Celebrate Diversity Month!

 
May is Celebrate Diversity Month. Breakwater Books is proud to publish the many voices that make up this province. This is just a small selection of our books by diverse authors. Our website has curated lists of books for BIPOC lit and Queer Lit for a greater selection.
Pictured here are The Quest for a "National" Nationalism by George Elliot Clarke, My Indian by Mi'sel Joe and Sheila O'Neill, Us, Now edited by Lisa Moore, Land of Many Shores edited by Ainsley Hathorn, Crippled by Paul David Power, Transversing with a foreword by Gemma Hickey, and Queer Monologues produced by For the Love of Learning.

Available Now

The Tales Of Dwipa is a collection of short stories adapted from the Panchatantra, a collection of simple, engaging, and interrelated animal tales penned by Pandit Vishnu Sharma in the hopes of awakening the dim intelligence of a powerful Indian king’s idle sons. The ancient stories of the Panchatantra still find meaning in today’s world despite originating in India before 300 BCE. These stories are set in a Canadian context with topical themes, bringing together two distinct cultures—Indian and Canadian—for the most impressionable minds of our society.
 
Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom, did a quick review of The Tales of Dwipa as part of the Early Reader (Grades 3-6) Book Review.
 
A story of adventure, betrayal, and resilience in Newfoundland set against the backdrop of the historical events of the American War of Independence.
Loyalty and betrayal meet in Newfoundland during the tumultuous War of American Independence. Jonah Squibb returns to the Royal Navy to defend his beloved island from Yankee raids and predation. The task is a welcome respite from grief at the death of his wife and the estrangement of his son. The future holds other heartaches, however, as the war at sea intensifies and he is called upon to achieve a great deal with very little. The novel is a sweeping drama of battles on the Grand Banks and romance and intrigue in St. John’s harbour.

The Yankee Privateer is now available in bookstores.
 

NLHS Lecture: My Indian

 
Saqamaw Mi'sel Joe and Sheila O'Neill gave a wonderful lecture for the Newfoundland and Labrador Historical Society monthly lecture series. Really, it was more of a conversation about how they worked together to combine written and oral history to create the story of Mi'kmaq guide Sylvester Joe who was hired by William Cormack in 1922 to guide him around the island of Newfoundland in search of the last remaining Beothuk encampments. 
This important and fascinating lecture, plus the Q&A discussions, are available on the NLHS website.
On our website you will also find a study guide and book club discussion guide under the free resources section at breakwaterbooks.com.
 

Love for our Authors!

 
"'Instructor' is a beautiful, powerful novel about loss, imperfection, and finding wonder in the present moment. On the surface it's about a woman grieving the death of her husband, but as it unfolds the novel delves poetically into metaphysics and metaphor. 'Instructor' is an experience not to be missed, one that will open pathways to stillness and self-reflection."
 
 
“So it is in a spirit of celebration that I have read this thin volume, in which Dalton praises her fellow poets and their use of the everyday speech of her people. […] Although the Pratt Lectures (after the poet E.J. Pratt) were established in 1968, this is only the second book in this series that I have encountered. Small enough to balance on one’s palm, they hold more than their weight in thoughtful inspiration.”
 
Heidi Greco, The Miramichi Reader

 

 
“In this beautifully balanced collection, Heather Nolan considers the notion of how we come to meet our different ancestral stories, and then how we mine the past to find ourselves in the present places and spaces. For those of Irish descent, it’s an exploration of ideas that might haunt more than a few of us. Beyond that, though, Nolan’s collection roots you as a reader in geographical landscapes that echo one another, but encourages you to journey further, to consider how place and ancestry can influence identity, language, and story.”
 
 
 
"It is great for opening up discussions with young readers about problem solving, resolving conflicts, and celebrating differences."

Spencer Miller, Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom
 

Earth Day

 
Celebrate our planet with books on enjoying the outdoors, appreciations for this beautiful planet, learning about how history and ecology have shaped Newfoundland and Labrador, or with non-fiction about the line between caring for nature and exploiting it for research and fame.
Pictured here: Backpacking Across Newfoundland by Gilbert Penney, Cod by George A. Rose, Rivers & Woods by Len Rich, Lost in Newfoundland by Michael Winsor, The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau, and Marine Wildlife of Gros Morne National Park Region by Joe Wroblewsky.
 

Fish Friday!

 
Many people had fish last Friday, and prepared in many different ways. From the traditional fish and brewis in the classic Fat-Back & Molasses, to seal flipper pie in The Newfoundland and Labrador Seafood Cookbook, to curried cod in East Coast Keto 2, there are many wonderful ways to prepare your favourite seafood.