National Network for Equitable Library Service

A sweeping family history, chronicling the journey of a group of Russian refugees who settled in rural Alberta in 1924, this book pays tribute to countless people who have found a safe haven in Canada over the past 100 years. Every refugee has a story. This book follows the life of Nikifor Andriev, driven from his homeland in 1924, to settle in Canada as part of a group of 116 privately sponsored Russian refugees. Their new home, the aptly named Homeglen, Alberta, was a symbol of promise and prosperity.

In the next decade, a 60-metre-high wall of compacted earth will stretch more than a kilometre across the main stem of the Peace River, causing the waters behind it to swell into a 93-square-kilometre artificial lake, drowning the best topsoil left in the BC north. The waters will swallow fifty islands and a valley that is home to farmers, ranchers, trappers and habitat to innumerable creatures big and small.

The most accessible and popular of British Columbia's great scenic fjords, Jervis Inlet punches 60 kilometres into the Coast Mountains a day's cruising north of Vancouver. It deserves to be called the "Royal Fjord" on two counts: the long zigzagging watercourse is comprised of four segments all with "royal" names—Prince of Wales Reach, Princess Royal Reach, Queen's Reach and Princess Louisa Inlet; and second, the inlet possesses a scenic majesty that has made it one of the prime boating destinations on the Inside Passage.

The tumultuous rags-to-riches story of the famed O'Keefe ranching family. Founded in 1867, the Historic O'Keefe Ranch offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of an early farming community in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. The O'Keefes of O'kanagan—a welcome resource for any visitor to the site—is an in-depth look into the multiple branches and generations of the family that gave the ranch its name. When Michael O'Keefe arrived in Canada a penniless Irish immigrant in 1819, he had no idea the impact his descendants would leave on the Canadian West.

A third-generation British Columbia logger returns to the forests of Haida Gwaii, in the grip of change. By the time Aaron Williams began learning how to fall a tree, his family had been making clear cuts on BC hillsides for nearly a century. During his father's generation, the industry started to crumble, and by the time Williams arrived, he knew his future lay elsewhere. But his father continued in the trade, his work taking him into the forests of Haida Gwaii.

Boozy and boisterous. The Georges—the communities of South Fort George and Fort George that ultimately became Prince George—have had a seedy reputation since before the First World War, branded Canada's "most dangerous city" more than once. Is Prince George really such a bad lad? The Notorious Georges takes another look, exploring how the local pursuit of respectability collided with caricatures of a riotously ill-mannered settlement frontier in its early years.

"An exploration of wild foods, chef Bill Jones features a ton of recipes using sea vegetables, shellfish, edible plants and foraged mushrooms." —Food Network Canada. A revised and expanded edition of the popular Pacific Northwest foraging cookbook from Deerholme Farm on Vancouver Island. The Deerholme Foraging Cookbook is an exploration of the wild foods found in the Pacific Northwest. Award-winning chef and author Bill Jones's recipes feature local mushrooms, edible plants, sea vegetables, and shellfish.

Recovery is the longest road toward a better future. "When you are that far into addiction, one of the things you are ruled by, you live for, is the drug. It becomes your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your lover." In The Longest Road, Joe Calendino relives his harrowing journey from full-patch Hells Angel to rock bottom. Consumed by drugs and alcohol, he spiralled out of control and ended up strung out, desperate and destitute. Now it's his mission to protect at-risk youth from that same fate.

Larry Kwong became the first player of Asian descent in the NHL when he played one shift with the New York Rangers in 1948. Even though Larry's achievement happened more than 70 years ago, his contribution to hockey is only now being recognized. He broke hockey's color barrier and fought racism and discrimination at every step of his career. From his humble beginnings on the outdoor rinks in Vernon, British Columbia's Chinatown all the way to playing at Madison Square Garden and in the NHL, this inspiring hero has a timeless story for young readers.

The office of lieutenant governor has been a constant in British Columbia from the province's colonial beginnings to the modern era. Originally tasked with selecting the province's premier, giving royal assent to provincial legislation, and invested with the power to dismiss governments, the role of the Crown's representative has continually evolved to meet the needs of society. Today the office's constitutional powers largely focus on community functions, but the role of lieutenant governor is more than ceremonial.