G is for Golden Boy

G is for Golden Boy: A Manitoba Alphabet

From Manitoba's ancient shores and the rivers that create the Forks to Cree artist Jackson Beardy and V for Valour Road, this richly illustrated book tells about the landscapes, people and culture of this diverse province in a two-tier format that combines poetry for young readers and expository for older readers.

A Sample

P is for Polar bears

who linger around Hudson Bay

attracting hordes of visitors

while they wait for cooler days.

Churchill, Manitoba is famous for its autumn visitors. Each October and November, polar bears take up temporary residence on the outskirts of this small northern town as they wait for the ice to freeze on Hudson Bay. The polar bears attract other visitors, too. Tourists flock to the town, anxious to catch a glimpse of the lumbering white beasts, giving Churchill its other name - "Polar Bear Capital of the World."

Reviews

"...a must-have for school libraries from elementary through junior to senior high. Manitobans whether native or transplanted, living here or elsewhere, should feel a sense of pride as they turn the pages of this book"

Canadian Materials, Volume XV Number 22

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"Larry Verstraete's love of his home province is evident in every page of this beautiful and informative Canadian picture book. The alphabet is depicted in art and rhyme, while additional historical, geographical and cultural information gives each letter a fascinating intrigue. This is a book of place, a book of knowledge and a book to be pored over again and again."

2010 Manitoba Book Awards Program

Honours

Shortlisted, McNally Robinson Book of the Year for Young People Award, 2010