Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Last Song Sung
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1946
WEBSITE: http://www.davidpoulsen.com/
CITY: Claresholm
STATE: AB
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1946, in Alberta, Canada; married; wife’s name Barb.
EDUCATION:University of Calgary, B.A.; attended University of Saskatchewan; University of British Columbia, master’s degree in creative writing.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, broadcaster, teacher, football coach, rodeo competitor, stage and film actor, classroom speaker.
AVOCATIONS:Raising running quarter horses.
AWARDS:Alberta Culture Short Story Competition, 1984, for “The Welcomin'”; Choice Award, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, 1997, for Billy and the Bearman; Golden Eagle Children’s Choice Book Award, 2008, for The Prisoners and the Painting; Sakura Medal, 2011, for Numbers.
WRITINGS
Also author of the “Rodeo Trilogy,” the adult novel, Don’t Fence Me In, and the story collection, Dream.
SIDELIGHTS
Canadian writer David A Poulsen is a man of many talents. He has been a broadcaster, teacher, football coach, rodeo competitor, stage and film actor, and public speaker. The author of more than a score of novels, Poulsen writes for both an adult and juvenile audience. Among his works are the young adult novels Billy and the Bearman, Last Sam’s Cage, Numbers, And Then the Sky Exploded, as well as the middle-grade mystery novels in the “Salt and Pepper Chronicles” series. Among his novels for adults are the books in the “Cullen and Cobb Mystery” series.
Poulsen has won a number of awards for his literary output, including the Alberta Culture Short Story Competition the Choice Award from Canadian Children’s Book Centre, the Golden Eagle Children’s Choice Book Award, and Japan’s Sakura Medal. Poulsen and his wife raise running quarter horses in the Alberta foothills near the town of Claresholm and also spend part of the year in Maricopa, Arizona.
Billy and the Bearman and Last Sam's Cage
Poulsen’s 1996 novel, Billy and the Bearman, features two runaways, twelve-year-old Billy Gavin, a city boy whose father sexually abuses him and his sister, and seventeen-year-old John “Bearman” Redell, a youth who has grown up in the woods and earned his nickname for being able to track bears. Bearman also has an abusive parent, and this unlikely duo is brought together by chance and end up securing their uncertain friendship by searching for a cowboy whose plane has gone down in the mountains. Quill and Quire Online reviewer Anne Louise Mahoney termed this a “well-written novel with plenty of action and adventure.” Mahoney added: “This could have been a depressing story, but instead it’s rather inspiring. The fast-moving plot and the likable characters will appeal to boys and girls, and the story will engage reluctant readers as well as avid ones.” Resource Links contributor Margaret Mackey similarly called this the “perfect book for those readers who are interested in wilderness survival stories.”
Last Sam’s Cage features another runaway from an abusive home, fifteen-year-old Eddie Slater, who is learning the arts of survival on the streets. The Calgary Zoo quickly becomes his home base and here he meets an older man who understand the struggling youth and helps him navigate the dangers of life on the streets until Eddie is able to return to a somewhat changed and safer home situation. Reviewing this 2004 novel in Resource Links, Maria Forte commented: “Poulsen succeeds in humanizing one of Canadian society’s bogeymen, those surly, uncooperative and seemingly aimless young offenders whose lives seem destined to finish in strife and trouble for themselves and those around them.”
Numbers and And Then the Sky Exploded
Andy Crockett is a high school sophomore who does not quite fit in with any of the usual cliques at school. But this year he thinks things will be better as he is in Mr. Reztlaff’s social studies and history class, studying World War II. Mr. R, as he is affectionately called, is the coolest teacher in school and Andy desperately wants to do well in class and win the teacher’s approval. But as the year progresses it is clear that Mr. R is a Holocaust denier and now Andy must face the fact that Mr. R is really not that cool and learn to think for himself. A Children’s Bookwatch reviewer noted of this novel, “Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to both school and community library collections.” Reviewing Numbers in Booklist, Francisca Goldsmith also had praise, commenting: “Reluctant readers will likely be drawn in by Andy’s struggle to fit in, and they’ll get a thought-provoking story at the same time.” Writing in School Library Journal, Magdalena Teske similarly observed that “this book will win some fans with its casual, conversational tone and its messages about peer pressure and prejudice.”
Poulsen again takes on a war-inspired theme in And Then the Sky Exploded, in which fourteen-year old Chris is disturbed to see a crowd of protestors at his great grandfather’s funeral. They are calling the dead man, known as GG Will, a murderer. Thereafter Chris learns for the first time that Will worked on the Manhattan Project, developing the atomic bomb that was first used in Japan at the end of World War II. Chris begins to learn all he can about the project and about Will, discovering that he actually was against using the bomb. Then, on a school trip to Japan, he meets aged Yuko, a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima. She is no longer angry; she only wants to have her story known so that people will not forget the horror of atomic war. Resource Links contributor Myra Junyk felt that this is a “great novel to begin the dialogue about nuclear disarmament, the realities of warfare, and the role of the individual in the global village.” Writing in Booklist, Kathleen McBroom also had praise, noting, “This memorable addition to Hiroshima literature should resonate with readers.” Similarly, a Kirkus Reviews critic concluded: “Yuko’s story and her meeting with Christian are worth reading and can start the conversation with young readers about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
Serpents Rising
Among Poulsen’s novels for adults is the “Cullen and Cobb Mystery” series, which was launched with the 2014 work, Serpents Rising. Set in Calgary, Alberta, Poulsen’s home province, the series features freelance journalist Adam Cullen and private detective Mike Cobb. Cullen and Cobb have history: in 2005, the journalist hired Cobb to help discover the killer of his wife, Donna, nurdered by an arsonist. The killer was never found, but Cullen has stayed in contact with the private eye over the years to help with stories he is working on. Now Cobb and he team up to track a missing teen addicted to crack. The trail leads them to a criminal organization and also to a possible lead to the killer of Cullen’s wife.
A contributor in the online I’ve Read This felt that the “lead-up to the climax was interesting, and kept me reading at a faster pace than usual, so that’s always the sign of not only a good writer, but a budding mystery writer in the making.” The reviewer added: “I do hope Poulsen continues with this series, as I’d love to see what Cullen and Cobb get up to next.”
Dead Air and Last Song Sung
The second installment, Dead Air, sees Cobb hired to protect a right-wing radio star, Buckley-Rand Larmer, who has been receiving threats. Cullen is brought on board to research the man’s past so that Cobb might figure out where the threats are coming from. In the event, Larmer’s associate is killed and Larmer is charged with the killing. But Cobb does not believe it and looks for the real perpetrator. A Publishers Weekly Online reviewer was not impressed with this series addition, noting: “This faltering would-be thriller lacks depth and danger.”
The 2018 series installment, Last Song Sung, finds Cobb and Cullen taking on a half-century-old cold case missing persons case. Ellie Foster, a rising folksinger in the 1960s, was kidnapped the very night she was billed in a coffee club along with a singer later to become known as Joni Mitchell. Now the granddaughter wants Cobb and Cullen to get to the bottom of Ellie’s disappearance. “This tense, suspenseful story has plenty of humor and offers vivid glimpses into Canadian music history,” noted a Publishers Weekly Online reviewer. A Kirkus Reviews critic was also impressed with this series addition, commenting that it “brims with nostalgia for a fondly remembered era set forth in a relaxed, amiable style.” Similarly, Booklist critic David Pitt stated: “Fans of detecting duos who don’t know Cullen and Cobb need to make their acquaintance immediately.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 1, 2015, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Numbers, p. 56; November 1, 2016, Kathleen McBroom, And Then the Sky Exploded, p. 56.March 1, 2018, David Pitt, review of Last Song Sung, p. 26.
Children’s Bookwatch January, 2016, review of Numbers.
Internet Bookwatch, July, 2017, review of Dead Air.
Kidsworld Magazine, fall, 2007, review of “Lawrence High Yearbook” series, p. 28.
Kirkus Reviews, Oct.ober 1, 2016, review of And Then the Sky Exploded: March 15, 2018, review of Last Song Sung.
Publishers Weekly, October 8, 2012, review of Old Man, p. 32.
Resource Links, October, 1996, review of Billy and the Bearman; April, 2005, Maria Forte, review of Last Sam’s Cage, p. 38; June, 2006, Carolyn Cutt, review of The Hunk Machine, p. 8; June, 2006. Carolyn Cutt, review of The Vampire’s Visit, p. 9; April, 2007, Carolyn Cutt, review of The Book of Vampire, p. 19; Frances Stanford, review of No Time Like the Past, p. 19; December, 2007, Teresa Hughes, review of Wild Thing and Blind Date, p. 41; December, 2016, Myra Junyk, review of And Then The Sky Exploded, p. 37.
School Library Journal, February, 2008, Nancy Kunz, review of The Vampire’s Visit, p. 126; January, 2016, Magdalena Teske, review of Numbers, p. 102; November, 2016, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of And Then the Sky Exploded, p. 96.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October 2016. Juli Zimmerman, review of And Then the Sky Exploded, p. 66.
ONLINE
David A. Poulsen website, http://www.davidpoulsen.com (July 15, 2018).
Dundurn Publishers website, https://www.dundurn.com/ (July 15, 2018), author interview.
I’ve Read This, https://ivereadthis.com/ (November 14, 2014), Anne Logan, review of Serpents Rising.
Publishers Weekly Online, https://www.publishersweekly.com/, (August 7, 2017), review of Dead Air; (June 18, 2018), review of Last Song Sung.
Quill and Quire Online, https://quillandquire.com/ (July 27, 2018), Anne Louise Mahoney, review of Billy and the Bearman.*
David A Poulsen - BIOGRAPHY
David A. Poulsen has been a broadcaster, teacher, football coach, rodeo competitor, stage and film actor and—most of all—writer. His writing career began in earnest when his story The Welcomin’ won the 1984 Alberta Culture Short Story Competition. Now the author of more than 20 books, David recently completed his Masters degree in Creative Writing at UBC. He divides his time between his small ranch in the Alberta foothills southwest of Calgary and a second home in Maricopa, Arizona.
In 2011 David’s young adult novel Numbers was selected for the Sakura Medal (awarded by English speaking high school students in Japan to their favourite novel of the year). As a result David toured International Schools in Japan and Korea in the fall of 2011. Numbers has since been added to the new English curriculum for Grade 10 in Saskatchewan. David served as the Writer in Residence at the Saskatoon Public Library in 2012/13. His newest novel, Old Man, a YA/Adult crossover novel was launched in January 2013 to excellent reviews from CanLit, CCBC, Quill and Quire and the National Post, among others…and has just been received a nomination for the White Pine Award, part of the OLA’s Forest of Reading program.
AUTHOR VISIT
David’s one-hour presentations with students are high energy, informative, infused with his passion for reading and writing and, most of all, they’re fun. He begins by sharing his journey to becoming a writer; it is sometimes hilarious (“The world’s worst rejection letter” and “The scariest moment of my life” are two examples), sometimes poignant (his first successful story was inspired by the tragedy of the Battle of Dieppe), sometimes inspiring (“if I can get my picture on the back cover of a book, so can you”) and always entertaining. Next, David’s reading will focus on a recent book written for the age group to whom he is presenting and as a former actor, he admits to ‘performing’ his readings. And finally, there is David’s favourite part of the presentation—the Q and A as audience members pepper him with questions that ‘never fail to amaze and delight.’ It is an hour that student and adult audiences alike have called everything from “inspirational” to “totally a blast.”
THE WORKSHOP
Award winning author David A. Poulsen’s writing workshops will give students useful, easy-to-understand strategies they can use in creating their own stories. The one and 1/2 to two hour workshop focuses on helping young writers create real, believable stories that include all of the elements of good story writing including (and focusing particularly on) character and setting. The workshop content is David’s response to seeing too many students’ stories that focus only on plot, as kids—surrounded by superhero films and video games--try to create an action movie on paper. The best part of the workshop is that the students not only have fun but take hold of the hints and tips David gives them and “head off in directions I hadn’t even thought of.”
David A Poulsen"Mr.. Poulsen gave a very animated talk to students revealing both the work and ultimate joy of being a writer. He kept students engaged from start to finish and shared with students a very important reality: that life is enriched by reading. He's welcome back anytime!
... Joanne Melo, Principal, St Bonaventure Catholic School
"David Poulsen is a natural born speaker when it comes to interacting with kids and getting them 'hooked' on reading and writing. He frames his life's journey with a down-to-earth, comedic presentation style that focuses on the writing process and what being an author entails. The students were inspired by his message, motivated to read more, and sad to see him leave. He leaves an indelible mark on his audiences."
... Joyce Lister, Librarian, Centennial Public School in Brampton
READING REQUIREMENTS
David can work with virtually any size of group in almost any setting for his author talks but requests that all audience members be able to see and hear him. It is a good idea to group the students as much as possible according to age/grade for the individual sessions. Smaller groups are best for the writing workshops. (20 students is optimum; 25 is the maximum).
Call or email for further details.
David A. Poulsen has been a rodeo competitor and rodeo clown, rock singer, high school football coach, stage and film actor, documentary television writer and host, and college English instructor. Since retiring from rodeo competition - he admits to being a not-very-good bareback rider and later an accident-prone rodeo clown, David Poulsen has taken up residence in announcer's stands across North America. The results have been tremendously positive both for David and audiences who have listened to his knowledgeable and enthusiastic commentary for the last twenty-six years.
With 1500 performances to his credit, the likable Alberta native has appeared at many of the major rodeos and bull riding events in Canada, among them the Canadian Finals Rodeo (three times), the Calgary Stampede for the last sixteen years in a row and, the PCB Bull Riding Finals. He has been at the microphone for twenty-eight Finals events in seven different associations. Equally at home in front of a TV camera, he has been seen on CTV Wide World of Sports, TSN Television Sports and each year co-hosts the popular Stampede Roundup program on Calgary's CFCN-TV with Glen Campbell. He also acted as co-host of the documentary series The Complete Rider for The Outdoor Life Network. David's announcing talents have also taken him to the big screen. He twice played the role of a rodeo announcer in the successful family series The Black Stallion and was behind the microphone for the rodeo scenes in the movie Convict Cowboy that starred Jon Voigt
David is also a successful writer with some 17 published books to his credit. His writing career began in earnest in 1984 when his short story The Welcomin’ won the Alberta Culture Short Story Writing Competition. His newest book Last Sam's Cage (published by Key Porter Books, Toronto, ON) arrived in bookstores in October, 2005 and has been enjoying a tremendous reception with readers across Canada and beyond. Because a number of his books target young readers, David spends between 60 and 80 days a year in classrooms across Canada, talking to kids about his books and his life as a writer and sharing his stories with students.
David and his wife Barb raise running quarter horses on a small but picturesque ranch (El Rancho Pequino) in the Alberta foothills west of Claresholm.
Education
Graduate, Crescent Heights High School in Calgary. Graduate of University of Calgary - BA English and University of Saskatchewan - Honours French. Studied at Circle in the Square Theater School in New York City. Graduate, University of British Columbia - Masters Degree in Creative Writing.
Published Works
Young Adult novel Numbers, Key Porter Books, Toronto, 2008.
Young Adult novel Last Sam's Cage, Key Porter Books, Toronto, 2000.
Co-host and Senior Writer for documentary series The Complete Rider for Outdoor Life Network, 1998-99.
Young adult novel The Hunk Machine, Roussan Publishing, Montreal, 1997. Second title in The Salt and Pepper Chronicles.
Children's picture book Tractor Trouble, Donahue House Books, 1997. First title in the Close Encounters series.
Young Adult novel The Vampire's Visit. Roussan Publishing, Montreal, 1996. First title in the series The Salt and Pepper Chronicles. Swedish translation released in 1999.
Young Adult Novel Billy and the Bearman, Napoleon Publishing, Toronto, 1996
Young Adult novel Ride the High Country, third book in Young Adult trilogy. Red Hawk Books, High River, Alberta, 1995.
Sports Bio Robokicker, co-written with Dave Ridgway. Johnson/Gorman Publishing, Red Deer, 1995
Adult novel Don't Fence Me In, Red Deer College Press, Red Deer, 1993
Documentary television script Traditions: Chuckwagons. Produced by Traditions Pictures, Calgary, 1991
Short story collection Dream. Plains, Edmonton, 1990
Young Adult novel Ride for the Crown, sequel to Cowboy Kid. Plains, Edmonton, 1989.
Writer-in-Residence at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta. Full length play The Glory Boys produced as the inaugural production in the college's new theater, 1988.
Young Adult novel The Cowboy Kid, Plains Publishing, Edmonton, 1987.
The Welcomin', 1984
Awards
2010 Golden Eagle Children's Choice Book Award winner (The Prisoners and the Paintings)
1999 - finalist for Red Cedar Book Award in B.C. (The Vampire's Visit)
1998 - finalist for The Blue Heron Book Award in Ontario - (Billy and the Bearman)
1997 - Choice Award from Canadian Children's Book Centre - (Billy and the Bearman)
1984 - winner Alberta Culture Short Story Competition - The Welcomin'
Available For
School author visits and workshops - grades four and up
Keynote addresses on literacy, reading and writing
After dinner speeches, teacher's conventions etc
Author Interview with David Poulsen
POSTED ON JANUARY 31 BY ADMIN
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Pinterest
CATEGORIES
POPULAR TAGS
ARCHIVES
Today’s author interview today is with David Poulsen, author of Old Man. David Poulsen is signing copies of his book today at the OLA in downtown Toronto.
Caitlyn: Tell us about your book.
David: Old Man is a story about a man who, as he moves into his later years, wants to reconnect with the son he abandoned a decade earlier when he ran off with a much younger woman. But the ‘old man’ wants to do more than merely see his (now teenage) son again…he wants Nate to know and be aware of the things in his father’s life that made him who he is. Most notably he wants Nate to understand the his war experience and decides the only way for that to happen is to take his son to Vietnam—to the places where he fought, was nearly killed and killed others. Nate at first has no desire to be a part of the old man’s search for his life’s meaning but has no real choice and ends up facing demons of his own along the way and finally coming to understand, at least a little, the man who is his father.
Caitlyn: Did you have a specific readership in mind when you wrote your book?
Daivd: The readership I had in mind is that crossover group of readers between young adult and adult. While the central character (narrator) is a teen and that is the target audience I hope this book will resonate with adult readers too.
Caitlyn: In your own work, which character are you most attached to and why?
David: The character I am most connected to in the book is the old man, I suppose because he has had some of the same experiences I had had. If one was growing up in the sixties one’s life was impacted and even shaped to some extent by the major events of the time—most notably the assassination of President Kennedy and the Vietnam War. Larry Blevins and I are more or less contemporaries and having grown up roughly in the same era, share some of the moments and experiences that made us the people we became.
Caitlyn: What are you reading right now?
David: I generally have a few books on the go at the same time. I am reading Moby Dick because I feel I should read the classics because they’re…well…the classics; Ian Rankin’s Black Book a Rebus novel—I love mystery/thriller novels and Rankin is one of my favourite mystery writers and Rebus one of my favourite cop/detectives; and I am re-reading Louis Sachar’s Holes, which is a wonderful and brilliantly inventive YA novel.
Caitlyn: What is your new project?
David: I have recently completed (and am still tweaking) my own first mystery novel (See #4 above). This is a book I have always wanted to write but took a very long time to get around to. It is called Serpents Rising and I hope it will be the first in a series featuring an ex-cop and a journalist who team up to investigate crimes that no one else seems to care an awful lot about. To be honest I think the book is pretty good. I certainly hope so.
David A. Poulsen has been a broadcaster, teacher, football coach, and actor. The author of more than 20 books, David spends 80 to 100 days each year as a visiting author in schools across Canada. His young adult novel Numbers was awarded the Sakura Medal in Japan. He lives in Claresholm, Alberta.
QUOTE:
brims with nostalgia for a
fondly remembered era set forth in a relaxed, amiable style
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 1/32
Print Marked Items
Poulsen, David A.: LAST SONG SUNG
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Poulsen, David A. LAST SONG SUNG Dundurn (Adult Fiction) $17.99 5, 29 ISBN: 978-1-4597-3986-4
A detective duo probes a very cold case, the disappearance of a rising singer/songwriter more than half a
century ago.
Feb. 28, 1965. Ellie Foster is smoking a cigarette in an alley outside a folk club called The Depression. As
she waits between sets, hoping her friend Joni Anderson--who will later become Joni Mitchell--will arrive
in time to see her perform, she's punched, and her world goes black. Then she disappears, and her family
has no idea if she's alive or dead. Fifty-plus years later, laid-back Calgary investigators Adam Cullen and
Mike Cobb (Dead Air, 2017, etc.) are visited by Ellie's granddaughter, Monica Brill, who's looking for
answers. Not wanting to waste Monica's money, the duo agree to work for a week and let her know whether
they find anything warranting further investigation. Their questioning of Ellie's old friends and fellow
musicians is an evocative dive into a bygone era, but it yields no results for several days. Then Cullen and
Cobb hit pay dirt with writer Lois Beeston, who spent years working on a book about The Depression. Her
research notes point the duo in the right direction, providing them with a whole new list of suspects and
potential witnesses. A club called The Tumbling Mustard and the folk singer Paula Pendergast, who
performed with Ellie, put the detective duo on a path to learning the truth.
Poulsen's third installment, short on plot but long on engaging character portraits, brims with nostalgia for a
fondly remembered era set forth in a relaxed, amiable style.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Poulsen, David A.: LAST SONG SUNG." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A530650871/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bdffe8bc.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A530650871
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 2/32
QUOTE:
Fans of detecting duos who
don't know Cullen and Cobb need to make their acquaintance immediately.
Last Song Sung
David Pitt
Booklist.
114.13 (Mar. 1, 2018): p26.
COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Last Song Sung. By David A. Poulsen. May 2018. 353p. Dundurn, paper, $17.99 (9781459739864); e-book,
$3.99 (9781459739888).
The third novel in the Cullen and Cobb series opens in 1965, when a popular singer, Ellie Foster, vanishes.
Jumping forward several decades, Foster's granddaughter hires Mike Cobb, a cop-turned-private-eye, to dig
into the case. As usual, Cobb recruits his buddy, crime writer Adam Cullen, to assist. Told in the first person
by Cullen (Watson to Cobb's Holmes), the story follows the investigation as it reaches back in time to pick
up the missing woman's trail and follow it to its end--at least that's the plan. The mystery is intriguing and
well structured, but it's the team of Cullen and Cobb who really sell the novel. Poulsen has clearly built
these two characters with care--their relationship is much more subtle than the stereotypical brains-andbrawn
combo. The two bounce banter off one another in the manner of old friends, like Robert B. Parker's
Spenser and Hawk, and they both bring plenty of savvy to the task at hand. Fans of detecting duos who
don't know Cullen and Cobb need to make their acquaintance immediately.--David Pitt
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Pitt, David. "Last Song Sung." Booklist, 1 Mar. 2018, p. 26. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A532250848/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=584a2802.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A532250848
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 3/32
QUOTE:
great novel to begin the dialogue about nuclear
disarmament, the realities of warfare, and the role of the individual in the global village.
Poulsen, David A.: And Then The Sky
Exploded
Myra Junyk
Resource Links.
22.2 (Dec. 2016): p37.
COPYRIGHT 2016 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
[G]
POULSEN, David A.
And Then The Sky Exploded
Dundum Press, 2016.
206p. Gr. 9 up. 978-1-4597-3637-5.
Pbk. $12.99
(Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy)
Fourteen-year old Christian is shocked when a crowd of protesters shows up at his great-grandfather Will's
funeral. Afterwards, he discovers the shocking family secret! Will was involved with the Manhattan Project
as one of the scientists that built the first atomic bombs. These bombs were used by the United States to
destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in order to end World War II. At first, Christian is devastated and
ashamed that his family was involved in the killing of thousands of people. He feels that he must personally
make amends to the people of Japan.
Christian is haunted by these feelings as he goes about his normal high school life. He enjoys spending time
with his best friend Carson who is deaf, he starts dating beautiful Zaina, and he deals with bullies like
Lorelei Faber. He even becomes the vice-president of the Travel Club at his high school which decides on
the school trip for the year. Christian's idea to travel to Japan is accepted. Will Christian finally get a chance
to make amends for his great-grandfather's role in the Manhattan Project?
The narrative of And Then the Sky Exploded alternates between the memories of a survivor of the
Hiroshima bombing named Yuko, and Christian's story in the present. Their fateful meeting allows both of
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 4/32
them to address painful memories and feelings. David Poulsen uses several literary references to famous
novels about World War II in this novel such as Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and The Diary of
Anne Frank. This novel is part travelogue, part remembrance and part love story. Readers will enjoy
exploring the history, culture and geography of Japan while learning about the tragic events of the bombing
of Hiroshima at the end of the Second World War. It is a great novel to begin the dialogue about nuclear
disarmament, the realities of warfare, and the role of the individual in the global village.
Thematic Links: Family Relationships; Grief; Bullying; Hiroshima; Nuclear Weapons; Forgiveness
[G] Good, even great at times, generally useful!
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Junyk, Myra. "Poulsen, David A.: And Then The Sky Exploded." Resource Links, Dec. 2016, p. 37.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A476843338/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0f277a16. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A476843338
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 5/32
QUOTE:
This memorable addition to Hiroshima literature should resonate with
readers.
And Then the Sky Exploded
Kathleen McBroom
Booklist.
113.5 (Nov. 1, 2016): p56.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* And Then the Sky Exploded. By David A. Poulsen. Nov. 2016. 208p. Dundurn, paper, $12.99
(9781459736375). Gr. 7-10.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Kids often grapple with historic events, especially when the event is something as unfathomable as the
bombing of Hiroshima during WWII. This engaging story creates context by skillfully weaving together the
experiences of two very different characters: Yuko, a Hiroshima survivor, and Chris, a totally relatable
ninth-grader. Chris is a good student and pathetic football player who is occasionally an awkward jerk,
especially around girls. Yuko is a fragile grandmother, and her memories of surviving the blast as an 11-
year-old are interspersed throughout the book. Chris' story begins when protesters interrupt his beloved
great-grandfather's funeral. His parents won't talk about it, so Chris enlists the help of classmates, including
Carson, his best friend (the only deaf student in school, whose disability is seamlessly woven into the
narrative). They gradually uncover information about his great-grandfather's involvement in the Manhattan
Project, as Chris simultaneously convinces the school's travel club to change their destination to Japan.
Once there, Chris and Yuko actually meet, and Yuko tells Chris that she is no longer angry--she just wants
to tell her story so that people will remember. There's sufficient action to keep readers engaged, including a
little mysticism and a bit of romance. This memorable addition to Hiroshima literature should resonate with
readers.--Kathleen McBroom
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
McBroom, Kathleen. "And Then the Sky Exploded." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2016, p. 56. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A471142928/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a6ae614a.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A471142928
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 6/32
QUOTE:
Yuko's story and her meeting with Christian are worth reading and can start the
conversation with young readers about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
David A. Poulsen: AND THEN THE SKY
EXPLODED
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
David A. Poulsen AND THEN THE SKY EXPLODED Dundurn (Adult Fiction) 8.99 ISBN: 978-1-4597-
3637-5
Thirteen-year-old Christian's first funeral is his great-grandfather Will's, and he's already bewildered when
he and his family are leaving the church and run into protesters who call GG Will a murderer because of his
involvement in the Manhattan project. A couple of weeks later, the school bully also taunts Christian about
GG Will being a killer, prompting Christian to learn that the Manhattan project team developed the atomic
bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Poulsen begins the book with three hard-hitting pages
about Yuko, a survivor Christian will meet after a run of extraordinary fortune involving a school trip and a
chance meeting with Yuko's granddaughter. Readers revisit her story after the bombing in pieces
interspersed through the first half, which is dominated by Christian's preteen school days and lags. The
second half is more successful and, despite incongruous supernatural elements, feels like the real heart of
the book. Yuko's story of survival is inherently more compelling than the football game Christian's team
wins against all odds or his deaf best friend, Carson, also white, who seems to serve no real purpose beyond
acting as a sounding board for Christian. The bully is nothing but stereotype. There's a great story here, but
it's buried in mundane fluff. Yuko's story and her meeting with Christian are worth reading and can start the
conversation with young readers about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (Fiction. 12-15)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"David A. Poulsen: AND THEN THE SKY EXPLODED." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2016. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A465181844/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5ca01b55.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A465181844
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 7/32
Poulsen, David A.: And Then the Sky
Exploded
Juli Zimmerman
Voice of Youth Advocates.
39.4 (Oct. 2016): p66+.
COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 3P * J * S * NA
Poulsen, David A. And Then the Sky Exploded. Dundurn, 2016. 208p. $12.99 Trade pb. 978-1-4597-3637-
5.
And Then the Sky Exploded is a story about a young teen, Christian Larkin, struggling to understand how
the great grandfather he adored could be the same man who was part of The Manhattan Project, responsible
for releasing an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1946. Christian learns of his grandfathers
involvement in the World War II bombing, which killed 200,000 people, upon his grandfather's death. As
Christian searches for understanding, he is determined to right the wrong, even on a small scale. The novel
also follows the story of Yuko, a young Japanese girl who turns eleven on the day her home in Hiroshima is
bombed. Detailing the events leading up to and immediately following the first atomic bomb dropped in
Japan, Poulsen weaves a dramatic scenario of the horror Yuko faced on that fateful day in 1946.
Poulsen writes a compelling story with strong characters whom the reader will find believable as well as
likeable. Christian is a typical teen; he is on the football team and has a quirky best friend, a new girlfriend,
and an annoying older sister. He is plagued by a school bully and uses humor to handle her bossy and rude
personality. Readers will enjoy the informative, personal stories of Yuko and Christian, and how eventually
the two meet in a twist of fate that proves to be exactly what each of them needed. --Juli Zimmerman.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Zimmerman, Juli. "Poulsen, David A.: And Then the Sky Exploded." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2016,
p. 66+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A467831117/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e96979d0. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A467831117
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 8/32
QUOTE:
Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to both school and
community library collections,
Numbers
Children's Bookwatch.
(Jan. 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Full Text:
Numbers
David Poulsen
http://www.davidpoulsen.com/books.htm
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459732483, $12.99, 200pp, www.amazon.com
Andy Crockett doesn't fit in at his new school--not with the goths, not with the jocks, and certainly not with
the brains. Not even, really, with The Six, a group of misfits who hang out with each other mostly because
they can't stand hanging out with anyone else. But maybe Andy's luck is changing and all because he is in
Mr. Reztlaffs grade ten social class. Mr. Retzlaff, is the coolest teacher; in fact, the coolest thing about
Parkerville Comprehensive. Social Studies is awesome from day one. It's the class that looks at World War
II, Hitler, and the Holocaust. It's the class Andy wants to ace and make Mr. Retzlaff proud. But eventually
Andy also begins to understand that acing the class might just have a greater cost than he's willing to pay.
And when it turns out that Mr. Retzlaff might not be so cool after all, Andy is facing the most difficult
decision of his life. "Numbers" by David Poulsen is particularly recommended for young readers ages 12 to
15. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to both school and
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Numbers" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Numbers." Children's Bookwatch, Jan. 2016. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A441401644/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=cd4c22a1.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A441401644
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 9/32
QUOTE:
Reluctant readers will likely be drawn in by Andy's struggle
to fit in, and they'll get a thought-provoking story at the same time.
Numbers
Francisca Goldsmith
Booklist.
112.5 (Nov. 1, 2015): p56.
COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Numbers. By David A. Poulsen. 2015. 160p. Dundurn, paper, $12.99 (9781459732483). Gr. 9-12.
Andy is just an average student who doesn't have many close friends, and on top of that, his girlfriend just
broke up with him. But he's pleased to have popular Mr. R for social studies. Mr. R has a reputation for
being the best teacher ever--he's engaging, respectful of students, actually interesting in class, and
unorthodox in his language. But when Mr. R starts teaching the Holocaust, using it as a model for
questioning the "truth," it becomes increasingly clear that he's a virulent Holocaust denier. At first, Andy is
so ignorant of history that he's persuaded by Mr. R's lesson, but he gradually comes to learn to think for
himself. In Andy's accessible, matter-of-fact first-person narrative, Poulsen explores a topic not often
covered in teen fiction, and although there are stumbles, such as chaotic pacing and flat characters, the foray
into key tenets of critical thinking is important. Reluctant readers will likely be drawn in by Andy's struggle
to fit in, and they'll get a thought-provoking story at the same time. --Francisca Goldsmith
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Goldsmith, Francisca. "Numbers." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2015, p. 56. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A434514520/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2f911a8e.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A434514520
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 10/32
Old Man
Publishers Weekly.
259.41 (Oct. 8, 2012): p32.
COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Old Man
David A. Poulsen. Dundurn (Midpoint, dist.), $12.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-
1-4597-0547-0
This snappy, affecting YA-centered novel by Canadian teacher and author Poulsen (Numbers) is a skillful
rendering of an estranged father who 'feels compelled to reconnect with his son. Sixteen-year-old Nate
Huffman is firming up his summer vacation plans when his dad, Larry, 62, phones to say he wants "to spend
some time together." Nate feels angry and resentful since Larry ran off 11 years earlier with a much younger
woman, leaving Nate and his mother behind in Alberta. Larry divulges that they're heading to Saigon,
characterizing their junket as a "buddy movie" where Nate "might learn something." En route, Larry reveals
elements of his colorful past to Nate and the pair stop over to visit Larry's "strange" Vietnam Warbuddy, Tal
Ledbetter. Once in Vietnam, Nate is awed as Larry takes him on a tour of wartime Vietnam that climaxes in
a harrowing side .trip into the jungle. Father and son bond as Larry explains to Nate what being a soldier
taught him about manhood and life. Nate also has his first date with a girl, Jen Dodsworth, an Australian
tourist visiting Vietnam With her parents. Poulson handles heavy material with sophistication and as the
excursion winds down, his young protagonist learns the hardest truths about love and death. Agent: Arnold
Gosewich (Canada). (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Old Man." Publishers Weekly, 8 Oct. 2012, p. 32. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A305081947/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f8a39d65.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A305081947
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 11/32
Blind Date (Lawrence High Yearbook
Series)
Teresa Hughes
Resource Links.
13.2 (Dec. 2007): p41.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
POULSEN, David
Blind Date (Lawrence High Yearbook Series)
Key Porter Books, 2007. 112p. Gr. 7-12. 978-1-5563-933-7. Pbk. $7.95
Blind Date is actually a pun on the word blind. Curt Tomlinson is a very cool guy. He is friends with Marcel
Boileau (A. K.A. French) whom we also meet in Wild Thing, another Lawrence High novel. Curt is one
year older than French--he is in grade 11 but he plays on the same hockey team. Curt has a passion for old
cars. He is currently restoring a "Meteor ... a '50 two-door hardtop with original paint and upholstery and
two-hundred and eighty-nine cubes under the hood." French needs a favour from Curtis. He really wants to
take Annette Difolia to a restaurant called Shakey's after their hockey game. However, French wants Curtis
to go there with Annette's friend, Judy Baird. Curtis absolutely refused until French agreed to pay for the
pizzas, drinks AND dessert. Curtis agreed but during the game while he was in the penalty box, he
discovered that Judy Baird was not only a blind date, but that she was also blind.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 12/32
Surprisingly, Curtis and Judy hit it off. She liked hockey and actually knew something about old cars. Curtis
was hooked. However, after dropping Judy off that same night, Annette warned Curtis that "Judy's having a
few problems ... you shouldn't rush her."
The next day, Curtis had to go out to the 'smoking area' at their high school to try and find a guy who had
borrowed his calculator. There he witnessed a drug transaction 'going down' with Judy Baird, his 'blind date'
from the night before orchestrating the whole thing. A few days later, Judy phoned Curtis and asked him out
for coffee at Shakey's. There, it comes out that Curtis saw the drug deal with Judy as the recipient. Judy told
Curtis that he didn't know anything about it and he better go home. They didn't part amicably and yet,
Curtis wanted to keep seeing her, even with her 'drug' problem.
Blind Date is a great read. It will really hook those intermediate students who are difficult to please. It has
sports, drugs, relationships and of course, exoneration all packed into one little paperback. It is a great
companion to Wild Thing, another Lawrence High novel. Blind Date teaches us a few things about life--
mainly, that it isn't always that easy, or fair. Also, it teaches us that you have to give everyone the benefit of
the doubt and that everyone, no matter who they are or what they've done, deserves a second chance.
Thematic Links: Drugs; Sports; Relationships; Handicaps
Hughes, Teresa
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Hughes, Teresa. "Blind Date (Lawrence High Yearbook Series)." Resource Links, Dec. 2007, p. 41. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A174102861/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c0e4729c. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A174102861
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 13/32
Lawrence High Yearbook Series
Kidsworld Magazine.
15.3 (Fall 2007): p28.
COPYRIGHT 2007 MIR Communications
http://www.kidsworld-online.com/
Full Text:
Lawrence High Yearbook Series
by David A. Poulsen
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Even if reading isn't your favourite thing, this new series set at a Canadian high school will keep you
turning the pages. Join the Lawrence High gang as they struggle through day-to-day life at a school where
sports rule and everything else takes a backseat.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Lawrence High Yearbook Series." Kidsworld Magazine, Fall 2007, p. 28. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A182125069/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2855fd9b.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A182125069
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 14/32
Wild Thing (Lawrence High Yearbook
Series)
Teresa Hughes
Resource Links.
13.2 (Dec. 2007): p41.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
POULSEN, David A.
Wild Thing (Lawrence High Yearbook Series)
Key Porter Books, 2007. 96p. Gr. 7-12. 978-1-55263-931-3. Pbk. $7.95
This is a book by David Paulsen who also wrote Last Sam's Cage--a book I highly recommend and if all the
Lawrence High Series are this good, then I would highly recommend all of them for that intermediate
reluctant reader who likes sports, and also likes short but juicy novels that aren't too difficult to read--which
makes this novel even more appealing.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 15/32
W. T. Zahara, the new kid, is having trouble fitting in at Lawrence High--a school where ... "sports are very,
very important" and according to some, football is THEE sport. Marcel Boileau (nicknamed French) is a
tenth grader halfback AND a starter for the Lawrence High football team. French's best friend Denny
(another football player) spots W. T. on his first day at school and calls him (because of his unusual attire)
"... a gen-you-whine, hippie-dippy scuzball." W. T. was not one to take bullying in stride. He looked Denny
in the eye and said, "Suck an egg, Meat!" The war was on.
That afternoon at football practice, who do you think shows up? The coach had asked W. T. to come out for
practice and he made a pretty spectacular one-handed catch before he left for band practice. When football
practice was over however, the players returned to the locker room to find that all the wallets had been
stolen. Denny immediately blamed W. T.
This novel touches on several subjects that will interest the young teen--sports, bullying, dating and gangs.
It is a low level high interest book best suited for the intermediate reluctant reader. It is short and the
chapters always end with some sort of cliffhanger that encourages the reader to keep going. The book ends
with a football game and a last second "Hail Mary" play by St. Lawrence High against a team they
desperately wanted to beat. A great climax.
Thematic Links: Sports; Gangs; Prejudice
Hughes, Teresa
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Hughes, Teresa. "Wild Thing (Lawrence High Yearbook Series)." Resource Links, Dec. 2007, p. 41.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A174102862/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=641a2236. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A174102862
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 16/32
The Book of Vampire (#4 Salt and Pepper
Series)
Carolyn Cutt
Resource Links.
12.4 (Apr. 2007): p19.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Good, even great at times, generally useful!
POULSEN, David A.
The Book of Vampire (#4 Salt and Pepper Series)
Key Porter Books, 2007. 165p. Gr. 3-6. 1-55263-80507. Pbk. $9.95
The vampires are back! The good vampires, who were the ones who gave their solemn promise never to
bother Christine and Pepper again, have suddenly appeared. It had all begun two years ago in London,
England when the girls, often known as Salt and Pepper, had become involved in a vampire gang war and
saved the vampire good guys, Simon and Leonard. Now they are expected to travel to Alaska in search of
the stolen Book of Vampire!
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 17/32
Reluctantly Christine, Pepper, and Christine's pesky younger brother, Hal, board a cruise ship destined for
Anchorage, Alaska. Searching the city, they locate The Book of Vampire that has unfortunately been
removed from an open display to a dark, basement room in the public library. Once in the dark, Jaglers, the
evil vampire whom they previously defeated, reappears to claim the book, and again they face a battle.
When a sudden snowstorm occurs, they quickly learn to rely on a team of sled dogs, fortunately guided by
their experienced Uncle Arnold. Eager for revenge, however, Jaglers is determined they won't escape this
time!
Volume four in the Salt and Pepper Chronicles, this novel will once again keep the reader in suspense until
the very end. Well written in the first person narrative style, using colloquial language, the story is both
humorous and intriguing. Filled with vampire lore, sibling rivalry, adventure and fun, it should be a popular
addition to the school library collection. The ending also leaves the reader waiting for the next novel in the
series.
Thematic Links: Mystery; Fantasy; Vampires; Dogsleding
Cutt, Carolyn
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Cutt, Carolyn. "The Book of Vampire (#4 Salt and Pepper Series)." Resource Links, Apr. 2007, p. 19.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A164257773/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=cb6c21f3. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A164257773
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 18/32
No Time Like the Past (#3 Salt and
Pepper Series)
Frances Stanford
Resource Links.
12.4 (Apr. 2007): p19+.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
POULSEN, David
No Time Like the Past (#3 Salt and Pepper Series)
Key Porter Books, 2007. 173p. Gr. 4-6. 978-1-55263-807-1. Pbk. $9.95
David Poulsen takes the reader back into the past into the lives of the Anasazi people of New Mexico by
transporting three children from the present into the past to solve a mystery. Salt and Pepper are the
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 19/32
nicknames of two girls, Christine Bellamy and Pepper McKenzie. The story begins as the girls and
Christine's younger brother, Hal, are walking through the Albuquerque airport and Hal spots a mysterious
character.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Paulsen then backtracks to let the reader know how the children got to this point through Christine and
Pepper winning an essay about the importance of studying the past. Hal is not part of the winning team, but
is traveling with them to spend time with his cousins, thus giving him a holiday too. The girls are to spend
time at an archaeological dig, but even before they leave the reader gets a hint of the mystery that is to
follow. One of the archaeologists has disappeared and no one knows where she is.
It is clear from the start that the girls do not want Hal along with them and the banter throughout the book is
a typical boy/girl, brother/sister conversation. The children are launched into the mystery at the airport,
when Hal spots a caveman and then when they think the same person followed them from the airport. At the
dig site, they spot the man watching them from the bushes as they sit around the campfire. Pretending to go
to their trailer for the night, the detectives decide to follow the man and get lost and caught in a rainstorm.
The man returns and guides them to a cave, where they find clean clothes and food already laid out for
them. It seems they were expected. When they explore the cave, they find strange stones in a bag. When
they throw them into the fire, they are transported back to an Anasazi village where they find Rosalie, the
missing archaeologist.
Their caveman saviour, Lor, has perfected time travel and needs the children's help in finding four missing
children from the village. This had been predicted in the tribe's drawings. If Salt, Pepper and Hal are unable
to find the children, they will be killed. They have to cross a river filled with poisonous snakes and go into
the village of a deadly enemy. With the help of the brother of one of the missing children, the detectives are
able to bring the children back to their parents.
This book is one that children will not be able to put down. The humorous touches Poulsen adds in having
Lor use modern words in the wrong places and how Hal communicates with him enhance the readability of
the book. Through the pages of the book, he shows how the girls and Hal come to appreciate each other and
learn to work together.
Thematic Links: Archaeology; Family; Adventure; Mystery; Interdependence
Stanford, Frances
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Stanford, Frances. "No Time Like the Past (#3 Salt and Pepper Series)." Resource Links, Apr. 2007, p. 19+.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A164257774/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d759187c. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A164257774
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 20/32
The Hunk Machine (Salt and Pepper
Chronicles)
Carolyn Cutt
Resource Links.
11.5 (June 2006): p8+.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Good, even great at times, generally useful!
Average, all right, has its applications
POULSEN, David A.
The Hunk Machine (Salt and Pepper Chronicles)
Key Porter Books, 2006. 181p. Gr. 4-7. 1-55263-723-9. Pbk. $9.95
Best friends Pepper and Christine, often nicknamed Salt, cannot believe their eyes--standing on the porch of
an old run-down house in the small town of Riverbend, are four very good looking guys--in fact they look
identically like four well-known Hollywood movie stars! When the local news channel confirms that a
movie filming is planned for River-bend, Pepper immediately drags Christine back to the old house,
determined to request an audition. Though Pepper is anxious to leave her name. Christine notices a strange
scene as the door is cautiously opened. One of the actors, strapped in a chair, appears to have a metal plate
and wires on his head and looks more like a zombie or a robot than a real person. Later, when Pepper fails
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 21/32
to return from her audition. Christine resorts to persuading her pesky, younger brother, Hal, to help her
investigate. Sneaking into the old house, Chris spots some strange equipment and also Pepper's backpack.
When Pepper reappears the next day she seems very different and Christine cannot believe the film
director's explanation for her disappearance. Can it be hypnotism or cloning--something very strange is
going on! Can the filming plans be masking other activities?
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Number two in The Salt and Pepper Chronicles, this fast-paced novel is both entertaining and filled with
suspense. The story is light and humorous and the reader should relate to both the sibling rivalry and the
heroes' imaginative adventures. Suggesting possibilities of cloning, zombies and robots, the plot will hold
even the reluctant reader's interest. This novel is recommended for a school library collection.
Thematic Links: Adventure; Movie Set--Western; Siblings
Cutt, Carolyn
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Cutt, Carolyn. "The Hunk Machine (Salt and Pepper Chronicles)." Resource Links, June 2006, p. 8+.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A148565840/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1e60e4d4. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A148565840
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 22/32
The Vampire's Visit (Salt and Pepper
Chronicles)
Carolyn Cutt
Resource Links.
11.5 (June 2006): p9.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Good, even great at times, generally useful!
Average, all right, has its applications
POULSEN, David A.
The Vampire's Visit (Salt and Pepper Chronicles)
Key Porter Books, 2006. 163p. Gr.4-7. 1-55263-721-2. Pbk. $9.95
As the limousine approaches the huge mansion Pepper. Christine and her younger brother Hal, are startled
to see huge garlands of garlic hanging over the doors and most of the windows. And their host, Peter
Cubbington-Smith, an old school friend of Pepper's father, is wearing garlic around his neck! Best friends
Pepper and Christine, often nicknamed Salt, are excitedly looking forward to their summer in England,
despite the fact that Pepper's parents agreed to bring Hal, Christine's pesky, younger brother along as well.
Now, just on arrival, they are hearing stories of "The Vampires of London"!
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 23/32
Trusting in the myth that garlic wards vampires away, everyone begins to enjoy the sights of London. On
the third night, however, a teenage vampire suddenly appears standing in the middle of Pepper and
Christine's room. Calming their fears, he seems friendly and answers their many questions about vampire
lore. But then he has a strange request--spy on their host, Mr. Cubbington-Smith, and "do not think of
refusing"! Refuse they do, however, until Hal disappears, triggering a meeting with another group of
vampires and their unwitting involvement in a vampire gang war.
Packed with adventure, sibling rivalry and humour this story is imaginatively written. The unusual plot
should hold the reader's interest to the finish. The characters are believable and the vocabulary appropriate
for a light, fun read. This is the first novel in the author's Salt and Pepper Chronicles, with excerpts from
number two included on the final pages, and should be a popular addition to an elementary school library
collection.
Thematic Links: History--London, England; Vampires; Adventure; Siblings
Cutt, Carolyn
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Cutt, Carolyn. "The Vampire's Visit (Salt and Pepper Chronicles)." Resource Links, June 2006, p. 9.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A148565841/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=be8a10d2. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A148565841
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 24/32
QUOTE:
"Poulsen succeeds in humanizing one of Canadian society's bogeymen, those surly, uncooperative and seemingly aimless young offenders whose lives seem destined to finish in strife and trouble for themselves and those around them."
Last Sam's Cage
Maria Forte
Resource Links.
10.4 (Apr. 2005): p38.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
POULSEN, David A.
Last Sam's Cage
Key Porter Books, 2004. 22p. Gr. 7-10. 1-55263-611-9. Pbk. $15.95
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
So what makes a bad boy bad? Author David Poulsen attempts to answer this question in Last Sam's Cage.
It is the story of 15-year-old Eddie Slater, a runaway from an abusive home and already labeled as a young
offender. Poulsen recounts Eddie's struggle to survive on the street, how he grapples with problems of
hygiene, hunger and loneliness, and how he makes his way to the Calgary Zoo which becomes his home
base. There Eddie meets an older man, whom he first avoids, as any street-wise child would, but whose
story he becomes interested in despite himself. Slowly Eddie's and this stranger's lives intersect in a way
that saves Eddie from some of the dangers of street life and allows him to take control over the problems
that had led to his running away in the first place.
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 25/32
At the end Eddie returns to a changed home life; not a perfect situation, but one that is tolerable. And by
this point it becomes clear that Eddie has a future, that he can see opportunities for himself despite the many
obstacles still remaining in his life. Maybe he'll be all right after all, or so the reader will hope.
Author David Poulsen succeeds in humanizing one of Canadian society's bogeymen, those surly,
uncooperative and seemingly aimless young offenders whose lives seem destined to finish in strife and
trouble for themselves and those around them. Last Sam's Cage makes clear that the reality is always more
complex. Readers will find themselves rooting for Eddie's survival and sharing his joy as he surmounts the
problems that bedevil his young life.
Thematic Links: Runaways; Teenagers; Abusive Homes
Forte, Maria
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Forte, Maria. "Last Sam's Cage." Resource Links, Apr. 2005, p. 38. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A133101399/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2a18ce98.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 26/32
Gale Document Number: GALE|A133101399
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 27/32
QUOTE:
"perfect book for those readers who are interested in wilderness survival stories."
Billy and the Bearman
Resource Links.
2.1 (Oct. 1996): p30-1.
COPYRIGHT 1996 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
Full Text:
Billy and the Bearman.
Napoleon, 1996. 186pp.
(Grades 8-10).
0-929141-48-2. Paperback. $7.95.
Billy and the Bearman is the perfect book for those readers who are interested in wilderness survival stories
and also like to read about victims of parental abuse, both sexual and physical. This comment may seem
flippant but it points to a potential readership question concerning this book.
The story is competently written, the wilderness scenes are detailed and generally interesting, the
developing friendship between the two heroes (Bearman, aged 17, and Billy, aged 12) is well described.
However, the nature and even the age of the implied reader is not really clear. The sexual horrors of the
night-time encounters with the raping stepfather (who assaults both Billy and his 10-year-old sister) are
glided over in a way which suggests that the reader should be able to fill in the blanks; on the other hand, all
references to bodily functions in the great outdoors are described very coyly. The effect almost suggests that
it is all right to talk about the unspeakable as long as you don't use any naughty words; whether this is a
decision by the author or the publishing house is not clear.
The writer has a good sense of local geography (the book is set around Calgary in the foothills) and does an
excellent job of conveying Billy's uncertainty about whether to team up with Bearman. Bearman himself,
the older of the two boys, is a rather more glorified figure; the author does not really persuade us that a boy
with such dazzling wilderness skills (and one with an adult sister prepared to offer him refuge) would really
put up with being beaten by his alcoholic father with the chain of a chain saw until the age of 17.
Such horrors do happen, of course, and this book does make an honest and courageous attempt to address
them. It avoids the trap of over-sensationalization but then slips into the error of over-simplifying both its
descriptions and its solutions. The ending is simple wish fulfilment.
It will probably be those readers who like to read about victims who take to this book. There are many of
them, and the fact that the victims in this story largely solve their own problems makes this a more
attractive title than the many where the solutions all come from outside. In its own terms it is not a bad book
and perhaps it is unfair to judge it on the grounds that it could have been larger and braver.
Thematic links: Wilderness-fiction;
Survival-fiction; Abuse-fiction.
--Margaret Mackey
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 28/32
"Billy and the Bearman." Resource Links, Oct. 1996, pp. 30-1. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A30580458/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a536e84b.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A30580458
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 29/32
QUOTE:
"this book will win some fans with its casual, conversational tone and its messages about peer pressure and prejudice."
Poulsen, David A.: Numbers
Magdalena Teske
School Library Journal.
62.1 (Jan. 2016): p102.
COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
POULSEN, David A. Numbers. 200p. ebook available. Dundurn. 2015. pap. $12.99. ISBN
9781459732483.
Gr 7 Up--Andy Crockett, otherwise known as Alamo, really likes his social studies teacher. Mr. Retzlaff is
charismatic and funny, he remembers his students' names, and he makes 20th-century history engaging. At
an otherwise uninteresting school dance, Mr. R even sits with Alamo and his six friends, "the seven people
in the school who were least likely to win awards for brains or personality," and, in Alamo's words, "pretty
much told us we were cool." But Alamo's parents and uncle and his new crush, Patti Bailer, don't seem to
like Mr. R, and the protagonist isn't sure why--but it has something to do with the Holocaust. The story of
Alamo's 10th-grade year includes time with friends, girl troubles, and the death of an uncle, but the
underlying theme of the book is Alamo's gradual realization that his favorite teacher is an anti-Semitic
Holocaust denier. When a couple of Alamo's friends ask him to come with them to burn down the house of
an unpopular Jewish woman nicknamed Numbers, Alamo agrees, spurred on by the promise of greater
social acceptance and the assumption that Mr. R would approve. But when they arrive at the house, Patti is
there, and she shames Alamo into changing his mind. Although many of the characters lack depth and some
plot points feel very contrived, this book will win some fans with its casual, conversational tone and its
messages about peer pressure and prejudice. VERDICT A worthwhile purchase for libraries looking to fill a
niche.--Magdalena Teske, Naperville Public Library, IL
Teske, Magdalena
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Teske, Magdalena. "Poulsen, David A.: Numbers." School Library Journal, Jan. 2016, p. 102. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A438949264/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=36a145d5. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A438949264
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 30/32
Poulsen, David A.: And Then the Sky
Exploded
Marilyn Taniguchi
School Library Journal.
62.11 (Nov. 2016): p96.
COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
POULSEN, David A. And Then the Sky Exploded. 208p. ebook available. Dundurn. Nov. 2016. pap.
$12.99. ISBN 9781459736375.
Gr 6-8--When Chris attends the funeral of his great-grandfather, affectionately called GG Will, he is
shocked to see protesters outside the church. Though his family won't talk about it, Chris eventually learns
that GG Will, a brilliant scientist, worked on the Manhattan Project. Chris researches the atomic bomb and
eventually gets to go on a school trip to Japan. He is haunted by the image of a Japanese girl whom only he
can see, and he tries to explain his obsession to his friend: "I have this weird idea that I can go over there
and do something, you know, something that would somehow make up for what GG Will did." Later, Chris
discovers that GG Will signed a petition against using the bomb, and in Japan, he meets an elderly survivor
of the bomb, Yuko, whose experiences are threaded throughout the narrative in alternating chapters. Poulsen
packs too many contrivances into his message-laden plot. Both central and secondary characters are
undeveloped, especially Chris's deaf best friend and a Muslim girlfriend. Better options for readers who
want to understand the atomic bomb's role in history include Steve Sheinkin's acclaimed nonfiction account
Bomb and Ellen Klages's novel The Green Glass Sea. VERDICT Fast-moving, but the strained plot, along
with thin characters and all-too-easy resolutions, makes this title unconvincing and unmemorable. Not
recommended--Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Taniguchi, Marilyn. "Poulsen, David A.: And Then the Sky Exploded." School Library Journal, Nov. 2016,
p. 96. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A468699253/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fd7bdb3f. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468699253
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 31/32
Poulsen, David A. The Vampire's Visit
Nancy Kunz
School Library Journal.
54.2 (Feb. 2008): p126.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
POULSEN, David A. The Vampire's Visit. Bk. 1. 163p. (The Salt & Pepper Chronicles). Key Porter. 2007.
pap. $9.95. ISBN 1-55263-721-2. LC C2005-906556-7.
Gr 3-6--Twelve-year-old Christine Bellamy (sometimes called Salt because her best friend is Pepper
McKenzie) goes to London with her friend's family. Her 10-year-old brother is also invited, which is a drag,
as Hal is a royal pain. The trip immediately becomes strange when they find that the manor they are staying
in has garlic hanging in every window (with the exception of Hal's and the girls' bedrooms), and that their
host, an old friend of Mr. McKenzie's, wears a big hunk of it around his neck. Indeed, Mr. CubbingtonSmith
is serious on the subject of vampires, and before long one shows up--a teen named Simon Chelling--
in the girls' room. When they refuse to spy on Cubbington-Smith, Hal goes missing, and the girls find
themselves deep under the city looking for him. The three children end up helping Simon and get ting
themselves into all sorts of hot water. There's not a lot of character development; the plot is the focus. A
breezy, fun read.--Nancy Kunz, Tuckahoe Public Library, NY
Kunz, Nancy
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Kunz, Nancy. "Poulsen, David A. The Vampire's Visit." School Library Journal, Feb. 2008, p. 126. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A175442384/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4167e596. Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A175442384
7/15/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1531685349677 32/32
Dead Air
Internet Bookwatch.
(July 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Dead Air
David A. Poulsen
Dundurn
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459736689, $17.99, PB, 376pp, www.amazon.com
Ex-cop turned private detective Mike Cobb is hired as the personal bodyguard of right-wing radio celebrity
Buckley-Rand Larmer, who has been receiving a string of vicious, graphic threats. Once again, Cobb
recruits crime journalist Adam Cullen, this time to dig into Larmer's past and find out who might have a
grudge against him. Soon it becomes evident that Cullen and Cobb have more to contend with than the notso-veiled
threats. When Larmer's associate turns up dead, the broadcaster is charged with the killing, but
Cullen believes the murder might be related to a series of suspicious deaths of right-wing media figures
going back years. As layers of secrets and lies peel back, Cullen and Cobb have more than Larmer's guilt or
innocence to worry about. A vicious killer is out there somewhere, poised to strike again. Another
exceptional, riveting read from a master of the genre, "Dead Air" by David A. Poulsen is very highly
recommended and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense
collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs and fans of David Poulsen's Cullen and
Cobb series, it should be noted that "Dead Air" is also available in a digital book format ($5.38).
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Dead Air." Internet Bookwatch, July 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A502653060/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ee009ca7.
Accessed 15 July 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A502653060
QUOTE:
This faltering would-be thriller lacks depth and danger.
Dead Air
David Poulsen. Dundurn (IPS, U.S. dist.; UTP, Canadian dist.), $17.99 trade paper (374p) ISBN 978-1-4597-3668-9
Mike Cobb, an ex-cop turned private investigator, is hired to protect right-wing radio personality Buckley-Rand Larmer in this unfortunately but aptly titled mystery, the second book (following Serpents Rising) in Poulsen’s series featuring Cobb and freelance journalist Adam Cullen. When Larmer is accused of murdering a close associate, it’s up to Cobb and Cullen to find the real killer. This is a passable mystery, full of suspects, clues, and red herrings, but it is slow-moving and lacks excitement. There is no peril, and Poulsen fails to get readers invested in the characters. He offers little insight into Cobb’s personal life; readers learn that Cullen is a widower with a new girlfriend, but Poulsen leaves the relationship underdeveloped, instead detailing the kinds of coffee, food, and music Cobb and Cullen enjoy. Similarly, Poulsen could have done more with the setting. The city of Calgary, Alberta, which has a long history of right-wing politics, is reduced to points on a Google map; names of neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, and other business are dropped, but without any insight into the social, political, and physical fabric of the place. This faltering would-be thriller lacks depth and danger. (June)
QUOTE:
This tense, suspenseful story has plenty of humor and offers vivid glimpses into Canadian music history.
Last Song Sung
David A. Poulsen. Dundurn (IPS, U.S. dist.; UTP, Canadian dist.), $17.99 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-4597-3986-4
The captivating third mystery (following Dead Air) in Poulsen’s series featuring Mike Cobb, an ex-cop turned private investigator, and Adam Cullen, a freelance journalist, begins when a young woman named Monica Brill asks Cobb to find her grandmother, who was kidnapped in Calgary, Alberta, in 1965. At first hesitant to take on such a cold case, Cobb becomes intrigued with the mystery of how Monica’s grandmother, Ellie Foster, an aspiring folksinger, was forced into a car in the alley behind the folk coffee club where she was billed with Joni Anderson (later known as Joni Mitchell). But 51 years later, the club has long since closed; possible witnesses are, for the most part, dead or no longer lucid; and clues are scarce except for a CD someone put in Monica’s car. She is certain it is a recording of Ellie. Aided by Cullen’s music savvy, Cobb and Cullen immerse themselves in the ’60s music scene and find an unexpected political connection to Ellie’s disappearance. This tense, suspenseful story has plenty of humor and offers vivid glimpses into Canadian music history. (June)
QUOTE:
lead-up to the climax was interesting, and kept me reading at a faster pace than usual, so that’s always the sign of not only a good writer, but a budding mystery writer in the making. I do hope Poulsen continues with this series, as I’d love to see what Cullen and Cobb get up to next.
BOOK REVIEWS
Book Review: Serpents Rising by David A. Poulsen
Date: November 14, 2014
Author: annelogan17
1 Comment
I just finished reading a great mystery by a great Alberta author. And by the way, he’s also got another job as a rodeo announcer, when he’s not writing (see video below). David A. Poulson has written over 20 books, some for kids, some for adults, but according to the acknowledgements at the end of Serpents Rising, this is the book he’s wanted to write all along, but never had the courage to until now.
I can understand that hesitation, especially after reading the influences that led him to love and eventually write his own mystery book. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson were just a few of the names that he listed, but as any mystery lover knows, those are some pretty heavy-hitters! Although Serpents Rising wasn’t written in the same style that these authors are known for, it’s obvious that Poulsen knew enough about the genre to create a decent attempt at what he loved for so long.
9781459721722Serpents Rising is set in Calgary, Alberta which is one of the reasons I picked it up. For some reason, I love reading books set in my own city, and Poulsen clearly enjoyed working within this setting, picking many well-known locations for his plot to unravel in. He also gave the main character Cullen a very Calgary-esque job as a former reporter for the Calgary Herald, now a freelance journalist. All locals know that full-time Calgary Herald writers are hard to come by now, so the narrative was clearly well researched.
Is it necessary for the bad guy to always be a complete surprise to the reader in a mystery? No, I’ve certainly read enough mysteries that don’t contain a twist at the end when revealing the perpetrator. However, I must admit I’m always a bit disappointed when the killer/thief/criminal ends up being someone you suspected earlier on. I won’t include any spoilers here, but I will say that I wasn’t at all surprised when the culprit was revealed. Please surprise me!!! Especially if you’re just beginning the series (the cover of the book says it is a “Cullen and Cobb Mystery”), I’m expecting more to come in the future and I want to be wowed from the very beginning.
Regardless of the final result, the lead-up to the climax was interesting, and kept me reading at a faster pace than usual, so that’s always the sign of not only a good writer, but a budding mystery writer in the making. I do hope Poulsen continues with this series, as I’d love to see what Cullen and Cobb get up to next. But he needs to step up his game, as the mystery market is crowded as is, and readers need that last little push to pick up one book over the next.
Signature
Spread the Word!
TwitterTumblrFacebookPocketEmailLinkedInSkypePrintRedditGooglePinterestTelegramWhatsApp
Like this:
Related
Books Ive Read in 2014
Books Ive Read in 2014
January 6, 2015
In "Random Posts"
Book Review: Innocence by Dean Koontz
I may be one of the few people who read widely, and yet have never read a Dean Koontz book. For those of you who are in the same boat as me: he's a very popular author, and has written many best-sellers. He's also been around for awhile; I remember…
March 3, 2014
In "Book Reviews"
Book Review: Let Darkness Bury the Dead by Maureen Jennings
Book Review: Let Darkness Bury the Dead by Maureen Jennings
March 22, 2018
In "Book Reviews"
ALBERTA WRITERSBOOK REVIEWCALGARY HERALDDAVID A. POULSENDUNDURN PRESSFICTIONMYSTERYSERPENTS RISING
Published by annelogan17
I worked in the Canadian publishing industry for 7 years, and loved every minute of it. Now that my day job no longer involves books, I wanted to find a way to connect with other readers and publishing professionals. I read a lot, and I don’t want to keep my opinions to myself, so people send me books, and I review them. View all posts by annelogan17
Post navigation
PREVIOUS
Previous post:Defending Us Conductors by Sean Michaels
NEXT
Next post:Book Review: Reunion by Hannah Pittard
ONE THOUGHT ON “BOOK REVIEW: SERPENTS RISING BY DAVID A. POULSEN” Add Comment
spirituality and work
April 26, 2015 at 5:44 am
Great article.
Reply
TALK BACK TO ME!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
QUOTE:
"well-written novel with plenty of action and adventure." Mahoney added: "This could have been a depressing story, but instead it’s rather inspiring. The fast-moving plot and the likable characters will appeal to boys and girls, and the story will engage reluctant readers as well as avid ones."
Billy and the Bearman
by David A. Poulsen
Reviewer: Anne Louise Mahoney
At first glance, 12-year-old Billy Gavin and 17-year-old John “Bearman” Redell seem to be unlikely allies. Billy is an underconfident city kid, while the Bearman (named for his skill in tracking bears in the woods) has never learned to read, and lives more or less off the land. But the two boys have one thing in common: they’ve both run away from abusive parents.
When circumstances bring them together, Billy and the Bearman set up a camp, vowing never to return to the life of violence that haunts them. But the real test of their courage and endurance comes when they decide to look for a rodeo cowboy whose plane has crashed and who is lost in the mountains. This heroic act is a step toward healing for both boys: it begins to replace the terrible memories with some more life-giving ones.
This is a well-written novel with plenty of action and adventure. Alberta author David A. Poulsen (who, among other things, is a former rodeo competitor as well as the writer of four other novels for young adults) provides a healthy balance in the story – even during moments of great tension there is understanding and humour. Poulsen writes convincingly of the two boys’ desperation to escape the violence at home, and of their hope that they will make a better life for themselves. Young readers will find the boys’ decision to take responsibility for their lives heartening. This could have been a depressing story, but instead it’s rather inspiring. The fast-moving plot and the likable characters will appeal to boys and girls, and the story will engage reluctant readers as well as avid ones.