Cheers to Helen Norrie’s next chapter

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/02/2025 (579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This month’s children’s books column is the last by Helen Norrie, a longtime Free Press reviewer and fixture in the local literary community.

Helen is one of the longest-running contributors to the Free Press books section, and to the Free Press in general. A search of the Free Press archives indicates her first contribution came in July 1981 or thereabouts. And now, over four decades later, Helen has decided to take a well-deserved step back from the children’s book review column.

“Many readers and authors owe a debt of gratitude to Helen for the reviews she has delivered decade after decade. I want to wish her the best in her retirement from our book section — although I am sure that means she now has even more time to read more,” says Free Press editor Paul Samyn.

For this editor of the books section, Helen has been the ideal contributor — always filing on time, her copy arriving with little editing required and always just the right length.

Most importantly, Helen’s insight into a wide range of genres of books, for all manner and age of younger readers, was always thoughtful and compassionate.

Thanks so much for all your contributions over the years, Helen — here’s to the next chapter.

— Ben Sigurdson, Free Press literary editor