In THE BURNING GEM, accomplished storyteller and author Don Sawyer gives us a meticulously crafted, richly imagined, complexly plotted, deep and magical allegory creating a world that mirrors the dark forces at work on our planet today. Entertaining and compelling, I enjoyed inhabiting its realm.
Charlie Price, Edgar Award-winning author of The Interrogation of Gabriel James
THE TUNNELS OF BUDA is a fabulous sequel to The Burning Gem. The novel’s propulsive plot and mysterious settings — including a maze of shifting catacombs beneath the ancient palace of Budavári Palota — along with its wide cast of nuanced characters, make for an exhilarating ride as Zoltan and Barbara team up to attempt the overthrow once and for all of the tyrannical cabal known as The Company. Which will prevail: their belief in the power of love and freedom, or The Company’s cynical doctrine that humans must be “managed” for their own good? The Tunnels of Buda makes this epic showdown — one very relevant to our own market-driven society — the centre of its compelling narrative.
Mark Morton, broadcaster and author of The Headmaster
Charlie Price, Edgar Award-winning author of The Interrogation of Gabriel James
THE TUNNELS OF BUDA is a fabulous sequel to The Burning Gem. The novel’s propulsive plot and mysterious settings — including a maze of shifting catacombs beneath the ancient palace of Budavári Palota — along with its wide cast of nuanced characters, make for an exhilarating ride as Zoltan and Barbara team up to attempt the overthrow once and for all of the tyrannical cabal known as The Company. Which will prevail: their belief in the power of love and freedom, or The Company’s cynical doctrine that humans must be “managed” for their own good? The Tunnels of Buda makes this epic showdown — one very relevant to our own market-driven society — the centre of its compelling narrative.
Mark Morton, broadcaster and author of The Headmaster
Where The Rivers Meet
BC BookWorld
"A little-heralded classic...First published by Pemmican Publications back in 1988, Don Sawyer’s Where The Rivers Meet is perhaps the first Canadian book for young readers that realistically portrays racial prejudice and teen suicide in a First Nations community.” READ MORE… CASNP Resource Reading List
“[Where the Rivers Meet] is a well-written story… helps us all understand the frustrations and pain, the spiritual strength and the hope, of Native young people today… Highly recommended for young people and educators.” CBC Radio with Nikki Tate-Stratton, 2010 (0:00 – 4:46)
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MISS FLINT STORIES
The Meanest Teacher in the WorldCW Magazine
“With this book, young readers can have fun reading about the capers both in and out of Miss Flint's classroom, and they then breathe a sigh of relief that they don’t have such a teacher- or be inspired to tell their own story that will rival a Miss Flint one!” Manitoba Library Association, June 2008.
"Recommended." |
Miss Flint Meets The Great Kweskin
CW Magazine
“Don Sawyer writes with a sense of humor children can understand. The new characters in this book add novelty to this latest collection of stories, and their actions allow Don to reveal the different sides of many of his main characters. Fans won’t be disappointed.” |
Running
Brian Johnston, aboriginal teacher
“Twenty years later and still powerful and current, Don Sawyer’s Where the Rivers Meet rings true to my experience as a First Nations teacher. It's neither shallow nor superficial – rather, its depth beckons to be explored. Now, Sawyer’s latest book Running takes young adult readers down another true path. It will hold readers’ attention to a surprising yet triumphant finish.” READ MORE… Art Napoleon, Cree singer-songwriter and TV host
"Growing up adopted by Cree and Dane Za grandparents at a time when we still lived by the cycles of the land, I was one of the lucky ones who avoided becoming another ward or statistic. Relatives who were taken by the system and separated from their families were not so fortunate. To this day, some of the practices of government agencies responsible for children and families continue to be rooted in colonial narratives. These agencies often fragment communities and undermine Indigenous cultural protocols and efforts to take control over our own families. Don Sawyer's YA novel Running is a story of hope and possibility. It is a story of friendship and loyalties that bridge cultural differences and a reminder of our interconnection and humanity in a world that is often fragmented and divided." |
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The Lunch Bag Chronicles
Suzanne Pierson, MLA
“I'm tempted to fill this entire review with examples of the jokes and rhymes, but you'll enjoy them more while looking at the colourful pencil crayon drawings that illustrated each lunch bag.” READ MORE… Manitoba Library Association
“4 Stars and highly recommended.” |
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HIGHGATE MYSTERIES
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Tom Wayman, poet and author
“I thoroughly enjoyed both books (Saving Farley's Bog and Hurricane on Grimm's Island). One night I stayed up to 2:30 in the morning, which is way past my bedtime, just to see who did it. They are both real page turners! You are going to attract people with these who don’t normally buy books, as well as appeal to young adults and adult learners. I can see why students scoop them up! Even though they are darned good detective stories with believable characters and situations, they manage to stay light. They are just plain fun to read.” READ MORE… |
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Tomorrow Is School (and I Am Sick to the Heart Thinking About It)
Mike Rose, author and professor
“I am so glad this classic book is back in print; I’ve been recommending it for years. It is a fine chronicle of learning to teach, a meditation on the process of learning, a depiction of the ways school and community intersect, and a very good read. The book is fresh, relevant, and engaging, and new and seasoned teachers alike will be drawn into it and moved to thought by it.” |
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