Si je meurs avant le jour: Fiona Macgregor, au temps de la grippe espagnole

Dear Canada

by Jean Little

Ramenée d'Europe par des soldats ayant combattu lors de la Première Guerre mondiale, la grippe espagnole fait des ravages au sein de la population canadienne. Fiona Macgregor est témoin des ravages de cette maladie qui risque d'emporter ses deux soeurs jumelles. Dans les pages de son journal intime, la jeune fille relate les événements de cette période marquante de l'histoire tout en confiant ses sentiments et ses craintes : la grippe espagnole emportera-t-elle ses deux soeurs adorées?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Canada, Young Adult, Historical, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Jean Little is a Canadian author, born in Taiwan. Her work has mainly consisted of children's literature, but she has also written two autobiographies: Little by Little and Stars Come Out Within. Little has been partially blind since birth as a result of scars on her cornea and is frequently accompanied by a guide dog.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
1. I have read a handful of other books from this series, all of which I have learned something new about Canada's history. Since this particular book focuses on the Spanish Flu in Canada from 1918-1919, and how we are still coping with the COVID pandemic 100 years later, it has been high on my WTR list; and,
2. I have designated February 2023 as my "Books for Young and Old Alike" Month!

Praises:
1. through an 8-month period of diary entries, our MC Fiona (Fee) relates how the ending of the Great War and the influx of the Spanish Flu affected her close-knit family and various friends and acquaintances;
2. this narrative specifically relates:
- how the Spanish Flu arrived in Canada;
- how Armistice Day celebrations exacerbated the spread of the Flu;
- how a huge number of people were infected and died within a few days of contracting this virus; and,
- how no vaccine was available;
3. as a Canadian, I was surprised to learn that some provinces arrested people for coughing in public and/or spitting in the street! People were also fined $50.00 for not wearing a mask in public! Other interesting bits of information include:
- Stanley Cup playoffs were cancelled;
- streetcars were adapted to carry multiple corpses;
- some churches had over 15 funerals a day;
- many children were sent out of the larger cities to live with family on farms or in smaller villages;
- the Flu greatly affected young, healthy people ages 20-50; and,
- women volunteers joined the Sisters of Service to assist public health nurses, prepare and deliver meals for the infirm, and make and distribute masks;
4. I remember drinking Postum and Fry's Cocoa! Also, I enjoyed Fee sharing various books she read, leading me to check some of them out; and,
5. since this book was published in 2007, I found some interesting information in the Historical Note section:
"Authorities are starting to think about stockpiling flu medication, and wondering whether we will be ready for the next pandemic. Politicians reassure us, but medical personnel are not so positive."
Hmm. And I found the following to be somewhat amusing...
"We may not live in a safe world, but we do live in one that is alert to the danger of another pandemic."

Overall Thoughts:
The DEAR CANADA series is written by various authors in diary form with a fictional girl as the main character. The reader gets a sense of what life may have been like during the specific event in Canadian history that is portrayed in each book. The non-fiction portion (maps, text, photos, newspaper articles, etc.) following the fictional "diary" section is most informative. A matching ribbon bookmark adds to the feeling of an actual diary.
I look forward to reading more books in this series!

Recommendation?
This series is a must-read for ALL Canadians (and even non-Canadians) - young and old alike!

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book to read because I’ve been on a Jean Little reading kick lately. Once I got into it, I realized how much it related to what’s happening now with the coronavirus pandemic. Many things have changed about the world in 102 years since the Spanish Flu epidemic, especially in the medical field. Eerily enough, however, many things are the same. Jean Little does an excellent job of portraying, through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl, what life was like during The Great War and the Spanish Flu Epidemic. The historical notes at the end are very interesting, also.
I would highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. Might help somewhat in better understanding what’s happening in today’s world and how to cope.

Memorable Quotes:
(Pg.93)-“They have stopped people from borrowing books from the library! That is terrible. It is a good thing I am not home because I go to the library every week.”
(Pg.43)-“I hope, when you are my age, Jane, that there are no more wars in the world... This war was supposed to be the last, but Father says anyone who believes that is no student of history or human nature.”

*** Jean Little 1932-2020***
It is with a very heavy heart that I pass along the news that Jean Little passed away at age 88 on April 6, 2020. I know there are many Goodreads members who will be saddened at the loss of this wonderful author. She and her writing will be greatly missed.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, If I Die Before I Wake: The Flu Epidemic Diary of Fiona Macgregor is an enjoyable and emotionally engaging contribution to the Dear Canada series (although I would also not ever call it a personal favourite). And with young Fiona Macgregor, author Jean Little has definitely created a likable and winsome main character (narrator, read fictional diarist). For Fiona is personable, a talented and observant budding writer, albeit also somewhat opinionated and mischievous (and thankfully, also quite aware of and honest about both her strengths and weaknesses, about her laudable character traits, as well as her pecadilloes and faults).

Now some of the diary entries of If I Die Before I Wake: The Flu Epidemic Diary of Fiona Macgregor are simply and truly heartbreaking, with the Macgregor family first almost losing Fiona's twin sister to the Spanish Flu, and then actually losing one of the older daughters to the disease. And really, until the very end of the book, I was completely engrossed in Fiona's story, and as emotionally connected and satisfied as I usually am when reading the Dear Canada series. However, the ending does seem a trifle too far-fetched, jut a bit too unrealistic for my own personal tastes and it also rather turns the story into a standard Harlequin Romance type of tale and certainly has lessened my reading pleasure to an extent. But If I Die Before I Wake: The Flu Epidemic Diary of Fiona Macgregor is still to be recommended as a good and solid contribution to the Dear Canada books; I just do not consider it either quite as enjoyable or as inherently realistic as many of the other fictional diaries of the series.

[JustOneMoreBook.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully bound in a soft unevenly edged journal and told with humour, innocence, intimacy and affection, the daily entries of a fictional twelve year old disclose the spellbinding details of life during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918-19.

You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from the Dear Canada series. It is for young readers, but I really enjoyed it. It is a compelling description of the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic that killed 50,000 Canadians. My dad's oldest sister died of the flu in that year and left a husband & three young children. She is buried in Banff, Alberta. I have seen her grave maker there. I death certificate was not issued as they could not keep up with the number of deaths. Her husband took the children back to England afterward.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona can barely remember life before a World War I, but just as it seems the war might be almost over, thousands of people are dying of the Spanish Flu. What's going to happen to her family? Took a little while to get going, but great endearing characters and pretty compelling view of the flu. The last third did a great job dealing with the aftermath. I just wish the C-story of Father and Aunt didn't feel so shoehorned in. It wasn't introduced well, and hen it became more like, "on, stories A and an are done and there are still pages left. New story!" I liked it and it fit, it just could have been smoother.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my 3rd favourite Dear Canada book (after No Safe Harbour and Banished from Our Home). I enjoyed learning about the scary influenza epidemic that happened in 1918 all over North America. I had lots of information and descriptions. My favourite part was on November 11th, 1918, when WWI ended! Very, very good read.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely sad, but really good.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on the life of a young girl who lived during World War I.

[christine ✩]

ah yes i am back in my dear america/dear canada phase again

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Jean Little's writing. From the Dear Canada childrens' series, this novel written in 2007 talks about the Spanish Flu of 1918 through the diary of Fiona McGregor. Little used real family diaries and did tremendous research. Fiona's family was greatly impacted by the flu and World War I. Little included pictures and statistics.

In 1918, people were quarantined as we have been and wore masks, regularly.

The most important part of the book was Little's warning about being prepared for a pandemic.

Her dedication included thanks to Sandra Bogart from Little, her partner and the niece and nephew she raised.

Years ago, I heard her read from her books and speak. She was a remarkable woman.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover should say pandemic instead of epidemic. Little uses those terms interchangeably in the historical note when they mean different magnitudes. Didn’t like how Fiona addressed a fictional person as the reader of her diary. The story could have ended earlier if not for shifting the focus on a side plot. Overall the historical note left a bit to be desired.

[Shanelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book from the Dear Canada series that features lively characters and a heartwarming story for the readers. If I Die Before I Wake is about the 1918-1919 flu epidemic that spread across the world and the devastation that it left for families of those affected. This book is a really good read as it provokes the readers' emotions and leaves a spot in their hearts for the Macgregor family.

[Hollie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book! Very nice for a young person such as myself. I read this when I was ten, I loved the historical aspect of the book as all of the Dear Canada books have. This has to be one of the best.

[Andrea McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick read. Although written for youth, I found it interesting to read about the local response to the pandemic in 1918. The epilogue is particularly foretelling, having been written in 2007. I would highly recommend for today’s young readers.

[J Fowler]

This was my first dear Canada book which started my "addiction" to history and reading

[France-Andrée · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a family through the Spanish Flu told in the diary of one of the daughters.

It was interesting to compare with the pandemic we are still living so much was the same. What surprises me the most is that the mask was worn at the time, I had never seen pictures from that time including them. My grandparents were born in 1918 (3) and 1921 so I’ve never had a discussion with them on the subject and they were long gone before Covid could revive memories from their parents.

I think the story could have been shorter because once the major event of the story is done with, it’s just fluff (easily guessed too), I do know I’m not the age group for this story so that might be a big reason why I feel this way. I think they should rewrite the afterword about if a new pandemic came to be, it’s very dated because of Covid though the predictions are pretty accurate… I can confirm we weren’t prepared and it went international very quickly!

I think this book should be accompanied by a discussion with parents afterwards, but truly I think that children should read other books for now something that takes them away from our reality.

[natalie mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

these books are actually so good. there’s always a lot of death and sadness but it’s thru a child’s perspective so it’s cool and history yay! also the epilogue is rlly funny it talks abt what they do in the future and what man they choose (farmer doctor family) 😍😍😍😍

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was very interesting to read during the COVID-19 pandemic. To me, it felt like the world was going through something we had never experienced before ... until I read this and saw so many parallels to what happened 100 years ago! From the news spreading, schools and libraries closing, quarantines, to debates on masks - it was eerily similar to what we have been going through now.

[Blaire Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characters in this one

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I time to be reading this book. Some of the parallels are uncanny to what is happening in Canada now with schools closing, retired nurses being asked to come out of retirement to help with the influx of patients/staff on quarantine, etc. It's a bit unnerving to read this book and have events in the book happen around the same time they are happening in real life. But I finished it!

I have actually read this book before, it took me about half the book to realize it and it's funny how I remember the events from Fee's personal life than I remember that this book is based on an event in history.

I have now also read enough Dear Canada's that I have noticed that certain repeat writer's have what I will refer to as "writer's ticks," things that make me think "Hey! I've read that before!" Jean Little is one of these authors. You should check it out and see if you can find them too. lol

Anyhow, back to Fiona. This book starts just before the end of World War I. Fiona is...eleven??? .. when this book starts, so she barely remembers a time when the country wasn't at war. Her family is fortunate that her father is deemed unfit to fight and can continue working as a professor. Her mother died shortly after giving birth to her younger brother Theo. Theo is the only boy in the family and Fiona and her sister are twins and their older sisters, Jo and Jem, are also twins.

Their mother's sister moved in with the family after their mother's death to take care of the children and run the household. Theo refers to her as Mama as she is the only mother he's known. Their life seems pretty normal until the Spanish Flu hit and schools are closed and people are encouraged to stay home. The healthcare system throughout Canada is overwhelmed by the pandemic. Streetcars in Toronto are converted to carry away the dead. People are dying in their homes. Fee's father tries to send his children away, but his older daughters refuse to go as one is in med school and the other is volunteering as a health aid worker. Fee is sent to her mother's grandparents to live, but she gets a funny feeling she is needed at home and tells her grandfather so. Her "Grandy" seems like a quiet, but wonderful man who respects her and immediately acts on her wishes and spends her home.

Turns out her twin caught the Spanish Flu and was returned home...

Not wanting to spoil anything, I'll leave it there. While this was going on at a very interesting time in history, I didn't feel like it truly conveyed everything that was happening. Yes there are vague mentioning that their Aunt had to save up flour and sugar in order to make a birthday cake, but it doesn't make it sound like there was any real struggle to get goods. Nor did it truly sound like the gov't was trying to keep people inside and a t home with the older girls rarely being in the house and Theo and Fee playing outside in the front or back yard or going down the street for a poetry contest for a breakfast cereal. Yes they say that they didn't go to church here and there, but it sounded more like the father's choice...

Eh.

Maybe it's just because right now the schools are closed, churches are banned from holding more the 50 people at a time or holding mass with people. All non-essential services are requested to close their doors. Restaurants are at half capacity or 50 people, which ever is less. A state of Health Emergency is declared....maybe these just weren't really things in 1918, but the universities were the first schools to close this time around. Craziness...

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jean Little's contributions to this series are exceptional and "If I Die Before I Wake" is no different. Little portrays life in 1918 Toronto vividly. The Spanish Flu Pandemic is, of course, the main theme but various other topics are also explored: the last year of WWI, Armistice Day, class distinctions, women doctors and the growing changes in women's freedom. General everyday life is explored deeply showing the great conveniences now available since the parent/grandparent's Victorian days and the hardships the reader will notice compared with modern day's easy use of technology. Fiona introduces us to her unique family consisting of multiple twins, widowed father and Aunt caretaker bringing great character development and a charming, lovely household that we grieve with when the obvious death(s) occur(s). I was surprised though because I thought clues were being given that a certain character would be the one who perished and I, thankfully!, was wrong. The book is better given to the older age range of this series (8-12) due to the amount of death and descriptions of the disease. The ending is satisfying enough but the usual epilogue which tells what happened to the characters after the book was unusually depressing. Also includes some good photographs at the end, though more seem to be from Alberta & Manitoba than Toronto, where the book is set.

[Jenna Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourites in the Dear Canada series. Several years ago, I read a book based on a true story called Five Pennies: A Prairie Boy's Story, and in that book they talked about this certain type of flu that I'd never heard of, and how it affected their family. When I read this, I was able to put together that it was the Spanish Flu and that it was during the 1918 epidemic, so that was really interesting for me to learn about.

This is an absolutely heartbreaking event in history, and we should all really take the time to research it and learn the stories associated with it.

[Danit Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had just finished reading this book. I want to divide the book into two parts, in which the first narrative provides intriguing information regarding the Spanish flu through the personal family story of Fiona. The narrative is highly discussed with melancholic subjects such as wars, epidemics, death, and bereavement. These subjects lead me to believe that this book is not very recommended for young children. However, the narrative had changed dramatically after the epidemic ended since the narrative turn out into an unrealistic and childish story. Hence, I think that there is a serious gap between the first part of the story which is totally intended for adults to the childish and unrealistic end.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this book. I was looking for a novel with the influenza of 1918 and was only able to find a juvenile fiction book, one of the Dear Canada series. It is written as a dairy of a twelve year old girl, Fiona. The year is 1918, the war is still on. Fiona has an identical twin, Fanny, two older sisters and one younger brother. Her mother died shortly after her brother, Theodore was born. As the war comes to an end, there is an outbreak of the Spanish Influenza. It's a great story for young children to learn about the history of various events in our country. There are at least 17 books in the Dear Canada series.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars & 2/10 hearts. Although I loved many of this author’s other books, this one was really not good. It’s been a while since I read it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. To start off, the dad is in love with his sister-in-law, who lives with them in the mother’s position because the mother is dead, and ends up by marrying her, which is just weird. Fiona has a bad attitude, and there were lots of comments I disliked, like one girl joking about stripteasing. I add .5 stars for the sake of a few fun quotes. But I read this book twice and didn’t like it either time.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was feeling guilty about never having read anything by Jean Little, a fellow Guelphite, and I happened upon this book in the children's section of the library. It was an educational, engaging read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the fact I'm an adult. =) I would like to read more in this series and look forward also to reading more by Little.

[TJL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed it, but I feel like the historical event ended up being pushed to the background a lot during the story. I mean, realism is a thing- a real twelve year-old would have loads to say about her family and less to say about every single detail of the outbreak- but since the book was supposed to focus on the flu epidemic, I feel like it lacked just a bit.

[Twyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Fiona and her twin sister Fanny are in the middle of a city with a lot of people who are catching a flu. Then Fanny and Jemma catch it. Jemma dies, but Fanny survives. Now everyone needs some very happy mirical to help them feel better again. I learned things that seem like they can't get better can get better

[Alison]

Great book! It completely holds the feeling of loss of hope, and human life. Fiona lives with her large family,but when the war ends and a deadly disease starts spreading through Fiona's village. People are worried. This is a great book, and anyone reading this: I recommend this to you. Read this book!