Canada Books

I travel a lot in my car, so audio books are a must for me. I picked this one up at the library - and it was hard for me to turn my car off when I got to where I was going!

As you read in the summary, the book is about a 19-year-old who is trying to find out who his real parents are. He was found left by the side of the road when he was three, with only a photograph and a cryptic letter.

His hunt takes him to Toronto, where he and his new girlfriend do some detective work...and when they seem to have it all figured out, the author throws in another twist.

There is another side story in the book that takes place around the life of another teenager, but this scene is set many years beforehand.

Once the two stories meet up, everything falls into place.

This is a must-read for anyone who likes thrillers!

Nineteen years old Walker Devereaux leaves his adopted home in Big River for Toronto, but not with the youthful vigor of living in the big city; Walker is obsessed to learn about his past starting with why his mom Lennie abandoned him on an isolated road when he was three. He has a clue from someone who apparently knew his mom; a letter that was written to Lennie from her school friend Kim that includes a picture of two girls that Walker assumes one is his mom.

In Toronto Walker obtains work driving a cab on a graveyard shift and a friend he deeply likes is wheelchair-bound dispatcher Krista Papadopoulos. Her brilliance enables Walker to follow clues that take him initially to the exclusive upper crust Forest Hill neighborhood and eventually to Jamaica. However, someone wants Walker and Krista to stop or else; perhaps that unknown culprit is the seemingly deranged Bobby Nuremborski who Walker must confront if he is to close in on the truth about what happened to his mother.

MIDNIGHT CAB is a solid suspense thriller starring two delightful lead protagonists whose banter lightens a dark tale. The prime story line is Walker's quest, but a subplot involving how crazy Bobby is will chill the audience who know that the two men will collide, but doubt whether the hero will survive. Interestingly in spite of wonderfully placed false leads and red herring missteps, fans know the altercation is coming so the suspense is somewhat muted when it does. Still James W. Nichols writes an intriguing entertaining thriller that will keep readers attention throughout.

Harriet Klausner

The title of this mystery/thriller is a bit misleading, probably because it was based on a popular radio drama of the same name. Certainly, the main character, Walter Devereaux drives a cab, but that's not the focus of the story.

MIDNIGHT CAB is set in Toronto, Canada, and it starts with a three-year-old boy clinging to a wire fence at the side of a country road. This is Walter Devereaux; he's found and placed in a number of foster homes before he goes to live with the Devereauxs in Big River, Canada. They're an ideal family and he loves them dearly, but he feels he must go to Toronto to find his real parents. He has a letter and a picture of two little girls that he hopes will help him in his quest.

Walter has trouble finding a job but ultimately he finds work at the A.P. Cabs owned by Alphonso Piatelli, who tries to hire him off the books. His night dispatcher, Krista Papadopoulos, soon puts an end to that and a romance ensues. Oh, yeah, Krista just happens to be in a wheel chair.

A parallel story has to do with Bobby Nuremborski, a young boy who hungers for the attention of his father. Bobby will remind you of the killer in LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR. He's gay but he won't admit it; his father would never tolerate a homosexual son. Eventually the two stories intersect leading to some gripping action.

The setting of the story shifts from Toronto to Jamaica, and that's when the novel loses some of its credibility. Like Tony Hillerman, when he moves the story off the Navajo reservation, the author, James W. Nichol, needs to focus on what he knows best. The Canada sequences are believable and compelling, Jamaica not so much.

Despite these quibbles I enjoyed MIDNIGHT CAB immensely and would like to see a sequel. Krista and Walter are likeable characters and the cab company is an ideal setting for a mystery series.

Really good! Different for any mystery recently read. Quirky, engaging characterizations with and original plot.
Can't wait for the next one!

This book is great! It was just what I needed. It has detailed, creative, and artistic landscaping plans plus helpful planting and design information! I bought two copies of this book so I can give my daughter one!

It is very very similar to the 1999 edition which I already owned. In my opinion, there is no reason to own both, or to replace the old one with the new one.

Written by the founding editor of "Gardening" magazine Roger Holmes and award-winning author Rita Buchanan, and now in a new and expanded edition featuring information on more plants and additional suggested designs, Midwest Home Landscaping Including Southern Canada is a comprehensive guide to making one's home landscape more attractive and functional. Chapters address how to skillfully plan a design for one's yard, how to organize one's project and perform tasks ranging from clearing the site to fences and trellises to the planting process, and profiles of a variety of landscaping plants ideal for homes situated in the upper Midwest and Southern Canada. Step-by-step instructions and full-color photography and diagrams walk the reader through each task, and the text covers both ideas for selecting and coordinating themes as well as practical nitty-gritty details. Midwest Home Landscaping is a first-rate, comprehensive resource for homeowners of all background, regardless of past experience in gardening or landscaping.

I'm not a gardener but then again I have never had a house to HAVE a garden. We are moving onto a brand new house and I found this book by accident.

It is outstanding.

It will give you ideas on what to plant in the shade, sun part sun and what I like most are the diagrams. I have no eye for what a garden will look like in 2 months and how I should plant a garden that looks lush and well thought out. I would have planted a garden with random flowers spaced too far apart.

Perfect book for somebody that wants a garden that looks like they knew what they were doing.

Having spent a lot of time looking for information on imaginative & fun (and sometimes luxury) travel with kids, I can tell you that this is a really unique book. It is comprehensive, carefully researched and well written with loads of practical tips. Some 'travel with kids' books might as well just be bland advertising copy, this one really provides good editorial content, with positive and critical comments. It is a pleasure to read and we will use it for a long time. Fodor's should publish more of these for other parts of the US/world.

I loved this book and would recommend it to any family wanting to travel in the northeastern United States. The writers offer tips and reviews on places of interest, resorts, and campgrounds in a wide range of prices. In fact, we have visited some of those places and found a brand new vacation prospect in Lake George which we will be trying out this summer! Definitely one of the most informative travel books on the market today -- entertaining even if you do not go to these places.

Very useful book for locals and visitors. We liked the way it gave us recommended age groups and prices. We can now plan ahead places to visit within and on the way to our next holiday area. We have also used it for planning field trips from the school into San Francisco. Easy to use and enjoyable to read.

I've been searching for a book like this for several years and haven't found one that fit the bill until now! I had a great time reading it - so well written - and got more useful information than I'll ever be able to use in one lifetime! Thanks so much to the writers and publishers!

Before heading to the Canadian Rockies for the first time, I spent time reviewing and reading several guidebooks. This one is notable for its really broad overview of the Canadian Rocky area and covers a wide variety of topics such as restaurants, hikes, lodging, sites to see, etc. I used it a lot during the trip and it really made a positive difference in my experience (e.g., by being able to choose great restaurants in the evening, by choosing lesser-known but really cool sites to visit, etc.). It also provided good history of the area, and descriptions of the flora and fauna, all of which interests me when I travel to an area. I used much of the information later to create a photo album with much more interesting verbiage on the places and sites.

I am an avid hiker and backpacker, and therefore did not have the expectation that such a general guide would meet all of my needs in providing detailed and extensive information about trails. This book is not intended for such, and therefore should not be considered a fault. It is probably sufficient for most who enjoy an occasional hike. For those looking for detailed and more thorough hiking information, I highly recommend the hiking "Bible" of the area: "Canadian Rockies Trail Guide", by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson.

just spent 10 days in the canadian rockies and this guidebook made the trip great. it's an amazing area and information in this book is well organized and let's you plan your trip well. one thing we did find off was the grading system for hikes, some "easy" hikes were definitely not. outside of that this guidebook was very complete and accurate, from sights, to restaurants and lodging. one of the best travel books i've ever used.

2007's "Canadian Rockies" is the latest Moon handbook on the swath of wonderful parks that straddle the Canadian Rockies from Jasper through Banff to Waterton on the U.S. border. Packaged in a convenient size and packed with a variety of information, "Canadian Rockies is a superb guide for planning a vacation in a area full of opportunities.

The guide covers Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay, and Waterton National Parks, along with the Kannaskis Country provincial parks just west of Calgary. Information is provided on a range of accomodations, restaurants, museums and tourist exhibits, and opportunities for recreation. The guide includes a nice selection of maps and photographs. Segments on local history provide context for each area. The guide includes information on access to the parks and cautionary warnings on interacting with the abundant wildlife.

Depending on the season, the Rockies offer hiking, camping, boating, biking, golf, or skiing at a variety of venues. For example, each park narrative includes a representative sample of day hikes and longer hikes. This reviewer and his family are frequent visitors to the Canadian Rockies and found unsurpassed opportunities for hikes to spectacular terrain accessable in few other places in North America.

This guide is very highly recommended to those planning a vacation in the Canadian Rockies.

Using Amazon and local bookstores, I checked out all the recent Canadian Rockies guidebooks I could find before choosing this one. It has good explanations of geology, flora, and fauna found in this area. We took many of the suggestions for lodging, food and things to do, and was not disappointed with any. I'm not a hiker - I walk - so I can't judge the suggested hikes, with the exception of one, rated "easy" near Banff. Not easy. For un-hikers who want to "hike" I recommend Graeme Pole's "Walks and Easy Hikes in the Canadian Rockies". It rated the Banff walk as "harder" (that is the toughest of his ratings).

Used 2 different versions of Moon Handbooks for trip to NW and both were invaluable. This series gives far more detail then a Lonely Planet or Rough Guide which I normally buy. We used it to plan trips, select accommodations that were NOT chains and found reviews to be spot on. Since the book focuses on just one place in Oregon, it is able to go into far greater detail then the more generalized travel books do.
Because of this and the Oregon Coast version, I buy the Moon Handbooks now over the others.
Well worth the price.

MOON HANDBOOKS COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE: INCLUDING COMPLETE COVERAGE OF PORTLAND is a wonderful book about northern Oregon and southern Washington, including complete coverage of the Portland-Vancouver metro area. Thus, you get information on both rural pleasures, such as hiking and white-water rafting, and urban ones, including shopping, dining, and museums. This is a book that anyone with an interest in geography must own.

I am making a long journey next year that will include the Columbia Gorge and this book really helps define the areas I wish to see. It has been really helpful in the lodging as well as the parks and hiking. I am a photographer and plan on taking numerous images on this trip, so I like to know well ahead of time what I will be seeing. I highly recommend this guidebook to those that visit this area.

We had never been to the northwest before and wanted to get the most out of our first trip. This guide was like having a local with us on the trip. We were able to get to the numerous falls, rapids, windsurfing areas and hikes without wandering around. We stayed in a great hotel that was reported on and picked from the recommended restaurants. The book was well worn when we got home. I highly recommend it.

I donated this book to my mom's day care and the children really loved repeating especially the chomps. The children also enjoyed the color changing. They always have fun with Munsch books.

Another winner from Robert Munsch!

The book features the usual dose of Munsch's sound effects and repetition, two traits that make it an engaging story for young readers. We read this story again and again to our 2-year-old. He just can't get enough.

My one criticism of the book is that Munsch's drawings of the Asian Canadian characters isn't that flattering. Being Asian American, I think I'm probably more sensitive to this though... :)

I have my own daycare and this is one of the children's favorite stories to read. They love to participate with our reading activities and this book gives them just that opportunity. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It is a fun story about a young boy who's appetite is endless. This is one of my favorite Robert Munsch stories that we own.

Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko are a winning team in childrens' books, and this is another one of their terrific partnerships. Munsch's well-paced tales coupled with Martchenko's vivid and funny artwork encourage preschoolers and young grade schoolers to reread their books many times over.

This book features a very hungry little boy, his exasperated mom, and a pie-eating contest. My kids howled with laughter at how much Samuel tried to eat for breakfast. The pictures of Samuel out-chowing the three big men are terrific, and the look on his face when he returns home is even better.

An outlandish tale in the tradition of Paul Bunyan for preschoolers, complete with a Babe-sized stomach ache, this is a rippin' good yarn. Stick in two thumbs, pull out two plums, and point them up, way up, for More Pies!

This book is mostly about Hetty and they take a trip to a place called Chilkoot pass they cause an avalanche and they have to try to dig the person out of all the snow.The main thing that happens in the book is that mostly everybody loses something they really care about one morning Hetty wakes up and she has lost her locket. Hetty has a diary where she keeps track of all the things that are stolen and what happens to the person.At the end of the book well close they find the person who has to tell them why he or she stole the stuff they also find the bag of stolen stuff.Then also at the end Alma Hettys best friend gets married to Uncle Donall.But at the end they all leave very happily.I would recommend this book to anybody who loves to solve mysterys and enjoys a happy book and to anybody in third/fourth and fifth.

In 1897, when Hetty and her friend Alma are 12 years old, prospectors come down from Alaska Territory to San Francisco shouting, "Gold!" The prospectors tell everyone the nuggets are so big they're the size of potatoes. After that, it seems like half the country heads north to the Yukon to find some of those golden potatoes for themselves. Hetty, her father, Alma, her mother, and Hetty's Uncle Donall join the crowd heading north to the gold fields.

The trip north is gruesome. When their steamer first arrives at Dyea, the sailors dump people's belongings into a scow headed for the shore about a mile away. Some of their possessions land in the water instead of in the boat, but the sailors don't seem to care. Some of the passengers have to turn around and head home again because all their possessions are lost at sea. Horses, goats, dogs, and other animals have to swim for their lives in the icy waters.

To reach gold country, which stretched ahead of them for 500 miles, everybody has to move part of their things forward, leave somebody there to guard them, and then go back for more. Trip after trip after trip. It's only September, but up by the Arctic Circle winter comes early and it's bitter cold. Some people discover that they packed too much and have to leave trunks and other belongings alongside the trail. Other people decide to pay haulers to cart their things for them, only to have the haulers take the money and run.

Then Hetty discovers her locket missing. It has her only picture of her dead mother in it. Hetty laid it beside her bed in the tent at night, and the next morning it's gone. Someone else misses a knife. Alma's mother loses half her money. Who is the thief? Is there more than one? Can Hetty find him? Or is it a woman?

But thieves aren't the only problem everybody faces. They also have to fight diseases like typhoid and avalanches in the mountains. People have to be strong to survive in the Yukon territory. Will Hetty's family and friends make it? What will Hetty learn on her trip to the top of the world?

--- (...)

Mystery at Chilkoot Pass is one of the best children's chapter books I have read to-date. I was helping my 9 year old sister with her book report and she and I both thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. It is witty, fun, adventurous, and a page-turner. This book is thorough, yet it doesn't wear you down with boring details. I would recommend this book not only to any third/fourth/fifth grader, but any adult who enjoys a good, fun mystery.

MYSTERY AT CHILKOOT PASS is the 17th book in the "History Mystery" series. It is autumn, 1897, and twelve-year-old Hetty, her friend Alma, their parents, and Hetty's Uncle Donall have left their homes in San Francisco to seek gold in the Klondike gold rush. They must get themselves and three tons of supplies and equipment up and over Chilkoot Pass before winter sets in. Thousands of other goldhunters are making the same trek. The story follows their struggle from the time they leave their ship near the coastal town of Dyea until they ascend the Pass. Along the way, large amounts of cash and small personal items of little value disappear. Hetty suspects her uncle might be a thief. Thieves are dealt with harshly in this frontier environment. Hetty proves to be a person of strength and resolution. She works hard and does what she has to in the face of hardship and death.

MYSTERY AT CHILKOOT PASS is a worthy addition to the "History Mystery" series. It will make you appreciate the hardships people were prepared to endure in the pursuit of fortune. It may also make you wonder what could have possessed people to leave their homes and put themselves through such hardships on the slim chance that they might find enough gold to make themselves rich. A nice introduction to an interesting bit of history.

If you need ANY information about ANY player on the NHL, whether active or retired (or even a rookie), it's ALL in there.
672 pages filled with all the statistics you need about your favorite players.
This year, the book includes facts like "who played where in 2004-05" and "Who's playing where in 2005-06" (with all the changes that took place during the summer). Plus information about thye 2006 Olympics AND the New Rules.
For the price, you get more than your money's worth.
but just don't take my word for it, but it, read it, use it.
It's also a nice cover with Lemieux (now retired, unfortunately, again) and Crosby, the next one.
Highly recommended!
:)

This annual volume is especially nicein that it includes small photos of active players as well as number of retirees. It is also a good source to learn which of the old timers have passed away. Another feature I like is the all time records by player, and to see where the current veterans are positioned in these ranks. This issue also shows where all the active players played during the 2003-04 strike season. This book contains everything you can think of about the current hockey teams as well as the history from the early beginnings.

The greatest all-time stat book that the NHL has. A great encyclopedia on the players of the game. Every player and rookie listed along with their picture, and every year of stats they produced throughout their career. Every team and player record as well. This book has been printed yearly for over 20 years. A must have, if you like to update your rosters in EA Sports computer game NHL 2006, look no farther. This book also has a retired index of every player that ever stepped on the ice as well. THis book is 25 bucks, but you will find yourself using it a great deal throughout the entire 2005-2006 season. I promise. Let's Go Rangers!!!!!

Dan Diamond and his staff have again done an outstanding job of preparing a preview guide that ranks among the best in any pro sport. For the hockey fan, this isn't an optional purchase, but one you must have.

The statistical information for active players and prospects is unrivaled in any print resource. And while much of this information can now be found online (at the Internet Hockey Database, a great resource), there's nothing like having this handy reference on your desk or coffee table to grab up during a game, or while you're having a conversation about a player.

I've bought this book for years, and I still love going over the lists of all-time leaders, or looking at a list of guys who scored 50 goals in a season and reminiscing about those times. For hockey trivia addicts, this book is like a great fix, with list after list, and recaps from every season preceeding 2005.

There are a couple of items I'd love to see added to this annual, but it's hard to quibble about so great a resource. This should find a home on the desk or coffee table of every NHL fan out there

R.D.Lawrence's book "The North Runner" is quite simply magnificent. It tells the true story of one man's friendship with a savage dog/wolf hybrid that sees man as his natural enemy, especially as he has been ill-treated since puppyhood.

When Lawrence takes the Hybrid into his home he finds that he has true savage on his hands, and that it will take all his skills as a naturalist to tame an animal that was more wolf than it was dog. This is not a sentimental book though Lawrence and the hybrid he names Yukon do become friends, rather it is a story about two creatures getting to know one another, in an unforgiving world.

Yukon is testament to man's inability to understand the mind and soul of a wolf. Lawrence eventually realizes that Yukon will never be a "people" dog and that the remainder of his life must be spent in the wild with wolves. And so Lawrence makes the ultimate sacrifice, he lets Yukon go, giving him the freedom that should have been his from birth.

This a poignant, funny, humorous and often sad book about a man and a hybrid and how they learnt to respect and love one another, yet never loose sight of which side of the fence that each belonged. For all nature lovers, especially those with a passion for dogs, wolves and hybrids.

Since I wrote this review in 2002, this book is now back in print which I am really pleased about.

I am also sad to say that R.D. Lawrence passed away in November 2003 aged 82 so for all you nature lovers out there, this is the time to stock up on his books before they go out of print again.

I happened across this book at a swap shelf and had never heard of Lawrence before. But after the first paragraph I was hooked; I just had to find out what all happened to his dog Yukon in the three years they were together.

Lawrence had a great attention to detail without ever mentioning anything trivial. His focus was on Yukon, not himself. And the way the story unfolded, dealing with other animal encounters and the weather (as is inevitable in the Canadian wilderness) there is not a page of this book that falls into the mundane. Every animal, every person, every event in this story comes to life.

I could see my own dog in this story. I've often felt my dog Sammy was part something wild, be it Grey wolf or coyote, as Sammy shows so many similiar traits to Yukon.

Although I "recycle" my books at book swaps, this is one book I'm holding on to. If you love dogs, the wilderness, Canada or the outdoors and the environment, this book is a must-read.

This is one of the most heart-warming books I've ever read. Similar to R.D. Lawrence, I owned a wolf/dog hybrid in the wilderness of Alaska. We had many great adventures together. I eventually had to leave Alaska, and my best friend. This is one of my favorite books. I highly recommend reading it.

AS ALWAYS AS I AM A FAVORITE READER OF R.D. LAWRENCE HE BEFRIENDS A WILD WOLF DOG AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH THIS ANIMAL WHO RELATES SO MUCH TO HIM. MR. LAWRENCE IN HIS MOST DISCRIPTIVE WAYS AS ALWAYS TELLS THE STORY OF HOW HE TAKES THIS WILD ANIMAL FROM AN NATIVE INDIAN WHO BEATS THIS ANIMAL SHORT OF DEATH AND SHOWS HIM PASSION AND IN TURN IN TIME THIS DOG RETURNS THE FAVOR IN SAVING HIS LIFE. A TRUE BOOK AND A MUST TO READ A DOG LOVERS AND A NATURE LOVERS BEST STORY EVER

I enjoyed this book because it is specific to the northeast. I am a very amateur gardener who needs things spelled out for me.

I am currently in the midst of a major home landscaping project (the installation of terraces, shrubs, flowers, tall trees and irrigation combined with masonry and outdoor lighting) and had no idea what my landscape architect was talking about until I purchased this book. It's a simple and easy reference guide that really gives a novice a thorough education of home landscaping. This book will tell you "what" to have planted "where" and "why". The garden design layouts are also very helpful for anyone seeking site design guidance. My landscape architect was very impressed with my newfound knowledge of plantings and it's completely due to this book. This is a must purchase if you're looking to do any type of landscaping in the Northeast!

I poured over my mom's copy of this book for several weeks, and after returning it to her, decided it was time to buy my own. I'm a new homeowner who would love to beautify the yard with low maintenance plants that will thrive in my climate. This book is filled with lots of sample plans, pictures of plants, descriptions, and tips on how to care for / prune plants. I love it!!! I've developed my own plan for the front of the house based on ideas from the book, and I feel like I now have a decent idea of what plants to buy and how to group them to make a beautiful front yard. I highly recommend this book.

I live in the Northeast and am a novice gardener. This book is great because it gives you a lot of different garden plans, and let's you see what plants look good together and work well together in similar conditions. I also like that it shows a lot of the garden plans in different seasons, and in some cases shows you what your garden will look like when you plant it, then in five years, or ten years down the road.

The book has a great index so you can cross reference and see the same plant in different gardens, and there's a great reference section at the end that tells you all about each plant. It also has one of the best sections I've seen on preparing your garden for planting.