The Sawmill. (Early Canadian Life). Megan Lappi. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-038-2. Subject Headings: Sawmills-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4
	Family Life. (Early Canadian Life). Jill Foran. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-041-2. Subject Headings: Family-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4
	The Schoolhouse. (Early Canadian Life). Jill Foran. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-034-X. Subject Headings: Schools-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Education-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4
	The General Store. (Early Canadian Life). Rennay Craats. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-039-0. Subject Headings: General stores-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4
	The Doctor. (Early Canadian Life). Jill Foran. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-040-4. Subject Headings: Physicians-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Medical care-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4
	The Blacksmith. (Early Canadian Life). Rennay Craats. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2004. 24 pp., cloth, $22.95. ISBN 1-55388-035-8. Subject Headings: Blacksmiths-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Blacksmithing-Canada-History-Juvenile literature. Frontier and pioneer life-Canada-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10. Review by Valerie Nielsen. ***½ /4

With pioneer life ensconced as a topic in the early years' social studies curriculum, it is not surprising to find the Weigl Educational Publishing firm coming up with a series of information picture books on life in early Canada. Each of the six glossy library bound books in the series is 24 pages long and examines the differences between life today and life in pioneer days. The text is made up of short, easy to read paragraphs interspersed with photographs (most from the National Archives) captions and small nuggets of information encapsulated in a "Did you know?" frame in every chapter.

     Each book begins with an introduction which is designed to give children a sense of how different (and indeed, how difficult) it was for the early settlers in Canada. In The Sawmill, Megan Lappi writes:

When settlers first came to Canada, there were no houses for them to move into. They could not go to the lumber store to purchase boards to build houses. Instead, early pioneers cut down trees in the forest and used the logs to build their own houses, barns and furniture. There were no power saws, so everything was done with handsaws. For one person, it was a tough job and it took a long time.

     Following the introduction, each book is made up of nine chapters plus a glossary and index on the last page. Words defined in the glossary appear in bold text throughout the volume. Chapters are short (just a double page spread), and many contain a vivid first-hand account of life in earlier times: One such account comes from Family Life, by Jill Foran:

One sure thing about those early days, we sure knew how to work. It wasn't exactly that we called it work, it was more like just part of our lives. Even before five or six we were doing things around the yard, hunting up broody hens, going for the cows with Spot, our Collie, and handing things to my dad when he was fixing a piece of machinery.

     Five of the books include a chapter entitled "A Day in the Life" (in Family Life, it becomes "A Year in the Life") to give young readers a detailed picture of what daily life was like for Canada's early settlers. An illustrated chapter on tools found in each book should help young readers to identify artifacts they are likely to see on subsequent field trips to a heritage museum.

     Each book in the series concludes by presenting a "Then and Now" Venn diagram which helps readers compare and contrast past and present aspects of the topic being discussed. Students are invited to copy the diagram and see if they can come up with other similarities and differences between present day and pioneer times.

     The “Early Canadian Life” series may be purchased separately at $22.95 a volume, or at $137.70 for the set. Of the six titles, The Schoolhouse, The General Store and Family Life are those most likely to catch and hold the interests of contemporary youngsters. These books should prove a useful resource for primary teachers and a valuable addition to the elementary school's collection of books on pioneer life for seven to ten year olds.

Highly Recommended.

A retired teacher-librarian, Valerie Nielsen resides in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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