Haunted Harbours by Steve Vernon is a collection of 21 ghost stories based on legends and historical stories from across Nova Scotia. The stories range from mysterious spirits and haunted ships to strange creatures and unexplained events. What makes the book especially interesting is that the stories are connected to real places in Nova Scotia, making the legends feel much closer and more believable.

One of the strongest parts of the book is Vernon’s storytelling. Rather than simply listing facts about each legend, he tells the stories in a conversational way that feels almost like listening to someone tell a ghost story around a campfire. The descriptions create an eerie atmosphere while also showing the history and character of Nova Scotia.

Even though ghost stories aren’t my cup of tea, Haunted Harbours is an enjoyable collection for anyone interested in Nova Scotia, local history, or ghost stories. Vernon does a good job of turning old legends into entertaining stories while preserving their connection to the province. It is especially interesting because it shows that Nova Scotia’s history is filled with stories that are just as mysterious as they are memorable.

Book: Cammie’s Family Secret
By Laura Best
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing

Cammie’s Family Secret by Laura best is by far my favourite book I have read all year! This book follows our main character Cammie Turple who is a young girl who just so happens to be blind, she goes on to figure out who her real family is. In Laura Best’s previous books we see Cammie grow to be more independent.

I really loved all of Laura Best’s books and this one was definitely not the exception. I liked that even though Cammie has a disability this book is not just about her disability, it’s about her ability to problem solve!

My favourite part was when Cammie was looking for her aunt’s scrapbook.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

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Creative Mind, Happy Soul is a colouring book for individuals to get their creative minds rolling! From prompts to patterns, questions to sketching, this book is amazing for a wind-down after a long day.

Having the digital version, I printed off a couple of these pages to try them out too, and they did not disappoint! Especially after a long day of school, I looked forward to this activity at the end of the day. I especially love how low the time commitment is to have some time to myself while enjoying some artsy activity and listening to my favourite music.

I think this activity book is great for all ages, but as for who would get the most out of it, it would for sure be those who love art, creativity, peaceful, and calm things to do. Some occasions where I would strongly recommend doing this are on a rainy day, snow day, boring day, or simply when you want to clean the dust off of your markers and curate some art masterpieces!

Sheree Fitch captures perfectly the beauty of simplicity in this book. I personally loved it. I loved the light sketches of symbols that highlight the meaning of life. One page included a mother carrying the world in her arms, trying to get the dear infant to fall asleep. Another had a heart broken in half, portraying the loss we all have experienced towards someone we felt deeply towards a time in the past. Although this book was short with only a couple of sentences, the vocabulary speaks high value. It gave me a gentle reminder that we all have people who surround us because they love us and that it is okay to express yourself.

It also showed me that we are not alone. Whether we have bombed a test, forgotten an important event, or had an awful day, it is normal to feel like that at times. It is okay to cry and not be 100% you. This book showed me that success shouldn’t be the priority, but being for the ones you love.

Sheree Fitch had beautiful light colours that filled each page, capturing the reader’s attention. From light green to purple and blue, they represent the many emotions we all have as individuals. Green for the happy things, like the joyful sun and summer break. Blue for the darker moments, such as a loss or unfortunate news. The colour purple in this book, however, reflected on the importance of love, which I adored.

Overall, I highly recommend you purchase this book! Whether it is for a bedtime story or a self-reflection, it is perfect for both occasions.