A Ribbon of Shining Steel

Elizabeth Fisher is a former elementary-school principal in Toronto, who
spent 10 years as a teacher-librarian.

Eleven-year-old Kate Cameron lives in British Columbia. Her father is an
engineer who works for the Canadian Pacific Railway overseeing the
construction of bridges in the Fraser River Canyon. On August 28, 1882,
Kate begins to document in her diary a year of events in her life.

There is much to record. Kate deals with problems in her friendships,
comes down with whooping cough, rescues a girl from a fire, experiences
the joy of a pet dog, goes camping with her brothers, works at the local
paper, and visits a dentist whose only anesthetic is chloroform.
Kate’s fear for her father’s safety is played out against the
blasting and landslides associated with the building of the Canadian
Pacific Railway. In her diary, she describes the transportation of the
injured to the hospital. She also notes that the Chinese workers and the
white community do not share the same services.

Kate is a believable character and an engaging narrator, full of vim
and vigor. The book is meticulously researched. In addition to a
“Historical Note” section that provides further information on the
building of Canada’s transcontinental railway, there are reprints of
photographs and paintings. Highly recommended.