What makes this the kind of book that you can’t stop thinking about is the empathy with which Beaton sees the world.”—Dustin Nelson, Thrillist Milligan, Mercedes (17 March 2022). "Trailer: Kate Beaton's 'Pinecone & Pony' Charges to Apple TV+".

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands review: Kate Beaton’s Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands review: Kate Beaton’s

It is very firmly rooted in the time and place when Beaton was doing this work. The only revelations we encounter are ones Beaton herself had near the end of her time in the oil sands, and that includes about issues of misogyny, class, sexual harassment, and sexual assault that pertain directly to her, let alone things like climate change, environmentalism, colonialism, and Indigenous rights. This offbeat picture book from Neil Gaiman was described as "a bittersweet, guffaw-out-loud story from the most distinctive partnership in picture books today" by the Guardian. To be honest, I think the author was possibly TOO kind, in her approach. As far as I can tell, she can't easily be accused of telling an unbalanced story. Her central thesis is that the oil business is damaging to almost everyone involved. Particularly the workers who travel from all over Canada (and the world) to work in these remote locations in harsh conditions, all because the pay’s so good and there aren’t any lucrative jobs anywhere else. What’s not considered is the psychological impact of being separated from civilisation and loved ones, leading to extensive substance abuse, loneliness, mental health problems, and broken homes.Elizabeth Patterson, "Mabou-based writer happy his novel included on 2021 Canada Reads". SaltWire Network, 18 January 2021. Because she is so patient in setting up this context, the sexual and corporate politics emerge absolutely organically, without any sense of animus or agenda. This gives the book's lessons an incredible power, while stripping them of any dogma or point-scoring. In fact Beaton doesn't shy away from questioning her own complicity in the industry, and she also makes a point of stressing the numerous perfectly nice and reasonable people who also worked around her.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands | Indigo Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands | Indigo

King Baby (New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2016, ISBN 978-0545637541) a b Manning, Shaun (25 March 2009). "Kate Beaton Debuts w/ Darwin at MySpace DHP". CBR News. Comic Book Resources . Retrieved 28 March 2009.

The author touches a bit upon the environmental impact of the oil sands, but her focus is predominantly on the human impact of living in isolation and being expendable... all to make a decent wage. While I hadn't heard of this before, I doubt I'll be forgetting about it. Beaton left Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton at age 21 for an oil boom spurting a wealth of high-paying jobs that she could use to pay off her student loans. The place she finds is full of life and also hostile to it; a cabdriver warns her that a “shadow population” of workers “live here, but they don’t live here.” As Beaton settles into daily life in a tool shop, she begins to understand how that transience changes people, as well as her own complicity in the wholesale destruction of Indigenous land.”—Emma Alpern, Vulture Hunt, Stephen (2022-12-23). "Obama holiday reading list includes Kate Beaton graphic novel about Alberta oil sands". CTV News . Retrieved 2022-12-27. A fascinating, harrowing, unforgettable book about a place few outsiders can comprehend."— Kirkus, Starred Review

DUCKS | Kirkus Reviews DUCKS | Kirkus Reviews

Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple reasons that we can't rely only on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on. There has been a lot of support since the book came out, since it's my autobiography. But I am also representing where I am from. So I always hope that I would do a good job of that, that I would represent my community and where I am from in an honest way and a way that will make people feel seen and heard, Beaton told Tom Power on Q. I've had so many cool opportunities come across my desk as a result of Jeopardy!, things I could have never really imagined," they said. "I feel like my life is still in the process of changing because of Jeopardy!"Of Scottish descent, Beaton grew up with her three sisters in Mabou on the isle of Cape Breton. [2] She went to a small school for K–12, only having 23 people in her class. [3] She graduated from Mount Allison University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and anthropology. [4] D+Q to Publish Kate Beaton's Hark! A Vagrant". Drawn & Quarterly. 12 January 2011 . Retrieved 3 August 2011.