Elizabeth, Book 1: Bless This House

Kristin Butcher writes novels for young adults. Her most recent works
are Cairo Kelly and the Mann, The Gamma War, and The Tomorrow Tunnel.

The amazing thing about the Our Canadian Girl series is that, despite
the brevity of the stories, the characters are empathetic and their
dilemmas are complex enough to keep the reader involved throughout.
Bless This House is a wonderful example.

Following the journey of a family emigrating from Connecticut to Nova
Scotia, the novel explores the feelings of the newcomers as well as
those of the evicted Acadians, whose confiscated farms the Planters have
taken over. Ten-year old Elizabeth has mixed feelings about the move.
She is unhappy to leave the only home she has ever known, a situation
made worse by a reoccurring nightmare in which she sees her new home and
herself in flames. However, when she finally arrives in Nova Scotia, she
is pleasantly surprised by her new surroundings and pushes her
uneasiness to the back of her mind. It isn’t until she meets up with
Mathilde, an Acadian girl who is waiting to be deported, that Elizabeth
understands the meaning of her dream and sets out to right a wrong
everyone else seems willing to ignore.

Elizabeth is a feisty young lady, who is struggling—on several
levels—to come to terms with what feels right and what 18th-century
society deems acceptable. Today’s youngsters should find the contrast
between Elizabeth’s time and their own interesting and enlightening.
There is no doubt that they will look forward to the next book of
Elizabeth’s adventures. Highly recommended.