In the Land of Giants

You would think I am an Een visiting a magical land this week, instead of the town of Charlie Lake (a small unincorporated just outside of Fort St. John in northern British Columbia).

I’m here working as a writer-in-residence at Charlie Lake Elementary and little did I know that I would find fuel for my Monster Mash workshop (which I just happen to be teaching all this week). On my very first day here, I was whisked off for a delicious dinner at the home of the teacher-librarian—and to my great elation, found that they had decorated their stone walls with casts of some very monstrous creatures, worthy of any Kendra book.

This is a cast of a Hadrosaur’s prints:

This is a cast of a foot belonging to a type of Albertasaurus:

And this is my favourite, the cast of a Sasquatch’s footprint (notice the four toes):

And, if this place wasn’t just magical enough, check out the wonderful bell tower that adorns this stone wall:

Hmm, maybe we can ring the bell as a warning, the next time we see a monster approaching. Let’s hope I just make it back home in one piece . . .