My Canada Day includes strawberry shortcake. Is there anything that announces summer’s arrival across this country as splendidly as strawberry shortcake? I make my shortcake in the Irish tradition – a bit like a scone – but it’s every bit as Canadian as this daughter of Irish immigrants. Loads of whipped cream – none of the canned stuff – and mounds of wonderfully fragrant Ontario strawberries. Yum!

Vicky Smith, of Kirkus Reviews, recommended Yesterday’s Dead in her recent blog post “O Canada!: 9 Books for Canada Day,” an exploration of recent children’s fiction set in Canada. Read all 9 of Vicky’s recommendations at http://www.kirkusreviews.com/blog/childrens/o-canada/.