What do you think?
Sketch by Sketch Along Nova Scotia's South Shore
Just as Hand Drawn Halifax was "a love letter to the city," Fitzgerald's new book takes readers on informal road trips along one of the most renowned parts of Canada.
As Emma sketches, residents of these communities share their insights and histories. They appear in her whimsical drawings that portray the South Shore through every season. Readers will meet a fourth-generation female sail maker in Second Peninsula, learn the recipes for summertime rose vinegar and winter Bluenose dark rum, make an autumn visit to Birchtown's Black Loyalist Heritage Centre with author and activist Desmond Cole, and escape the wintertime weather inside the Sipuke'l Mi'kmaq art gallery in Liverpool.
As Emma sketches, residents of these communities share their insights and histories. They appear in her whimsical drawings that portray the South Shore through every season. Readers will meet a fourth-generation female sail maker in Second Peninsula, learn the recipes for summertime rose vinegar and winter Bluenose dark rum, make an autumn visit to Birchtown's Black Loyalist Heritage Centre with author and activist Desmond Cole, and escape the wintertime weather inside the Sipuke'l Mi'kmaq art gallery in Liverpool.
- GenresGraphic NovelsNonfiction
128 pages, Hardcover
Published September 22, 2017
About the author
Emma FitzGerald
11 books8 followersEmma FitzGerald was born in Lesotho, a small mountainous kingdom in Southern Africa, to Irish parents, did most of her growing up in Vancouver, and calls Halifax home. She wrote and illustrated Hand Drawn Halifax and Sketch by Sketch Along Nova Scotia’s South Shore, and is currently working on Hand Drawn Vancouver. When she isn’t sketching, she enjoys dancing and getting lost in new places.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 16, 2022
Being from the South Shore, I was so excited to look through the illustrations and read the stories in this book. Sketch by Sketch did not disappoint!
I read this out loud, with my BFF Jules, while we road-tripped down the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Whether you've visited the places mentioned in this book or not, it's a fun adventure to read it and experience the quaint towns of Nova Scotia through its pages!
I read this out loud, with my BFF Jules, while we road-tripped down the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Whether you've visited the places mentioned in this book or not, it's a fun adventure to read it and experience the quaint towns of Nova Scotia through its pages!
July 30, 2019
Lovely tour of Nova Scotia’s South Shore.
Visiting the same locals all year long lends a sense of authenticity to the descriptions. Unvarnished yet quaint, the pen and ink drawings compliment the conversational tone of the descriptions.
Now I want to read her award-winning “Hand Drawn Halifax.”
Visiting the same locals all year long lends a sense of authenticity to the descriptions. Unvarnished yet quaint, the pen and ink drawings compliment the conversational tone of the descriptions.
Now I want to read her award-winning “Hand Drawn Halifax.”
April 13, 2025
This book was excellent! I really enjoyed all of the small stories. Every little story put a smile on my face! I recognized a few places in the book, both ones I’ve visited and ones that I have learned about. Also the pictures are so beautiful. Emma’s colourful drawings had me in a happy mood the entire time I read! I give this book a 5/5.
July 24, 2025
Another lovely book by Ms. Fitzgerald. I think I've read all of her current books now. They're lovely, with interesting personal insights into the places she draws. I particularly enjoy her interactions with people who see her drawing something.
August 27, 2022
Love Emma's sketches... having just moved to the South Shore, I've added a bunch of these places onto my "want to go" list! Sadly, a few are now permanently closed...
May 5, 2026
"Much of the work was done by hand, reviving techniques that have been passed down orally and only by example, not via YouTube."
Title: Sketch by Sketch Along Nova Scotia's South Shore
Genre: Slice of Life
Author: Emma Fitzgerald
Publisher: Formac
Thickness: 127 pages
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
In this book, Emma gently takes me back through the breathtaking four seasons of Nova Scotia, as if I’m reliving those moments all over again. She divides the journey into four parts: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and each one carries its own quiet charm. It reminds me how the days stretch longer with the arrival of spring, then slowly retreat into the shorter, softer light of autumn. The summer section, full of lively drawings, feels especially vibrant, capturing that magical time of year when Nova Scotia comes alive and tourists pour in from everywhere.
Emma also shares snippets of banter she experienced or happened to overhear, adding a warm, human touch to the pages. Some of these are delightful little gems, like the charming belief that you can predict rain just by watching whether cows are sitting or standing. And tucked among the pages, I found myself smiling at the simple joy of a beautifully drawn lobster illustration.
Reading this brought back a wave of memories. I was lucky enough to visit Lunenburg one summer and see the iconic Bluenose II resting at the dock. I remember being there with friends, laughing over plates of lobster rolls and corn cakes, the salty breeze in the air. Later, I stumbled upon the most delicious chocolate rum cake in Lunenburg, a small discovery that somehow made the day even sweeter. Oh, how deeply I miss those moments.
Just like in Hand Drawn Halifax, Emma includes two recipes that invite readers to bring a taste of Nova Scotia into their own homes. I may not have explored every corner of the province, but I feel the truth in her words. There will always be new beaches to discover, and perhaps, new memories waiting to be made.
Title: Sketch by Sketch Along Nova Scotia's South Shore
Genre: Slice of Life
Author: Emma Fitzgerald
Publisher: Formac
Thickness: 127 pages
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
In this book, Emma gently takes me back through the breathtaking four seasons of Nova Scotia, as if I’m reliving those moments all over again. She divides the journey into four parts: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and each one carries its own quiet charm. It reminds me how the days stretch longer with the arrival of spring, then slowly retreat into the shorter, softer light of autumn. The summer section, full of lively drawings, feels especially vibrant, capturing that magical time of year when Nova Scotia comes alive and tourists pour in from everywhere.
Emma also shares snippets of banter she experienced or happened to overhear, adding a warm, human touch to the pages. Some of these are delightful little gems, like the charming belief that you can predict rain just by watching whether cows are sitting or standing. And tucked among the pages, I found myself smiling at the simple joy of a beautifully drawn lobster illustration.
Reading this brought back a wave of memories. I was lucky enough to visit Lunenburg one summer and see the iconic Bluenose II resting at the dock. I remember being there with friends, laughing over plates of lobster rolls and corn cakes, the salty breeze in the air. Later, I stumbled upon the most delicious chocolate rum cake in Lunenburg, a small discovery that somehow made the day even sweeter. Oh, how deeply I miss those moments.
Just like in Hand Drawn Halifax, Emma includes two recipes that invite readers to bring a taste of Nova Scotia into their own homes. I may not have explored every corner of the province, but I feel the truth in her words. There will always be new beaches to discover, and perhaps, new memories waiting to be made.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews