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Summer Reads


Are you searching for the perfect summer read? Look no further than the Whyte Museum Shop! We have been working hard to bring you a unique selection of books to read. Be sure to stop by the Museum and check out our offerings! Can't make it in? Shop online at shop.whyte.org today.


What's New:


1. The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion – Peter Wohlleben


From the Publisher:


Through vivid stories of devoted pigs, two-timing magpies, and scheming roosters, The Inner Life of Animals weaves the latest scientific research into how animals interact with the world with Peter Wohlleben's personal experiences in forests and fields. We learn that horses feel shame, deer grieve, and goats discipline their kids. Ravens call their friends by name, rats regret bad choices, and butterflies choose the very best places for their children to grow up.


In this captivating book, Peter Wohlleben follows the hugely successful The Hidden Life of Trees with insightful stories into the emotions, feelings, and intelligence of animals around us. Animals are different from us in ways that amaze us—and they are also much closer to us than we ever would have thought.


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2. The Nature of Canada – Edited by Colin M. Coates and Graeme Wynn


From the Publisher:


Snow-capped mountains. Pristine lakes. Crystalline glaciers. Big-sky sunsets. “Canada” is synonymous with nature, and throughout history people have been drawn to it for its bounty – from fish and furs to gold, wheat, and lumber. Intended to delight and provoke, these short, beautifully crafted essays, enlivened with photos and illustrations, explore how humans have engaged with Canadian nature and what those interactions say about the nature of Canada.


The Nature of Canada will make you think differently not only about Canada and its past but quite possibly about Canada and its future. Its insights are just what we need as Canada attempts to reconcile the opposing goals of prosperity and preservation.


Enthralling and engaging, The Nature of Canada will appeal to anyone interested in Canadian history, national identity, and the future of the Canadian environment.


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3. Gather: The Joy of Storytelling – Richard Van Kamp


From the Publisher:


Stories are medicine. During a time of heightened isolation, bestselling author Richard Van Camp shares what he knows about the power of storytelling—and offers some of his own favourite stories from Elders, friends, and family.


In Gather, Van Camp shares what elements make a compelling story and offers insights into basic storytelling techniques, such as how to read a room and how to capture the attention of listeners. And he delves further into the impact storytelling can have, helping readers understand how to create community and how to banish loneliness through their tales. A member of the Tlicho Dene First Nation, Van Camp also includes stories from Elders whose wisdom influenced him.


During a time of uncertainty and disconnection, stories reach across vast distances to offer connection. Gather is a joyful reminder of this for storytellers: all of us.


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4. Wild Roses Are Worth It: Reimagining the Alberta Advantage – Kevin Van Tighem


From the Publisher:


A timely collection of provocative, personal, and thoughtful essays for an Alberta in transition.

This selection of works by naturalist, hunter, conservation activist, and outdoors journalist Kevin Van Tighem will both inspire and provoke, because it offers an unflinching challenge to cherished myths and conventional wisdom in a troubled province beset with profound questions about its future. Even at their most provocative, however, these writings remind us of what is best about the Alberta spirit, and offer the possibility of a more sustaining relationship with our place and with one another.


The rich imagery in these writings is drawn from the author’s intimate relationship with the streams, forests, grasslands, and mountains of the Canadian West. There may be no sacred cows in Van Tighem’s prose, but even the most unblinkingly critical of his writings resonate with a love of place and an abiding respect for the people whose lives he shares. He reminds us that Alberta’s stories were always meant to be about much more than oil.


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5. The Wonders That I Find – Written by Meghan J. Ward and Illustrated by Taylor Odynski


From the Publisher:


Vibrant, whimsical illustrations accompany this thoughtful poem, which will quickly become a favourite for both parents and children to read together.


It’s a beautiful summer day and Geneva’s parents have something special in mind: a hike to a scenic viewpoint in the mountains. So, they load up their car and drive to their chosen trail — a steep but rewarding hike called “Climb into the Sky.” With her teddy in tow, Geneva tries to keep up with her parents, who are eager to show her the view up high. A bird’s-eye view is what they promise, one that shows a winding river and trees down low, and rows of peaks that stretch into the distance. But, as she walks, she’s distracted by the wonders of nature that catch her eye and beckon her to take a closer look. What does she see along the trail that’s so fascinating? Does she ever reach the top?


The Wonders That I Find taps into a child’s curiosity about the world — something we all possess but often neglect as we grow older. The book asks us to slow down as we join Geneva on the trail, to appreciate the smaller things and savour the journey as much as the destination.


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