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Happy Birthday, Canada!
Happy Birthday, Canada! Our country has so much to celebrate, and this year we are delighted to help you find some of those stories. As one of the largest countries in the world, Canada is incredibly diverse. With its beginnings during the time of the industrial revolution and its infancy through the scientific advances of the modern age, Canada has seen change happen very quickly, and as it was maturing it kept up with the times. The expansive landmass boasts magnificent mountain ranges, rolling prairies, and frozen tundra. The bounty of this land allows its people to live well by way of its resources, farming, fishing, and more. Honoring this diversity while keeping unity has not always gone smoothly, or without grave error. We don’t want to tell only those stories that make us feel good. We need to share some of the stories that will help us to understand what it is that went so wrong and caused so much grief and trauma. The following are some of the stories that we have to share with you. If you have suggestions on what to add to these stories please let us know! You can find all these titles and more on our website under the new category: Canadian Heritage. Picture Books These are just a few little books to include in our selections for our very young. These books are about young Canadians, or they take place in a Canadian location. A Morning to Polish and Keep A Salmon for Simon How Summer Came to Canada Maple Moon Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt The Sugaring-Off Party Historical Fiction One of the best ways to remember something is to read a story about it. Stories help us to identify with the characters so we can easily find ourselves with feelings that relate to the situation in the story. Literary friends are hard to forget. So here are some suggestions for new friends in Canada’s history. Discovery and Early Settlements: Viking Quest Leif the Lucky Beyond the Sea of Ice Despite All Obstacles Hudson Bay Madeline Takes Command The King’s Daughter Exploration: The Nor’Wester Upper Canada Rebellion: Flight Meyers’ Rebellion Meyers’ Creek (coming soon) Lower Canada Rebellion: Sophie’s Rebellion Sophie’s Treason Sophie’s Exile War of 1812: The Bully Boys With Wolfe in Canada Underground Railway Elijah of Buxton Underground to Canada Please share your favorites with us! Historical Non-Fiction Old diaries and journals can be more interesting than fiction sometimes. Here are some of our suggestions for great reads using some original texts: Champlain’s Dream Jean de Brébeuf Life in Acadia Mrs. Simcoe’s Diary The Firebrand Otherwise Curve of Time Literature Have you ever felt the thrill of reading a story and recognizing the landmarks it was referring to as those in your neighborhood? Something stirs in us to read a story in this place, not just a place. So here are our favorite stories set in Canada. Anne of Green Gables – (Or catch the whole series here) Canadian Summer: The Mitchells – Vol 2 (The first volume does not take place in Canada.) Friendly Gables: The Mitchells – Vol 3 Owls in the Family Lost in the Barrens The Curse of the Viking Grave Shadows On the Rock The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Canadian Fairy Tales Canadian Wonder Tales Evangeline Of course, we have the perfect book for your Morning Basket that covers a wonderful selection of Canadian literature, poetry, and folk song: The Spirit of Canada. Authors Canada has boasted some great writers, and we are excited to be featuring some of them on our website. Here are just a few: Lucy Maud Montgomery L.M. is best known for her series Anne of Green Gables. But she didn’t stop there. She published prolifically and wrote stories about everyday life that were filled with wonder and romance. Her stories take place in Prince Edward Island and mildly echo her own childhood story. We recommend all of her books as literary delights, but also as a way to enjoy stories from our place, our country. Farley Mowat Mowat is known the world over as an excellent writer. Some of his works of fiction are autobiographical, and all of his fiction is motivated by his activist inspiration. But it’s not just his stories that are Canadian. He was a man of this country, aware of its dangers, disasters, and dilemmas and he actively worked to make life better for Canadians. It’s no surprise that his most effective tool was his stories. Connie Brummel Crook Connie lives in Ontario as a retired teacher. It was when she was teaching ninth grade that she realized that there had to be a better way to teach history. She began to do extensive research on subjects that she had to teach, and the result was captivating stories. My favorite story, Laura’s Choice, is no longer in print. When I told Connie about it, she reminisced on how she had traversed that very walk that Laura had taken in the dark. Connie’s books are some of the best Canadian histories for the classroom. But then, that’s the reason why she wrote. Stephan Leacock Leacock is one of the more obscure Canadian authors, but that is not because he couldn’t write. As an economist, humorist, historian, and political scientist, he offers a variety in his writings that every Canadian student needs to enjoy. His fictitious works are important to understanding small-town Canada. Leacock’s writings can communicate more than usual because he uses humor. That literary device can help us to understand even the most complex. by Hester VanBraeden
