Mary wants new shoes for Christmas, but her parents are farmers during the Dirty Thirties, and they can’t afford presents. They buy used shoes for Judith, Mary's older sister, and make a doll out of canvas and oats for Mary. As winter deepens, the doll increases the tensions between the sisters and their parents. As spring comes to the beautiful Saskatchewan plains, the doll becomes the catalyst for reconciliation.

I am pleased to report the book listed among the five winners of the 2006 Family Friendly Book Awards at the International Christian Book Fair. Winners help "promote reading as a tool for family bonding, relaxation and individual, mental and spiritual development."

The London (Ontario) Public Library rated Under a Living Sky as a five star book (5/5).

Under a Living Sky is out in ebook.

Yes, there is a sequel but it's not published yet. I am working on it. Patience!

Two Links for Teachers:

• Click here to download the study guide (PDF) from Orca Books.

• Accelerated Reader program quizz # 102846. RL=4.5

Reviews:

• Read the reaction of a savvy 13 year old writer in youth book review.
• Read Elizabeth Fresse's review at Barnes & Noble.  ". . . useful for a unit about the Depression and how people lived during that time. . .also great for talking about family relationships."
• Resource Links - September 1, 2006. "Older readers who are interested in historical fiction will likely enjoy this book. . ."
• CM , Volume XII, Number 10, January 20, 2006 "The book does provide an authentic look at the effects of the Depression on a prairie farm family in Saskatchewan, and for this reason it is a useful novel for teaching about this period in Canadian history."

John Doerksen, my late father-in-law, told me this story. He claimed he heard it as a young person in the Depression. The events happened to a family "a few farms over."

This story is published by Orca Books, in the Orca Young Readers Series. Orca distributes both in Canada and the U.S.A.. The wonderful Maggie De Vries was the editor. John Beder did the artwork, which excellently evokes time and place.

Orca shipped 1500 copies of Under a Living Sky in the book's first month in print. Along with all of North America, the book is  available in Holland, Germany, Italy, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and traveltosoutherneurope!!

Click here to read about the book launch, which was at Audreys Books, Edmonton.  They keep the book in stock at all times, as does Greenwoods' Bookshoppe & Small World!

For more information check out Orca Books or email me: j_a_simons@hotmail.com.

Order it from your local bookstore, USA or Canada.

Only $5.95 (US), $7.95 (CA)

ISBN: 1-55143-355-9

Suggest your library obtain copies!

If you like the book, please consider spreading the word to ensure it stays in print. Write a review at Amazon, Powell's, Barnes & Noble, or Chapters-Indigo, etc..

To find out about foreign rights, or to arrange for a translation of Under a Living Sky into your own language click here.