SaskBooks Reviews - 25 March 2022
https://reviews.skbooks.com/race-to-finish/
Race to Finish
by Marion Mutala
Published by Millennium Marketing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$19.99 ISBN 9-781777-371319
Marion Mutala is a literary machine, with sixteen published books and more on the way. I’ve previously reviewed two of her children’s books--Grateful and the 175-page, multi-story achievement, Baba’s Babushka. The Saskatchewan writer’s latest title, Race to Finish, is a poetry collection, dedicated to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG); the First Nations children buried in unmarked, residential school graves across Canada; and the Black Lives Matter movement. It begins with a foreword by artist Kevin L. Peeace, who relays the experience of presenting in an elementary school and being asked by a young student: “What was it like being at the residential school?” Peeace also provided the compelling black and white cover drawing of a bisected face: one half representing the bricks and tears of the residential school experience, the other representative of his peoples’ connection to the land and familial love—at least that’s my interpretation.
Mutala’s poems champion racial equality, gratitude, positivity, and God, as well as personal experience, ie: “the old wooden cookstove on the/farm when I was a child” (from “Reminds Me”). Not every poem is rosy, however. In “God’s Tricks” she acknowledges that “life happens”: “A little of this and a lot of that and too soon/We are in high school dragging our butts around,/Tired, wanting to sleep the days away and party/the nights”. And as life continues, we eventually “look old and tired” and “Our spirit is fried like a parched desert”.
The writer chooses various styles and structures: some pieces rhyme, some are a single stanza, and some, like the prosaic “Envision,” read like miniature pep talks: “Why not envision the best city in Saskatchewan, in Canada, in the entire world?” “Plain Lucky”—dedicated to the late writer Wes Funk—contains the everyday dialogue of two friends enjoying coffee together. The piece “Don’t You Think?” repeats the opening line and adds another with each new stanza. It begins: “I think if you stand in front of a church with a/Bible held high in your hand, you should open/it,” and in progressive stanzas the writer advises said Bible-holder/s to read and “use” the words of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Mutala writes from the perspective of one who is “white privileged,” and she should be commended for addressing systemic racism in these poems, many of which blatantly articulate that “Black Lives and Indigenous Lives Matter”. She encourages “other white privileged” folks to speak up about racial injustice and persecution based on sexual orientation. “Do not be silent!” she heralds. “Smarten up!”
This small book includes an “Open Dialogue” featuring eight questions, ie: “What are things people can do to promote reconciliation?” and “What are things people can do to stop homophobia?” and invites readers to share their stories “so we can listen, understand, and change to make life better”. It concludes with a “Resources” section.
A portion of this book’s proceeds go to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Want to learn more about the prolific Mutala? Visit www.babasbabushka.ca .
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
by Marion Mutala
Published by Millennium Marketing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$19.99 ISBN 9-781777-371319
Marion Mutala is a literary machine, with sixteen published books and more on the way. I’ve previously reviewed two of her children’s books--Grateful and the 175-page, multi-story achievement, Baba’s Babushka. The Saskatchewan writer’s latest title, Race to Finish, is a poetry collection, dedicated to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG); the First Nations children buried in unmarked, residential school graves across Canada; and the Black Lives Matter movement. It begins with a foreword by artist Kevin L. Peeace, who relays the experience of presenting in an elementary school and being asked by a young student: “What was it like being at the residential school?” Peeace also provided the compelling black and white cover drawing of a bisected face: one half representing the bricks and tears of the residential school experience, the other representative of his peoples’ connection to the land and familial love—at least that’s my interpretation.
Mutala’s poems champion racial equality, gratitude, positivity, and God, as well as personal experience, ie: “the old wooden cookstove on the/farm when I was a child” (from “Reminds Me”). Not every poem is rosy, however. In “God’s Tricks” she acknowledges that “life happens”: “A little of this and a lot of that and too soon/We are in high school dragging our butts around,/Tired, wanting to sleep the days away and party/the nights”. And as life continues, we eventually “look old and tired” and “Our spirit is fried like a parched desert”.
The writer chooses various styles and structures: some pieces rhyme, some are a single stanza, and some, like the prosaic “Envision,” read like miniature pep talks: “Why not envision the best city in Saskatchewan, in Canada, in the entire world?” “Plain Lucky”—dedicated to the late writer Wes Funk—contains the everyday dialogue of two friends enjoying coffee together. The piece “Don’t You Think?” repeats the opening line and adds another with each new stanza. It begins: “I think if you stand in front of a church with a/Bible held high in your hand, you should open/it,” and in progressive stanzas the writer advises said Bible-holder/s to read and “use” the words of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Mutala writes from the perspective of one who is “white privileged,” and she should be commended for addressing systemic racism in these poems, many of which blatantly articulate that “Black Lives and Indigenous Lives Matter”. She encourages “other white privileged” folks to speak up about racial injustice and persecution based on sexual orientation. “Do not be silent!” she heralds. “Smarten up!”
This small book includes an “Open Dialogue” featuring eight questions, ie: “What are things people can do to promote reconciliation?” and “What are things people can do to stop homophobia?” and invites readers to share their stories “so we can listen, understand, and change to make life better”. It concludes with a “Resources” section.
A portion of this book’s proceeds go to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Want to learn more about the prolific Mutala? Visit www.babasbabushka.ca .
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
SaskBooks Reviews - 28 July 2021
https://reviews.skbooks.com/mechanics-wife-the/
The Mechanic’s Wife
by Marion Mutala
Published by Millennium Marketing
Review by Toby A. Welch
$14.95 ISBN 9781777371302
The cover of The Mechanic’s Wife is what initially drew me in. Illustrated by Olha Tkachenko, it is a vibrant illustration of two women with an older model blue GTO between them. Things get even better once you crack the book open. We immediately delve into the life of DD, a Ukrainian detective based in Saskatoon. Her backstory is fully fleshed out in a way that makes it impossible to do anything but continue reading.
The meat of this book is the story of Dwayne and Marianne. Married almost two decades, one of them isn’t thrilled with the life they have built together. Let’s just say some things happen, bringing DD, the leading criminal investigator in Canada at the time of the story, and Raunchy, her associate, into their lives. The two tackle the case of what really took place between Dwayne and Marianne.
On a side note, it’s hard not to like DD’s quirky sidekick, Raunchy. He is endlessly entertaining and provides another level to the story. Fun characters like Raunchy make any book a better read.
Author Marion Mutala is a resident of Saskatoon. She has penned seven children’s books, one young adult work, one book of poetry, and two works of adult fiction including The Mechanic’s Wife. Several of her children’s books have won awards. Her late grandparents emigrated from Ukraine to Canada in 1912 and her Ukrainian heritage plays a big role in most of her books. That is certainly the case in The Mechanic’s Wife with its numerous Ukrainian references.
As a Saskatchewanian, I thoroughly enjoyed how familiar all the locations in this book felt. The book is set in Saskatoon and while the author is clear that this is a work of fiction, it is clear how many of the locales are true places in Saskatchewan. That is so cool, like watching a movie with scenes that were shot in places you have visited. There is even a mention of Gerry Zerbecky, a Saskatoon artist.
While The Mechanic’s Wife could’ve used a heavier hand by the editor, at its core it has all the essential elements of a great book – characters you grow to care about and a story that draws you in and keeps you there. It’s a quick, fun read you can finish in one sitting. Two thumbs up!
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
by Marion Mutala
Published by Millennium Marketing
Review by Toby A. Welch
$14.95 ISBN 9781777371302
The cover of The Mechanic’s Wife is what initially drew me in. Illustrated by Olha Tkachenko, it is a vibrant illustration of two women with an older model blue GTO between them. Things get even better once you crack the book open. We immediately delve into the life of DD, a Ukrainian detective based in Saskatoon. Her backstory is fully fleshed out in a way that makes it impossible to do anything but continue reading.
The meat of this book is the story of Dwayne and Marianne. Married almost two decades, one of them isn’t thrilled with the life they have built together. Let’s just say some things happen, bringing DD, the leading criminal investigator in Canada at the time of the story, and Raunchy, her associate, into their lives. The two tackle the case of what really took place between Dwayne and Marianne.
On a side note, it’s hard not to like DD’s quirky sidekick, Raunchy. He is endlessly entertaining and provides another level to the story. Fun characters like Raunchy make any book a better read.
Author Marion Mutala is a resident of Saskatoon. She has penned seven children’s books, one young adult work, one book of poetry, and two works of adult fiction including The Mechanic’s Wife. Several of her children’s books have won awards. Her late grandparents emigrated from Ukraine to Canada in 1912 and her Ukrainian heritage plays a big role in most of her books. That is certainly the case in The Mechanic’s Wife with its numerous Ukrainian references.
As a Saskatchewanian, I thoroughly enjoyed how familiar all the locations in this book felt. The book is set in Saskatoon and while the author is clear that this is a work of fiction, it is clear how many of the locales are true places in Saskatchewan. That is so cool, like watching a movie with scenes that were shot in places you have visited. There is even a mention of Gerry Zerbecky, a Saskatoon artist.
While The Mechanic’s Wife could’ve used a heavier hand by the editor, at its core it has all the essential elements of a great book – characters you grow to care about and a story that draws you in and keeps you there. It’s a quick, fun read you can finish in one sitting. Two thumbs up!
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
CM: Canadian Review of Materials Volume XXVII, No. 24
Baba's Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures
https://www.cmreviews.ca/node/2127
Excerpt:
Baba's Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures is a compilation of four books, three of which, Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas; Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Easter and Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Wedding, have been previously reviewed in CM. The fourth title, Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Journey, is new and will be the principal focus of this review.
[...]
In Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures, Marion Mutala traces Baba’s life story from girlhood to adulthood, connecting it with Natalia’s learning of and understanding the source of the Ukrainian traditions which are an important part of her life. The series is stronger for having all four stories in one collection. Rather unusual for a series, three different artists have illustrated the stories, and, in A Magical Ukrainian Journey, Olha Tkachenko’s illustrations are soft but colourful. In all four stories, the full-colour illustrations face each page of text which is bordered by a geometric Ukrainian embroidery motif, and, unlike the previous three books, this collected volume is paginated and sturdily bound. As with the previous three releases, there’s a “Glossary” and pronunciation guide for those readers with minimal knowledge of Ukrainian. A special recipe or two follows the ending of each of the four stories, and this book is no exception. Baba and Dido’s homecoming would have been a very special event for their Ukrainian relatives, and perhaps Baba Sophia would have enjoyed a torte for which her recipe is included.
While boys also feel great warmth and love for their babas (and didos), Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures is likely to be read and enjoyed by girls. The book is definitely a worthwhile acquisition for elementary school libraries and resource collections in schools which offer Ukrainian language programing and for public libraries serving communities with significant Ukrainian-Canadian populations.
Highly Recommended
Reviewer: Joanne Peters is a retired teacher-librarian living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Treaty 1 Territory and Homeland of the Métis People.
Baba's Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures is a compilation of four books, three of which, Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas; Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Easter and Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Wedding, have been previously reviewed in CM. The fourth title, Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Journey, is new and will be the principal focus of this review.
[...]
In Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures, Marion Mutala traces Baba’s life story from girlhood to adulthood, connecting it with Natalia’s learning of and understanding the source of the Ukrainian traditions which are an important part of her life. The series is stronger for having all four stories in one collection. Rather unusual for a series, three different artists have illustrated the stories, and, in A Magical Ukrainian Journey, Olha Tkachenko’s illustrations are soft but colourful. In all four stories, the full-colour illustrations face each page of text which is bordered by a geometric Ukrainian embroidery motif, and, unlike the previous three books, this collected volume is paginated and sturdily bound. As with the previous three releases, there’s a “Glossary” and pronunciation guide for those readers with minimal knowledge of Ukrainian. A special recipe or two follows the ending of each of the four stories, and this book is no exception. Baba and Dido’s homecoming would have been a very special event for their Ukrainian relatives, and perhaps Baba Sophia would have enjoyed a torte for which her recipe is included.
While boys also feel great warmth and love for their babas (and didos), Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures is likely to be read and enjoyed by girls. The book is definitely a worthwhile acquisition for elementary school libraries and resource collections in schools which offer Ukrainian language programing and for public libraries serving communities with significant Ukrainian-Canadian populations.
Highly Recommended
Reviewer: Joanne Peters is a retired teacher-librarian living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Treaty 1 Territory and Homeland of the Métis People.
SaskBooks Reviews - 6 January 2021
https://reviews.skbooks.com/babas-babushka-magical-ukrainian-adventures/
Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures
Written by Marion Mutala, Illustrated by Amber Rees, Wendy Siemens, Olha Tkachenko
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$39.95 ISBN 9-781988-783611
Before one reads a single word of Baba’s Babushka, it’s evident that this illustrated children’s book is far beyond the ordinary. The 175-page hardcover emanates quality, from the phenomenal production – including colourful, full-page illustrations opposite the text pages, each bordered in a Ukrainian embroidery design – to the heft of the paper used, the contributions of three skilled illustrators, the inclusion of Ukrainian recipes, and a glossary for the numerous Ukrainian words used in the text. The package is highly impressive … and then there are the four heartwarming, connected tales Mutala spins within the book.
Saskatchewan’s Mutala is already known for her award-winning, Ukrainian-themed children’s books, including More Baba’s, Please! and My Dearest Dido: A Holodomor Story, but this latest publication – essentially four books in one – is her tour de force. In each magical story, young Natalia – who lives on a farm near Hafford, SK – is whisked into her ancestral past when her recently-departed and much-loved grandmother’s (Baba’s) colourful babushka (head scarf) materializes – via flowers, swirling leaves, or “a few white feathers” – on the girl’s own head. Nature-loving Natalia is lifted into the sky and further – “she burst through clouds and rushed past stars, nearly touching the moon as she sped through the heavens” – before she finds herself transported into her Baba’s life in the “old country,” Ukraine.
Readers first travel with the blonde-haired girl to “A Magical Ukrainian Christmas,” where she joins a loving and devout family traditionally attired in blue (females) or black (males) vests over white blouses or shirts decorated with red embroidery at their twelve-dish Christmas Eve meal. The interloping girl – she’s invisible to her ancestors – is familiar with the numerous traditions, ie: “three loaves of round, braided kolach bread had been stacked on top of each other and placed specially in the centre of the table, each shaped in the circle of God’s unending love” and feels at home. On the wall she spies her grandparents’ wedding photo – I assume this is an actual photo of the author’s grandparents – and makes the connection that the girl at the table beside her is, in fact, her Baba. In the remaining stories – “A Magical Ukrainian Easter,” “A Magical Ukrainian Wedding,” and “A Magical Ukrainian Journey” – Mutala includes descriptions of and explanations for the various traditions, and we witness Baba’s life unfold.
Each story follows a similar pattern and demonstrates the Ukrainian family’s warmth, faith, customs, and fun-loving nature. I learned about the relevance of symbols (candles, honey); about cultural superstitions, ie: a spider and web are “placed on the Christmas tree for luck,” and a “high, beautifully golden loaf of paska [means] a year of blessings;” and about the Easter pysanky (colourfully decorated eggs) legend, where “a chained-up dragon keeps track of how many eggs are made, and if one year there aren’t enough, the dragon will be released and destroy everything.”
This thoughtful, imaginative and beautifully-crafted collection of culturally- significant stories is a blessing in itself. May Baba’s Babushka be enjoyed far and wide.
Written by Marion Mutala, Illustrated by Amber Rees, Wendy Siemens, Olha Tkachenko
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing
Review by Shelley A. Leedahl
$39.95 ISBN 9-781988-783611
Before one reads a single word of Baba’s Babushka, it’s evident that this illustrated children’s book is far beyond the ordinary. The 175-page hardcover emanates quality, from the phenomenal production – including colourful, full-page illustrations opposite the text pages, each bordered in a Ukrainian embroidery design – to the heft of the paper used, the contributions of three skilled illustrators, the inclusion of Ukrainian recipes, and a glossary for the numerous Ukrainian words used in the text. The package is highly impressive … and then there are the four heartwarming, connected tales Mutala spins within the book.
Saskatchewan’s Mutala is already known for her award-winning, Ukrainian-themed children’s books, including More Baba’s, Please! and My Dearest Dido: A Holodomor Story, but this latest publication – essentially four books in one – is her tour de force. In each magical story, young Natalia – who lives on a farm near Hafford, SK – is whisked into her ancestral past when her recently-departed and much-loved grandmother’s (Baba’s) colourful babushka (head scarf) materializes – via flowers, swirling leaves, or “a few white feathers” – on the girl’s own head. Nature-loving Natalia is lifted into the sky and further – “she burst through clouds and rushed past stars, nearly touching the moon as she sped through the heavens” – before she finds herself transported into her Baba’s life in the “old country,” Ukraine.
Readers first travel with the blonde-haired girl to “A Magical Ukrainian Christmas,” where she joins a loving and devout family traditionally attired in blue (females) or black (males) vests over white blouses or shirts decorated with red embroidery at their twelve-dish Christmas Eve meal. The interloping girl – she’s invisible to her ancestors – is familiar with the numerous traditions, ie: “three loaves of round, braided kolach bread had been stacked on top of each other and placed specially in the centre of the table, each shaped in the circle of God’s unending love” and feels at home. On the wall she spies her grandparents’ wedding photo – I assume this is an actual photo of the author’s grandparents – and makes the connection that the girl at the table beside her is, in fact, her Baba. In the remaining stories – “A Magical Ukrainian Easter,” “A Magical Ukrainian Wedding,” and “A Magical Ukrainian Journey” – Mutala includes descriptions of and explanations for the various traditions, and we witness Baba’s life unfold.
Each story follows a similar pattern and demonstrates the Ukrainian family’s warmth, faith, customs, and fun-loving nature. I learned about the relevance of symbols (candles, honey); about cultural superstitions, ie: a spider and web are “placed on the Christmas tree for luck,” and a “high, beautifully golden loaf of paska [means] a year of blessings;” and about the Easter pysanky (colourfully decorated eggs) legend, where “a chained-up dragon keeps track of how many eggs are made, and if one year there aren’t enough, the dragon will be released and destroy everything.”
This thoughtful, imaginative and beautifully-crafted collection of culturally- significant stories is a blessing in itself. May Baba’s Babushka be enjoyed far and wide.
Resource Links - Connecting Classrooms, Libraries & Canadian Learning Resources - October 2017
| resource_links_-_october_2017.pdf |
Featured on Page 9...
"More Babas, Please! is a fun, heartwarming poem about “babas”, the Ukrainian word for “grand
mother”. However, the book is not just about Ukrainian grandmothers, but all grandmothers of different cultures, nationalities, shapes, sizes, and appearances. The poem celebrates grandmothers and the relationship they have with their grandchildren. The rhythm of the poem is fun and upbeat and the rhyming scheme is sure to make it a favourite to read aloud. It is a sentimental and sweet book for the narrator declares they don’t need candy or sweets or new clothes, all they need is their baba. Each page ends with, “More babas, please!” This short, predicable text makes it an excellent story to read out loud and get children to participate. The soft illustrations evoke feelings of warmth and happiness, adding a touch of sentimentality to the text. Each picture features a grandchild being cared for and loved by their baba.
This is a great book to read when talking about family, especially grandmothers, or even the history of Ukrainians in Canada. In fact, in the author’s note, author Marion Mutala discusses briefly the history of Ukrainians who immigrated to Saskatchewan and dedicates her book to those Ukrainian pioneers, as well as to all women in every culture. She also notes that a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation for Grandmothers for Grandmothers, which helps grandmothers in Africa care for their grandchildren who are orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic."
Thematic Links: Grandmothers; Multigenerational; Grandparenting; Customs; Ukraine; Saskatchewan; Caring; Love; Ukrainian Immigrants to Saskatchewan; Poetry
-- Catherine Bellamy
"More Babas, Please! is a fun, heartwarming poem about “babas”, the Ukrainian word for “grand
mother”. However, the book is not just about Ukrainian grandmothers, but all grandmothers of different cultures, nationalities, shapes, sizes, and appearances. The poem celebrates grandmothers and the relationship they have with their grandchildren. The rhythm of the poem is fun and upbeat and the rhyming scheme is sure to make it a favourite to read aloud. It is a sentimental and sweet book for the narrator declares they don’t need candy or sweets or new clothes, all they need is their baba. Each page ends with, “More babas, please!” This short, predicable text makes it an excellent story to read out loud and get children to participate. The soft illustrations evoke feelings of warmth and happiness, adding a touch of sentimentality to the text. Each picture features a grandchild being cared for and loved by their baba.
This is a great book to read when talking about family, especially grandmothers, or even the history of Ukrainians in Canada. In fact, in the author’s note, author Marion Mutala discusses briefly the history of Ukrainians who immigrated to Saskatchewan and dedicates her book to those Ukrainian pioneers, as well as to all women in every culture. She also notes that a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation for Grandmothers for Grandmothers, which helps grandmothers in Africa care for their grandchildren who are orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic."
Thematic Links: Grandmothers; Multigenerational; Grandparenting; Customs; Ukraine; Saskatchewan; Caring; Love; Ukrainian Immigrants to Saskatchewan; Poetry
-- Catherine Bellamy
Canadian Poetry Review - October 9, 2016
https://www.facebook.com/548677701931198/photos/a.647937188671915.1073741828.548677701931198/941652609300370/?type=3&theater
TITLE: UKRAINIAN DAUGHTER’S DANCE
AUTHOR: Marion Mutala
PUBLISHER: Inanna Publications 2016
ISBN: 978-1-77133-333-7
PGS: 71
Release Date: Oct 13, 2016
REVIEWED BY:Candice James
Marion Mutala opens the book with 3 poems that open the door to the Ukrainian Daughter’s Dance: “Memories”, “Washboard”, and “Old Farmhouse” focus a soft lens on her youth and open our hearts and minds to the nostalgia of our own youthful days .
In the poem “Depression” Mutala compares this intangible disease to a beast stalking her sister:
“Stalking beast attacks / Wears mask / Camouflage the blues”
And then ends the poem with what seems like a cure “of sorts” which really isn’t a cure at all.
“Once a wild caged animal / Medicated / then born again /
She acts like a simple child”
“Seductress” brings into focus the perils of falling prey to the liquid flames of alcohol of which fallout can create holocausts, tsunamis, and total destruction of soul of a long period of substance abuse. From opening line:
“She looks at me with magnetic dark eyes”
To the ending stanza
“She falls asleep in my arms /
My bottle of lust, my sparkling bottle of rum /
Slowly, one ounce at a time”
My favourite poem in the book is “Effect”, a nature poem, short, sweet and filled with vivid imagery:
“Nature encompasses / a sundog / beautifying / the cold sky”
And what a fitting ending to end the book with the title poem “Ukraininan Daughter’s Dance”. Mutala proudly displays her heritage in these excerpted lines:
“I am what I am I say”
“I’ll always be a prairie girl /
and daughter of a Ukrainian matya”
“And a Ukrainian Prairie daughter will always /
dance barefoot in the black dirt
Dancing through the pages to the magical rhythm Mutala’s poetry exudes is enjoyable indeed.
About the Poet: Marion Mutala has a master's degree in education administration and has taught for 30 years. With a mad passion for the arts she loves to write, sing, folkdance, play guitar, travel and read. She is the author of the bestselling and award winning children’s book trilogy "Baba's Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas";"Baba's Babushka:A Magical Ukrainian Easter and "Baba's Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Wedding " Her fourth book "Grateful" was published in 2014. "Ukrainian Daughter's Dance" is her debut poetry book (Inanna Publications 2016).
About the reviewer: Candice James is Poet Laureate Emerita; Board Advisor Royal City Literary Arts Society; Director Pacific Festival of the Book. She is author of eleven poetry books: the first A Split In The Water” (Fiddlehead Poetry Books 1979); and the most recent is“Merging Dimensions” (Ekstasis Editions). Her awards include: Bernie Legge Artist Cultural award; Pandora’s Collective Citizenship award; Pentasi B Woman of Prestige award.
Further Info at: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candice James and www.candicejames.com
TITLE: UKRAINIAN DAUGHTER’S DANCE
AUTHOR: Marion Mutala
PUBLISHER: Inanna Publications 2016
ISBN: 978-1-77133-333-7
PGS: 71
Release Date: Oct 13, 2016
REVIEWED BY:Candice James
Marion Mutala opens the book with 3 poems that open the door to the Ukrainian Daughter’s Dance: “Memories”, “Washboard”, and “Old Farmhouse” focus a soft lens on her youth and open our hearts and minds to the nostalgia of our own youthful days .
In the poem “Depression” Mutala compares this intangible disease to a beast stalking her sister:
“Stalking beast attacks / Wears mask / Camouflage the blues”
And then ends the poem with what seems like a cure “of sorts” which really isn’t a cure at all.
“Once a wild caged animal / Medicated / then born again /
She acts like a simple child”
“Seductress” brings into focus the perils of falling prey to the liquid flames of alcohol of which fallout can create holocausts, tsunamis, and total destruction of soul of a long period of substance abuse. From opening line:
“She looks at me with magnetic dark eyes”
To the ending stanza
“She falls asleep in my arms /
My bottle of lust, my sparkling bottle of rum /
Slowly, one ounce at a time”
My favourite poem in the book is “Effect”, a nature poem, short, sweet and filled with vivid imagery:
“Nature encompasses / a sundog / beautifying / the cold sky”
And what a fitting ending to end the book with the title poem “Ukraininan Daughter’s Dance”. Mutala proudly displays her heritage in these excerpted lines:
“I am what I am I say”
“I’ll always be a prairie girl /
and daughter of a Ukrainian matya”
“And a Ukrainian Prairie daughter will always /
dance barefoot in the black dirt
Dancing through the pages to the magical rhythm Mutala’s poetry exudes is enjoyable indeed.
About the Poet: Marion Mutala has a master's degree in education administration and has taught for 30 years. With a mad passion for the arts she loves to write, sing, folkdance, play guitar, travel and read. She is the author of the bestselling and award winning children’s book trilogy "Baba's Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas";"Baba's Babushka:A Magical Ukrainian Easter and "Baba's Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Wedding " Her fourth book "Grateful" was published in 2014. "Ukrainian Daughter's Dance" is her debut poetry book (Inanna Publications 2016).
About the reviewer: Candice James is Poet Laureate Emerita; Board Advisor Royal City Literary Arts Society; Director Pacific Festival of the Book. She is author of eleven poetry books: the first A Split In The Water” (Fiddlehead Poetry Books 1979); and the most recent is“Merging Dimensions” (Ekstasis Editions). Her awards include: Bernie Legge Artist Cultural award; Pandora’s Collective Citizenship award; Pentasi B Woman of Prestige award.
Further Info at: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candice James and www.candicejames.com
CM Magazine - January 24, 2014
Review by Joanne Peters. Published by the Manitoba Library Assocation.
READ the Complete Review HERE: http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol20/no20/babasbabushka.html
READ the Complete Review HERE: http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol20/no20/babasbabushka.html
Each of the books in Marion Mutala Baba’s Babushka series can be read by itself, but, because the books trace Baba’s life story from girlhood to adulthood, the series works best if read in sequence. The continuation of cultural tradition within a family, the special love that grandchildren can have for their grandparents, and the importance of holding on to one’s heritage inform all three of the books. By focusing on the two major liturgical celebrations of Christmas and Easter, as well as depicting Baba and Dido’s wedding, Mutala has incorporated the details of centuries-old tradition in a way that works naturally within the narrative. I think that books would find an audience amongst Canadian girls of Ukrainian heritage – few boys will be interested in time travel enabled by a flowered head scarf, and the story’s focus is definitely on the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. Readers will certainly see the connections between current cultural practices (especially those involving food) which have been retained or learn about customs which would have been familiar to past generations.
The three Baba’s Babushka books are a worthwhile acquisition for elementary school libraries and resource collection in schools which offer Ukrainian language programing, and for public libraries serving communities with significant Ukrainian-Canadian populations.
Recommended.
The three Baba’s Babushka books are a worthwhile acquisition for elementary school libraries and resource collection in schools which offer Ukrainian language programing, and for public libraries serving communities with significant Ukrainian-Canadian populations.
Recommended.
McNally Robinson Top 100 Best Selling Books for 2012
58. Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas, Marion Mutala. Canadian Picture Book.
| top_100_books_for_2012.pdf |
Reviews by Saskatchewan Publisher's Group
The Saskatchewan Publishers Group Weekly Book Pick is a program that allows people in the Saskatchewan community to review books by Saskatchewan publishers, most of which are also written by Saskatchewan authors. The program is intended to increase the profile and awareness of all the great publishing that goes on within Saskatchewan.
Review by Alison Slowski
Baba's Babushka : A Magical Ukrainian Wedding is an engrossing picture book, rendered in beautiful detail by author Marion Mutala and artist Amber Rees, that tells the heartwarming tale of a young woman named Natalia. Natalia, aided by the memory of her grandmother, goes on a magical journey to learn more about her family's – and people's – rich history.
During Natalia’s walk down memory lane, she visits all the important moments which involved her grandparents’ time together as young people. The story details her grandparents’ courtship, including the meeting of their two families before and during their seven-day Ukrainian wedding. Mutala uniquely and accurately depicts the Ukrainian customs that are special to a couple’s wedding, such as the gift- or pumpkin-giving before a couple agrees to marry, and the giving of sheshkeh, pinecones made of dough, to welcome their guests in their village to their wedding. Most special of all, this book incorporates the tradition of the korovai, the traditional braided wedding bread, into its mention of the festivities. The inclusion of a korovai recipe in the back is a lovely touch.
Mutala’s accur ate portrayal of these customs will speak volumes to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with them. Her playful dialogue between the large cast of characters runs through everything, sprinkled with Ukrainian words and their meaning. Through this, she demonstrates a love of and desire to preserve the Ukrainian way of life. As Ukraine has experienced hard times of strife and war, this is the premise for the wedding couple’s need to emigrate to Canada directly after the wedding. However, their traditions and customs will not be lost, and will live on in the new country of Canada where they will grow the roots of their new family.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR VISIT WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
Review by Karen Lawson
Baba's Babushka is a delightful Christmas tale written by Saskatchewan author Marion Mutala. She has created a charming story that celebrates her proud Ukrainian heritage and lives up to the subtitle of her book, “A Magical Ukrainian Christmas.”
Natalia, the star of this lively story, is a little Ukrainian girl living in rural Saskatchewan who is taken, with the reader, on an enchanted journey back in time. Although Natalia is excited, like all children, about Christmas, her joy is marred by a deep sadness. This will be the first Christmas that her beloved grandmother, Baba, will not be present to share in the fun, festivities, and traditions of Christmas with her family.
One day a brightly-coloured red and blue babushka, or headscarf, appears out of nowhere that reminds Natalia of the one her Baba used to wear. Mysteriously transported to another time and place, Natalia finds herself sharing a meal with a strangely familiar family who perform all the same Christmas Eve traditions her own family does. Waking up Christmas morning, Natalia finds a picture of her Baba on the table beside her bed with the red and blue babushka tucked underneath it. Who was the little girl she spent Christmas Eve with? Could it have been her own dear Baba?
Marion Mutala has written what will surely become a Christmas classic and find a beloved spot in every child’s library. Keep an eye out in the future for more books by Mutala celebrating the Ukrainian heritage of Saskatchewan. If the first book is any indication, we're in for a treat.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR VISIT WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
Review by Alison Slowski
Baba's Babushka : A Magical Ukrainian Wedding is an engrossing picture book, rendered in beautiful detail by author Marion Mutala and artist Amber Rees, that tells the heartwarming tale of a young woman named Natalia. Natalia, aided by the memory of her grandmother, goes on a magical journey to learn more about her family's – and people's – rich history.
During Natalia’s walk down memory lane, she visits all the important moments which involved her grandparents’ time together as young people. The story details her grandparents’ courtship, including the meeting of their two families before and during their seven-day Ukrainian wedding. Mutala uniquely and accurately depicts the Ukrainian customs that are special to a couple’s wedding, such as the gift- or pumpkin-giving before a couple agrees to marry, and the giving of sheshkeh, pinecones made of dough, to welcome their guests in their village to their wedding. Most special of all, this book incorporates the tradition of the korovai, the traditional braided wedding bread, into its mention of the festivities. The inclusion of a korovai recipe in the back is a lovely touch.
Mutala’s accur ate portrayal of these customs will speak volumes to readers both familiar and unfamiliar with them. Her playful dialogue between the large cast of characters runs through everything, sprinkled with Ukrainian words and their meaning. Through this, she demonstrates a love of and desire to preserve the Ukrainian way of life. As Ukraine has experienced hard times of strife and war, this is the premise for the wedding couple’s need to emigrate to Canada directly after the wedding. However, their traditions and customs will not be lost, and will live on in the new country of Canada where they will grow the roots of their new family.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR VISIT WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
Review by Karen Lawson
Baba's Babushka is a delightful Christmas tale written by Saskatchewan author Marion Mutala. She has created a charming story that celebrates her proud Ukrainian heritage and lives up to the subtitle of her book, “A Magical Ukrainian Christmas.”
Natalia, the star of this lively story, is a little Ukrainian girl living in rural Saskatchewan who is taken, with the reader, on an enchanted journey back in time. Although Natalia is excited, like all children, about Christmas, her joy is marred by a deep sadness. This will be the first Christmas that her beloved grandmother, Baba, will not be present to share in the fun, festivities, and traditions of Christmas with her family.
One day a brightly-coloured red and blue babushka, or headscarf, appears out of nowhere that reminds Natalia of the one her Baba used to wear. Mysteriously transported to another time and place, Natalia finds herself sharing a meal with a strangely familiar family who perform all the same Christmas Eve traditions her own family does. Waking up Christmas morning, Natalia finds a picture of her Baba on the table beside her bed with the red and blue babushka tucked underneath it. Who was the little girl she spent Christmas Eve with? Could it have been her own dear Baba?
Marion Mutala has written what will surely become a Christmas classic and find a beloved spot in every child’s library. Keep an eye out in the future for more books by Mutala celebrating the Ukrainian heritage of Saskatchewan. If the first book is any indication, we're in for a treat.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR VISIT WWW.SKBOOKS.COM
