From the trips to the general store to battles with bedbugs and falling cows, Five Pennies brings to life the experiences of a boy growing up in the early west. Filled with details about pioneer life, each story gives insight into the difficulties, challenges, and joys faced by families building a new home on a rugged, new land. Young Archie's observations offer a different perspective on that life, one tinged by a child's wonder and sense of adventure. These heartwarming stories about Christmas pageants, starting school, summer jobs, and the exciting potential of owning five pennies were told to author Irene Morck by her father. She has captured the spirit and humour of his memories and brought them together in this entertaining collection.

Irene Morck is the author of four previous books, including the popular children’s book Tiger’s New Cowboy Boots. Her fiction and non-fiction have appeared in magazines, anthologies, and on the radio. She and her husband live on a farm near Spruce View, Alberta, just a few kilometres away from the homestead where her father grew up.

Irene Morck's profile page

• Runner-up, Norma Fleck Award