By Spencer Miller
As the Editorial Coordinator for the Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom program, I read dozens of new books from Canadian publishers every season and help to create blog and video content that highlights the best new titles, perfect for classroom use and independent reading. Every season, my appreciation of the power and impact of Canadian books grows.
Recently, I’ve been impressed with the way Canadian authors and illustrators are telling stories inspired by history. Here’s what sticks out to me:
The diversity of the histories they’re exploring is exciting. They cover important moments in Canadian history and tell stories from around the world.
The creativity they use to tell stories from history in new and exciting ways. Recently, time travel, magical companions, and poetic narratives are elements I’ve seen used to keep young readers engaged and interested.
The research that goes into their work is apparent. They know exactly which details and facts are most interesting to young readers. I can see the time and effort that goes into getting things right.
The connections they make to the present day are relevant and insightful. They can draw parallels to the experiences of today’s young readers. There are many important lessons history can teach us.
More than anything, I’m impressed with the way Canadian authors and illustrators are tackling challenging topics in history and guiding young readers towards healing and understanding.
To encourage more educators to bring Canadian books into their classrooms and school libraries, here are some new and exciting books for kids that explore history!
K-3
Mira and Baku shows the power of imagination in helping children process grief and trauma. In a story set during Japanese-Canadian incarceration in World War II, a young girl searches for her missing father with the help of a magical friend.
Highlight: Mira’s flying companion brings a sense of magic to the story. Told with sensitivity and care, this story helps introduce young readers to an underrepresented part of Canadian history.
No Horses in the House! The Audacious Life of Artist Rosa Bonheur is a fictionalized account of a young aspiring creative growing up in nineteenth-century France during a time when girls were not allowed to be artists. Rosa must think creatively to challenge the rules in pursuit of her dream of becoming a world-class realist painter and artist.
Highlight: Based on the incredible life of the pioneering feminist and queer artist Rosa Bonheur, this story contains a powerful underlying message about embracing yourself and your talents.
The Secret Pocket is based on the author’s mother’s experiences and tells the true story of how Indigenous girls at a residential school sewed secret pockets into their dresses to steal food from the kitchens to survive. This story is a beautiful tribute to the quiet resilience and resistance of residential school survivors.
Highlight: Using sewing skills passed down from their mothers and aunties, the girls outsmart and outwit their nasty teachers: a powerful act of cultural resistance.
4-6
The Possible Lives of W.H., Sailor is a poetic narrative that imagines the life of W.H., a mysterious nineteenth-century sailor whose remains were discovered in Labrador in the late 1980s. Archaeologists were able to deduce that W.H. was of African heritage and buried alone. This beautifully written and illustrated poem embraces the mystery of W.H. and the stories of all those lost to history.
Highlight: The book was inspired by the art exhibition curated by the author/illustrator and is a great example of how artists are inspired by history.
Hidden on the High Wire tells the suspenseful story of a young Jewish circus performer and her mother as they are forced into hiding when the increasing power of Adolf Hitler’s Nazis puts them in grave danger.
Highlight: I find students love to know when the book is based on a true story! This story is inspired by the real historical figure Irene Danner.
The Cricket War is a survival story based on the real-life experiences of the author. In the story, a young boy named Tho escapes by boat from Communist Vietnam in 1980. On his journey, Tho must make it through pirate attacks, hunger, and loneliness to arrive to safety.
Highlight: The history and stories of refugees are an important part of the history and story of Canada. This book shows the serious obstacles refugees overcome on their journeys.
7-10
Weird Rules to Follow takes readers back to the 1980s to experience what it was like to grow up in the coastal fishing town of Prince Rupert. For Mia, who is Indigenous, life is very different than her best friend Lara’s.
Highlight: Recently, Weird Rules to Follow recently won three awards at the 2023 CCBC Book Awards, an unprecedented hat trick of awards.
A Girl Called Echo Omnibus collects all four volumes of the impactful graphic novel series about teenage time-traveller Echo and her adventures among her Métis ancestors.
Highlight: Having followed this series as it was released, it feels fantastic to see it all come together in this special collected edition. I got to ask katherena vermette all about it in this interview.
The Prisoner and the Writer is an illustrated retelling of the Dreyfus Affair, a well-known political scandal where a French officer was arrested and imprisoned in an act of anti-Semitism. Published for the 125th anniversary of the famous “J’Accuse …!” headline.
Highlight: A detailed author’s note explores how prejudice and racism are issues that we still face today and also addresses journalistic bias and media literacy.
10-12
Crow Stone takes a closer look at the unbearable loss and horrific aftermath of World War II, as told through the eyes of Katya, a Kulak orphan, forced to flee East Prussia at the invasion of the Red Army during the winter of 1945.
Highlight: Amidst this harsh account, the small acts of mercy that help Katya survive her ordeal highlight how the kind choices of everyday people shape history.
My Indian Summer follows 12-year-old Hunter through the summer of 1979. Desperate to leave his tiny hometown in British Columba and escape his abusive mother and elder brother, Hunter finds help and support in the guidance of a trio of elders and the companionship of his two best friends.
Highlight: At the end of the book, Hunter’s future is left somewhat unknown, challenging readers to decide for themselves which direction Hunter’s life will take.
Spencer Miller (he/him) is a teacher, writer, reader and basketball fan. He advocates for Canadian books in the classroom as the Editorial Coordinator of Top Grade: CanLit for the Classroom, a program of the Association of Canadian Publishers. You can follow more of Spencer’s passion for books on Instagram @YACanadaBooks.