The twenty-one children of the Cardinal family have congregated to celebrate their father, who discovered the mine around which their now-desolate town was built. As the siblings run wild, we discover that Angèle, the only Cardinal with a penchant for happiness, is missing—although everyone pretends not to notice. Why the silence? What secrets does the mine hold? Jocelyne Saucier is the author of several novels, including Il pleuvait des oiseaux, which won the Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie. Rhonda Mullins was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for her translation of Saucier's And the Birds Rained Down.

The Cardinals--thought to be the first long piece of fiction Head produced and the only one she ever set in South Africa--is an exciting literary event.

Join Nicholas and his grandfather as they push aside the thoughts of decorating the Christmas tree to lovingly care for a cardinal trapped in the snow of a blizzard on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning finds Nicholas more concerned about the bird than opening his gifts.