The Story of Canada. 3rd ed.

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

The third edition of this highly acclaimed book about Canada’s history
begins with the diverse peoples inhabiting Canada circa 1500 and
concludes with a description of the country as “a nation of many
nations, attempting to find a way to live in harmony with each other and
with this northern land.” Chapters deal with the First Nations, the
coming of Europeans, nation-building, the World Wars, the Depression,
multiculturalism, and the modern era. The authors use a multimodality
approach (narrative, expository, anecdotal, open-ended) to relate the
story, and the reader is invited to become part of the process.

The book has a reader-friendly format. Dry facts are enlivened by
colorful sidebars. Effective use is made of original illustrations,
historical photographs, maps, paintings, posters, and cartoons. A handy
chronology and an index are included.

Much of the book’s focus is on culture: sagas and myths are retold;
biographical sketches of painters, poets, writers, musicians, singers,
and heroes capture their stories; and quotes from famous books appear
throughout. The role of women is stressed. Mindful of their target
readership, the authors have included lots of information about young
people as well as material geared to young readers. Preserving the
environment is a recurring theme.

The Story of Canada is highly recommended for readers of all ages.