‘Ducks,’ Kate Beaton’s graphic memoir about Alberta’s oilsands, wins Canada Reads

Kate Beaton’s “Ducks” has won this year’s edition of Canada Reads.

The graphic memoir published last year by Drawn & Quarterly traces Beaton’s two years working in Alberta’s oilsands.

Jeopardy! super-champion Mattea Roach defended the book during the four-day competition that aired live on CBC Radio.

“Ducks” won the competition Thursday, beating out Emily St. John Mandel’s novel “Station Eleven,” which was championed by actor-director Michael Greyeyes.

“Hotline” by Dimitri Nasrallah, championed by bhangra dancer Gurdeep Pandher, was voted off Wednesday; “Greenwood” by Michael Christie, championed by actress Keegan Connor Tracy, was eliminated Tuesday; and “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, championed by TikToker Tasnim Geedi, didn’t make it past the first day, Monday.

This year’s competition sought to find “one book to shift your perspective.”

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