Black Cat Books
168 E Queen J1M 1J9 Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

A graphic novel by Montreal mayor Valérie Plante! A story about political organizing and the power of community Valérie Plante stood up to the patriarchal power system of her city, took down an incumbent, and became the first woman elected Mayor of Montreal. Her origin story comes alive in Okay, Universe. This captivating graphic novelcreated in a true collaboration with Governor-General Award-winner Delphie Côté-Lacroixfollows her journey from community organizer and volun...teer to municipal candidate, and the phone call from the local social justice political party that changed her life forever. Okay, Universe is the first time Plante has told her story, and she has chosen an art form that is not just emblematic of the city of Montreal and its love of the arts and bande dessinée, it’s an art form that is accessible to all readers and perfectly suited to her message. With patience, determination, and the strength of will to remain true to her core beliefs, Okay, Universe details the inspiring political campaign where slowly but surely she gained the trust of a neighbourhood fighting for affordable housing, environmental protections, and equal opportunities. Okay, Universe demystifies the path to success, simultaneously showing the Mayor’s inextinguishable commitment to creating positive change in the world and educating about the vitality of political engagement. Recommended for Ages 14+ New, at the black cat!

Artwork: Norman Rockwell

#OTD in 1815 the novel Emma by Jane Austen is first published.

Kids take the reins in the kitchen with this hands-on book of edible science experiments! With revised and updated material, a brand-new look, and hours of innovative, educational experiments, this science classic by award-winning author Vicki Cobb will be devoured by a whole new generation of readers. With contemporary information that reflects changes in the world of processing and preserving foods, this cookbook demonstrates the scientific principles that underpin the che...mical reactions we witness every dayjust by cooking. And once readers have tested their theories and completed their experiments, they can eat the results! From salad dressing to mayonnaise, celery to popcorn, and muffins to meringues, this book uses food to make science accessible to a range of tastes. Also included is essential information on eating healthfully, plus additional resources for further exploration. This nonfiction guide is an excellent choice for tweens in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. New, at the black cat.

Trickster Coyote is having his friends over for a festive solstice get-together in the woods when a little girl comes by unexpectedly. She leads the party-goers through the snowy woods to a shopping mall -- a place they have never seen before. Coyote gleefully shops with abandon, only to discover that filling your shopping cart with goodies is not quite the same thing as actually paying for them. ... The trickster is tricked and goes back to his cabin in the woods -- somewhat subdued -- though nothing can keep Coyote down for long... Winner of the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Awards, Best Picture Book New, at the Black Cat.

A poem from Marjorie Bruhmuller, a writer in our very midst... Marjorie's poetry collection, The Bell You Hardly Hear, is available at the black cat.

Books are a great idea for a gift, but how to choose a book for somebody else? Sometimes it is easy, but other times... it can be challenging. At those times, a Gift Certificate could be the answer! Gift Certificates are available at the black cat.

In 1987, when Hilary Mantel was first published in The London Review of Books, she wrote to the editor, Karl Miller, "I have no critical training whatsoever, so I am forced to be more brisk and breezy than scholarly." This collection of twenty reviews, essays and pieces of memoir from the next three decades tells the story of what follows. A stunning collection of essays and memoir from twice Booker Prize winner and international bestseller Hilary Mantel, author of The Mirror... and the Light. New, at the black cat.

Just in case you're wondering... 20 REASONS WHY BOOKS MAKE BETTER GIFTS 1. Do not have to be assembled.... 2. Don’t need batteries. 3. Never come in the wrong colour or size. 4. Don’t need to be serviced by a dealer. 5. Don’t need spare parts. 6. Easier to wrap than a football. 7. Don’t bite, scratch or kick. 8. Don’t need watering or fertilizing. 9. Don’t go out of style. 10. Don’t irritate your allergies. 11. Look good in any décor. 12. Don’t get eaten right away. 13. Don’t need gas. 14. Don’t need polishing. 15. Easier to carry than a coffeemaker. 16. Don’t fall apart when dropped. 17. No refrigeration necessary. 18. Can never be played too loud. 19. If the power goes out, they still work. 20. And best of all, can be shared by many! See more

On this day in 1923 Nadine Gordimer was born. Gordimer was a South African writer, political activist and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was recognised as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has in the words of Alfred Nobel been of very great benefit to humanity." Three of Nadine Gordimer's books are available now in our Gently Used section : A World of Strangers, My Son's Story, and A Sport of Nature.

To most Canadians, the Molson name is part of the very fabric of Canada. Since 1786, when John Molson founded his first brewery in Montreal, it has become synonymous with beer, hockey, and philanthropy. Few realize, however, how close the family came in recent years to losing control of the enterprise. Back to Beer...and Hockey offers intimate details of the life and work of Eric Molson, who not only saved the company, but positioned it to thrive as a global brewery into the... twenty-first century. With unprecedented access to the Molson family, Helen Antoniou traces Eric Molson's evolution from a young brewmaster captivated by the chemistry of beer-making to chairman of Molson. Quiet by nature, he had to confront big egos, navigate complex boardroom politics, and even battle a disruptive cousin who tried to push him out of the way. Antoniou's carefully researched account details how the introverted Eric overcame his aversion to conflict to take the company from a failing conglomerate back to its core business of beer, eventually turning it into one of the world's leading brewers. Today, he has passed the torch to his sons, the seventh generation, but his steadfast vision prevails. An absorbing account of one man's struggle at the helm of an international brewing giant, Back to Beer...and Hockey shows how Eric Molson's guiding principles influenced the future of Molson both the enterprise and the family. In our Gently Used section.

From the author of Milk and honey and The sun and her flowers comes her greatly anticipated third collection of poetry. rupi kaur constantly embraces growth, and in home body, she walks readers through a reflective and intimate journey visiting the past, the present, and the potential of the self. home body is a collection of raw, honest conversations with oneself - reminding readers to fill up on love, acceptance, community, family, and embrace change. illustrated by the aut...hor, themes of nature and nurture, light and dark, rest here. i dive into the well of my body and end up in another world everything i need already exists in me there’s no need to look anywhere else home New, at the black cat

Escape to the snow-covered streets of Amsterdam in this surprising and heartwarming novel for the holiday season by Canadian bestseller Karen Swan. When Lee first came to Amsterdam, it was with a newborn baby and a secret. Five years later, her life is approaching normal: her career as a celebrity photographer is flourishing, her son Jasper is growing up, and they are enjoying the run-up to Christmas with their tight circle of close friends. But all this changes one morning w...hen Lee finds a book in the basket of her bicycle - and scrawled inside it, a desperate message. Who left it for her, and why? Lee feels compelled to help and tracks down the book's author, Sam. With an instant, undeniable connection it seems they might have a shot at a real future together. Until her past comes calling. As the snow falls and ice thickens on the city's canals, the secret Lee has never told resurfaces. Suddenly everything she holds dear hangs in the balance. Christmas is a time for being together - but what if the truth means she ends up alone? New, at the black cat.

Available now at the black cat. Free!

This is a truly beautiful novel. A difficult time, yet such kindness... It is "soon to be a "Major Motion Picture." We'll see about that, but the book is well worth the read. In this National Book Award finalist set in the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction that explores the boundaries of family, ...responsibility, honor, and trust It is 1870 and Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. An elderly widower who has lived through three wars and fought in two of them, the captain enjoys his rootless, solitary existence. In Wichita Falls, he is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna’s parents and sister; sparing the little girl, they raised her as one of their own. Recently rescued by the U.S. army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home she knows. Their 400-mile journey south through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain proves difficult and at times dangerous. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act civilized. Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forging a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land. Arriving in San Antonio, the reunion is neither happy nor welcome. The captain must hand Johanna over to an aunt and uncle she does not rememberstrangers who regard her as an unwanted burden. A respectable man, Captain Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon the girl to her fate or becomein the eyes of the lawa kidnapper himself. Exquisitely rendered and morally complex, News of the World is a brilliant work of historical fiction that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust. New, at the black cat.