Village News

Village Books and Gifts, located at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), specializes in a large variety of unique books and gifts that help tell the story of the Russian Mennonites, their immigration to Canada, and the many contributions they made along the way.

I am excited about the variety of historical, hard-to-find items on our gift shop shelves. Whether you want to cozy up to the fireplace with a good book, or invite friends and family over for a games night, we have something for everyone. Our current business hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and we are open year-round.

February has been designated as “I Love to Read Month” across Canada. In celebration of this nationwide focus, MHV invites you to our first annual “An Evening with the Authors” on Thursday, February 22, at 7:00 PM in our Auditorium. Five authors will showcase their newest book, answer your questions and sign purchased copies. Light refreshments will follow. Let me introduce the authors to you:

Luann E. Hiebert:

Luann lives in Steinbach, MB. She recently received her PhD from the University of Manitoba (2016) – studying contemporary Canadian prairie women’s poetry. She is an adjunct instructor teaching English Literature courses at Providence University College (Otterburne, MB), and a course at SBC (Steinbach Bible College).

Her debut poetry collection – What Lies Behind (Turnstone Press, 2014) – was shortlisted for the Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book and the Lansdowne Prize for Poetry (2015). Her poems have been published in magazines, such as Rhubarb, the Society, Lemon Hound, and Prairie Fire, and more recently, anthologized in 29 Mennonite Poets (Mennonite Literary Society, 2016) and the forthcoming Tree Poems Anthology (League of Canadian Poets, 2018).

Eleanore Chornoboy:

Eleanor Hildebrand Chornoboy published her first novel – a historical fiction, Katarina: Mennonite Girl from Russia, in November, 2017. She has published two collections of vignettes about Mennonite life in rural Manitoba, Faspa: A Snack of Mennonite Stories, and Faspa with Jast: A Snack of Mennonite Stories told by Family and Guests.

In addition, she has published two children’s books, Snow Angels and Pajama Tears. Currently she is researching family stories. Eleanor lives in Winnipeg.

Betty Barkman:

Betty has lived on the banks of Joubert Creek for many years and loves it. Betty’s favorite genre is writing true stories, like an autobiography sort of but that reads like a storyteller’s version that is not only easy to read but also intriguing and alive. Betty will be presenting her seventh book.

Shirley Hiebert:

Shirley Hiebert is the daughter of Gertrude Harder from East Steinbach (formerly Hunga Wäare Dee). She is the niece of Bishop Henry K. and Mary Schellenberg. Captain Hiebert was killed in a plane crash in 1993 in northern Ontario. Shirley’s career has been in health care, much of it in remote northern communities as a nurse practitioner and researcher. Her PhD research was done in collaboration with First Nations. Her newly released The Captain’s Widow written as a creative non-fiction tribute to the people who had a role in her journey is her first book.

Armin Wiebe:

Armin Wiebe is the author of five novels, his latest novel being Grandmother, Laughing. His stage play, The Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven Blatz, is set in the mystical community of Gutenthal. Tatsea, set in Canada’s subarctic at the time of first contact between the Tłı̨chǫ people and the fur traders, was awarded the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction. Armin’s Shorts is a collection of short fiction written over a period of more than 30 years.