THE BERRY PICKERS

This year continues to wow me with stand-out novels, including this one about the disappearance of a four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl from her family of berry pickers in1962. In this memorable story, a community of summer workers indigenous to Nova Scotia are harvesting in the fields of Maine, when they lose a beloved child without a trace, causing them to unravel in grief and despair. Elsewhere in the state, a girl named Norma is raised in a protective household with stringently enforced rules. Norma is haunted by mysterious dreams and memories that lead her to suspect her parents are keeping an important secret from her, one that will shape her identity forever.

This novel is an excellent choice for book clubs, with a compelling story and questionable character choices that will spark lively debates. The book is told in dual perspectives, and while I was more drawn to one voice than the other, I thought this novel was very thought provoking and well done. It’s a sad book to be sure, but ultimately a hopeful one. With themes of secrecy, regret and identity, this moving story reinforces the notion that it is never too late to forge connections, however elusive they may seem.

This gorgeous cover had me daydreaming about muffins, pancakes, pies, anything filled with this summery fruit during the doldrums of winter. But with blueberries I always turn to my failsafe: a galette that is one of my favorite desserts to make from scratch. Melissa Clark’s galette recipe features a perfectly imperfect, intentionally jagged crust, and a filling that teeters between sweet and tart, with sugar and lemon zest (I paint the crust with some jam too). I’ll post in stories - have fun using any fruit and making this galette your own!