Monday, February 3, 2025

Celebrating Black History, Legacy and Culture

Several years ago, I mentioned to a group of students in the Learning Commons that the first time I saw someone of colour was in my first year of college. They were astounded, and rightfully so. Having grown up in a small outport community in Newfoundland that was settled by predominantly British immigrants, the culture observed in one house was nearly identical to that in another.

How boring!

How sad.

Which is why when I graduated college and moved to Toronto to attend Ryerson, my two years there were spent discovering the advantages of a culturally diverse nation. I developed close friendships with people from Hong Kong, Japan, China, Nigeria, Scandinavia, Australia, and India. I went to their homes, weddings, New Year's celebrations, cultural events and festivals. Experiencing those cultures and traditions gave me insight I had never had before, as well as perspective. It made me realize we are all striving to be understood, to be accepted for who we are, and be appreciated and valued by our contributions and our ideals. I gained a better love for my own Newfoundland traditions and cultures, along the way, as I had to explain EVERYTHING to everyone I met, from jigg's dinner, seal-flipper pie and figgy duffs to tanning (not the tanning-bed kind), jigging, fish flakes and why our houses are so colourful (hint: Fog, b'ye!).

So for Black Heritage Month, I challenge everyone to stretch themselves by digging a little deeper into a culture not their own. In my experience, food is a great way to start! Try a Feast and Fact Night, where you select one country and then make a menu highlighting that country's delicacies, and then have discussions about the country's culture, environment, etc.  In our family, for example, we have Nigerian Sunday to celebrate Nigerian Independence Day, which falls on Oct. 1, and Remembrance Day dinner, where we cook something from the Second World War era. Veteran's Affairs Canada actually has a site for wartime food! CBC did a How to Eat Your Way Through Black History Month article in 2019 that I would highly recommend. It even has links to recipies!

Now that you have your bellies full of cultural cuisine diversity, stretch a little further to enlighten yourself with cultural education diversity, and feed on the information so that you can better understand and ensure historic atrocities handed down to others do not repeat themselves. 

Knowledge is always the armour against racism, by the way, because the more you know about a people, the more you empathize, relate, consider, include, support, defend, uplift those same people.

So, let's get started.

Part 1: Black History Month

The theme for the 2025 Black History Month is Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations. As Canadians, we often don't put much emphasis on our own Black History, including the fact that like the U.S., we had slavery in our midst. The enslavement of African peoples in what was then British North America (early-day Canada) was a legal means to have an easily accessible labour force to fuel colonial enterprise. European traders and colonists in New France participated in the buying, selling and enslavement of black people beginning in the early 1600s, and that practice lasted throughout British North America until 1834, when it was abolished. Whether they were the first enslaved people (indigenous; panis) or the last (black; domestique), their existence was legalized, fostered, and encouraged through legislation.

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia:
  • About 4,200 slaves in New France at the peak of slavery, about 2,700 of whom were indigenous who were enslaved until 1783, and at least 1,443 were black people enslaved between the late 1600s and 1831. 
  • Slavery in Canada was given a boost around the time of the American Revolution, when the Imperial Statute of 1790 encouraged United Empire Loyalists in the U.S. to bring their slaves north between 1775-1783. 
  • About 3,000 enslaved people of African descent were brought into British North America and by the l790s, the number of enslaved black people in the Maritimes (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) was 1,200-2,000, with about another 300 in Lower Canada (Quebec) and 500-700 in Upper Canada (Ontario).
  • Black people and their communities have shaped nearly every aspect of Canadian society since the arrival of Mathieu DaCosta in the 1600s, a free man who was thought to be the first black person to arrive in British North America. Da Costa was employed as a navigator and interpreter for Samuel de Champlain. 
There have been black people living in our province since before the 1870s, working as fur traders or cowboys. 
According to Alberta's Heritage Community Foundation:
  • There were 37 documented black settlers in the province in 1901, a number that grew tremendously after advertisements were placed in Oklahoma newspapers looking for settlers to move to province. 
  • Between 1908 and 1911, more than 1,000 black people migrated north to Alberta, as a result. However, upon their arrival, they were treated with the same racism and discrimination they had undergone in Oklahoma. 
  • Advertisements to discourage black migration were subsequently placed in newspapers in the U.S. state but despite this deterrent, their numbers grew as more and more fled north. 
  • In 1911, the Boards of Trade in Strathcona, Calgary, Fort Saskatchewan and Morinville drafted a petition containing more than 3,000 signatures to Prime Minister Sir. Wilfrid Laurier opposing the entry of any more blacks into the province. 
  • Despite this overt unwelcome message, the black communities in Alberta survived and even thrived in the earlier part of the 20th century. Amber Valley, Junkins (now Wildwood), Keystone (now Breton) and Campsie were established by some of Alberta's most resourceful black pioneers.

Leaving a Legacy

Black History Month in Canada would probably have never took hold if not for the groundwork done by former slave owner, Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe. Long before slavery would be abolished in 1834, Simcoe urged government to pass the Anti-Slavery Act, which would free slaves 25 years old and older, and making it illegal to bring slaves into Upper Canada. This sparked the beginning of the Underground Railroad which, from 1800-1865, saw 20,000 black slaves smuggled into Upper Canada from the United States. Upon their arrival, they set to work making a life for themselves, and beginning a legacy of involvement and heritage.

Two such examples were Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, who after escaping slavery in Louisville, Kentucky, arrived in Toronto via the Underground Railroad in the 1830s, and then Thornton proceeded to start Toronto's first cab company. The couple took part in anti-slavery activities and donated time and money to assist other refugees in Canada. The duo were given the distinction of being "persons of national historic significance" by the Canadian government in 1999.

In 2008, the Senate passed a motion to recognize black Canadians and recognize February as Black History Month. In that motion, the legacy of notable black Canadians were highlighted, including:
  • Rose Fortune: North America's first black policewoman, as well as being an accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur
  • William Hall: A seaman in the British Royal Navy who became the first black man to win the Victoria Cross
  • Anderson Ruffin Abbot: The first Canadian-born black person to graduate from medical school. He was a surgeon in Toronto and served as a civilian surgeon for the Union Army in the American Civil War
  • James Robinson Johnston: The first black graduate of the Dalhousie Law School (in fact, the first black Canadian to graduate from any university). He would later become a lawyer, politician and judge.
  • Portia White: One of Canada's greatest contraltos was considered one of the best classical singers of the 20th century, and paved the way for many other black musicians
  • Viola Desmond: Nova Scotia activist and businesswoman who challenged racial segregation at a cinema in new Glasgow, N.S., in 1946, by refusing to leave the whites-only section.
  • Harry Jerome: The black Canadian sprinter to hold both the 100-yard and 100-metre records. Born in Prince Albert, Sask. in 1940, he was also a teacher and consultant.
  • Lincoln MacCauley Alexander: The first black Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons in 1968, as well as being the first black Lieutenant Governor of Canada. In 2015, Jan. 21 was proclaimed as Lincoln Alexander Day across Canada for his many accomplishments
  • George Elliott Clark: Toronto poet, novelist and playwright who spent his life exploring the black culture and heritage of black Nova Scotia, earning a bachelors from the University of Waterloo, a masters from Dalhousie University and a doctorate from Queen's University along the way. His poetry collection includes Execution Poem: The Black Acadian Tragedy of George and Rue (2001), which won the Governor General's Literary Award.
  • Carrie Best: Human rights activist, journalist, broadcaster and founder of The Clarion, the first black-owned and published newspaper in Nova Scotia
  • Austin Clarke: Teacher and renowned novelist, Clarke was awarded Canada's most prestigious annual award for fiction, the Giller Prize, for his novel, The Polished Hoe
  • Maxine Tynes: Tynes was a celebrated poet and teacher, as well as being the first African Canadian to be appointed a member of the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University
  • Betty Riley: Of Saint John, N.B., Riley was the first black female television producer in Canada, airing the first all-black television program, Black Is, which dealt with issues that the black community faced, which was broadcasted every week in Montreal.
  • Oscar Peterson: Eminent jazz musician and Chancellor of York University in Toronto, Peterson joined the Johnny Holmes Orchestra in Montreal while still in high school and later formed his own trio, which further established him as a renowned performer in Canada, including being named Jazz Pianist of the Year in 1950, the Praemium Imperiale (the arts equivalent of the Nobel Prize, presented by the Japan Art Association), the UNESCO International Music Prize, eight-time Grammy Awards' winner, and three-time winner of the 1993 Glenn Gould Prize.
  • Wayne Adams: Politician, journalist, activist and entrepreneur, Adams was the first black person elected to the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly and the first black cabinet minister in Nova Scotia. He received the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia.
From the serving in the many British North American and Canadian conflicts, including the War of 1812, to the all-black Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes, which was founded in Nova Scotia in 1895, to artists, musicians, activists, politicians and journalists, the black community in Canada has a long history of stepping up, stepping out, and stepping forward for many to walk behind.

In fact, their legacy in the Maritimes can be further researched through many historic associations, post-secondary institutions and news agencies, including The University of New Brunswick, The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia: African Nova Scotia Museum and Black Cultural Society, The Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island, CBC: The 'hidden' history of The Bog--Charlottetown's forgotten black neighbourhood.


Origin of Black History Month in Canada

In 1978, the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) formerly proclaiming February as Black History Month. The following year, the first-ever Canadian proclamation was made by the City of Toronto. Ten years after the OBHS made its declaration, Nova Scotia designated February as Black History Month in 1988, which was renamed as African Heritage Month in 1996. In 1993, OBHS's motion to the Ontario government to make its proclamation a provincial one was successful and paved the way for a national proclamation in the House of Commons in 1995.
To further solidify the legacy of the black community in Canada, the Senate introduced the Motion to Recognize Contributions of Black Canadians and February as Black History Month in February 2008.

Black History Month at TMC

We have a growing number of books in the Learning Commons about Canada's black history, as well as a number of books written by authors of colour, with diverse characters. If you ever want to check to see the inclusive materials we have in our collection, you just need to do a search in eLibrary! For the past several years, I have been busy re-cataloguing our collection to include designations such as "diverse content," in addition to adding notations such as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous People of Colour) in the staff notations.

So, here's how to access those titles:

Launch eLibrary from TMC/CBE Quicklinks or click here
  1. Put any genre or title in the Search window (ex. humor)
  2. Select Twelve Mile Coulee in the Library drop-down menu
  3. Search
  4. Scroll down your search results to find Search Again
  5. Remove any genre/title in the Search window so that it is blank
  6. Keep the Library as Twelve Mile Coulee
  7. Scroll to find the Item Cat4 Special: Select "Diverse Content"
  8. Click Search

eLibrary Literature Resources

Twelve Mile Coulee's Learning Commons has an abundance of constantly expanding BIPOC resources in our collection, including the following focusing on black history, particularly that of the migration of black people south of our boarder to parts of Upper Canada and the Maritimes via the Underground Railroad:

Black Canadian Authors

The Calgary Public Library has compiled a list of Black Canadian Authors that we should all add to our reading lists:

Digital Resources

Viola Desmond Won't be Budged by Jody Warner Read Along




#KidsLit4BlackLivesCanada with Sarah Raughley






Government of Canada: Proud of Our History




on No comments:

Monday, December 2, 2024

Deck the Halls With Books!



While the students at TMC have been busy taking part in the 31 Days of Kindness Learning Commons campaign, which encourages simple acts of kindness each day in December, I am sure they are eagerly anticipating the last day of school before winter break (I know of a few staff members are, that's for sure)! 😅

 So, what better time to curl up with a good book than during a winter break?

Outside, the air could be rife with frost, freezing temperatures and snow but inside...a warm blanket, a cozy couch and fuzzy slippers await. All that is missing is a collection of pages and text that will transport you to a winter wonderland of adventure, laughter, suspense and romance.

So what are we waiting for? Have your TMC Book Order Form ready and let's Deck the Halls With Books! Orders place by Thursday, Dec. 16 at noon will be delivered before the last day of school!

TMC Christmas Books!

   



A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

First published on Dec. 19, 1843 and written at a time of decline in festive tradition, A Christmas Carol became an instant classic. 

While the character of Ebenezer Scrooge has become the epitome of miserliness, his story of redemption reinforces expectations for Christmas Day as a time of peace and goodwill to all men. TMC has FIVE versions of this classic tale, including a large, beautifully illustrated version by P.J. Lynch.

SUGGESTED READING LEVELS: VARIOUS

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The Nutcracker Based on the Production by James Kudelka by Karen Kain

In this version of Tchaikovsky's timeless Christmas ballet, renowned Canadian ballerina Karen Kain retells story based on the national Ballet of Canada’s interpretation based on the company’s artistic director, James Kudelka’s take on the classic tale.

Misha and Marie are thrilled that Christmas is coming. It’s a frosty night, the neighbours are all invited, and Peter the stable boy is sweeping the barn in preparation for the dancing to come. But there’s a disappointment in store. Instead of the beautiful doll she’d hoped for, the only thing strange old Uncle Nikolai has for Marie is a wooden nutcracker. Marie thinks it’s a wonderful gift. Little does she know that it will lead her and her brother on the adventure of a lifetime. When Misha and Marie finally go to bed on Christmas Eve, they sleep fitfully and are beset by nightmares. In one particularly bad dream, they join forces — unusual for the squabbling children — and conquer an army that might harm the nutcracker. Their reward is splendid: they are swept to the realm of the Snow Queen for a night of wonders.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: GR. K-4

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Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies 

In 1946, movie producer Valentine Davies wrote a script for a film he was working on that was later turned into a book. The film, Miracle on 34th Street, went on to win an Academy Award and the subsequent book became an instant classic that continues to tug at the hearts of families today.

The story focuses on the pressing question that children struggle with even today: Is Santa Claus real? In Miracle on 34th Street, newly hired Macey’s department store Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, not only believes Santa is real but that HE is him! While setting out to prove his identity, Kris softens the heart of a no-nonsense single mother and her imagination-challenged daughter. It all comes down to a court case and the integrity of the U.S. Post Office Department.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 5-9

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The Polar Express: Trip to the North Pole by Ellen Weiss

This novel is based on the movie, The Polar Express, which was in turn based on the award-winning classic holiday book written in 1985 by renowned children’s book illustrator and author Chris Van Allsburg. The novel, based on the movie, was written by Ellen Weiss. 

Much like Miracle on 34th Street, The Polar Express is based on the idea of whether Santa Claus is real. In this tale, a young boy is lying awake on Christmas Eve, trying to decide whether he believes or not when the magical train, The Polar Express, stops in front of his house. He hops aboard, joining other doubting children, as they travel to the North Pole. Along the way, they all discover that believing is a choice but with the help of a shiny, gold bell, that belief can become reality.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 3-7

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Christmas with Anne and other Holiday Stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery

From the author of Anne of Green Gables fame comes a favourite holiday classic, Christmas with Anne.

In this tale, share Anne’s delight at receiving the dress of her dreams, they joy of reunited with her long-lost brother on Christmas Eve, and the surprise of a trio of sisters who inadvertently end a family feud by arriving at the wrong uncle’s house for Christmas dinner.

Featuring well-loved characters from the Anne of Green Gables books, as well a few new characters, this holiday story is perfect to get into the spirit of Christmas.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 5-9


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The Dog Who Thought He was Santa by Bill Wallace

Christmas is quickly approaching and 12-year-old Don Franklin should be excited but something is wrong. Times are tough and he’s not sure his family will have enough money to spare to celebrate the way they have always have. His dog, Frank, thinks worrying is a waste of time, especially when Don could be scratching his ears. And Don’s little sister, Susan, is sure that Santa will bring the gift she wants, but she won’t tell anyone what it is.

Told in alternating voices by a boy and his dog, this homespun novel by Bill Wallace is sure to bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 3-7


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A Season for Miracles by Various Authors

In this Dear Canada series book, this treasury of Twelve Tales of Christmas is written by numerous authors, which each story set around Christmas time and featuring young girls from a dozen previous Dear Canada books.

In A Season for Miracles, each featured Dear Canada girl gives the reader a glimpse into into their lives a year or so after being introduced in a Dear Canada book.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 4-9


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The Olden Days Coat by Margaret Laurence 

This holiday classic is written by another beloved Canadian author, Margaret Lawrence. In this tale, 10-year-old Sal is disappointed when she and her parents spend Christmas at her grandmother’s house, instead of at home, like they did before Grandpa died. In order to pass the time, Sal explores the contents of an old trunk. Searching through the old photographs, she comes across a little girl’s winter coat, tries it on, and finds herself transported into the past, where she makes an unexpected connection with her heritage and her grandmother.

Beautifully illustrated by Muriel Wood, this book is a real treat for readers!

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: PreS-Gr. 3

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A West Coast Christmas edited by Anne Templeman-Kluit 

This nostalgic look at Christmas features celebrations of the people who lived in the Pacific Northwest from the turn of the century to the 1950s, including lighthouse keepers, sailors, loggers, and more.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 8-12


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The Huron Carol by Father Jean de Brebeuf 

This beautifully illustrated edition of the 17th Century Canadian Christmas carol that places the nativity story in a Huron Indian setting based on Canada’s oldest Christmas hymn, also known as Twas in the Moon of Wintertime. Written in 1642 by Father Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Canada, the priest wrote the lyrics in the native language of the Huron/Wendat people. It’s original title was Jesous Ahatonhai, which translates into “Jesus, he is born.”

In this version of the nativity, Jesus is born in a lodge of broken bark and wrapped in a robe of rabbit skin. The Magi are portrayed as chiefs from afar, who bring him fox and beaver pelts instead of perfumes and incense.


SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. K-4

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Christmas Catastrophe by Geronimo Stilton 

In this hilarious Geronimo Stilton mystery, Geronimo decides to go on a little adventure because skiing couldn’t hurt a mouse...right? 

WRONG!

When Geronimo’s ski trip lands him in the hospital, he is gearing up for the worst Christmas ever but through the kindness of some fantastic family and friends, it may be the best Christmas ever.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 2-5

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Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks 

In this Donald Duck graphic novel by the Walt Disney Studios famed illustrator Carl Barks, Donald and his nephews empark on an expedition to Peru to find where square eggs come from, only to meet danger in a mysterious valley whose inhabitants all speak with a southern drawl and where, Huey, Dewey and Louie save Unca’ Donald’s life by learning how to blow square bubbles.

This book includes two other stories, Race to the South Seas, and The Golden Christmas Tree, the later of which is one of Barks’ fantastic stories that pits Donald Duck and his nephews against a witch who wants to destroy all the Christmas trees in the world.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 3-7

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson 

If you’re looking for a good laugh over the break, this book will just about send you rolling! This classic book follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, otherwise known as, “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas Pageant in an hilarious, yet heartwarming, tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, sacred shepherds, and six rowdy kids.

You’ll laugh your fake wings off as the siblings force themselves onto the set and take charge of the church play and reimagine the nativity story in a whole new way.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 2-5


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Dancing Through the Snow by Jean Little 

In this story by famed author Jean Little, 10-year-old Min has a long history of foster care since being abandoned in a public washroom at the age of three. When Min is dumped by her latest foster mother just before Christmas, Jess Hart, a former Children’s Aid doctor who knows Min and sees past her hardened shell, decides to take her home for a couple of weeks to see how the two of them get along.

While Jess contemplates adopting Min, Min finds a stray dog near death while on their way to find a Christmas tree, and brings the pup home. Min has to deal with the injured animal’s lack of trust and timid nature while dealing with friendship chaos and an old nemesis who won’t stop bullying her. This is a touching novel about redemption, reaching out and second chances.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 4-7


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What Light by Jay Asher 

Sierra’s family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon, so every year, the family packs up their belongs and moves from sunny California to set up their lot in Oregon for the season.

With two lives -- one in California and one in Oregon, Sierra has always left one missing the other. This Christmas, however, she meets Caleb and suddenly, Oregon’s pull is greater than the palm trees and friends left in the Sunshine State. This moving, life-affirming and completely unforgettable romance will have bells ringing in your ears all season long.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 7-12


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Home For the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick 

Home for the Holidays is Book 5 in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series and is about not being home for the holidays. Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess are travelling all over the world during the holidays, and have plenty of reading material to keep them busy until the book club meets again on New Year’s Eve.

However, from unexpected blizzards to sledding disasters, nothing goes according to plan. Even the Secret Santa presents are a dud. More bad news around every corner and the book club is desperate for some Christmas cheer.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 5-8


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Home For Christmas by Jessica Burkhart


In this Canterwood Crest series super special novel, Lauren’s friends and foes are hitching a sleigh ride to her hometown in Union, Connecticut, which also happens to be home to Sasha Silver, one of the best equestrians in Canterwood history.

Once there, Lauren, Sasha and all their friends and frenemies find themselves in the one place they never thought they’d be: On the same team. Call it a truce or a Christmas miracle but everyone gets in the holiday spirit to help heal retired racehorses.


SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 4-8


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Kitten in the Cold by Ben M. Baglio


In this Lucky No. 13 addition to the Animal Ark series, young Alex Hastings is very ill and must travel to America for an operation during Christmas. When her beloved kitten disappears into the snowy countryside, Mandy and James vow to find it before Alex leaves on her trip.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 4-7

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Searching for David’s Heart by Cherie Bennett 

Searching for David’s Heart is a wonderful read and has received praise since it was first published in 1998.

Twelve-year-old Darcy and her family were having a terrible year. Her grandmother was placed in a nursing home after suffering a stroke, her dad was passed over for a promotion at the local police department and was so angry, he slipped and fell, hurting his back. Now the family is struggling financially and don’t know how they are going to pay for the nursing home or make up for their dad’s loss in income. The saving grace in Darcy’s life is her older brother David, who is always on her side and gives her confidence.

However, when David dies in an accident, Darcy feels responsible for his death. Then she meets the boy who received David’s heart in an organ transplant and learns that life truly does go on.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 2-Adult

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One Hockey Night by David Ward 

Beautifully illustrated by Brian Deines, One Hockey Night is about Owen and Holly, who have just moved to Nova Scotia from Saskatchewan and everything is different. There are still boxes to unpack and playing hockey in their new driveway just isn’t the same as skating around a frozen lake back home. Neighbours come around to help their mom and dad but with Christmas only a few days away, Holly and Owen really miss the friends they left behind.

Little do they know that this year, a special surprise awaits them: On Christmas Eve, their father reveals what could be the best gift ever: a backyard hockey rink, filled with a community of new friends.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. K-3

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The Greek Who Stole Christmas by Anthony Horowitz 

In this Diamond Brothers Mystery, Tim Diamond is the worst detective in the world -- he couldn’t find his nose with both hands and a road map. Luckily, his little brother, 13-year-old Nick, is the real brains behind the operation. It’s Christmastime and once again, Tim and Nick are flat broke. Luckily for them, a famous Greek pop singer and movie star, Minerva, has been getting death threats, and they are just the detectives to solve the mystery.

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 5-9

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The 12 Screams of Christmas by R.L. Stine 

In this Goosebump mystery, Kate Welles doesn’t want to be special; she just wants to play the lead in her school’s Christmas play. Her annoying “friend” Courtney is constantly getting in the way of that but Kate has to get along with Courtney or else neither of them will be allowed to take part in the 12 Screams of Christmas.

When their teacher decides they need a special place to rehearse, a certain house with a special history fits the bill, bringing new meaning to the term Christmas Spirit!

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 3-7


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What Child is This: A Christmas Story by Caroline B. Cooney 

It’s Christmas Eve and as the snow lies on the ground and the stars shine brightly, foster child Katie only wants one thing: A family.

Then there is Matt Morden, a 16-year-old who loves doing good deeds, and Liz Kitchell, also 16, whose family goes all out with Christmas decorations but she has lost the spirit of the season.

It’s Christmas, the season of miracles, so are the dreams of these teens impossible?

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 7-12


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Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney 

Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.

The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: Gr. 3-6


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The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier 

While The Hockey Sweater wasn't published as a "Christmas book," the vignette was often televised on CBC around the Christmas holidays and my family loved watching it -- partly because we were big Canadiens fans! 

In the days of Roch’s childhood, winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. Life centred around school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy’s hero was Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Maurice “The Rocket” Richard. Everyone wore Richard’s No. 9. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard. When Roch outgrows his cherished Canadiens sweater, his mother writes away for a new one. Much to Roch’s horror, he is sent the blue and white sweater of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, dreaded and hated foes to his beloved team. How can Roch face the other kids at the rink?

SUGGESTED READING LEVEL: PreS-Gr. 3


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Non-fiction:

Merry Christmas Songbook by Reader’s Digest 

If you’re feeling joyous and want to belt out a tune or two this Christmas, the Reader’s Digest Merry Christmas Songbook has a great variety of songs and carols to get your toe tapping.

It includes many traditional favourites for all to share and is perfect for a night of carolling!


The World Encyclopedia of Christmas By Gerry Bowler

This comprehensive book about Christmas includes customs and histories from around the world, with articles on baking, drinking, merrymaking, Christmas dramas, music, literature, art, and even films!

It also has entries on the evolution of the Christmas tree and card, gift-giving and decorations of church and home. There are profiles of many gift-bringers, from Santa Claus to Babouschka, and miraculous tales of the numerous saints associated with the season.



Making Origami Christmas Decorations by Michael LaFosse

Learn how to complete nine Christmas-themed origami projects, including a Christmas tree, an angel, a wreath and a gift bow. For each project, author Michael LaFosse explains the significance and symbolism to the holiday, followed by clear instructions and drawings showing how the finished project should look like.



Christmas Crafts from Around the World by Judy Ann Sadler

No matter where it’s celebrated, Christmas is a joyful time of year. In this book, which is part of the Kids Can Do It series, Judy Ann Sadler gives instruction on 17 international Christmas projects to help everyone get into the yuletide spirit.

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Monday, November 4, 2024

Remembering the Fallen


"It is ... always like this in a field hospital. Just ambulances rolling in, and dirty, dying men...." — American nurse Ellen la Motte, The Backwash of War,1934

This year, I decided to focus on the voices of the conflicts to commemorate Remembrance Day  — the nurses, the soldiers, the commanders, the politicians, the survivors, and the relatives of the deceased. I wanted students and staff to connect with those voices; see them as people and not just names in a book. We often gloss over details and descriptions when we don't connect the words with the wars; the letters with the legacies; the paragraphs with the people.

"Certainly, humanity has gone mad! It must be mad to do what it's doing. Such slaughter! Such scenes of horror and carnage!" — Lieutenant Alfred Joubaire, Diary Entry at Verdun, May 22, 1916


So in this year's Remembrance Day blog, I have peppered my post with Voices from War, gathered from several books we have at Twelve Mile Coulee, many of which are among those highlighted in my Learning Commons Display. 

"A column of smoke is rising fast. It has a fiery red core. A bubbling mass, with purple-grey in colour, with that red core. It's all turbulent. Fires are springing up everywhere. One, two, three, four, five, six ... 14, 15. It's impossible. There are too many to count. Here it comes, the mushroom shape. It's coming this way. The mushroom is spreading out. It's maybe a mile or two wide and half a mile high. It's growing up and up and up. It's nearly level with us and climbing. The base of the mushroom looks like a heavy undercoat that is shot through with flowers. The city must be below that. The flames and smoke are billowing out, whirling out into the foothills. the hills are disappearing under the smoke." — Sergeant Robert Carson, tail gunner of the Enola Cay, recorded what he could see from the aircraft immediately after the Hiroshima atomic bomb explosion on Aug. 6, 1945, World War II: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Reg Grant



The poppy was first adopted as a symbol of Remembrance Day on July 6, 1921, following the First World War. Their symbolic use was inspired by In Flanders Fields poem by John McCrae, a lieutenant-colonel from Guelph, Ont., who served as a medical officer during the First World War. He wrote the poem in May 1915, following the death of a fellow soldier. 

Poppy Facts:
  • Poppies grew on battlefields because of the rubble. Bombardments of artillery during the First World War left debris on the fields and the lime in the rubble acted as fertilizer for the poppies, allowing them to grow. This is why they grow so abundantly in Europe, particularly in countries such as France and Belgium.
  • Poppies have also a long history as a symbol for sleep and death. In fact, according to Greek and Roman mythology, poppies were often placed on tombstones to represent eternal sleep. Some people even thought the vibrant red colour guaranteed the deceased's resurrection after death. In Ancient Egypt, the poppy was a symbol of Osiris, the god of the dead, so many Egyptians were buried with the bright red flower, including King Tutankhamun, whose tomb contained the flower when he was buried about 1324 BC.
  • Not all poppies are red. Poppies come in a variety of colours, including blue, pink, white, yellow and orange.
  • Poppies are worn on the left. The tradition of wearing a poppy on the lapel to signify Remembrance Day also includes the act of placing it on the left side, as close to the heart as possible. 
  • Year-round Pinning. While many prefer to only wear a poppy around Remembrance Day, according to Veterans Affairs Canada, they can be worn anytime. As such, you will often see them at veteran funerals, memorial services, battle anniversaries, and any time the wearer wants to draw attention to the war-time commemorative symbol. 
  • French Poppy Connection. How poppies came to be a Remembrance Day symbol all began with a French woman named Madame Anna Guerin, who persuaded the Great War Veterans Association to adopt the poppy after years of being known as The French Poppy Lady, who made fabric poppies and sold them to raise money for veterans' needs. She started her own charity to help rebuild parts of France destroyed by the First World War. 

"When the transport (train) with people who were destined to be gassed arrived at the railway ramp, the SS officers selected from among the new arrivals persons fit for work, while the rest — old people, all children, women with children in their arms, and other people not deemed fit to work — were loaded onto trucks and driven to the gas chambers. I used to follow behind till we reached the bunker. These people were first driven into the barrack huts where the victims undressed and then went naked to the gas chambers. After driving all of them into the gas chambers, the door was closed and an SS man in a gas mask threw a Zyklon (gas) tin through an opening in the side wall. The shouting and screaming of the victims could be heard through that opening, and it was clear that they were fighting for their lives. These shouts were heard for a very short while." — Dr. Johann Kremer, German SS doctor at Auschwitz, witnessed these gassings on Sept. 2, 1942, as stated in his testimony given under interrogation after the war, World War II: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Reg Grant


100 Books Commemorating the Poppy's 100th Anniversary

Learning about the details and impacts of war begins with the simple act of choosing to educate yourself, and that all begins with the checking out of books. 

To order any of our books, and have them delivered to your classroom, just click on the book-order form link, and I'll process them for you. 

TMC has an abundance of titles pertaining to world conflict, whether they are non-fiction or real-fiction in genre, including those listed in TMC's 100 Books for the Poppy's 100th Anniversary.


DIGITAL RESOURCES

Veterans Affairs Canada is a great resource for information on Remembrance Day, and it is no wonder that the day falls in Veterans Week (Nov. 4-11).  You can watch the 2021 Veterans Week promotional video, Unforgettable Day, to honour all those who served in Canada during times of war, military conflict and peace.



Veterans Affairs Canada, in fact, has a number of educational videos for Remembrance Day on its website, including numerous educational videos. Click here to watch any of those listed below:
  1. Legacy: New Altars of the Memorial Chamber (7 Min. 47 Sec) To Mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War, six wooden altars within Parliament Hill's Memorial Chamber were replaced by ones made of stone. The video below shows the new altars and shares the story of the sacred place. 
  2. First World War: A Voyage of Discovery—85th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (30 Min. 25 Sec.) Watch the transformation of 13 young Canadians from all across the country, as they travel through the cemeteries, battlefield sites and commemorative battlefield parks of France and Belgium as they begin to understand Canada's role in the war. The present-day footage is mixed with archival historic film, narration and reflections of the youth tell of the discoveries they made during their time overseas. 
  3. Innocence Lost: A Nation Found—Canada Remembers: The First World War, 1914-1918 (19 Min. 24 Sec.) Twelve Canadian teenagers travel to France on a veteran's pilgrimage to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Along the way, they develop a new respect for veterans and what they endured during the capturing of the ridge from its German defenders in April 1917.
  4. Canada and the Great War, 1914-1918: A Nation Born (19 Min. 49 Sec.) Canada's role in the First World War is told through the eyes of a young student researching a school project. From mobilization to the 1915 gas attack at Ypres, the Newfoundland Regiment and the Battle of the Somme to the victory at Vimy Ridge, the tragedy of Passchendaele and the final days of the war, the video gives an overview of trench warfare and the allied advance over enemy lines to victory.
  5. The Second World War: Canada Remembers: Holland (22 Min. 14 Sec) Follow 10 young Canadians as they travel to the Netherlands with Canadian veterans, who are revered and respected by the Dutch for the liberation of their country from German occupation during the final days of the Second World War.
  6. Sacrifice, Achievement and Legacy: Canadians and the Second World War, 1939-1945 (22 Min. 09 Sec.) This comprehensive video showcases how Canadians rallied at home and overseas in the face of the largest threat the country has ever faced. Through archival footage and veteran interviews, the video highlights the contributions Canadians made in Hong Kong, Dieppe, Italy, Normandy, Holland and in the Far East, as well as in the skies and seas around the globe. 
  7. Canada Remembers the Far East (24 Min. 24 Sec.) While working on a school project, three French-Canadian teenagers discover the important role Canadians played in the Far East during the Second World War. With the use of archival footage, veteran testimony and historical narration, the teens learn about our country's participation in the defence of Hong Kong, the harsh treatment of the Hong Kong prisoners of war by the Japanese, the air force's role in delivering supplies to the troops on the ground in Burma and the Saviour of Cylon.
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Erika's Story author Ruth Vander Zee tells the true story of one woman's account during the Holocaust in the Second World War. Erika is a survivor who recalls the difficult decisions her parents had to make and how those decision affected her life. Erika's Story has been awarded Best Foreign Picture Book in Japan, Best Children's Illustrated Books of 2004 in Great Britain, the 2004 Award of Excellence for Book-Communication Arts, and was voted the most successful non-fiction title in the UKLA Children's Book Awards in 2006, which focuses on literacy, as well as content, as a means of expression.

In the below video, Ruth Zander Zee talks about her book, why she wrote it and reads the award-winning publication.



OTHER RESOURCES

The Canadian Encyclopedia  provides access to hundreds of Canadian documents related to Remembrance Day, and the wars in which Canadian soldiers have fought. The Memory Project contains photographs and interviews from Canadian soldiers of the three wars (Korea, First World War, and Second World War), as well as documents related to Canada's peacekeeping efforts. In addition, there is also a section highlighting the Cree code talkers, who much like the Navajo code talkers in the U.S., were an elite unit tasked with disguising military intelligence using their native language during the Second World War. 

TeachingBooks.net is a database of supportive materials for war-related books written by Canadian authors that can be used in English and language arts novel studies, but they are titles that everyone can access. One of my favourites highlighted is Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden. While Three Day Road is not available at Twelve Mile Coulee, due to his adult-suggested reading rating, I would highly recommend it for students Grade 10 and up, as well as adults. Boyden, a Canadian author born in Toronto, won numerous awards and was nominated for a Governor General's Award for the debut novel. His second novel, Through Black Spruce, won the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize and he was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2015. 

Canada in Context is a database with a wealth of information related to Remembrance Day in Canada, including how one community commemorated the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers and a biography of John McCrae, author of the famous In Flanders Fields poem.

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