Dying For a Drink: How a Prohibition Preacher Got Away with Murder
Regular price $19.95AS SEEN ON TV ONTARIO’S THE AGENDA WITH STEVE PAIKIN
FINALIST FOR THE 2019 ARTHUR ELLIS AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION CRIME BOOK
Known to history as “The Fighting Parson,” Reverend J.O.L. Spracklin broke into a notorious Windsor roadhouse one chilly November night in 1920 and shot and killed barkeep Beverly “Babe” Trumble. Easily acquitted by reason of self-defense, he never served a day of time. A provincial liquor license inspector already known for his brash tactics, Spracklin’s audacious tactics solidified across North America the Detroit-Windsor borderlands’ reputation as the new Wild West—an uncivilized outpost where whisky flowed freely, warrants were forged on the spot, and ministers toted guns to keep the peace.
To the rest of Ontario, a dry province, Spracklin was the saviour they’d been waiting for, the answer to the lawlessness of the Border Cities—that is, until he shot a man at point blank range. In this exploration of the period, decorated Ontario historian Patrick Brode unpacks this infamous piece of Prohibition lore and asks: Why did Babe Trumble die? What led to a hotheaded reverend taking the law into his own hands, killing a man, and getting away with it? Full of fire-and-brimstone preachers, crooked politicians, wily rum runners, grandstanding lawyers, and innocents caught in the crossfire, Dying for a Drink is a fascinating read that will captivate anyone interested in the real stories behind this fabled time.
PRAISE FOR DYING FOR A DRINK
“A brisk read that aptly describes Canada’s temperance movement and the move towards prohibition…quite enjoyable.”
—Canada’s History
“Nicely researched…Fast-paced…This slim, lively volume illuminates Ontario’s pre–Jazz Age cultural and legal history and that of prohibition in an informative fashion.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Brode brings to his account a wealth of local knowledge about Windsor and its Prohibition-era past…well researched and peppered with fascinating characters.”
—Literary Review of Canada
“A fascinating book, thoroughly researched and tightly written.”
—Windsor Life
The Double Life of Benson Yu
Regular price $36.00WJB Book Club Pick for September 2023!
Use code BOOKCLUB for 20% off this title, and meet us to discuss it on Thursday September 29th at 6:00pm!
“A nuanced, complex, and highly original novel.” —Charles Yu, National Book Award–winning author of Interior Chinatown
A fresh, unique work of metafiction that follows a graphic novelist who loses control of his own narrative when he attempts to write the story of his fraught upbringing in 1980s Chinatown.
In a Chinatown housing project lives twelve-year-old Benny, his ailing grandmother, and his strange neighbor Constantine, a man who believes he’s a reincarnated medieval samurai. When his grandmother is hospitalized, Benny manages to survive on his own until a social worker comes snooping. With no other family, he is reluctantly taken in by Constantine and soon, an unlikely bond forms between the two.
At least, that’s what Yu, the narrator of the story, wants to write.
The creator of a bestselling comic book, Yu is struggling with continuing the poignant tale of Benny and can’t help but interject from the present day, slowly revealing a darker backstory. Can Yu confront the demons he’s spent his adult life avoiding or risk his own life...and Benny’s?
“Instructive as it is inspiring, The Double Life of Benson Yu is a phenomenal example of a writer taking real risks in order to reveal and reckon with deep-rooted, tormenting truths as a means of moving forward. Kevin Chong has crafted a novel that will get your heart pumping, mind jumping, and, best of all, fingers turning” (Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author).
Kevin Chong is the award-winning author of several books of fiction and nonfiction. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Rumpus, and more. He currently lives in Vancouver and is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.
Pocket Birds Of Canada - 2nd Edition
Regular price $18.99Compact, easy-to-use, and fully updated, this pocket guide features 435 species of birds found in Canada and is the perfect field companion for bird enthusiasts of all ages and levels of experience.
Pocket Birds of Canada is perfectly sized to carry along with you on a bird-watching expedition. Each half- or full-page profile features high-quality, close-up annotated photographs of each bird, showing differences between males and females or juveniles and adults, along with range maps and descriptive text explaining key information to aid in identification. Further details on voice, nesting and feeding habits, and preferred habitats help to complete the picture.
Produced in association with David M. Bird, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology at McGill University and a longtime bird enthusiast, this 2nd edition of Pocket Birds of Canada is an indispensible addition to any birder's library.
Down by the Bay
Regular price $9.50Raffi's hilarious version of the classic song about strange events that happen down by the bay, where the watermelons grow...
Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child's speech and listening skills, which makes Down by the Bay perfect for early learning. In this friendly board book edition, irresistible art by Nadine Bernard Westcott depicts wonderfully amusing creatures such as a bear combing his hair, a goose kissing a moose, and a whale with a polka-dot tail. Very young children will find this book both entertaining and instructive in early language skills such as rhyme, rhythm, and repetition, and will delight in hearing it read or sung aloud to them.…
Raffi Songs to Read | Boxed Set
Regular price $32.00Raffi's most popular and beloved songs--"Baby Beluga," "Wheels on the Bus," and "Down by the Bay"--are available in a boxed set, just the right size for babies and toddlers!
Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child's speech and listening skills, which makes these adorable books perfect for early learning. With its delightful illustrations, this boxed set is the ideal sing-along collection for a whole new generation of readers.…
Les 100 Premiers Mots pour les Enfants Canadiens
Regular price $14.99Renforcez leurs capacités langagières et soyez prêts à des heures de lecture remplies de plaisir et de découvertes!
Les 100 Premiers Mots pour les Enfants Canadiens est plein de photos en couleur pour aider les petits curieux à découvrir le monde qui les entoure. Un vocabulaire approuvé par les éducateurs en primant les mots sur la nourriture, la famille, les animaux, le mouvement des objets et le jeu. Le livre idéal pour la croissance des petits crânes.
Original Six Dynasties: The Detroit Red Wings
Regular price $29.95The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries
Regular price $32.00From award-winning author of Canadian Whisky,Davin de Kergommeaux, comes an up-to-the minute and definitive guide to over 200 distilleries across Canada and the array of spirits they make.
The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries is an indispensable guide to the past, present and future of Canada's distilleries. Written by bona fide Canadian spirits expert Davin de Kergommeaux, this book covers more than 200 of the most exciting and cutting-edge distilleries, large and small, who are shaping the industry today.
Just a decade ago, fewer than a dozen distilleries, concentrated in two provinces, produced almost all the spirits (mainly whisky) made in Canada. Today, there is a movement afoot in Canada's spirits world. There has never been a better selection of rich specialty spirits--from gin to moonshine, from flavoured vodka to liqueurs--to tempt the palate and supplement your long-time favourites. Despite flourishing public enthusiasm for Canada's distillers, other than incomplete and inaccurate web-based information, no one has offered consumers an all-inclusive guide... until now.
Using a trademark (and witty) blend of narrative, tasting notes, inventive cocktail recipes and vibrant photos, de Kergommeaux shares the unique genesis of each of these distillers who are pushing the boundaries and flavours of spirits of all kinds. Divided geographically with suggested distillery routes, and filled with key tour information as well as breakout features of the most exciting people and spirits today, The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries is a treasured souvenir and fun companion to the distilleries in every corner of the country, and a must-have guide for curious drinkers and expert connoisseurs alike.
The Berry Pickers
Regular price $25.99WJB's Book Club Pick for August 2025!
Use code BOOKCLUB to get 20% off at checkout.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER 2023 BARNES & NOBLE DISCOVER PRIZE
WINNER of the ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL for EXCELLENCE in FICTION
WINNER Best First Novel, Crime Writers of Canada Award
WINNER Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction
FINALIST Amazon First Novel Award
FINALIST for the Atwood-Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
FINALIST Margaret and John Savage First Book Award, Fiction
FINALIST Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award
FINALIST OLA Forest of Reading Evergreen Award
Longlisted for the First Nation Communities READ
A four-year-old girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that remains unsolved for nearly fifty years
July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, is seen sitting on her favourite rock at the edge of a field before mysteriously vanishing. Her six-year-old brother, Joe, who was the last person to see Ruthie, is devastated by his sister’s disappearance, and her loss ripples through his life for years to come.
In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as an only child in an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, while her mother is overprotective of Norma, who is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem to be too real to be her imagination. As she grows older, Norma senses there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she pursues her family’s secret for decades.
A stunning debut novel, The Berry Pickers is a riveting story about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma, and the persistence of love across time.
"The ghosts of lost children haunt generations in this lucid and assured debut." — New Yorker
“A harrowing tale of Indigenous family separation . . . [Peters] excels in writing characters for whom we can’t help rooting . . . With The Berry Pickers, Peters takes on the monumental task of giving witness to people who suffered through racist attempts of erasure like her Mi’kmaw ancestors.” — New York Times Book Review
"Peters beautifully explores loss, grief, hope, and the invisible tether that keeps families intact even when they are ripped apart. A quiet and poignant debut from a writer to watch." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A stunning debut about love, race, brutality, and the balm of forgiveness." — People magazine
“A gripping read, a mystery and a moving narrative all in one book.” — A New York Post Best Book of the Year
"Peters skillfully manages to hold the reader’s attention from the first page to the last . . . The Berry Pickers isn’t a mystery, it’s a truth telling by characters you can reach out and touch—characters whose misfortunes, regrets, feelings, and redemption most readers will relate to." — New York Journal of Books
"The Berry Pickers offers an unforgettable exploration of grief, love, and kin." — Boston Globe
"Enthralling . . . Powerfully rendered . . . [A] cogent and heartfelt look at the ineffable pull of family ties." — Publishers Weekly
"The strength of Amanda Peters’s novel lies in its understanding of how trauma spreads through a life and a family, and its depiction of the challenges facing Indigenous people . . . [A] powerful message about truth, forgiveness and healing." — Washington Post
"The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters completely broke my heart because it highlights how a moment, a decision by one person can change the course of another person’s life. It has this deep complexity surrounding a well-intentioned woman who acted in an irrational way out of desperation and the book is basically about the impact of her choices." — Jen Psaki, Elle
"This book is a heartbreaking tale of family and loss, deathbed regrets and revelations. It's a force as powerful as any of those." — Good Housekeeping
"Amanda Peters delivers an un-put-down-able novel of identity, forgiveness, and insistent hope." — Christian Science Monitor
"This powerful debut novel examines the search for truth in the face of trauma and the enduring nature of family love." — Electric Literature
"Peters' debut combines narrative skill and a poignant story for a wonderful novel to which many readers will gravitate . . . Indigenous stories like this matter." — Booklist
"There is something very special about starting on a debut novel and finding you're in the grip of a precocious talent. Amanda Peters writing is fabulously compelling. Our booksellers love this book, and we are thrilled to name it our 2023 Discover Prize winner." — James Daunt, CEO Barnes & Noble
“Amanda Peters manages to take you home to the East Coast in the very best ways – through family love and personal grief and the precious accounting of minutes and memories. You cannot help but love these characters from the first chapter. They stay with you long after the last page.” — Cherie Dimaline, bestselling author of The Marrow Thieves
“The Berry Pickers is an intimate story about the destruction wreaked on a family when their youngest child goes missing. Peters brilliantly crafts a multi-layered tale about how one irrational act creates irrevocable harm that ripples through multiple lives, including the lives of the perpetrators. This is an emotional novel that is beautifully rendered. An amazing read from a talented new voice.” — Michelle Good, bestselling author of Five Little Indians
“A marvelous debut. The Berry Pickers has all the passion of a first book but also the finely developed skill of a well-practiced storyteller. The Berry Pickers is a triumph.” — Katherena Vermette, bestselling author of The Break
“The thing about picking a handful of berries is that each one is different—some are sweet, some sour, some extra juicy. The Berry Pickers is just like a handful of berries. It’s an unassuming novel filled with so much sweet, so much sour, so much juice. Reading this book, I was only ever hungry when it ended.” — Morgan Talty, award-winning author of Night of the Living Rez
“The Berry Pickers is a beautiful novel about family and about the way it makes and breaks and re-makes us again. This is a story of many border crossings, journeying away and coming back, and it contains a cast of characters you will never forget. With this book, Amanda Peters establishes herself as an essential new voice in Canadian Literature.” — Alexander MacLeod, author of Animal Person
"One family’s secret is the source of another family’s pain in this poignant debut that reads like a modern literary classic. Moving, heartbreaking, and hopeful, The Berry Pickers is a powerful tale of haunting regret, bonds that will never be broken, and unrelenting love. Amanda Peters’ skilled storytelling evokes all the sensations of summer in Maine, singing around a fire, and the horror that takes hold when a child goes missing." — Nick Medina, author of Sisters of the Lost Nation
"In 1960s Maine, Joe is troubled by the guilt of being the last person to see his little sister Ruthie before she disappeared. Nearby, Norma grows up to unhappy parents with a lot of secrets. The Berry Pickers is a profound study of the love, grief and betrayals of two families." — ’inews, The best new books to read
“The Berry Pickers is a beautifully written, immersive book with a unique, propulsive structure. Its enduring resonance inspired us to think deeply about the issue of kidnapping and family separation. The three-dimensional characters are well-drawn, revealing flaws that inspire empathy, strong family bonds, and the search for the truth that ties this story together in a deeply satisfying way.... The Berry Pickers is a deeply poignant read that we'd recommend to anyone. It's a wonderful achievement in crime fiction, marking the marvellous debut of an exciting Canadian writer. Bravo!” — Jury, Crime Writers of Canada Awards
In the Upper Country
Regular price $23.00The Tragically Hip ABC
Regular price $24.99Shake My Sillies Out
Regular price $10.99Motherthing
Regular price $24.00________________
AINSLIE HOGARTH is the author of the YA novels The Lonely and The Boy Meets Girl Massacre (Annotated). She lives in Canada with her husband, kids, and little dog.
Wheels on the Bus
Regular price $10.99Raffi's delightful rendition of the classic song about the bus that goes "all around town!"
Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child's speech and listening skills, which makes Wheels on the Bus perfect for early learning. With its charming illustrations, this is the ideal sing-aloud for a whole new generation of readers.
Mini Munsch: The Paper Bag Princess
Regular price $2.49A mini version of your favourite classic Munsch stories! Kids will love these little books from Canada's best-loved storyteller, with all of the original illustrations by Michael Martchenko. These mini books made especially for children—small enough to fit into tiny hands and pockets. Each book measures 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" and contains full colour pages.
When the fiercest dragon in the whole world smashes Princess Elizabeth’s castle, burns all her clothes, and captures her fiancé, Prince Ronald, Elizabeth takes matters into her own hands. With her wits alone and nothing but a paper bag to wear, the princess challenges the dragon to show his strength in the hopes of saving the prince. But is it worth all that trouble?
Hockey Word Search Puzzles
Regular price $12.99Hours of word-hunting fun, perfect for puzzle lovers!
Searching for fun? You’ve found it right here! This collection of more than 120 word search puzzles is just right for grab-and-go play. Look up, look down and all around—puzzles start out easy and get trickier as you go. Challenge yourself with extra bonus riddles for even more fun, all in a package that’s just the right size to toss in a backpack!
You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes
Regular price $32.00In You Are Here, astronaut Chris Hadfield creates a surprisingly intimate and compelling visual essay about the planet we live on, choosing the best from the thousands of photos he took on the International Space Station.
Chris Hadfield's new book shows us our home--our city, country, continent, our whole planet--from a unique perspective. The millions of us who followed Chris's Twitter feed from the ISS thought we knew what we were looking at when we saw his photos. This photo documentary shows us we didn't. We caught the beauty but missed the meaning. Curated from images never before shared, Chris's big picture reveals why our planet looks the way it does and why we live where we do. Chris sees more in these images than we do, not just because he's spent months in space but because his in-depth knowledge of geology, geography and meteorology allows him to read the mysteries the photos reveal.
Divided by continent, You Are Here represents one (idealized) orbit of the ISS. This planetary photo tour--surprising, playful, thought-provoking and visually delightful--is punctuated with fun, fascinating commentary on life in zero gravity, too. In the spirit of his #1 bestselling An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here opens a singular window on our planet, using remarkable photographs to illuminate the history and consequences of human settlement, the magnificence (and wit) of never-before-noticed landscapes, and the power of the natural forces shaping our world and the future of our species.
The Hockey Sweater
Regular price $21.99In the days of Roch’s childhood, winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. Life centered around school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy’s hero was Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Maurice Richard. Everyone wore Richard’s number 9. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard. When Roch outgrows his cherished Canadiens sweater, his mother writes away for a new one. Much to Roch’s horror, he is sent the blue and white sweater of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, dreaded and hated foes to his beloved team. How can Roch face the other kids at the rink?
