Pontiac Printshop to Republish Ottawa Valley Classics

This fall, Imprimerie Pontiac Printshop is bringing two long-out-of-print books back to the presses. Both titles were written by folklorist I. Shelley (“Shelley”) Posen during his years documenting the traditional music, dialect, and social history of the region. Copies have been scarce for decades, so we are glad to get them back into the hands of local readers. Presales are open now.

For Singing and Dancing and All Sorts of Fun

When Shelley Posen came to the Pontiac in the 1970s, he set out to record the living musical traditions of the Ottawa Valley. This book centers on “The Chapeau Boys” – widely considered the region’s most famous song – and traces its path from the shanties and timber camps to local pubs and family kitchens. It gives a genuine, first-hand look at the singers, storytellers, and community gatherings that have kept Valley music alive across generations.

Pre-order For Singing and Dancing and All Sorts of Fun

The Christmas Canoe

Illustrated by Magdalene Carson, The Christmas Canoe is a holiday story grounded in local lumberjack lore. Set in an old, snowbound logging shanty on Christmas Eve, the narrative-in-verse follows a stranded crew who get an unexpected visit from Père Noël and his voyageur elves, arriving in a flying canoe packed with treats. It blends French and English traditions with a nod to the classic Chasse-galerie legend and Robert W. Service.

Pre-order The Christmas Canoe

You can reserve your copies on our online store today, and they will be ready for local pickup or shipping as soon as they come off the press this fall – right in time for Christmas!

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