Review,
Canadian Children's Literature, no. 111-112 Fall-Winter/ 2004
A
second prairie novel, Anita Daher's Flight from Big Tangle, although not
specifically located on the real map by name, is based on The Mallard Fire
of 1999 in La Ronge, northern Saskatchewan. This first novel is well
paced, building suspense in a world governed by human error and natural tragedy.
Kaylee realizes that her dead father is with her in spirit as she faces the very
realistically depicted forest fire that threatens her life and the lives of
others. This realization gives her the strength to overcome her fear of
flying and allows her to release her refusal to acknowledge her father's death.
A particularly wrenching scene involves the return to the homes and the
community destroyed by fire, an experience that is tragically not fictional for
a number of Canadians. Although we do not see it in the novel, Kaylee has
a second home in St. Lucia, which gives her two families, two countries, and two
cultures. Young readers will relate to Kaylee's emotions of anger,
disbelief, and determination, even though they are brought about in her case by
extreme conditions unfamiliar to most readers -- the isolated region in which
she lives and the danger of her parents' jobs as fire-fighting pilots.
For school and library bookings in Ontario please email Authors Booking Service: authors.bookingservice(at)mail.com with "Anita Daher" in the subject line.
Elsewhere, please email Anita directly at: anita(dot)daher@shaw.ca
Anita is represented by Marie Campbell, Transatlantic Literary Agency
Mailing address:
c/o 72 Glengowan Road
Toronto, Ontario
M4N 1G4
Canada
E-mail:
marie(at)tla1.com
Email anita(dot)daher@shaw.ca
E-mail:
marie(at)tla1.com