Canada in Colours.

Janet Collins is a freelance writer in Sechelt, British Columbia.

Canada in Colours attempts to introduce younger readers to the wide range of colours found throughout the country at different times of the year. Sadly, it falls short on many fronts.

Gürth could have shown more imagination by opening with something other than a snowy scene complete with igloo. The decision to use a “brown” log cabin on another page only serves to underscore the long-tired clichés. There are lots of moose, beaver, and mountains throughout as well. All that is missing is a Mountie or two.

Equally disheartening is the decision to include only three Canadian place names. Of those, P.E.I. is the only province mentioned. And many readers, no matter what their age, will have no idea where Point Pelee National Park is located.

Pity that Gürth didn’t opt to find something unique in each province/territory to illustrate. The “red” P.E.I. mud would have been a great starting point.

Another disappointment is the map of Canada that forms the end pages of the book. The drawing is totally out of proportion. The North is seriously shrunk. Interestingly, P.E.I., Cape Breton, and Anticosti Island all appear to be the same size. The Maritimes are only recognizable because of their location in relation to the other provinces.

Yes, the boldly coloured drawings are appealing. But there are many better book choices available for introducing colours to preschool readers. Not Recommended.