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O Canada!
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 18, 2013
I'll start by saying this is *the* best book ever written for Grades 1-3 covering Canadian history from the beginning up to Confederation. There is nothing like it in print today, nor do I expect there ever will be as history books are not written like this anymore. This book is written in a narrative, story telling mode and meant to be read aloud for this age group. The original intent would have been for older children to read the book themselves but today there are many other books for older children to choose from; it is the younger children for whom books are sadly not available today at this level of entertainment and information.
Starting with a brief two paragraph semi-evolutionary beginning (meaning they describe such a world without using the word) the book starts with the major distinct Indian groups pre-white man and moves chronologically through Canadian history hitting all the major points and including much detail in a book aimed at this age group. New France through the Seven Years War is extensively covered through a large portion of the book. Intertwining American history where it is relevant, the Loyalists, pioneer life and the War of 1812 come next. The Rebellion of 1837 and Confederation wrap up Canada's story nicely. It's at this point that the book takes on a choppy feel for the last nine pages. It honestly feels as if Ms. Barclay had intended to end her book here plus a conclusion and the publishers required that she include Western Canada before publishing. So the book finishes with quick scenes jumping to the settling of the west, the building of the railway, the populating of British Columbia and it's joining of Confederation, the Cariboo Gold Rush and finally a conclusion.
I always recommend this book to homeschoolers looking for something to use for Canadian history at this level as it just can't be beat. I wish someone would reprint it for the homeschool market with some editing to the conclusion which speaks of our 20th century (1960s) Canada. The main reasons I love this book are that the text is entertaining in a story-telling format, the history is not revisionist, none of today's re-thinking of whether history was right or wrong is presented, just the facts from both sides. I find the book to be very unbiased which is very refreshing and a joy to read. I've always had a copy of this book. When I was a kid I read it, I read it to my 24yo when he was the right age and now with my second when he was 8/9yo.
Unfortunately my current copy doesn't have a dust jacket to show the illustration technique which is something to be mentioned. It's the type often popular in the sixties and seventies using black and two other colours. Almost every page is illustrated, there are a few two page spreads here and there with no pictures though. The illustrations alternate; on one two page spread the colour theme is black, grey, blue (almost turquoise) and then the next spread is black, brown and orange. Something only a former child of the era will love but the drawings themselves have a folksy, primitive style to them that I enjoy.
Overall, I can't recommend the book highly enough if you are wanting a book to read to your primary level child about Canadian History, look no further. This is not a hard book to find. Copies are easily found online and if you go to enough library/school book sales in a row it won't take long to come across a copy. As soon as I moved out here my goal was to find a copy and I found one at the first annual book sale the city had that I went to.
Starting with a brief two paragraph semi-evolutionary beginning (meaning they describe such a world without using the word) the book starts with the major distinct Indian groups pre-white man and moves chronologically through Canadian history hitting all the major points and including much detail in a book aimed at this age group. New France through the Seven Years War is extensively covered through a large portion of the book. Intertwining American history where it is relevant, the Loyalists, pioneer life and the War of 1812 come next. The Rebellion of 1837 and Confederation wrap up Canada's story nicely. It's at this point that the book takes on a choppy feel for the last nine pages. It honestly feels as if Ms. Barclay had intended to end her book here plus a conclusion and the publishers required that she include Western Canada before publishing. So the book finishes with quick scenes jumping to the settling of the west, the building of the railway, the populating of British Columbia and it's joining of Confederation, the Cariboo Gold Rush and finally a conclusion.
I always recommend this book to homeschoolers looking for something to use for Canadian history at this level as it just can't be beat. I wish someone would reprint it for the homeschool market with some editing to the conclusion which speaks of our 20th century (1960s) Canada. The main reasons I love this book are that the text is entertaining in a story-telling format, the history is not revisionist, none of today's re-thinking of whether history was right or wrong is presented, just the facts from both sides. I find the book to be very unbiased which is very refreshing and a joy to read. I've always had a copy of this book. When I was a kid I read it, I read it to my 24yo when he was the right age and now with my second when he was 8/9yo.
Unfortunately my current copy doesn't have a dust jacket to show the illustration technique which is something to be mentioned. It's the type often popular in the sixties and seventies using black and two other colours. Almost every page is illustrated, there are a few two page spreads here and there with no pictures though. The illustrations alternate; on one two page spread the colour theme is black, grey, blue (almost turquoise) and then the next spread is black, brown and orange. Something only a former child of the era will love but the drawings themselves have a folksy, primitive style to them that I enjoy.
Overall, I can't recommend the book highly enough if you are wanting a book to read to your primary level child about Canadian History, look no further. This is not a hard book to find. Copies are easily found online and if you go to enough library/school book sales in a row it won't take long to come across a copy. As soon as I moved out here my goal was to find a copy and I found one at the first annual book sale the city had that I went to.
September 17, 2019
Also published in paperback as "Story of Canada"
Grade 1-3 96 pages 1964
“An insouciant [showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent], child-like quality pervades the drawings for this beginner’s history." Sheila Egoff
I can't imagine a child retaining anything from this book. Heavy on details, light on story.
(Even Dollard’s defence of the Long Sault has been given a light treatment.)
A sample:
"The first Royal Governor to come to Canada was count Frontenac.
Marie de l'Incarnation founded the first Ursuline school.
The first Bishop at Quebec was Monsigneur de Laval.
The priests and nuns who came to Quebec to look after the people in the colony took care of the sick and taught the children their lessons.
Missionaries were went among the Indians. One of the best-known missionaries was Father Brébeuf. Father Brébeuf was as tall as a giant and had a giant's strength and courage."
Ugh! So many potential stories. So many lists.
Grade 1-3 96 pages 1964
“An insouciant [showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent], child-like quality pervades the drawings for this beginner’s history." Sheila Egoff
I can't imagine a child retaining anything from this book. Heavy on details, light on story.
(Even Dollard’s defence of the Long Sault has been given a light treatment.)
A sample:
"The first Royal Governor to come to Canada was count Frontenac.
Marie de l'Incarnation founded the first Ursuline school.
The first Bishop at Quebec was Monsigneur de Laval.
The priests and nuns who came to Quebec to look after the people in the colony took care of the sick and taught the children their lessons.
Missionaries were went among the Indians. One of the best-known missionaries was Father Brébeuf. Father Brébeuf was as tall as a giant and had a giant's strength and courage."
Ugh! So many potential stories. So many lists.
October 30, 2019
O canada! (Hardcover)
November 9, 2016
This book was later reissued in 1974 under the title The Story of Canada.
It is a nice overview of Canadian history to use with younger children about grades 1 through 3. The text is brief and easy to understand. It is shy on details, sometimes making it less engaging than what I would consider to be a true living book. It is however written in a narrative style. The chapters are very short and the vocabulary is quite simple.
When paired with historical fiction and other supplementary resources it makes a nice jumping off point for an early elementary study.
Typical of the time it was written it is not always politically correct, however it is easy to change words like Eskimo to Inuit and Indian to First Nations as you read aloud. It covers pre-contact through the building of the railroad in a brief and simple manner.
The illustrations by Cecile Gagnon are dated and are unlikely to impress a modern child very much.
It is a nice overview of Canadian history to use with younger children about grades 1 through 3. The text is brief and easy to understand. It is shy on details, sometimes making it less engaging than what I would consider to be a true living book. It is however written in a narrative style. The chapters are very short and the vocabulary is quite simple.
When paired with historical fiction and other supplementary resources it makes a nice jumping off point for an early elementary study.
Typical of the time it was written it is not always politically correct, however it is easy to change words like Eskimo to Inuit and Indian to First Nations as you read aloud. It covers pre-contact through the building of the railroad in a brief and simple manner.
The illustrations by Cecile Gagnon are dated and are unlikely to impress a modern child very much.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews