It was, illogically, an assignment on the poet Emily Dickinson that led Joanne Stanbridge, a poet and book reviewer, to write her first novel about five identical sisters. "Dickinson," she says, "falls close to Dionne Quintuplets in the encyclopedia." Her fascination with this episode in Canadian history led to The Leftover Kid (Red Deer $9.95), a story about siblings. When Willa's mother marries the prime minister, exhuberant red haired Willa acquires five poised, picture perfect identical stepsisters. To make matters worse, something sinister is going on at the Official Residence.

[BCBW 1997]