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The Fraser Valley Current's holiday book guide
More than 20 titles by local authors to kickstart your own 'Christmas book flood'
Grace Kennedy
December 11, 2024
This story first appeared in the Dec. 11, 2024 edition of the Fraser Valley Current newsletter. Subscribe for free to get Fraser Valley news in your email every weekday morning.
In Iceland, Christmas includes a traditional flood—one of books rather than water. And in the Fraser Valley, there are enough local authors to generate a tidal wave of literature.
Jólabókaflóðið, which roughly translates to “Christmas book flood,” began in the Second World War after Iceland’s independence. Paper was one of the few unrationed commodities during the war, and book-giving surged as a result. Today, the tradition continues with legions of Icelandic shoppers sending books to their family and friends—and people worldwide are joining the tradition as well.
Here in the Fraser Valley, we are facilitating any book floods you may want to begin with our curated list of Fraser Valley literature. The books include non-fiction accounts of life in the valley and canyon, fictional forays by local authors, local picture books, and more—nearly all of which were published in the last year.
We also have an expansive and varied selection of books recommended by other FVC readers, from murder mysteries to gold rush histories.
Non-fiction: about the Fraser Valley
Lytton: Climate Change, Colonialism and Life Before the Fire
By Peter Edwards and Kevin Loring
Two sons of Lytton share a meditation on their home town in this non-fiction book focusing on the heritage and heart of the Fraser Canyon town before it was destroyed by fire. Told from the shared perspective of Peter Edwards, the journalist son of a settler doctor, and Kevin Loring, an Indigenous playwright, the book tells the story of Lytton with warmth, humour, and sincerity.
Points of Interest
Edited by David Beers and andrea bennett
This anthology of essays from The Tyee features several Fraser Valley-specific chapters, including journalist Chris Cheung’s foray into Agassiz with “The art of growing wheat in the rain” and Harrison Mooney’s Abbotsford essay “The blacker the berry.” The rest of the book takes readers on a journey throughout British Columbia, stopping in Ferry Creek, Atlin, Krestova and elsewhere with more than 30 BC writers.
Untold Tales of Old British Columbia
By Daniel Marshall
Local historian Daniel Marshall reveals the stories of British Columbia that have been locked away for decades in his book Untold Tales of Old British Columbia. The Fraser Valley Current talked to Marshall and shared an excerpt of his book in July of this year. That excerpt looked at the story of British lawyer William Kelly, whose personal gold fever led to a unique replica of a sternwheeler hull that has remained in the Fraser Canyon for generations.
Marketing for Freelance Writers
By Robyn Roste
Abbotsford writer Robyn Roste is the mentor she never had in her how-to book on marketing for freelance writers. She shares her advice for freelancers wanting to market their services, focusing on platform building, social media, and networking. Roste suggests simple ways to build a brand and battle a lack of confidence.
Feel Better
By Dr. Shahana Alibhai
Shahana Alibhai, the lead physician at Abbotsford’s Foundry health centre, shares her insights on improving emotional intelligence in her book Feel Better. The book focuses on the tools needed to gain clarity and control emotions, and includes patient insights, practical exercises, and humour.
Work the Jungle
By Lynne Christensen
Fraser Valley author Lynne Christensen typically writes genealogy mysteries, but her foray into non-fiction is more corporate than cozy. She looks at how young people can enter the working world with confidence, focusing on practical tips for finding a job, working with colleagues, managing business travel, and being efficient with money.
The Cure for Drowning
By Loghan Paylor
With a boundary-pushing love story of three youths on the precipice of war, Abbotsford’s Loghan Paylor highlights the stories of queer and non-binary characters in a bold and unforgettable way. The Cure for Drowning was longlisted for a Giller Award—one of Canada’s highest literary prizes—and is Paylor’s debut novel.
The Mona Lisa Sacrifice
By Peter Darbyshire
The first in a series of supernatural thrillers by Langley author Peter Darbyshire, The Mona Lisa Sacrifice takes readers on a mystery featuring a sisterhood of gorgons, Alice from Wonderland, Morgana le Fay, and Cross—a man who has lived for thousands of years. Described as a “deliriously unhinged roller coaster of a novel” by the National Post, Darbyshire’s novel sets the stage for the other two in the trilogy: The Dead Hamlets and The Apocalypse Ark.
The Roads We Take
By Christy K. Lee
Langley author Christy K. Lee examines the life of early women doctors in her historical fiction novel about a female physician fighting to find her way in 1880s British Columbia. The book touches on societal conventions in 19th century Canada, the rights of women, and the challenges of making your own way in the world.
The Bears and the Magic Masks
By Joseph Dandurand
Kwantlen storyteller and poet Joseph Dandurand features the delightful relationship between bears and the Kwantlen people in his fourth book for children. The Bears and the Magic Masks tells the story of a master carver, who is rescued by bears after he falls into the river. As a thank you, he gifts the bears masks—but they don’t know the masks are magical. The Current profiled Dandurand last year; you can find that story here.
The Missing Hug
By Sarina Aujla
A real-life teddy bear provided the inspiration for Abbotsford’s Sarina Aujla and her newest picture book, The Missing Hug. The book follows Oogey Bear as he wakes up, discovers something important is missing, and embarks on a quest for a big hug.
One Million Kisses
By Sherilyn Rae
Abbotsford elementary school teacher Sherilyn Rae aimed to represent diverse parents of all kinds in her picture book about growing up and letting go. The book follows a mother’s love for her child from pregnancy through to adulthood, emphasizing the universality of parental love within the diversity of human experience.
Reader Recommended: Non-fiction
Invisible Boy
By Harrison Mooney
Many, many readers recommended Harrison Mooney’s memoir Invisible Boy, a coming-of-age story examining the controversial world of transracial adoption in Abbotsford’s evangelical community. We have interviewed Mooney a number of times, about his book, its reception in Abbotsford, and how even an award-winning author can struggle to pay the bills. The book itself has won numerous awards since its publication in 2022, and is an insightful look at race, religion, and growing up in the Fraser Valley.
Stagecoach North
By Ken Mather
Chilliwack historian Ken Mather dives into the history of the Fraser Canyon’s pioneering transportation company in his non-fiction book Stagecoach North. The book looks at Barnard’s Express, which ran from Yale to Barkerville from 1864 to 1886, and takes a new perspective on the gold rush through the eyes of the transportation company. The book is rich in anecdotes, backed up with extensive research.
From Denmark to the Cariboo
By Linda Peterat
Chilliwack author Linda Peterat follows the lives of three gold rush women in her non-fiction book about the Lindhard sisters, who left Denmark for a life in British Columbia in the 1870s. The book looks at the role these women played in their communities as entrepreneurs, mothers, and community leaders, and examines the social fabric of BC during the gold rush era.
From the West Coast to the Western Front
By Mark Forsythe and Greg Dickson
Former CBC host and Langley resident Mark Forsythe teamed up with historian Greg Dickson to share stories of BC’s First World War soldiers who enlisted to fight overseas. The book shares stories of submarine smuggling, lost bagpipes, mass atrocities, and front-line heroism—and includes pictures and artifacts from CBC listeners wanting to share their family’s stories.
Smouldering Incense, Hammered Brass
By Heather Burles
Chilliwack software engineer Heather Burles made the decision to give up her computing job and buy a one-way ticket to Syria in 1995. In her non-fiction book Smouldering Incense, Hammered Brass, she shares her experiences of the Middle East from the perspective of a female outsider, looking at both the beauty of the region and also the hardship.
Slumach’s Gold
By Brian Antonson, Rick Antonson, and Mary Trainer
Newly expanded and revised, Slumach’s Gold dives into Canada’s enduring lost-mine mystery, exploring the story of a secret cache of gold supposedly buried near Pitt Lake. The legend has inspired countless tales—and one TV series recently filmed near Harrison Lake—and this book sifts through the mystery and myth to uncover the truth while leaving the legend intact.
The Untold Stories of Fort Langley
By Michael Wuensche
Michael Wuenesche’s non-fiction book looks beyond the traditional, well-documented history of Fort Langley to share stories that most people may not know about. Collecting tales from beyond the standard history, it is a way to get a new perspective on the things you won’t find during a tour of the historic site.
Reader Recommended: Fiction
A Matter of Mountains and Molehills
By Julia Dovey
Former UFV writer-in-residence Julia Dovey’s newest fiction book A Matter of Mountains and Molehills is a queer romance shrouded in elements of a thriller. It follows freelance video editor Jodi as she discovers her main client is lost in the Pacific Northwest, and that Jodi’s videos might be the one thing that can help find him.
Henry Hamster esquire
By Ben Nuttall-Smith
Langley’s Ben Nuttall-Smith both wrote and illustrated his picture book Henry Hamster esquire. The book follows the adventures of a beloved pet who is snatched from his cage by a cat. Escaping, he falls prey to more and more hungry animals before finally returning home in safety to his owner.
Murder in a Small Town series
By L.R. Wright
Former Abbotsford resident L.R. Wright’s series of murder mysteries is set in Sechelt, where RCMP officer Karl Albert hopes to find respite from his big city police job and finds murders instead. The book series includes nine books that have been made into a locally-filmed TV series Murder in a Small Town.
Teak the Brave
By Trudy Harris and Kristen Holliday
Mother-daughter duo Trudy Harris and Kristen Holliday collaborated on their children’s book Teak the Brave, with Chilliwack’s Harris writing and Kamloops’ Holliday illustrating the work. The book follows snowy owl Teak, who journeys north to find her courage and her family.
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