Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“We’ve travelled from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. We’ve
sampled mosquitos in all of Canada’s 10 provinces. Are we done? Are
you kidding? Not while there is more of Canada to be discovered. It’s
time to head for Canada’s northern territories. Arctic Ocean—here we
come!”

Twelve-year-old Guy and his family have embarked on a cross-country car
trip. Their starting point is Long Beach, on the west side of Vancouver
Island. From there, they drive more than 6000 kilometres to Cape Spear,
Newfoundland, the most easterly point in North America. On their way
home, they circle north through all three of Canada’s northern
territories. Guy wants to see a new animal in each province or
territory. Rachel, his kid sister, intends to add specimens to her rock,
shell, and numerous other collections. Guy’s mother wants to learn
something educational about every place they visit, while Dad seems to
have a pun or groaner joke for every occasion.

Imagine yourself on a family vacation with unlimited time, money, and
endurance. If you survived the trip, this is what your memoirs might
look like. The book’s format is set up as a journal written primarily
by Guy but with major contributions from all his family members.
Postcards, brochures, 35 mm slides, hand-drawn cartoons, and oddball
keepsakes are all used to illustrate the text.

Lighthearted yet informative, Wow Canada! is a terrific traveler’s
companion and armchair read. Highly recommended.