WINNER of the 2016 Leacock Medal for Humour!
Republic of Dirt: Return to Woefield
[ADULT] February, 2015
In this follow-up to the Leacock nominated, book club favourite, The Woefield Poultry Collective, we once again meet Prudence Burns, an overly idealistic Brooklyn girl who has inherited a derelict plot of land named Woefield Farm. Her motley crew of farm hands consists of Earl, an elderly, reclusive bluegrass legend; Seth, an agoraphobic heavy-metal blogger in early recovery from alcoholism; and Sara, an 11-year-old girl with a flock of elite show poultry.
When Prudence is felled by a mysterious health condition, things on the farm begin to fall apart, resulting in valiant and sometimes ill-advised attempts to restore domestic bliss. Efforts are complicated by a renegade mule, attempts to turn a hideously ugly child’s playhouse into a high-yield roadside farm stand, and an electrical station’s worth of crossed wires. Will Prudence get well? Will Seth finally get rid of his pesky virginity? Will Earl rescue Sara? And will anyone, ever, admit they might be wrong?
Told in four highly distinct, unforgettably hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking voices, The Republic of Dirt is about what happens when passions collide with pride and what it takes to save each other, our small part of the planet, and ourselves.
Praise for Republic of Dirt
The Globe and Mail
“Juby’s light, comic touch makes this read a genuine delight. But she isn’t just playing for laughs: There are also moments that are startlingly poignant, as each character is given a chance to shine.”
Publishers Weekly
“the book is a joyful, moving return to Woefield as its entire way of life is thrown into doubt.”