BC Books From Vancouver Island & the Coast

A beautifully illustrated story that teaches children about marine biology and the coastal environment of BC and the Pacific Northwest.

Sam and Crystal travel with their Aunt Kate and Uncle Charlie to a remote location on the Northwest Pacific Coast. Along the way, they see white-sided dolphins, killer whales, tufted puffins, bald eagles, harbour seals, sea lions, sea otters, crabs, sea stars, and much more. Through the character of Aunt Kate, a retired marine biologist, the children explore basi …

An insightful look at the first mayor of Nanaimo, BC, drawing heavily on his prolific and insightful written observations.

Mark Bate, elected Nanaimo’s first mayor in 1875, was a renaissance man. He loved music, writing, literature, the outdoors, community affairs, and of course politics. Bate served as mayor for sixteen terms—most by acclamation. He retired three times, returning to office after being persuaded to serve again.

Historian Jan Peterson skillfully weaves Bate’s own writing— …

A former Olympic rower reflects on his evolution from ultra-competitive athlete to supportive coach and offers his game-changing thoughts on achieving success.

Once the embodiment of an aggressive athlete, Jason Dorland used to identify himself according to the results of his competitions—winner or loser. The elite rower was raised with an “in-it-to-win-it” attitude and was trained to think of every competitor as an enemy. It took a devastating loss at the 1988 Olympic Games to shatter thi …

Since its original publication in 2004, Maria Mahoi of the Islands has become a classic in its field, and an important document on the history of Indigenous Hawaiians known as Kanakas, who had an early presence across the Pacific Northwest and are now part of the broader Hawaiian diaspora across North America. Born in the mid-1850s on Vancouver Island to an Indigenous Hawaiian father and an Indigenous British Columbian mother, Maria (pronounced Ma‐RYE‐ah) moved as a young woman to Salt Sprin …

The Sacred Herb / The Devil's Weed is informative and even enlightening, but above all, it's a hilarious look at a humble plant that has entertained, inspired, and occasionally terrified so many for so long. Andrew Struthers directs his "brilliant madness" towards the ambivalent nature of marijuana, once the target of "reefer madness" hysteria and now available for quasi-legal purchase at dispensaries on every other block (at least in some jurisdictions). One side of this double paperback answer …

Alligator, Bear, Crab is an ABC book for babies and toddlers alike!

Introduce young ones to the shapes and sounds of the alphabet amid a colorful collection of critters. The bright colors and playful images make for a unique picture book.

Alligator, Bear, Crab is an ABC book for babies and toddlers alike that introduces the shapes and sounds of the alphabet amid a colorful collection of critters. The bright colors and playful images make for a unique board book, the perfect size for a child's small hands.

From aardvark to zebra and all that's in between, little ones will love learning their alphabet with these colorful creatures.

An African Alphabet is a vibrant ABC book that introduces babies and toddlers to the unique variety of animals found in Africa. An alphabet for all ages, the stunning linocut-influenced artwork brings an uncommon selection of critters to life in this lively concept book.