Sam and J.J. are back on the ghost-hunting trail, this time on the grounds around Regina’s historic Government House. Follow them as they go back in time to meet a mushroom gardener and two mysterious young women with a secret. Will they figure out what it means? And will they be able to get back to their own time to do something about it?
Three books by three Robins have been included in the current #WeHaveDiverseBooks catalogue – an initiative of the Association of Canadian Publishers’ Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom program.
Through Flood and Fire is the sequel to Anne’s first Barr Colony Adventure, Full Steam to Canada!
In the first book, Dorothy’s family makes the arduous journey to the Canadian Northwest Territories as part of the Barr Colony group in 1903. When the rest of her family falls seasick on the journey, Dorothy experiences freedom she has never had before. When they arrive in Canada, they take the train to the tent city of Saskatoon. Things are different than in England – even getting the small things like food and water takes a lot of work– but Dorothy is excited about the adventure and her new life.
In the second book, her family is ready to make the final leg of their journey from Saskatoon to their new homestead, several days’ travel away by horse-drawn wagon. Unfortunately, there is an outbreak of measles in the camp, and Dorothy’s mother has to stay behind. So Dorothy sets out with the rest of her family and a few other people they met on the first part of their journey. It’s a good thing Dorothy has grit, because they will face many daunting adventures before they can build their new home.
These stories are based on the recollections of Dorothy Boan, who came to Canada as a child with the Barr Colonists, and the diaries of some of the other people who were there. To see some of Anne’s research and hear Dorothy’s further thoughts on the journeys, check out Anne’s Barr Colony Adventure website.
Buy Through Flood and Fire as a print or e-book at:
Sisters Jennifer and Sarah were once part of a happy, stable family, but their idyllic life comes to an abrupt halt with the death of their mother. Unable to cope with his grief and the needs of his two young daughters, their father finds comfort in alcohol, gets fired from his job, and loses his grip on his family. As twelve-year-old Jennifer approaches maturity, she starts to develop a tough exterior, especially when she attracts unwelcome attention from one of her father’s friends.
With nothing left to lose, the two sisters decide run away to their mother’s sister in Vancouver, setting out with very little money and no clear plan. Along the way, they must overcome fear, loneliness, illness, and the conflict inherent in their sibling relationship. This emotional story deals with mature themes, but it is ultimately about the enduring bonds of family.
An earlier version of this book was published by Roussan in 1999. It was given an “Our Choice” citation from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and nominated for a Saskatchewan Book Award in the Children’s Literature category.
Join author Judith Silverthorne has she takes us on a short tour of the historic Government House in Regina, Saskatchewan Canada. As she reads from her book, Ghosts of Government House, two young girls explore the haunted house to see if the ghosts really do roam the halls and bedrooms of this enchanted old mansion.
Saskatchewan Children's Writers' Round Robin 