Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Before Kate Beaton became the New York Times bestselling cartoonist known for "Hark A Vagrant" there was Katie Beaton from Cape Breton, specifically Mabou, a close-knit seaside community rich in lobsters, beaches, and Gaelic folk songs. After college, Katie heads west to Alberta to join the oil rush, a common move for East Coasters seeking work elsewhere when opportunities are limited back home.

Her main goal is to pay off student loans, but the real cost of her journey turns out to be much more than expected. In Fort McMurray, she secures a job in the camps run by major oil companies, finding herself one of the very few women in a sea of men. The culture shock hits hard, especially when she moves to a basic, isolated worksite for better pay. Here, she faces the harsh realities of life in the oil sands, where everyday trauma is a silent companion, leaving wounds that may never heal.

Kate Beaton's exceptional cartooning skills vividly depict massive machinery and colossal vehicles against the stunning backdrop of Alberta's wildlife, Northern Lights, and Rocky Mountains. In her first full-length graphic narrative, "Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands", Beaton tells an untold story of Canada - a country proud of its egalitarian values and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both its land's riches and the humanity of its people.

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