Kate loves going to Highland dance class each week and is thrilled when her teacher suggests she compete at the Highland Games for the first time. Kate agrees to practice, but quickly changes her mind when she finds out that dancing at home by herself is not as much fun as dancing with friends in her class. Besides, she figures her dancing is already good enough. Everything will be fine. Or will it? A single misstep sets off a hilarious chain of events across the whole Highland Games field in this over-the-top tale. 2nd edition.
Paperback
April 2023
8.5 x 8.5 inches
32 pages
ISBN 978-1-77861-015-8
Price $15.99 CA
Ebook
June 2023
ISBN 978-1-77861-016-5
Price $7.99 CA
Disaster at the Highland Games
Author: Riel Nason
Illustrator: Nathasha Pilotte
- Winner of the Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children’s Writing, New Brunswick, 2021 (first edition)
- Submitted for approval to the Nova Scotia School Book Bureau
- Also available in Scottish Gaelic translation as Mòr-thubaist aig na Geamannan Gàidhealach
- Book launch video with read-aloud excerpts in English and Gaelic
- A sequel is available, titled Catastrophe at the Christmas Ceilidh
“This high-spirited and rollicking tale captures the festive energy of the traditional Highland Games, noting the various elements from the caber toss to the wool-spinning demonstrations, and from the Celtic music to the kiltmakers. All of these and more become part of the merry mayhem as the errant sword that Kate accidentally kicks leads to complete chaos.
“The story is light and humorous and features lively, expressive watercolour illustrations that cheerfully depict the havoc that Kate wreaks. Loose lines and sketchy outlines, along with exaggerated facial expressions and cartoony characters lend a further air of whimsy.
“The rhyming text suits the playful tone of the tale…words and images combine to create a frolicsome tale of hilarity and hijinks, one where the main character learns her lesson, but isn’t too fazed by it all.” —Lisa Doucet, Woozles Children’s Bookstore, Halifax, Nova Scotia