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Blue Mountain

By Martine Leavitt, Groundwood Books, 176 pages, $14.95

Hard not to judge a book by its cover, though this one is a beauty; Blue Mountain has a gorgeous story, too. A long fable – a bit of Watership Down with a touch more stylized prose, and a bit more distance – is the story of Tuk. A big-horned sheep, the sudden, hesitant new leader of his flock, his challenges are near to those of humans, too: bullies, environmental worries, poverty of resources, friendships gone astray. Gentle in tone but never dull – rather, vibrant and rich and real and bright – Blue Mountain feels a touch anachronistic, but in the best way. It happens in the open air, without any noise, and is pure, beautiful story.

Throwaway Girl

By Kristine Scarrow, Dundurn, 184 pages, $12.99

Moved from her mother's home into foster care at age nine, Andy Burton endures terrible abuse, neglect, and an unattended

personal famine for love. Acts of kindness, though, shine blindingly bright, and there is a touch of Jane Eyre's narrative somewhere in Andy's, though without the wealthy relatives. It's a story not told often enough: the forgotten child, left

to the resource-poor system, but

the heart of the book does not bleed. Andy is sentient, not a victim, but more an observer, and her narrative unravels gently, awaiting its readers.

Ship of Dolls

By Shirley Parenteau, Candlewick, 272 pages, $19

After her father dies, and her modern, flapper mother remarries, Lexie Lewis lives with her grandparents in Portland, Oregon. More than anything, she wishes to be re-united with her mother, whose new husband has different ideas. With her class, she raises money to send a doll to Japan, with hopes of being the student with the best accompanying letter, which would mean a trip to San Francisco, and thus to see her mother. In a book so subtly about writing, a reader could easily miss the subtext. The dreamy, airy tone makes the very real history feel fresh and new. Lexie is an alert, important heroine, not to be missed.

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