Acts of Courage

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

This exciting book tells the stories of the 17 Canadians who have
received the Cross of Valour, the most prestigious Canadian decoration.
Created in 1972, the award is presented by the Government of Canada for
acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril.

A chapter is devoted to each of the recipients. General biographical
information is followed by a detailed description of the circumstances
that made heroes of them. Several saved fire victims. A government
official persuaded a terrorist who had killed three people and wounded
13 others to surrender. Other recipients rescued sailors from capsized
ships. Those who died while helping others were awarded posthumously.

The author interviewed many of the recipients. The first-person
narration invests these harrowing accounts with a sense of poignancy and
immediacy that encourages reader empathy. Photographs further enhance
the reader’s feeling of identification.

Melady’s prose is clear, crisp, and without embellishment (these
stories require none). His book is highly recommended for young readers
with an interest in the extraordinary actions ordinary people are
capable of.