2024!
Great Canadian books to gift for Christmas!
We stopped exchanging huge, multi-item Christmas presents with loved ones a few years back. Somehow, though, we couldn't quite break the habit of giving special gifts to our close family and friends. But now, rather than blowing the budget on massive piles of pressies, we take the time to carefully choose one perfect book for each person on our list.
Whether it's a history book for a heritage buff, a nature tome for a wildlife lover or a cute picture book for a junior reader, there's a delightful gift volume for everyone out there, so long as you know where to look. Here at the Vancouver Christmas Guide, we've made it easy for you this year by profiling some of our recently published favourites. Better yet, each of these is written by a Canada-based author, so you'll also be supporting hardworking local and regional writers at the same time!
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Just Say Yes: A Memoir
by Bob McDonald (Douglas & McIntyre; $34.95)
Perfect for: Fans of biography, science and Canadian journalism
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The celebrated journalist and host of CBC radio’s Quirks & Quarks charts his inspiring personal journey from troubled childhood to university dropout to Canada's foremost popular science reporter. Along the way, he regales us with entertaining and beautifully observed tales of everything from his early broadcasts and life-changing challenges to cross-country motorcycle odysseys and even a couple of zero gravity flights!
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Dare to Bird
by Melissa Hafting (Rocky Mountain Books; $45)
Perfect for: Fans of birds, nature, wildlife photography
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Subtitled Exploring the Joy and Healing Power of Birds, this utterly beguiling volume is packed with Hafting's amazing avian photography, captured in Canada, Hawaii and the wider U.S. But there's much than top-level imagery on display here. This inspiring book also illustrates and advocates for a deeper connection to nature, showing us how we can enrich our own lives by fully seeing and being with the natural world around us.
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The Road to Appledore
by Tom Wayman (Harbour Publishing; $26.95)
Perfect for: Fans of biography, nature, backcountry B.C.
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Subtitled How I Went Back to the Land Without Ever Having Lived There in the First Place, this transportive memoir charts the back-to-nature adventures of accomplished writer Wayman, who swapped Vancouver living for a remote new existence in B.C.’s Selkirk Mountains. With wit, wonder and delight, he gives us the low-down on exactly what becoming a new backcountry resident is like, complete with observations on everything from growing your own food to dealing with a bear cub in your kitchen.
Searching for Franklin
by Ken McGoogan (Douglas & McIntyre; $38.95)
Prefect for: Fans of history, Franklin's story and the Arctic
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This meticulously researched yet surprisingly accessible book explores Franklin's two failed Arctic expeditions by dismissing many of the old orthodoxies and surveying all the latest and most revealing studies, including the author's own investigations and some fascinating Inuit oral accounts. The result is a gripping account of each of Franklin's two monumental misadventures plus an amazing new theory about the catastrophic second expedition in which more than 100 men lost their lives.
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Poutine: A Deep-Fried Road Trip of Discovery
by Justin Giovannetti Lamothe (Douglas & McIntyre; $24.95)
Perfect for: Fans of food writing, poutine and Canadian social history
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Join this award-winning, Quebec-born journalist for a delicious, finger-licking and highly readable journey into the heart of Canada's national dish. Exploring the 1950s/1960s origins of poutine as well as its rise to prominence across the country, this book is a colourful evocation of yesteryear Canada as well as a revealing account of the author's rediscovery of the Quebecois culture he had drifted away from.
Climate Hope: Stories of Action in an Age of Global Crisis
by David Geselbracht (Douglas & McIntyre; $24.95)
Perfect for: Fans of science, environmental journalism
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It’s easy to be paralyzed with fear about climate issues, but award-winning science writer Geselbracht shows that hope is possible––if you know where to look. Untangling the complex causes and impacts of our current predicament in an accessible way, he fuses recent research, expert interviews and dynamic reportage to uncover new approaches and potential solutions, promoting the idea that it's not too late to tackle our challenges with a renewed sense of purpose.
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Quest for Speed
by Derek Hayes (Douglas & McIntyre; $44.95)
Perfect for: Fans of trains, history and railway nostalgia
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Subtitled A History of Trains from Rocket to Bullet and Beyond, this fascinating, gorgeously illustrated volume explores the rich and colourful story of rail transport from early 1800s England, across Europe and out to the rest of the world where innovations such as the Japanese Shinkansen arrived in the 1960s. Filled with engaging tales, countless photos and a boxcar full characters, it’s a book you pick up on a rainy day and can’t stop reading.
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From a Square to a Circle: Haida Basketry
by Delores Churchill (Harbour Publishing; $34.95)
Perfect for: Fans of arts & crafts, Indigenous culture
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An evocative and inspiring fusion of memoir and how-to craft guide, revered Haida weaver Delores Churchill relates the story of her life and regales us with the important lessons she’s learned along the way. You’ll also discover exactly how she gathers cedar bark, prepares spruce roots and mixes natural dyes to create her intricate, beautiful woven artworks––from berry picking baskets to spruce root hats. Instructional graphics and plenty of colour photos make this a lovely gift.
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Little by Little You Can Change the World
by Sonya Ballantyne, Rhael McGregor & Toben Racicot (HighWater Press; $22.95)
Perfect for: Junior fans of graphic novels; young engaged citizens
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This delightfully illustrated graphic novel––aimed at the 9 to 12 age group––tells the true and uplifting story of Michael Redhead Champagne. The youngest person at the youth conference he’s attending, he heroically stands up for his community and inspires everyone with his commitment to doing the right thing. The book also suggests cool things kids can do in their own communities, from litter collecting to bird feeding.
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A Perfect Day for a Walk
by Bill Arnott (Arsenal Pulp Press; $24.95)
Perfect for: Fans of urban exploring, exploring Vancouver
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Subtitled The History, Cultures and Communities of Vancouver, on Foot, this engaging tome is the perfect companion for locals and visitors keen to get much more out their leisurely strolls around the city. Arnott is the ideal host as you rediscover Gastown, Kitsilano, Granville Island and beyond via entertaining stories, surprising factoids and even some remarkable secrets. Photos and maps make this book useful and informative as well as a thoroughly fun read.
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Beast: A Novel
by Richard Van Camp (Douglas & McIntyre; $24.95)
Perfect for: Young adult fans of supernatural horror
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This highly engaging page-turner for YA/New Adult readers is set in a small town Northwest Territories community in the 1980s, where the historic yet fragile feud between the Dogrib and Chipewyan threatens to dissolve into all-out warfare at any time. A cruel, ghoulish spirit that seems hell bent on destroying the peace by raking up a vengeful past only adds to the town’s problems. Hair-raising horror and brilliantly observed realism combine in this gripping, spirited tale.
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A Flock of Gulls, a Chorus of Frogs
by Roy Henry Vickers & Robert Budd (Harbour Publishing; $14.95)
Perfect for: Babies, toddlers, new readers
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This beautiful, nature-loving board book in the bestselling First West Coast Book series profiles our region’s celebrated animals in their natural habitats––from a rave of ravens to a bloom of jellies and more. With rhythmic rhyming text and utterly gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Vickers, young children (and their adults) will find themselves deeply immersed in a captivating world of howling wolves and snuggling bears.
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The Day the Rains Came
by David Wolinsky (Mosaic Press; $9.99)
Perfect for: Time-pressed fiction fans
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Don’t have time in your day to dive into War & Peace? Don’t fret! You can still enjoy page-turning tales via the increasingly popular flash fiction genre––ultra short stories (often just a few hundred words) penned by a top-notch exponent such as David Wolinsky. His brilliantly readable, hugely diverse anthology covers countless themes and multiple characters. The common thread? Every story is funny, irreverent and highly entertaining.
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Up Front
by Ken Rivard (Mosaic Press; $7.99)
Perfect for: Fiction, short story and flash fiction fans.
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A celebrated master of the flash fiction genre, Rivard’s newest collection is an electrifying anthology of stories set in an inner-city secondary school. Each of the complex, compassionate, character-driven tales here reflects the raw and pulsating energy of young lives, showing the surprising power and depth that well-told flash fiction stories can have. A follow-up to his critically acclaimed canalWatch collection, this book is a must for flash fiction fans and newbies alike.
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The Pink Puppet: A Book of Tales
by Robert Hilles (Mosaic Press; $17.49)
Perfect for: Fans of short stories and flash fiction
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Acclaimed poet, novelist and Governor General’s Award-winner Hilles has produced his first-ever collection entirely devoted to the flash fiction genre. An excellent stocking stuffer for fiction-lovers, it’s jam-packed with more than two dozen distinctive, richly engaging tales––from a retiree encountering a cat in Thailand to a son whose father disappears on Christmas Day. It’s the kind of un-put-downable book you buy for someone as a gift but end up keeping for yourself!
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The Animal People Choose a Leader
by Richard Wagamese (Douglas & McIntyre; $24.95)
Perfect for: Children aged 6 to 8, nature-lovers of all ages
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This beguiling storybook relates a tale from “Long Ago Time” when all the animals gathered to select a leader. A race between the Cougar, Horse, Buffalo and Wolverine (plus a humble Rabbit named Waabooz) is staged, and the limits of physical force become evident in the face of humility, empathy and more. Lyrical, poignant and filled with magical Bridget George illustrations, Ojibway author Wagamese, who died in 1917, delivers a gem-like book every household should own.
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First Here and Then Far
by David Zieroth (Harbour Publishing; $24.95)
Perfect for: Fans of poetry, creative writing
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A vibrant collection of works from 1971 to 2024 by acclaimed B.C. poet David Zieroth, this immersive anthology includes richly evocative pieces on everything from his rural Prairie childhood to simple observations from the balcony of his North Vancouver home. Direct, stirring and driven by Zieroth’s searching curiosity, this chronologically arranged collection is a worthy addition to any serious library of Canadian creative titles.
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Never Boring
by Ed Willes (Harbour Publishing; $28.95)
Perfect for: Canucks fans, hockey lovers
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Subtitled The Up and Down History of the Vancouver Canucks, veteran sports writer Willes offers readers his entertaining, sometimes bitterly funny backstory of the perennially underachieving NHL team. Ranging from unlucky draft picks to a rocky ownership record, Canucks fans will roll their eyes in recognition at the litany of woe that passes for the team’s history; a chance to wallow in misery at the same time as looking to the future with collective hope.
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Canada Crosswords: Book 25
by Gwen Sjogren (Nightwood Editions; $18.95)
Perfect for: Crossword and puzzle fans
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The 25th anniversary edition of this bestselling crossword series offers Sjogren's signature mix of clever clues, covering everything from hockey to music to geology in 85 fun and sometimes fiendishly tricky puzzles. That includes 25 with specific Canada themes, 25 with general Canadiana clues and some extra-tough puzzles to give your brain a great workout. Fans of Sjorgen’s “pun puzzles” will also enjoy eight “Blast from the Past” versions from previous collections.
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Adventures in Desolation Sound
by Grant Lawrence (Harbour Publishing; $24.95)
Perfect for: Kids aged 4 to 7
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Deploying Lawrence’s signature quirky humour for junior readers, this strikingly illustrated storybook relates the true tale of a family’s summer-long stay in a remote B.C. cabin. The kids are not thrilled about the absent TV and outside toilet, but they soon tune into the jaw-dropping nature around them––making new friends and having cool adventures along the way. Real-life characters such as Cougar Nancy and Russell the Hermit leap from the pages of this delightful tome.
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