Sandford Fleming: Railway Builder

Alice Kidd is an editor with The New Catalyst editorial collective in
Lillooet, B.C.

Biography for children plays an important part in providing role models,
especially in science. One of the challenges of the short biography is
to tell a good story that is also a faithful portrayal of the
individual’s life. The results here are mixed. Perhaps because hers is
a contemporary story, Roberta Bondar’s life generates the most
interest. It’s nice to know how she occupied the 38 years before she
became an astronaut! The complexity of Norman Bethune’s life is
difficult to squeeze into so few pages, but occasionally the man comes
alive. The reproduction of his self-portrait, from 1935, is a helpful
addition. Sandford Fleming, who lived in the last century, seems
distant.

Biography also serves as a reference work for research. All three
volumes would be useful in this context. The information is provided in
clear, simple paragraphs. The layout of the books is attractive, with
colorful page borders and lots of relevant photographs. Each one has a
glossary of key terms and an index.

Roberta Bondar: Highly recommended. Norman Bethune: Recommended.
Sandford Fleming: Recommended with reservations.