Jackie Cameron
Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch
Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch
About the Author
Jackie’s first book, Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch was shortlisted for the G. Murray and Edna Forbes Foundation Children's Literature Award in the 2022 Saskatchewan Book Awards. The book was also shortlisted for the 2022/2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. A second book about the Circle Star Ranch is in the review stage.
Email Jackie at: jackie@cameronnarratives.com
Indie Book Awards Finalist
2022 CHILDREN'S/JUVENILE EARLY READERS/CHAPTER BOOKS (FICTION)
Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch
and
Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch
Adventure stories of life on the ranch!
Available at:
Regina:
- Indigo-Chapters
Saskatoon:
- McNally Robinson
Swift Current:
- Pharmasave
- Sputtergotch
Online: Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing - heather@ynwp.ca
You can order directly from Jackie at normac@sasktel.net
Review on Prairie books NOW (click to read full article)
From SKBooks.com
Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch
by Jackie Cameron, Illustrated by Wendi Nordell
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing
Review by Sally Meadows
$19.95 ISBN 9781778690013
In Lost Treasure on the Circle Star Ranch, nine-year-old Ben stumbles across yet another mystery as readers get a glimpse of life on his family’s ranch on the Canadian prairies.
The story draws the reader in immediately with a vivid visual of two horses gallopping across the prairies, their riders-Ben and his sister Sarah-shouting about a grass fire.
Ben’s family springs into action. The appearance of a stranger in a blue truck who helps put out the fire raises Ben’s curiosity. When he learns from a Hutterite neighbour that there had been another grass fire years ago near an abandoned cabin on his family’s rented land, and that the fire might have been connected to a thief using the cabin as a hideout, Ben’s imagination goes into overdrive. Could the stolen money and jewellery still be at the cabin? And could the mysterious man in the blue truck, who Ben spots again later at the rodeo, be on the hunt for the lost treasure?
Swift Current author Jackie Cameron effectively weaves details about life on a ranch-the danger of grass fires, the value of neighbours, the kids’ participation in rodeos, the diversity of prairie wildlife, fun campfire traditions, and more-into the twists and turns of the main storyline.
I really enjoyed this story because although I didn’t grow up on the prairies, my father and his extended family did. With one cousin who still ranches and another cousin who was a national rodeo champion, this city girl got a glimpse into what life on the prairies might have been like when they were young boys, with a page-turning mystery to boot.
I hope this story inspires young readers with prairie roots-and those reading to them-to learn more about their own family history. For students who grew up in another culture, this engaging novel for kids is a wonderful way to learn about the unique lifestyle of a fundamental part of the Canadian cultural tapesty.
Author Jackie Cameron was a teacher-librarian for 25 years. She has tapped into her intimate knowledge of life on the Saskatchewan prairies-her family raised beef cattle-to write childrens’ books that educate and inform about the ranching life. The first book in her series, Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch-the author’s first ever publication-was shortlisted in the children’s book category of the 2022 Saskatchewan Book Awards. This story is suitable for ages 5-8 (K-3) and is a worthy addition to a school, classroom, or home library.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM.
From Swift Current Online
Adventures on the Circle Star Ranch by Jackie Cameron was announced as one of the five finalists for the G. Murray and Edna Forbes Foundation Children's Award on April 1.
"It was totally a surprise, I never thought it would happen," she said humbly on Monday afternoon. "My publisher (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing) sent the book to the book award people."
The novel idea came to the former teacher-librarian of 25 years while her career was winding down.
"When I would go out to visit schools, I realized that there are not a lot of books that tell about the lifestyle kids here would be living, especially on ranches," she said.
She began putting the ink to paper on the 60-page paperback shortly after retiring in 2014 from the Chinook School Division. It was sent out for publishing in 2020 and by 2021 it was available for purchase locally and online.
"[It's about] a nine-year-old boy Ben and his sister doing various activities that they would have on a ranch," she explained. "They would involve little adventures. At the same time, these things were happening... Cattle are going missing...And in the end, it's Ben and his sister that solve the mystery. As a spoiler, there are cattle rustlers."
Shortly after the book was released last year, Cameron remembers reading in the news about a cattle rustling case near the Saskatchewan and Alberta border.
The Sask Book Awards will be held online on June 23, when Cameron will learn if she's won the award that also comes with a $2,000 prize.
Anyone looking to purchase the book in Swift Current can visit The Sputtergotch Toy Company, Cowtown, and Pharmasave. Or online at Indigo and Sask Books.