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Nina Dolgoy leads her neighbours on a campaign to renovate the community pool, but the only way she can think to raise money is to rob a bank. Unfortunately, she isnt very good at it.

In a part of town so beaten down that even prostitutes and drug dealers have written if off, Nina Dolgoy imagines that if the local pool wasnt boarded up, her little daughters could use it to burn off their wayward energy and avoid falling into utter degradation. So the bitterly self-proclaimed "welfare queen" leads her neighbours on a fundraising, pool-fixing community-improvement campaign that proves the sad old adage that no good deed ever goes unpunished.

The only way Nina can think to raise money herself is by robbing a bank. Unfortunately, she isnt very good at it. Coincidentally, her brother, Frank, gets out of jail and robs one.

The explosive events that are unleashed force Nina and the girls to flee for their lives, but their escape turns into a sublimely bizarre chase during which Nina somehow needs to pull the wool over everybodys eyes.

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Lemon-Aid guides steer the confused and anxious buyer through the economic meltdown unlike any other car-and-truck books on the market.

Phil Edmonston, Canadas automotive "Dr. Phil," pulls no punches. He says theres never been a better time to buy a new car or truck, thanks to a stronger Canadian dollar and an auto industry offering reduced prices, more cash rebates, low financing rates, bargain leases, and free auto maintenance programs. In this all-new guide he says:
Audis are beautiful to behold but hell to own (biodegradable transmissions, "rodent snack" wiring, and mind-boggling depreciationMany 2011-12 automobiles have "chin-to-chest head restraints, blinding dash reflections, and dash gauges that cant be seen in sunlight, not to mention painful wind-tunnel roar if the rear windows are opened while underwayEthanol and hybrid fuel-saving claims have more in common with Harry Potter than the Society of Automotive EngineersGMs 2012 Volt electric car is a mixture of hype and hypocrisy from the car company that "killed" its own electric car more than a decade agoYou can save $2,000 by cutting freight fees and "administrative" chargesDiesel annual urea fill-up scams cancost you $300, including an $80 "handling" charge for $25 worth of ureaLemon-Aids 2011-12 Endangered Species List: the Chinese Volvo, the Indian Jaguar and Land Rover, the Mercedes-Benz Smart Car, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki

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Across Canada peace officers put their lives on the line every day. From John Fisk in 1804, the first known Canadian policeman killed in the line of duty, to the four RCMP officers shot to death in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, in 2005, renowned true crime writer Edward Butts takes a hard-hitting, compassionate, probing look at some of the stories involving the hundreds of Canadian law-enforcement officers who have found themselves in harms way.

Some, like the four RCMP officers who perished in the Northwest Territories on the "Lost Patrol" of 1910, died in horrible accidents while performing their duties. Others, such as the Mounties involved in the manhunts for Almighty Voice and the Mad Trapper of Rat River, found themselves in extremely dangerous, violent situations.

One thing is certain about all of these peace officers: they displayed amazing courage and never hesitated to make the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow citizens.

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Although it is 1969 and the end of a decade that has brought tremendous social change even in southweatern Ontario, 14-year-old Annie Ward has experienced little of "love, peace, and understanding." A diehard Beatles fan and highly intelligent but lacking in social graces, Annie is still grieving over the death of her father and also misses Zoe, the one "best" friend she ever had, who has moved away due to less-than-friendly circumstances.

Lonely but proud, Annie has distanced herself from everyone, even her mother. then, amid highschool rumours of her supposed homosexuality, Annie is challenged by her guidance counsellor to confront her "problems" by writing about them. In an awkward attempt to make friends, she is drawn to a group of ragtag local hippies. One of them, Sweet William, is even more bereft than Annie, and not by choice. The 1960s may have jump-started a cultural revolution, but for many people the old prejudices are slow to let go. Still, perhaps "all you really need is love ..."

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Mort Halbman is the prime suspect in an arson investigation when his family home burns down, and he feels compelled to continually return to the ruins and to the memories the place still holds for him.

Haunted by the memories of his former home and life, Mort Halbman risks everything in a daring attempt at a last shot at redemption. Halbman is a crotchety, divorced, 65-year-old garment manufacturer, who laments losing the one true love of his life, the Montreal Expos. Now the dream home he built in the late 1960s in the exclusive Montreal suburb of Hampstead, where he lived with his family for 20 years, has burned down under mysterious circumstances, andMort finds himself the prime suspect in an arson investigation.

Meanwhile, his estranged gay son, Jacob, has announced that hes getting married and wants Mort to participate in the rabbi-officiated same-sex ceremony along with his ex-wife, Mona, and her insufferable boyfriend, Gordon, Canadas book reviewer extraordinaire. Its the last thing Mort wants to do. He feels compelled to continually return in his Jaguar to the burned-out ruin of his former home, and to the memories the place still holds for him. With pathos and humour, Halbman Steals Home tells the story of Morts daring attempt to risk everything for a last shot at redemption.

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Canada is seen as a peaceful place, but this wake-up call shows us that there have been more than 60 serial killers in our history.

There are more than 60 serial murderers in Canadian history. For too long awareness of serial murder in Canada has been confined toWest Coastbutcher Clifford Olson and the "Schoolgirl Murderers" Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, along with the horrific acts of pig farmer Robert Pickton. Unlike our American neighbours, Canada has been viewed as a nation untouched by the shadow of multiple murder. Then came Colonel Russell Williams and his bizarre homicides and serial home invasions, which were sensational news worldwide on the Internet and television and in scores of newspapers and magazines.

The reason for Canadas serial killer blackout is clear: until now such information has never been compiled and presented in a single concise work. ColdNorth Killers is a wake-up call. This detailed and haunting account of Canadas worst monsters analyzes their crimes, childhoods, and inevitable downfalls. It is an indispensablecompendium for any true crime lover, criminologist, or law-enforcement officer.

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Commended for the 2008 Best Books for Kids and Teens

On the surface, Peter McAllister has a good life: a good school, good friends, good times. So what if his best friend is a girl and sort of a geek? And so what if she might be more than a friend.

Underneath, its a different story. Its been years since the death of his parents landed him in this small town with his hardly-there uncle, but he still feels as if his life in Clarksbury is just an inch deep. Does he really belong? Only Rosemary seems real. But that reality comes crashing down the first time he kisses her and she rejects him.

Then a mysterious woman named Fiona appears. She tells him hes a changeling a fairy child left to live in the human world and that its time to come home. Can Rosemary convince him that Fiona is lying? Or is it possible that Fiona is telling the truth?

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Short-listed for the 2002 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel

Detective Inspector David Bliss has been transferred from London, England, to Hampshire in what appears to his new subordinates and superiors as a move down the career ladder. His first day on the job begins with a murder: Jonathan Dauntsey, son of the Major, willingly confesses to murdering his father. Its an open-and-shut case, until the investigation stalls when the police cant find the body.

D.I. Bliss follows a trail of clues that lead him back in time to the point where the central presumption of the case - a murdered father - comes into question. Who did Jonathan Dauntsey murder, if anyone at all? As the mystery of the murder begins to resolve itself, so does the mystery of Blisss transfer from the big city to a small town.

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The Volunteer Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, 18131815

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2013 Heritage Toronto Award Shortlisted

Redcoated Ploughboys brings the story of the Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada to life, revealing a fascinating lost chapter in military history.

In 1812, the future of British North America hung in the balance as the United States declared war with the avowed goal of conquering the Canadas and removing British influence from the continent forever.

In response, a corps of men, drawn from every walk of life and social stratum of Upper Canada, stepped forward to defend their fledgling colony by volunteering to serve in the Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada. After undergoing rigorous training, and fighting with distinction in numerous skirmishes and battles, it earned the prestigious battle honour Niagara. The regiment was disbanded at the conclusion of the war, and with the passage of time, its dedicated service and efforts have faded into the dust of histories written about the War of 1812.

Redcoated Ploughboys brings the story of this regiment, and the men who served in it, back to life, revealing a fascinating lost chapter in Canadas early military history.

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Things were very different in 1939 a pivotal year when Canada wavered on the doorstep of a clouded future.

Some years are more spectacular than others, and 1939 was no exception. Canada was a different place: steak was twenty-nine cents a pound and a brand-new Ford coupe could be bought for just $856. It was a year when the king and queen toured Canada and wowed to use a showbiz term everyone from Toronto and Vancouver to Gogama and Craigellachie.

It was also a year when Canada wavered on the doorstep of a clouded future: isolation and neutrality or the continued embrace of the British Empire? The onset of war and the Royal Visit settled all that as Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King beat back external and internal threats to keep the tapestry of national unity from unraveling.

Through Canada on the Doorstep youll discover the births, deaths, storms, international intrigue, and politics that made 1939 so memorable.

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Confederate Naval Commando Operations Launched from Canada, 1863-1864

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In 18631864, Confederate naval operations were launched from Canada against America, with an unexpected impact on North Americas future.

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a myth has persisted that the hijackers entered the United States from Canada. This is completely untrue. Nevertheless, there was a time during the U.S. Civil War when attacks on America were launched from Canada, but the aggressors were mostly fellow Americans engaged in a secessionist struggle. Among the attacks were three daring naval commando expeditions against a prisoner-of-war camp on Johnsons Island in Lake Erie.

These Confederate operations on the Great Lakes remain largely unknown. However, some of the people involved did make more indelible marks in history, including a future Canadian prime minister, a renowned Victorian war correspondent, a beloved Catholic poet, a notorious presidential assassin, and a son of the abolitionist John Brown.

The improbable events linking these figures constitute a story worth telling and remembering. Rebels on the Great Lakes offers the first full account of the Confederate naval operations launched from Canada in 186364, describing forgotten military actions that ultimately had an unexpected impact on North Americas future.

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Short-listed for the 2012 Speakers Book Award

Edmund Zavitz (18751968) rescued Ontario from the ravages of increasingly more powerful floods, erosion, and deadly fires. Wastelands were talking over many hectares of once-flourishing farmlands and towns. Sites like the Oak Ridges Moraine were well on their way to becoming a dust bowl and all because of extensive deforestation.

Zavitz held the positions of chief forester of Ontario, deputy minister of forests, and director of reforestation. His first pilot reforestation project was in 1905, and since then Zavitz has educated the public and politicians about the need to protect Ontario forests. By the mid-1940s, conservation authorities, provincial nurseries, forestry stations, and bylaws protecting trees were in place. Land was being restored.

Just a month before his death, the one billionth tree was planted by Premier John Robarts. Some two billion more would follow. As a result of Zavitzs work, the Niagara Escarpment, once a wasteland, is now a UNESCO World Biosphere. Recognition of the ongoing need to plant trees to protect our future continues as the legacy of Edmund Zavitz.

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Legend has it that a paymaster lost his gold during the War of 1812, and Sam, Eadie, and Ben are determined to find it.

The Jackson family has moved into an old house on Commissioners Road near London, Ontario, and twins Sam and Eadie discover an exciting legend that involves their new home. Their neighbour, Ben, tells them that a skirmish in the War of 1812 took place right in front of their house, and that, during the fight, it is thought that an army paymaster lost a chest of gold that has never been recovered.

Sam, Eadie, and Ben decide to solve the legend and find the lost gold. But almost two hundred years have passed. How will they know where to look? What clues are there to follow? With the help of the Internet, Dave at the library, and some clever sleuthing with maps and a metal detector, they make some progress. But why are all the most likely places to find the gold off-limits?

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This is the story of the National Ballet of Canada the people, the determination, and how at sixty it is still creating new work while still representing the classics.

Passion to Dance is the story of the National Ballet of Canada the people who dreamt the company into existence, the determination needed to keep it afloat, the bumps on the road to its success, and above all, its passion for dance as a living, evolving art form.

From catch-as-catch-can beginnings borrowed quarters, tiny stages, enormous dreams the National Ballet has emerged as one of North Americas foremost dance troupes. The company at sixty is a company of its time, engaged in creating challenging new work, yet committed to maintaining the classics of the past, favourites like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker,and The Sleeping Beauty.

One hundred and fifty photographs from the companys archives illustrate this definitive history, filled with eyewitness accounts, backstage glimpses, and fascinating detail. This is a record of one of Canadas boldest cultural experiments, a book to enjoy now and keep forever.

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Here you will find a wealth of information on the fauna, flora, and natural wonders of the Kawarthas.

The Kawarthas sit astride the Canadian Shield and fertile lands to the south. This is cottage country a place where people are closer to nature and where children and adults remark on the sightings of animals, birds, and butterflies from windows and lakeside chairs and ask questions about what they see. This book is a valuable asset and will answer many of these questions. It offers an alternative to a shelf of field guides and deals with what can be expected in a relatively small but uniquely rich environment close to home. Nature in the Kawarthas presents a wealth of information about the birds, mammals, insects, flowers, reptiles, and amphibians that inhabit this special area. It discusses rare habitats and the behaviours of animals ranging from frogs to birds of prey. A Places to Go section recommends the best areas to visit to explore the natural wonders of this amazing region and its treasure of wild biodiversity. It is a true laymans guide to nature in the Kawarthas.

The Peterborough Field Naturalists (PFN) is a registered charity and active club in Peterborough, Ontario, that dates back to 1940. The authors include knowledgeable naturalists, teachers, and university and ministry professionals in a wide variety of wildlife fields. Their goal is to know, appreciate, and conserve nature in all its forms.

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A mute Mayan girl held captive in a crate in the Guatemalan jungle, a big-city psychoanalyst with a rescue complex, and a journalist with a broken heart are the characters in Sheila Daltons second literary novel.

Caitlin Shaughnessy, a Canadian journalist, discovers that Inez, a traumatized young Mayan woman originally from Guatemala, has killed Caitlins psychoanalyst partner, Dr. Jerry Simpson. Simpson brought the girl, who may be autistic, back to Canada as an act of mercy and to attempt to treat her obvious trauma. Cailin desperately needs to find out why this terrible incident occurred so she can find the strength to forgive and move on with her life.

Inez, whose sense of wonder and innocence touches all who meet her, becomes a focal point for many of the Canadians who encounter her. As Caitlin struggles to uncover the truth about Inezs relationship with Jerry, Inez struggles to break free of the projections of others. Each must confront her own anger and despair. The doctors in the north have an iciness that matches their surroundings, a kind of clinical armour that Caitlin must penetrate if she is to reach Inez.

The Girl in the Box is a psychological drama of the highest order and a gripping tale of intrigue and passion.

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Winston Patrick reluctantly leads some kids in suing their school when a same-sex partner is refused entry to the prom, but opponents will stop at nothing to make their point, not even murder.

Winston Patrick was a successful lawyer who defended the downtrodden of Vancouvers criminal world. Dissatisfied with his career, he traded in the courtroom for the high school classroom. Winston is barely surviving his first year at a Vancouver high school when his students present a human rights issue. A student wants to bring his same-sex partner to the high school prom, but the school wont let him.

Winston reluctantly leads his proteges on their first legal quest: suing the school. He never thought that fighting for a students rights could have deadly consequences, but as the issue gains publicity, Winston discovers that their opponents will stop at nothing to make their point not even murder.

David Russells first Winston Patrick novel, Deadly Lessons, was shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for best first crime novel.

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After saving her dog, Robin begins rescuing wild animals and shes soon running an illegal animal shelter.

Short-listed for the 2012 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award and for the 2012 IODE Violet Downey Book Award

Twelve-year-old Robin will never get over her mothers death. Nor will she forgive her father for moving the family to a small town to live with a weird grandmother. At her new school Robin is laughingly called "Green Girl" and is taunted relentlessly because of an award she received. She decides not to care about anyone or anything. But when her pregnant dog plunges into the frozen lake, she saves the dog and hence the puppies.

Robin finds she cant stop herself from caring. She begins rescuing wild animals and rehabilitates them in the barn. Robins father forbids her to take in more, but she rescues some skunks, anyway, and hides them. Other animals arrive, and soon shes running an illegal animal shelter. When shes found out, Robin mounts a campaign to save her shelter. Will she have the courage to stand against the whole town?

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Reflections of a Canadian Officer in Kandahar

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By every principle of war, every shred of military logic, logistics support to Canadas Task Force Orion in Afghanistan should have collapsed in July 2006. There are few countries that offer a greater challenge to logistics than Afghanistan, and yet Canadian soldiers lived through an enormous test on this deadly international stage - a monumental accomplishment. Canadian combat operations were widespread across southern Afghanistan in 2006, and logistics soldiers worked in quiet desperation to keep the battle group moving. Only now is it appreciated how precarious the logistics operations of Task Force Orion in Kandahar really were.

What the Thunder Said is an honest, raw recollection of incidents and impressions of Canadian warfighting from a logistics perspective. It offers solid insight into the history of military logistics in Canada and explores in some detail the dramatic erosion of a once-proud corner of the army from the perspective of a battalion commander.

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Meg Harriss friend has been missing for over two months, but shes not the only one.

Meg Harris returns to her home in the West Quebec wilderness after a trip. Upon her arrival she discovers that a friends daughter has been missing from the Migiskan Reserve for more than two months. Meg vows to help find the missing girl and starts by confronting the police on their indifference to the disappearance. During her investigation, she discovers that more than one woman has gone missing. Fearing the worst, Meg delves deeper and confronts an underside of life she would rather not know existed. Can she save the girl and others with little help and in the face of grave danger?

This is the fifth book in the Meg Harris Mystery series. The next book in the series is Silver Totem of Shame.