BY THE BAY

Sheilagh Hunt & Christopher Majka

A colouring book about the upper Bay of Fundy

Published by Empty Mirrors Press and the New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists.

"This locally produced item has much to recommend it -- for its content and for its thoroughness." -- Elizabeth Eve, Atlantic Books Today.

INTRODUCTION

Great Blue Heron

Welcome to the Bay of Fundy! This is an area of great natural beauty, fascinating history, many interesting plants and animals and friendly people. In By The Bay children have an opportunity to learn about the Bay of Fundy and all the extraordinary things that took place here. By The Bay is a colouring book, but one which is packed with information that can help children understand more about the history and natural history of this beautifyl region.

The first series of ten pictures touches on high points in the history of the Bay of Fundy area while the subjects of the remaining twenty-four illustrations are the living creatures that are found here.

This story is presented through lively drawings which children ages six and up can colour. Each one is accompanied by a spirited short account which they (or parents or teachers or other educators) can read about the subject of the illustration. A short paragraph describes the colours of the animals and flowers so that they can be coloured correctly.

HISORY OF THE BAY OF FUNDY

Paleo-Indian People hunting
Caribou

Our history begins in the Carboniferous Era, three hundred million years ago! We look at the time of the Glaciers and the mastodons that lived here. Then we turn our attention to the people -- from the very earliest Natives who lived and hunted caribou here 10,500 years ago, through to the time of the Mi'kmaqs. Acadian settlers then arrived on our shores -- followed by pirates! Then the British and the Irish followed. Finally we look at the eras of stone quarrying and ship-building. All this is presented in detailed and historically accurate drawings

BIRDS & BEASTS: THE NATURAL HISTORY

The second portion of the book highlights the natural history of the Bay of Fundy. Drawings of different natural communities are grouped according to habitat -- Forest, Fields, Fresh Water Marsh, Salt Marsh, Small Ponds, Sand Dunes, Mud Flats, Rocky Shore and Ocean -- to help convey the understanding that the natural environment is made up of different habitats, each with their own distinctive creatures. The drawings include:

Winter in the Forest: Ravens, Snowshoe Hare and Porcupines are some of the creatures you'll see.
Ruffed Grouse love dust baths!: And they take them in ant hills!
Night in the Forest: Owls, moths and flying squirrels go bump in the night.
An Apple A Day: Is what Red Squirrels eat. It keeps the doctor away -- and helps to propagate apple trees.
Farmland Birds: Tree swallows, Song Sparrows, Bobolinks and Common Yellowthroats all sing -- and nest -- in the fields.
Fall Butterflies: In the fall Red Admirals and Monarchs migrate while Mourning Cloaks prepare for hibernation.
The Wily Coyote: The Aztec Indians thought him a God - the wily Coyotlinautl.
Of Goosetonge & Samphire: The Micmac people who lived here at these plants - and you can too!
Great Blue Herons: These striking birds nest on islands in the Bay of Fundy.
Of Sticklebacks and Mummichogs: These little fish live in marsh ponds - until the herons eat them!
Flotsam and Jetsam: What Washes Ashore: Many treasures are to be found on the strand.
Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud ...: It may look unappealing, but in the mud-flats live millions of creatures, vitally important for migrating shorebirds.
Shorebirds on the Bay of Fundy: The Bay is one of the most important staging grounds for migrating shorebirds in our Hemisphere.
Eider Down: These feathers keep ducks - and people - toasty warm.
A Porpoise With a Purpose: Harbour Porpoise feed on Shad and Gaspereaux.
Harbour Seals: Although not common in the upper part of the Bay, Harbour Seals have been known to whelp here.

The book includes:

A map of the Bay of Fundy
An Introduction
A Table of Contents
And a thorough Glossary.

By The Bay is a co-production of the New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists and Empty Mirrors Press.

Watch for a french language version of the book La vie au bord de la baie coming soon. There will be details here as soon as the book is published.

"This delightful colouring book zeros in on the people, plants, wildlife and lanscapes of beautiful Bay of Fundy. Complementing Sheilagh Hunt's realistic artwork are mini-stories by Christopher Majka that bring everything to life." ...
This is one colouring book that deserves to become a permanent part of your library. Highly recommended.
-- Elizabeth St. Jacques: Canadian Book Review Annual

For more information contact [Empty Mirrors Press].