Pistes d'exploration

Discuss why Canada needed foreign workers. Why was it so important to build the railroad?

Discuss the author’s style and themes: rich language, dealing with loss, the disability of Choon-yi, etc.

Research the foreign workers who came to Canada to build the railroad. What happened to them? What legacy did they leave?

Discuss the story. With the group, map the story to better understand the sequence of events. Identify the characters and events.

Discuss the story. Why did Canada need foreign workers? Why was it so important to build the railroad?

Research other important Canadian projects that required many employees. Make a slide presentation to share your results.

With a partner, and using teacher-selected resources, research the building of the Canadian railroad. Discuss this as a class and take notes.

What is the meaning of the book title? What lesson does Ba want to teach his daughter?

Create a fact versus fiction T-chart. Research and list facts about working conditions for Chinese labourers, in general, during the building of the CPR. In the second column, include information about Ba and his experiences. Was the author’s portrayal fair? Be prepared to defend your opinion.

Grandfather's Journey, The Kids Book of Canada's Railway and How the CPR Was Built

Mots-clés

Picture book , artists , Chinese labourers , construction , death , ghosts , immigration , railroads

Commentaire descriptif

Choon-yi has been left behind in South China by her father, who has gone to North America in search of work. Born with only one arm, she has a remarkable gift for painting and earns a living by selling her artwork in the marketplace. One day she receives a letter from her father asking her to join him overseas, but when she arrives, she learns he has been killed on the job. Here, the story takes a fantastical turn as the ghost of her father beckons her to board a train which carries the ghosts of other men who died as he did. With his guidance, Choon-yi creates a painting that will release their souls and set them free by letting their ashes “sail on the four winds.” Dark, haunting oil paintings with an orange tinge contribute to the solemn mood and capture the intensity behind the facial expressions of each character. Based on the stories of Chinese immigrant workers who travelled to North America in the early 1900s to build the railway, this book—for read-aloud or independent reading—sensitively addresses the difficult issues of death, disability and economic hardship.