1985—The Year I Was Born: A Daily Record of Events

Brenda Reed is the curriculum and reference services librarian in the
Education Library, Queen’s University.

The intended audience for this chronology of trivia is identified in the
title, although readers as young as 7 will find the book accessible. The
news items compiled by the author range from the factual “([a] severe
winter storm [hit] Goose Bay, Labrador, dumping 71 cm of snow on the
town”) to the truly trivial (“Pogo the pelican, a resident of
England’s Chessington Zoo, gets an artificial leg made of
fibreglass”). Content is generally Canadian, and there is an emphasis
on sports and music. The layout is attractive, with standardized trivia
items, cartoon-style drawings, and cream-colored pages that convey the
impression of newsprint. Young browsers and trivia lovers will have fun
with this lighthearted glance at 1985. Recommended.