Shirley Montpetit
Fiction
Taken at Westlock Winter Market
November 26, 2023
Shirley Montpetit, the youngest of four siblings, spent her childhood on a farm near Edgerton, Alberta - growing up with a fondness of nature, reading and art. In 1978, she studied Early Childhood Education at the University of Alberta, and in 1984, Environmental Science at Lethbridge Community College. She married Kevin, her husband of 31 years, in 1989. They have two children, Lena and Patrick. She studied watercolor painting while home with her children and has recently taken up oil painting. She has worked in a number of Alberta’s National and Provincial Parks, and taught Elementary students for 13 years. While teaching, she dabbled in creative writing, and decided to pursue a passion she has always had - to write and illustrate a children’s book incorporating her love of art and nature.
ISBN 978-1-5255-6755-1
Through lightly falling snow, a pair of Canada geese, after their long journey north, glide in search of a place to nest. They decide to build their next home in a field of round bales. Nearby lives a young girl, Janelle, who loves exploring nature. When she spies the geese nesting on the round bale, she can't help but feel excited! Soon she will get to see the baby goslings hatch! But after three weeks of watching and waiting patiently her hopes are shattered when the bale with the nest on it disappears. The parent geese are frantic when they can't find their nest and Janelle is devastated! She must find the nest of gosling eggs and return it to the geese. Janelle hatches a bold plan but will it be enough to save the goslings? Join Janelle on her adventure of The Gosling Rescue in this heartwarming story about the true beauty of nature and a determined young girl.
