Pistes d'exploration

Before reading, discuss what word you think might represent each letter of this Canada-based alphabet. Did you predict accurately? What surprised you about the author’s choice for some of the letters?

Invent an ABC board game based on Canadian facts from the book. 

Starting with the letter A, survey the number of students who have read or who know about the information on that page. Compile the statistics for each letter. 

Choose one alphabet letter and research additional information about the associated Canadian person, place or thing. Share with the class.

Before reading, discuss what word you think might represent each letter of this Canada-based alphabet. Did you predict accurately? What surprised you about the author’s choice for some of the letters?

Choose a letter of the alphabet and research and share additional information about the person, place or thing that represents that letter in the book.

Choose a theme for a class alphabet book. Write a short rhyme for the person, place or thing that represents each letter. 

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , alphabet , Canada , Canadian culture , Canadian history , Canadian symbols , geography

Commentaire descriptif

This is possibly the only alphabet book that begins with literary allusion, “A is for Anne—that’s Anne with an E—a red-headed orphan who loved Avonlea.” Devoted to all things Canadian, this picture book offers sophisticated fare for young readers. B is for Banting and Best, of insulin fame; C is for erstwhile Prime Minister Kim Campbell. Canadian geography (“I is for Islands”), history (“K is for Klondike”) and culture (“O is for Ojibwa”) are all addressed in these pages. Every letter features a rhyme, while sidebars expand on the topics. Children will learn about the RCMP’s historic roots, the names of provincial capitals, the importance of the railway in forming a Canadian nation, and more. Large richly coloured images illustrate the topics in soft, painterly forms. A family of escapees approaches a lit cabin in U, for Underground Railroad. The red, glowing folds of a camping tent enclose two children and their flashlight in “Z stands for Zipper.” Whether Canadian-born or newly arrived, young readers will find much of interest in this book.