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Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two
In 1914, Canada went to war as a subject of Britain. In 1939, it made the choice to fight all on its own. Canada at War follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself under the toughest possible in the midst of the most difficult war of the twentieth century. In graphic-novel format, fully illustrated and in full colour, Canada at War shows the growth of a nation's army, navy, and air forces through movingly depicted triumphs and tragedies. From the disheartening losses at Dieppe and Hong Kong through the Battle of the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, it focuses on the human dimension of the key battles and decisions that ultimately swung the war in the Allieds' favour. This moving, graphic account ends, after the victories of D-Day and Juno Beach and the liberation of Europe, with a final reckoning of the legacy these storied years have had on a country forged through war. Aimed at a general audience of both adults and young adults, this very human history tells the stories behind some of this country's most distinguishing military moments.
176 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 27, 2024
This graphic history of World War Two presents the war from a Canadian perspective, and hits all the main points, such as the POWs in Hong Kong, and the landing on Juno beach on D-Day.
It also often argues that battles were undertaken, at great cost, to distract the Nazis from another front and tie up a portion of their army. Some of the Italian battles are presented in this manner, which is particularly poignant since the Canadian Legion branch in my home town is the "Ortona" branch, named after the town in Italy where hundreds of Canadians lost their lives.
I had to skim this at times, because there was simply too much detail about the different types of planes, production dates, and so on. Overall the book was an odd combination of massive detail and negligible narrative.
I did learn though that at the end of the War in 1945, Canada was the third largest military power in the world, after the USA and the USSR. However, by 1946 the army shrank from 750,000 soldiers to 25,000 and most of the navy ships and airplanes were scrapped.
Useful as an overview or an introduction, but the lack of narrative cohesion makes for dry reading.
It also often argues that battles were undertaken, at great cost, to distract the Nazis from another front and tie up a portion of their army. Some of the Italian battles are presented in this manner, which is particularly poignant since the Canadian Legion branch in my home town is the "Ortona" branch, named after the town in Italy where hundreds of Canadians lost their lives.
I had to skim this at times, because there was simply too much detail about the different types of planes, production dates, and so on. Overall the book was an odd combination of massive detail and negligible narrative.
I did learn though that at the end of the War in 1945, Canada was the third largest military power in the world, after the USA and the USSR. However, by 1946 the army shrank from 750,000 soldiers to 25,000 and most of the navy ships and airplanes were scrapped.
Useful as an overview or an introduction, but the lack of narrative cohesion makes for dry reading.
December 26, 2018
It was with a real sense of wonder and appreciation that I read this account.
Having read with horror the losses in the Great War and visited Vimy Ridge I was interested to learn about the role and psyche of Canadian forces engaging in another European War.
Although this fine account focuses on the Canadian commitments and engagements in the 2nd WorldWar it does not make easy reading. Many lives were lost and you have to wonder in what capacity the troops were used. In parts like with the Italian campaign you wonder about joint operations and whether one nations fighting units were sacrificed ahead of another’s.
This is a tremendously moving account and it quite rightly identifies acts of heroism and where medals were won by acts of courage.
In Britain we see the Yanks joining the battle late and seeking the glory.
It is impressive that the Canadian government and it’s people supported Britain from day one. It is also heartening and Canadians should be very proud of how its tightening units gave so much in the conflict.
Indeed the Battle of the Atlantic and through air crews from the Battle of Britain onwards made a real and strategic difference.
The bravery of Canadian troops particularly in their liberation of the Netherlands means many Dutch people will never forget the role they played in defeating the Germans.
It is that sense of mature Nationhood that shouts in this account that shows why Canadian people can be proud and the legacy they brought to the peace.
Canadian youngsters would benefit greatly from hearing this story. But as stated the story should be better known in the U.K. where we sometimes forget the Allies defeated Nazi German none were more loyal and determined than the men and women of Canada.
Having read with horror the losses in the Great War and visited Vimy Ridge I was interested to learn about the role and psyche of Canadian forces engaging in another European War.
Although this fine account focuses on the Canadian commitments and engagements in the 2nd WorldWar it does not make easy reading. Many lives were lost and you have to wonder in what capacity the troops were used. In parts like with the Italian campaign you wonder about joint operations and whether one nations fighting units were sacrificed ahead of another’s.
This is a tremendously moving account and it quite rightly identifies acts of heroism and where medals were won by acts of courage.
In Britain we see the Yanks joining the battle late and seeking the glory.
It is impressive that the Canadian government and it’s people supported Britain from day one. It is also heartening and Canadians should be very proud of how its tightening units gave so much in the conflict.
Indeed the Battle of the Atlantic and through air crews from the Battle of Britain onwards made a real and strategic difference.
The bravery of Canadian troops particularly in their liberation of the Netherlands means many Dutch people will never forget the role they played in defeating the Germans.
It is that sense of mature Nationhood that shouts in this account that shows why Canadian people can be proud and the legacy they brought to the peace.
Canadian youngsters would benefit greatly from hearing this story. But as stated the story should be better known in the U.K. where we sometimes forget the Allies defeated Nazi German none were more loyal and determined than the men and women of Canada.
May 15, 2013
A beautifully illustrated history in Graphic Novel style of Canada's role in World War II. The pictures are stunning and really drive the story. The text is a little dry but that's largely a factor of trying to get to the information in short bursts. A wonderful introduction to a pivotal time in the development of a Canadian national identity.
July 17, 2021
Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two is a graphic novel written by Paul Keery and illustrated by Michael Wyatt. It is a beautifully crafted graphic novel, tracing the achievements of the Canadian forces in the Second World War.
It follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself in the midst of the most difficult war of the 20th century. It shows growth of a nation’s army, navy and air force through movingly depicted triumphs and tragedies.
From the disheartening losses at Dieppe and Hong Kong through the battle of the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, it focuses on the human dimension of the key battles and decisions that ultimately swung the war in the Allies' favor and ends after the victories of D-Day and Juno Beach and the liberation of Europe, with a final reckoning of the legacy these stories years have had on a country forged through war.
Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two is written and constructed moderately well. The narrative begins with virtually no introduction as readers find themselves dropped right away into a discussion of the Great Depression and Canada's underfunding of its military between the two world wars. Text and images conspire to confuse the reader in this muddy slog.
Keery leaves out large chunks of the narrative and skips around in time. Meanwhile, Wyatt's digitally created scenes are all rather stereotypical – the majority of Allied soldiers look European, the Nazis barely register beyond a scowl, and the Japanese soldiers are depicted with yellow skin and slit eyes.
All in all, Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two is a mediocre attempt to lay out the broad strokes of Canada's participation in the Second World War.
It follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself in the midst of the most difficult war of the 20th century. It shows growth of a nation’s army, navy and air force through movingly depicted triumphs and tragedies.
From the disheartening losses at Dieppe and Hong Kong through the battle of the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, it focuses on the human dimension of the key battles and decisions that ultimately swung the war in the Allies' favor and ends after the victories of D-Day and Juno Beach and the liberation of Europe, with a final reckoning of the legacy these stories years have had on a country forged through war.
Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two is written and constructed moderately well. The narrative begins with virtually no introduction as readers find themselves dropped right away into a discussion of the Great Depression and Canada's underfunding of its military between the two world wars. Text and images conspire to confuse the reader in this muddy slog.
Keery leaves out large chunks of the narrative and skips around in time. Meanwhile, Wyatt's digitally created scenes are all rather stereotypical – the majority of Allied soldiers look European, the Nazis barely register beyond a scowl, and the Japanese soldiers are depicted with yellow skin and slit eyes.
All in all, Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two is a mediocre attempt to lay out the broad strokes of Canada's participation in the Second World War.
February 24, 2019
This dry text-bookish summary of Canada's involvement in World War II is made more interesting by effective military themed full color graphics. Canada's involvement in World War II is often understated; by the end of the war, Canada was the third largest military power in the world. Note that this book assumes that you already have a fairly good understanding of the overall history of World War II.
June 9, 2025
Very dry, art’s not great either.
July 26, 2018
Really disappointing. There was no narrative to this graphic NOVEL, no characters to become invested in, virtually no dialogue - only the text of a mid grade-level textbook (plus some oddly specific details about equipment) accompanied by illustrations that didn’t add much value and weren’t beautiful or striking enough on their own to make up for the weak text. I learned a handful of new facts about Canadian involvement in the war, but not many. I was going to give the book two stars because it wasn’t offensive, but then I decided that there is something genuinely harmful about a book about WWII that mentions Jewish people exactly once, concentration camps exactly once, and (in a book about CANADIAN involvement) mentions Canadian internment camps not at all. There was hardly a word on Canadian support for the war, no mention of the Canadian refusal of refugees, and very little attempt to humanize any of the victims of the war. Basically a summarized wikipedia article with pictures. Ergo, one star.
Are my standards unrealistically high because I just days ago read Maus, a staggering graphic novel about WWII? Perhaps. Does maybe having unrealistically high standards mean I will soften my stance? No.
Are my standards unrealistically high because I just days ago read Maus, a staggering graphic novel about WWII? Perhaps. Does maybe having unrealistically high standards mean I will soften my stance? No.
March 6, 2018
This is a beautifully illustrated account of Canada's extensive involvement in WWII from the pre-War build-up to the post-War impacts and legacy. The text is a little flat and wordy in places but there is so much to get in it is hard to see how this could have been avoided without losing some of the impact of the Canada's role. This is clearly well researched and very informative. A great place to start building your Canadian war knowledge.
July 25, 2020
Graphic books are a new format for me and this is the first one that is not a novel. It looks at the role Canada's military had in World War 2. But since the text had very little flow, it felt like the illustrations are the driving force of this book. The text is only there to set the scene or give some added information. World War 2 is such a massive subject that there truly is no way to get at it in such a short book, so it helped immensely that I had a solid knowledge of the topic.
Canada at War jumps around and highlights a specific person, then a specific battle, then a specific division of the military, and then suddenly mixes in a bunch of statistics. And if you don't particularly like this style of illustration, you probably won't get much from this book. However, I did like the illustrations and once I approached the book as a series of vignettes about Canada's involvement in World War 2, I was able to appreciate it. I especially liked it when they highlighted the sacrificial contributions of someone who won some award for courage or valor. But the statistics have their story to tell too.
Because Canada and Britain worked so closely during World War 2, if you are from England you might enjoy this book too. But it will appeal predominantly to Canadians, although I was sorry to see the huge contributions made by French Canadians almost completely ignored. But like I said, this is predominantly the illustrator's Show and Tell and what he considered important and inspired him to draw.
If you're looking for a page-turning, thrill-ride, this "ain't" it. But if you want to see some wonderful artwork, learn a bit more about Canada's involvement in WW 2 and feel some Canadian pride, then this will be a good fit for you. I got my copy from the library, which may be a good idea to help you decide if you like the illustrations too before you pay money for a paperback copy of it. Some people may consider it dry, but after sitting through years of Canadian History classes that truly were dry, this graphic, historical ebook is like a trip to the oasis. I didn't come to Canada at War with any specific expectations and when I just accepted it for what it is, a short glance into my country at war through the eyes and talents of a couple of people, I found it interesting and enjoyable. Definitely not for everyone, but for me, I considered it well worth my time.
I should mention that due to the nature of the topic I would not recommend it for children. However, considering the restrained depiction of the horrors of war, I feel okay to recommend it to those who consider themselves "sensitive" readers.
Thanks for reading my review.
Sincerely, Laura-Lee
Canada at War jumps around and highlights a specific person, then a specific battle, then a specific division of the military, and then suddenly mixes in a bunch of statistics. And if you don't particularly like this style of illustration, you probably won't get much from this book. However, I did like the illustrations and once I approached the book as a series of vignettes about Canada's involvement in World War 2, I was able to appreciate it. I especially liked it when they highlighted the sacrificial contributions of someone who won some award for courage or valor. But the statistics have their story to tell too.
Because Canada and Britain worked so closely during World War 2, if you are from England you might enjoy this book too. But it will appeal predominantly to Canadians, although I was sorry to see the huge contributions made by French Canadians almost completely ignored. But like I said, this is predominantly the illustrator's Show and Tell and what he considered important and inspired him to draw.
If you're looking for a page-turning, thrill-ride, this "ain't" it. But if you want to see some wonderful artwork, learn a bit more about Canada's involvement in WW 2 and feel some Canadian pride, then this will be a good fit for you. I got my copy from the library, which may be a good idea to help you decide if you like the illustrations too before you pay money for a paperback copy of it. Some people may consider it dry, but after sitting through years of Canadian History classes that truly were dry, this graphic, historical ebook is like a trip to the oasis. I didn't come to Canada at War with any specific expectations and when I just accepted it for what it is, a short glance into my country at war through the eyes and talents of a couple of people, I found it interesting and enjoyable. Definitely not for everyone, but for me, I considered it well worth my time.
I should mention that due to the nature of the topic I would not recommend it for children. However, considering the restrained depiction of the horrors of war, I feel okay to recommend it to those who consider themselves "sensitive" readers.
Thanks for reading my review.
Sincerely, Laura-Lee
June 2, 2021
Canada at War is a fine read. It has some great visuals and some interesting tidbits that were new to me. Some of the panels that express the men's body language and tired faces really helps to get you more immersed in their story rather than simply reading a battle narrative. I only have one minor quibble, which is purely a personal preference, I really wanted to let my young son read this with me because the reading level is very accessible that a 7 year old could read this, however some of the panels depict mature and explicit battle scenes which he would not enjoy looking at. At times I was confused who was the target audience for this book.
October 19, 2018
What an outstanding testament to the sacrifice made by Canada in WW2
I read this graphic book as I want to choose some books for my three children to read. And I shall be adding this one to their reading list.
I am not Canadian myself but it highly important to me that people don't just remember their own countries sacrifices in war but their allies to
I highly recommend this book to young and old
I read this graphic book as I want to choose some books for my three children to read. And I shall be adding this one to their reading list.
I am not Canadian myself but it highly important to me that people don't just remember their own countries sacrifices in war but their allies to
I highly recommend this book to young and old
January 24, 2020
This is a "GREAT READ!" Until I read this book, I never knew how epic was Canada's involvement in WWII. The U.S., Britain, nay, the world owes so much to Canada for without them, the world very well might have become a much darker place. Kudos to Paul Keery for such an entertaining and enlightening experience.
Thank you for the loan Franklin Public Library!
Thank you for the loan Franklin Public Library!
December 19, 2023
A good and easy-to-read book that provides an accessible glimpse into Canada’s contribution during WW2. I am pleased to have discovered it at the library. I enjoyed the detailed illustrations, such as the Lady Orchid aircraft, and how closely the characters’ appearance resembled their real-world counterparts.
August 2, 2018
This book was amazing! I had no idea all of the parts of the War Effort Canada was involved in during WW2. This book was a fascinating look at our military’s contribution, as well as a few individual stories of intense courage and bravery. This is a MUST read for all Canadians.
September 2, 2018
Medium-rare. I wanted a basic understanding of Canada's involvement in WW2 and I got it. That said, it was kind of a dry read.
December 30, 2018
It was interesting. Really felt like an encyclopedia article with illustrations. The artwork wasn't all that good either. So it gets an ok but not great rating from me.
November 14, 2019
I thought it was okay because it was in the format of a graphic novel which I love but it had too little dialogue said by the characters.
Want to read
June 6, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
August 1, 2021
Not bad
September 29, 2021
A wonderful graphic novel for ppl who want to learn about Canada's milatry force in WWII.
September 5, 2023
Good info but kind of dry
January 8, 2025
DNF - Let's say it lacked objectivity and leave it at that.
November 26, 2020
Drawings were somewhat exaggerated but overall it was a very informative and unique way to tell an important story.
June 2, 2015
I really didn't like this book and that makes me quite sad. I am a historian specifically about Canada during WWII so perhaps that bias is coming through. I thought the idea of a graphic novel about our war effort was a good idea but it turned out very clunky in my opinion.
I felt like the book never really found it's audience. At times it got very specific about plane models and statistics and things meant for one audience and then it would switch into propaganda pieces about how amazing Canada is and trying to help a younger audience see what we could do. Neither of those approaches are wrong, but the interplay between those and other elements didn't work for me. I also felt like it overreached. The book is not that long, yet it tries to hit on every major aspect of Canada's participation in the war. While it is good to provide an overview of this topic, the way the book went about it made it far too shallow overall, while often being overly specific about minute details, continuing the difficulties in audience selection.
While I really like graphic novels, I wasn't a huge fan of the art work. I very rarely felt like it added anything to the text. I was also extremely underwhelmed by the maps the book offered. This is a perfect setting for some good, detailed maps, but the few that we're included offered very little and often didn't even contain the information being talked about.
Despite all the negativity in this review, there is a part of me that has to bump it to 2 stars just for the attempt and my appreciation of Canadian history. Perhaps if the audience had been more clear my perceptions of the book would have been better. I'm sure that it would be a great volume for someone unfamiliar with Canadian war history, but from my perspective it didn't really do it for me.
I felt like the book never really found it's audience. At times it got very specific about plane models and statistics and things meant for one audience and then it would switch into propaganda pieces about how amazing Canada is and trying to help a younger audience see what we could do. Neither of those approaches are wrong, but the interplay between those and other elements didn't work for me. I also felt like it overreached. The book is not that long, yet it tries to hit on every major aspect of Canada's participation in the war. While it is good to provide an overview of this topic, the way the book went about it made it far too shallow overall, while often being overly specific about minute details, continuing the difficulties in audience selection.
While I really like graphic novels, I wasn't a huge fan of the art work. I very rarely felt like it added anything to the text. I was also extremely underwhelmed by the maps the book offered. This is a perfect setting for some good, detailed maps, but the few that we're included offered very little and often didn't even contain the information being talked about.
Despite all the negativity in this review, there is a part of me that has to bump it to 2 stars just for the attempt and my appreciation of Canadian history. Perhaps if the audience had been more clear my perceptions of the book would have been better. I'm sure that it would be a great volume for someone unfamiliar with Canadian war history, but from my perspective it didn't really do it for me.
June 27, 2016
I saw this at the library, and since I like graphic novels and want to learn more about Canadian history, being a new Canadian, I decided to give it a try. I ended up learning quite a lot. Having been educated in the U.S., I was unfamiliar with the extent of Canada's participation in World War II. I enjoyed learning about the various campaigns of the war, marvelling at the feats of engineering and bravery from the different branches of the Canadian military, and despairing at the defeats. My only complaint about the content was that I feel more could have been said about the actions of the government, such as the interning of Japanese during the war. Instead, the war is depicted with a bit of sugar-coating, which I suspect is due to its having been written by an educator and possibly for a younger audience.
March 30, 2014
Originally reviewed at Jayne's Books.
Since I knew the broad strokes of the Canadian involvement during World War Two and had a good sense of the war overall, I found this book to be a little simple at times, but nonetheless, I found the book to be very informative in regards to various battles that the Canadian military was involved in during this time period. I read this as a library download from FVRL (Fraser Valley Regional Library) and found that it took time for the book to load quickly, due to the heavy graphic usage. I would have liked it more if they had done it on a year by year basis rather than by covering the service branches (army, navy, and air force) individually.
Since I knew the broad strokes of the Canadian involvement during World War Two and had a good sense of the war overall, I found this book to be a little simple at times, but nonetheless, I found the book to be very informative in regards to various battles that the Canadian military was involved in during this time period. I read this as a library download from FVRL (Fraser Valley Regional Library) and found that it took time for the book to load quickly, due to the heavy graphic usage. I would have liked it more if they had done it on a year by year basis rather than by covering the service branches (army, navy, and air force) individually.
January 5, 2014
a highly useful and constructive tool for teaching the history of Canada's role in world war 2. illustrates how important and complex it was and doesn't shy away from the messy realities of combat. it has a difficult task of standing in the camps of broad generalization and blow-by-blow account at the same time and doesn't always work. it inadvertently raises questions that aren't addressed unless you do your own research with the assistance of the recommended reading page included at the end. one passage that stands out is the mention of Canada's insistence that its dead not be buried on German soil and all but one body was moved for this purpose. interesting fact but why was one left behind?
July 21, 2016
This is essentially facts with pictures, no real story. Names, dates, places, mistakes, all accompanied by pictures of (mostly white) guys dying. I picked it up because 1) I had a WWII phase, 2) I've never seen a graphic novel version of it, 3) I grew up in the US and was interested in the Canadian perspective. However, I'm sure there are more engaging ways to tell it. This could be a useful book if teens needed a graphic novel version of their history books... but as we know, teachers prefer to use the text when writing exams, not the graphic novels.
November 5, 2012
This is a good overview of the Canadian contribution to the Second World War. It does a good job with both the fight against the Germans and the Japanese. It does need to be backed with a larger work on the Second World War as it is arranged thematically. This reader was not all that keen on the CGI-style illustration but that is more a preference; the art is clear enough for the graphic aspect of this graphic history to work.
August 2, 2015
An interesting tale of the Canadians' heavy involvement in the battles of the Second World War and the liberation of the Netherlands. Looks at different aspects of the Canadian Army through use of different chapters, and highlights important, sometimes lesser known, battles in which the Canadians fought. A great story for those who want to learn more about Canadian involvement in the war, the military, as well as the ships, vehicles, and aircraft used in Europe, Hong Kong, and at home.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews