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Review by Candice James
https://www.facebook.com/548677701931198/photos/a.647937188671915.1073741828.548677701931198/941652609300370/?type=3&theater 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 “Ukrainian 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. 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 www.candicejames.com. Review by Alison Slowski
https://reviews.skbooks.com/babas-babushka-a-magical-ukrainian-wedding/ 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 accurate 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. 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 Joanne Peters. Published by the Manitoba Library Association.
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. top_100_books_for_2012.pdf
#58 – Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas #74 – Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Easter Review by Karen Lawson
https://reviews.skbooks.com/babas-babushka/ 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. 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. |
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