Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Grass Beyond the Mountains, Discovering the Last Great Cattle Frontier on the North American Continent
by Richard Hobson
Hobson's classic memoir of his cross-country trek and pioneering days as a rancher in British Columbia's undiscovered remote north.
Touching Spirit Bear
by Ben Mikaelsen
This young adult novel follows Cole, an abused and abusive teen, who chooses banishment to an Alaskan island over incarceration. But for Cole to reform, it takes an encounter with the white Spirit Bear of First Nation legends.
Vancouver Island Map
by ITMB
A colorful paper travel map of the island, at a scale of 1:250,000.
Must-See Birds of the Pacific Northwest
by Sarah Swanson
A practical, "blissfully unscientific" guide to the feathered friends of the Pacific Northwest. The 85 birds common to Oregon and Washington are profiled with color photographs and explanatory text that tells readers where to see and how to find each animal. Ideal for a long weekend birding trip!
The Last Great Sea, A Voyage Through the Human and Natural History of the North Pacific Ocean
by Terry Glavin, Carl Safina (Introduction)
A wide-ranging conservation history of British Columbia and the North Pacific Ocean. Glavin lives in the Gulf Islands, where he writes frequently about fisheries and environmental issues facing the region.
Vancouver Map
by Berndtson & Berndtson
A laminated, folded map of Vancouver, British Columbia at a scale of 1:15,000.
I Heard the Owl Call My Name
by Margaret Craven
In this brief novel, a young vicar comes to live with the Kwakiutl Indians of the town of Kingcome in the Pacific Northwest. Written for teens but worthwhile for adults.
Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
by Bill Richardson
Lake Woebegone goes British Columbian in this humorous slip of a novel about an unconventional Vancouver B&B, which features twin bookworm brothers, a talking parrot and a motley crew of hotel guests.
The West Beyond the West, A History of British Columbia
by Jean Barman
A fascinating history of the Canadian province from the 18th century to the mid-1990s. The author weaves portraits of major personalities and events into a readable overview of the cultural and social influences that have shaped the region.
Great Bear Wild
by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (Introduction), Ian McAllister
A colorful photographic journey through the Great Bear Rainforest that follows the coast from Vancouver Island to southern Alaska; McAllister captures the spectacular landscapes and wildlife, including wolves, whales and bears.
The Island Within
by Richard Nelson
A beautifully written tribute to the Pacific Northwest. Drawn from the author's journals, this is an account of the natural and cultural history of an island in the waters of Haida Strait, with emphasis on the relationship between people and the land.
Vancouver Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species
by James Kavanagh
This pocket-sized reference for the bird enthusiast includes illustrations of over 120 species and a map of local birdwatching hotspots.
A Traveller's History of Canada
by Robert Bothwell
A readable and admirably concise march through Canadian history from prehistory to today, including a timeline.
Following the Last Wild Wolves
by Ian McAllister
McAllister shares his experiences and inferences from studying two undisturbed wolf packs after 20 years of observing them while living on the coast of British Columbia. Check out McAllister's collection of photographs as well (CND288).
The Raven Steals the Light
by Robert Bringhurst, Bill Reid (Illustrator), Claude Levi-Strauss (Introduction)
A classic collection of 10 Haida myths and legends with accompanying black and white etchings by Vancouver artist Bill Reid. These stories capture the storytelling traditions of the Haida.
British Columbia Seashore Life
by Pocket Naturalist
A fold-up, laminated card featuring color drawings and short descriptions of common marine plants, echinoderms, mollusks, crustaceans, nearshore fish, birds and mammals of British Columbia.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest
by Peter Alden
A compact photographic guide to the wildflowers, trees, mosses, butterflies, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals of the Pacific Northwest.
Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest
by Katharine Berry Judson
Presented here with 52 photographs, these traditional stories, first collected in 1910, reveal myths and traditions of creation, alongside noted geographical features of the territory.
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen
In the first of Paulsen's wilderness adventure novels, 13-year-old Brian must fend for himself after his plane crashes in the Canadian woods.
There's an Owl in the Shower
by Jean Craighead George
In this novel for ages 8-12, Newbery Award-winning author and illustrator Jean Craighead George tells the story of how one unusual spotted owl makes his way into the home -- and hearts -- of a family of loggers in the Pacific Northwest.
Moon Vancouver and Victoria, Including Whistler and Vancouver Island
by Andrew Hempstead
A no-nonsense practical guide in the Moon series, jam-packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history, flora and fauna and geology.
