By the Light of the Coal Oil Lamp: Memories of a Small-Town Saskatchewan Childhood

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The book begins with our little girl, Ruth, just learning that she can open the lock that is keeping her from leaving the front porch and going down to the street. Her baby brother is born, and her family moves to a small Saskatchewan town where she rides her tricycle in the parade at the end of World War Two. Then they move to the town of Garrick where her Daddy runs a store, her baby sister is born and she watches the men in town put out a scary big fire that is burning down a house. She starts grade one with her two good friends Faye and Elaine. She goes to Yorkton and to Strongfield to visit her grandparents for summer holidays. We learn that there is no electricity in Garrick, lighting in homes and stores is provided by coal-oil lamps. It is not a wealthy town, the people are not all the same, some are kind, some disagree with each other, but they work hard and they build a town where our little girl can have a happy childhood.