Eliza's Best Wednesday

Jami van Haaften is a professional librarian and author of An Index to
Selected Canadian Provincial Government Publications for Librarians,
Teachers and Booksellers.

Anyone who attends fall fairs or agricultural exhibitions must wonder
how life was back in the olden days. Lalonde and Burchell take the
reader back to 1860 to find out.

Ten-year-old Eliza joins her family in preparing food, handicrafts, and
livestock for the competition. The social and cultural event of the year
for the farming community in Western Canada is a great success.

Carol Sargent provides the sketches that illustrate the text. The
black-and-white sketches, which resemble engravings, and the
cream-colored paper give the book an antique appearance.

Both authors worked at Upper Canada Village as educators and historical
interpreters. Sargent works there now, and also exhibits her art
locally. Together they share their love of history in a manner well
suited to young readers.