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Prairie Pearl: The Story of Ellen Stover

by Arleen Brenner

175 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); For ages 12 and up; catalogue #04-2088; ISBN 1-4120-4281-X; US$17.60, C$20.99, EUR14.30, £10.50

History is often written by the rich and powerful people of the times. In the 1920's, women were deemed chattels with few or no rights. Where are their stories? For ages 12 and up.

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About the Book

Reviews of the Book

About the Author

Excerpts

Catalogue Information

About the Book

A mystery person known only as the Red Writer has defaced the town's sign. Was it Bubblin' Bob, Pick Pocket Pete or just some youngster looking for attention?

A new family moves into town and Ellen befriends Betsy Connor who is the daughter of an alcoholic father and a mother who must find work as a cleaning lady to put food on the table.

In the course of less than two years, Ellen looses both of her parents and Betsy and Amy move to Regina. Ellen lives for a short time with the Hogan family in Pearl where she is forced to change her way of life. Later she goes to live with the Reeses in Regina where she is able to resume her friendships with Amy and Betsy.

Back in Pearl the priest continues to abuse young girls in the community. As a result a group of girls is bonded together by a common goal. That goal is to stop the priest from harming anymore girls. They all meet in Pearl and Ellen's plan is set in motion.

To read more about Prairie Pearl 2: The Story of Amy Stanford Click Here

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Reviews of the Book

Prairie Pearl - by Arleen Brenner

I have just finished reading this novel.

I got into this story so deeply because it reminded me of my childhood. There is no way you could come home complaining about a teacher, priest, a nun or any one with higher education.

We would have been treated as Amy was, by her parents.

We could sympathise with Ellen's parents, the way the townspeople treated them.

The book just flowed. It followed a theme, forgive, forget and move on.

I loved the way Ellen could release her worries by talking with the clouds.

The book is well researched. The way it is written, even a 10 or eleven year old could read and enjoy it.

-Bernadette Grenier

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To Arleen Brenner for her story about Ellen Stover.

I feel it took a lot of courage for you to decide to write about these accounts. It is a story that should be told.

I am not a Catholic and find it hard to understand the control that some priests had.

Equally hard to understand is the mother's reaction. Had they not heard of the abuse or suffered it themselves?

I hope these abuses are not still rampant and that your book will lead to more openness.

-Edith Newell

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About the Author

Arleen Brenner was born at the end of World War II at Russell, Manitoba. She spent the first few days of her life in the Russell hospital. Her mother had been taken there almost two weeks before her birth. The winter of 1945 was very harsh and the family farm was over forty miles from the hospital.

That is the only time in her life that she was identified with the province of Manitoba. Saskatchewan has been and still remains her home.

One of her passions is her flower gardens, but she did not have much time to enjoy them until she retired. At times, she worked eighty hours a week to put food on the table so she has first hand knowledge of how her parents and grandparents struggled to make a living.

Her parents provided her with a secondary education but it was not sufficient when she chose to go back into the work force. She obtained a Certificate in Municipal Government and worked as a Town Administrator.

Arleen later obtained a Certificate of Horticulture from a Saskatchewan University. She continues to garden and write history of family and friends who claim Saskatchewan as their home.

Prairie Pearl is her first book of fiction.

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Excerpts

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Catalogue Information

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