hawaii and then on to crushing the European basketball circuit, we begin to gain a real appreciation of the grit and determination that is needed to navigate the world of professional sport. As readers we experience first hand the thrill of the ride and the agony of defeat and the many sacrifices that are made along the way. As English candidly recounts his innermost thoughts and feelings, we learn about the many relationships that have contributed to this young athlete's success and those who did not always act in his best interest. Whether it's advice from basketball greats like Steve Nash or playing with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and other members of the Redeem Team, our native son always has and continues to be grounded and guided by the strength of his family, childhood sweetheart/wife Mandy and his Newfoundland roots. Though this book is repetitive at times and would benefit from another round of editing, it is an inspirational story suitable for those age 12 and up. Readers, whether sports enthusiasts or not, will thoroughly enjoy the story of Carl English and will be impressed by his positivity, perseverance and drive to overcome whatever stands in his way. Though English never quite realized his full dream he embodies the words of Edwin Louis Cole; 

                     Winners are not people who do not fail, but people who never quit!

Chasing A Dream ~ The Carl English Story will touch your heart and leave an indelible mark upon your soul, believing that the impossible IS possible. The Carl English story is a Flanker Press publication.