historical fiction about the '60s scoop.
Harper Perennial
2023
Writers Trust of Canada Finalist
In The Berry Pickers, an Indigenous family of seven—three sons and two daughters—travels seasonally from Nova Scotia to Maine to pick berries for a farmer. In 1962, when the youngest child, Ruthie, was just four years old, she was kidnapped by a white family. As a result, Ruthie loses all ties with her birth family, and many of those left behind believe she is dead. For the next fifty years, Ruthie lives under the name Norma as the only child in a middle-class white family. Any memories she retains are dismissed as dreams by her adoptive family.
The narrative alternates between Norma's life in Maine and that of her youngest brother, Joe, in Nova Scotia. Both well-developed characters—Norma (formerly Ruthie) and Joe—are portrayed as relatable, flawed, and compassionate.
Although the book addresses the dark period in North America's history known as the '60s Scoop, it maintains an underlying tone of love and hopefulness, making its important message easier to digest. I highly recommend this finely crafted book.
Next Sunday...
Sunday, August 31
Stranger (short story) by Leanne Dyck
"...a few feet away from my bench, the elevator door opened and..."
