Liste des publications
Liste des publications
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AUTEURE ACADIENNE ACADIAN WRITER
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Diane Carmel Léger
Novels for Children
Piau's Potato Present
A German immigrant family is suffering from malnutrition on the land where evidence of the Acadian deportation can still be seen. Fortunately, Christian, the youngest son, meets a stranger who changes their lives for the better.
What I enjoyed most about it was its ability to impart the compulsory moral of a children’s book and share local history, while remaining an entertaining read.
Kim Hart MacNeill, Atlantic Books Today
I was thrilled to discover this book. Léger tells the story with a sense of wonder mixed with humour using words from all three languages. The text is rich with cultural knowledge exchange. “Well done!” Like the potato in the story, this book is a gift.
Joleen Gordon, Research Associate, Nova Scotia Museum
ISBN 978-2-89682-049-8
80 pages
Illustrations by Tamara Thiébaux-Heikalo
http://tamaraheikalo.wixsite.com/artist/illustrated-books
Nimbus Publishing, 2014
$12.95
ISBN 978-1-77108-780-3
120 pages
Cover by Réjean Roy
Illustrations by Michel Léger
Nimbus Publishing, 2019
$11.95
The Lookout Tree
It’s 1755, and twelve-year-old Fidèle’s life is quiet and pastoral until a sudden shift brings chaos to Acadie. The English soldiers are hunting down and deporting all the Acadians, and the only way to escape is to run far away or to live in the wilderness. Fidèle’s parents are taken by the English along with their newborn baby. He, his sister, Prémélia, their grandfather, Pétard, and elderly Rosalie decide to brave life in the forest near their burned-down house in the hopes that their family members will return one day. Life in the woods is harsh and unforgiving, and they only survive with the help and knowledge of their Mi’kmaw friends and a mysterious spirit who appears during times of dire need.
Spanning two decades of the terrible events of the Deportation and the long struggle to reunite and resettle afterward, The Lookout Tree is a testament to the determination of the Acadian people to survive and thrive in their homeland.
"Léger has crafted a tale that will appeal to young readers. This engaging novel would fit with many provincial curricula in an interdisciplinary fashion."
George Sheppard, Canadian Teacher
"Léger packs a lot of history into this relatively short novel, but the accuracy and details enable the Acadian Expulsion to come alive as the reader progresses through the story. A perfect novel to accompany history lessons exploring the 1755 Acadian Expulsion, suitable for upper elementary and middle grade students."
Resource Links
"A very accessible account that humanizes this particular piece of Canadian history."
Lisa Doucet, Atlantic Books Today
"Recommended." Ruth Latta, Canadian Materials
Contact author for Q & A booklet