It’s been nearly a decade since Estevan author Marie Calder released The Other Side of War, which was the first book in the Other Side series.
Book No. 24 in the series, The Other Side of Farewell, has just arrived, and according to Calder, the series is nearing a conclusion.
Calder was at the Estevan Public Library on Tuesday night to read from and promote the book, as well as a new children’s tale, Little Luella Ladybug Doesn’t Give Up, which was illustrated by local artist Jacqueline McClement.
Both books arrived earlier this month.
The Other Side of Farewell is the second-to-last book in the series. The 25th book, The Other Side of Reunion, will be released next year.
Each of the books portray the experiences of her father, Ed Donais, who was stationed in Leer, Germany, as a mechanic following the end of the Second World War. The books chronicle his experiences, and his interactions with his fellow soldiers and a German family they befriended.
Most books also look at what life was like for Donais’ family in Alida while he was in Germany.
Calder notes the title, as well as the cover of the book, with Canadian soldiers boarding a ship, should give a hint as to what happens in Farewell. Calder believes that one of the soldiers in the cover photo is her father, looking up at the camera.
“They boarded a small ship in Germany. We know that they went down the Ems River, but we don’t know how far they went before they met with transport trucks to take them the rest of the way.”
They had to go over the English Channel to get to Southampton, England, and then he sailed on the Queen Mary back to Halifax.
While she wouldn’t delve into too many details, Calder said her father went through what so many of the soldiers experienced as they tried to fit back into society and become civilians.
“It was very difficult for them,” said Calder.
As for her new children’s book, Calder said she wrote it on Sept. 26, 1994, shortly after arriving for work at the now-closed Scotsburn School in Estevan.
“I didn’t know I was going to write a story. I was just trying to think how I am going to teach the children and imprint it on their minds that insects have six legs, and out came this story.”
Just over an hour later, she had written Luella’s story. Later that morning, she was at St. Joseph’s Hospital fighting for her life.
“When I finally came around, this little story came into my head, and that’s all that was in my head, and it just tumbled around and around, and of course it’s about not giving up,” she said.
After she published another children’s book, Little Miss Muffet isn’t Frightened Anymore, her publisher asked her for another story. Calder gave him the background on her ladybug tale, and he thought it would be great.
At one point in the book, Luella’s legs are plucked off, and her friends try to help reattach them.
“They don’t stop supporting her, and are literally supporting her at the end there,” said Calder.
Calder is thrilled with the illustrations provided by McClement, who also provided the artwork for the Little Miss Muffet book.
“The illustrations are captivating and engaging and vivid and magical,” said Calder.
The books have received favourable response since they were released. She sold a number of books at the Estevan Kinettes Club’s craft show this past weekend.
Calder is looking forward to moving on to a couple of new projects, with a new children’s book in the offing, along with a non-fiction book that will delve into the plane crash of 1946 south of Estevan that killed 21 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
