Independent bookstores – like Salmon Arm’s Bookingham Palace – are a fundamental part of Canadian culture, providing enriching experiences for the book-buying public.
Indie bookstores are also pillars of their communities, with staff who are actively involved in the neighbourhood, providing an inclusive space where people can connect over shared interests.
In support of this, Heritage House Publishing has partnered with 10 independent bookstores in B.C. for a ‘read local’ campaign, emphasizing local stories and Indigenous authors published by Heritage House.
“Heritage House recognizes the importance of independent book stores in B.C. and across the country,” says Rodger Touchie, the publisher of Heritage House.
Playing a vital role in the Canadian literary landscape, local booksellers champion Canadian creators and introduce readers to a diverse range of voices from across the country’s rich cultural environment.
“To celebrate that, we developed this special campaign to highlight regional stories and Indigenous voices,” Touchie says.
Here in Salmon Arm, Bookingham Palace in Picadilly Mall is participating from April 1 to 30, which includes B.C. Book Day on April 17 and Canadian Independent Bookstore Day on April 29.
At Bookingham Palace, some of the featured Indigenous books include:
- Aggie and Mudgy: The Journey of Two Kaska Dena Children by Wendy Proverbs, winner of the Jeanne Clarke Local History Award in 2022.
- White Raven by Teoni Spathelfer, illustrator Natassia Davies. Second book in the Little Wolf series, shortlisted for the 2022 Indigenous Voices Award and nominated for the 2022 Victoria Book Prizes.
- Journal of a Travelling Girl, a middle-grade novel by Nadine Neema, nominated for three young reader awards in 2021.
- A commemorative edtion of the bestselling memoir Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools by Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine
Regional books include:
- Adventure Roads of B.C.’s Northwest Heartland by Liz Bryan, a photo-rich travelogue, winner of this year’s Jeanne Clark Local History Award.
- From Denmark to the Cariboo: The Epic Journey of the Lindhardt Sisters by Linda Peterat, the intriguing, true story of three adventurous Danish sisters during the late 1800s gold rush.
- Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and the Yukon by Haley Healey, a collection of illustrated biographies of unsung historical women.
- Wagon Road North: The Saga of the Cariboo Gold Rush, by Art Downs, a newly revised and expanded edition of Heritage House’s first published book, originally released in 1960. One of the bestselling books of its time, nominated for the 2022 Jeanne Clarke Local History Award.
These and other captivating books featured will be prominently displayed at Bookingham Palace during the campaign period.
Bookingham Palace was established in 1994 and will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.
“Local history books are always popular at our store, and we have lots of great titles from Heritage House,” says store manager Peter Marsan.
Visit Bookingham Palace at Salmon Arm’s Picadilly Mall. Follow Heritage House Publishing on Facebook and Instagram.