My Home Bay

Alison Mews is co-ordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

This beautifully illustrated story is a lyrical exploration of the
wrenching changes a young girl undergoes when her family moves across
the country.

Gwen misses the bustle of urban Vancouver and is unhappy that she has
had to leave her friends and all that’s familiar. Before moving, she
elicited three promises from her parents—that they would get her a
fiddle, a tree house, and a horse. As the promises are fulfilled (the
last in an unexpected form), Gwen gradually adjusts to the quiet Nova
Scotia countryside and learns to appreciate her new home in Mahone Bay.
Gwen’s reactions to the move are contrasted humorously with those of
her little sister Linden, who immediately takes to “my home bay.”

The Danielses have used soft colour washes to depict rural Nova Scotia
in all its misty splendour. Their picture of the foggy salt marsh, which
“seems wrapped in white tissue paper,” is evocative of a hushed
landscape on a mauzy day. They are very accomplished at portraying human
figures and expressive faces, and their work adds immeasurably to
Carter’s text. In all, a wonderful collaboration that captures the
nuances of family life. Highly recommended.