Trade and Global Impact. (Canada Past Present Future). Sheelagh Matthews. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2011. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $13.95 (pbk.), $27.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55388-698-3 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55388-693-8 (hc.). Subject Headings: Canada-Commerce-History-Juvenile literature. Grades 6-8 / Ages 11-13. Review by Harriet Zaidman. */4
	Aboriginal Treaties. (Canada Past Present Future). Carolyn Gray. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2011. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $13.95 (pbk.), $27.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55388-697-6 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55388-692-1 (hc.). Subject Heading: Native peoples-Canada-Treaties-Juvenile literature. Grades 6-8 / Ages 11-13. Review by Harriet Zaidman. */4
	French-English Relations. (Canada Past Present Future). Steve Goldsworthy. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2011. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $13.95 (pbk.), $27.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55388-695-2 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55388-690-7 (hc.). Subject Heading: Canada-English-French relations-History-Juvenile literature. Grades 6-8 / Ages 11-13. Review by Harriet Zaidman. */4
	Political Leaders. (Canada Past Present Future). Anita Yasuda. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2011. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $13.95 (pbk.), $27.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55388-696-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55388-691-4 (hc.). Subject Heading: Canada-Politicians and government-Juvenile literature. Grades 6-8 / Ages 11-13. Review by Harriet Zaidman. */4

The information in the “Canada Past Present Future” series is incomplete, vague and presented in a confusing format. There are many problems with these books, the most important being that young researchers will need to read each book in reverse to glean background information and understand events referenced at the front.

     The title of the series - “Canada Past Present Future” - suggests that each book proceeds in chronological order. The introduction of each book discusses the history of each topic from past to present. However, the content of book then begins with the 2000s and works its way back to the past at the end of the 46 pages of text. As a result, a reader trying to be informed will not develop an understanding of how and why certain events occurred. Within each chapter, the years are sometimes chronologically presented, sometimes mixed up. The logic, based on content, is not clear.


     A few of the many examples:

On page 7 of Trade and Global Impact, the timeline says that in 2004 Air Canada no longer requires bankruptcy protection. The 1990s timeline on page 13 tells the reader that Air Canada takes control of Canadian Airlines, but it’s not until page 36 that we learn that Trans-Canada Airlines was formed in 1937 and became Canada’s national airline, changing its name to Air Canada in 1964. There is no discussion of why Air Canada took over Canadian Airlines, the ramifications of the takeover, or why Air Canada entered bankruptcy protection. The impact of having a national carrier in trouble is not discussed.

Aboriginal Treaties discusses this important issue in Canadian history in reverse. It’s a preposterous premise that does not work. How is a child supposed to understand why the Charlottetown Accord recognized Aboriginal self-government as an inherent right in 1992 without understanding the history of the treaties and how aboriginal Canadians were stripped of their rights?

Similarly, French-English Relations offers Canada’s history in reverse so that a student, upon opening up this book, would learn, on page 9, about the federal government’s recognizing “the Québecois as a nation with in a united Canada.” Unless the student has the presence of mind to go to the back of the book and read forward, he or she will not be able to put the pieces of the puzzle together to understand why the French-English divide occurred and why the federal government in 2006 would feel the need to pass such a motion.

Political Leaders, on page 13, teaches that Joe Clark became leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1998. Joe who? Exactly. A student must wait until page 20 to find out that Clark had already been Prime Minister and was, therefore, taking charge of the Progressive Conservatives for a second time in 1998. Nor is there mention on page 13 that the Reform Party was a split from the PCs.

Not recommended.

Harriet Zaidman is a teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, MB.

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

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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