Bit of a mouthful: When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew

All right, deep breath, this evening's book is: When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew: Tales of Ti-Jean by Jan Andrews.

What to say about Ti-Jean? He's foolish, he's wise, he's an orphan, he has a mother who taught him how to chop wood, he's off to search for a bride with a magic axe and he's already married the seigneur's daughter.

Much like the ubiquitous Jack in English folklore, Ti-Jean is the slightly dim everyman in French-Canadian folklore. When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew (whew) is a collection of three delightful Ti-Jean stories retold with humour and nuance by Jan Andrews. You can just imagine yourself around a roaring fire in a barn, drinking hot apple cider and listening to a storyteller take you on an uproarious adventure with Ti-Jean. My favourite has to be Ti-Jean and the Princess of Tomboso and its kleptomaniac princess.

Two wooden spoons out of a bowl of poutine.