CM February 16, 1996. Vol. II, Number 18

image Attack on Montreal.

Pierre Berton.
Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1995. 128pp, cloth/paper, $4.99.
ISBN 0-7710-1419-8.

Subject Headings:
Châteauguay, Battle of, Quebec, 1813-Juvenile literature.
Crysler's Farm, Battle of, Ont., 1813-Juvenile literature.
Canada-History-War of 1812-Campaigns-Juvenile literature.

Grades 6 - 10 / Ages 11 - 15.
Review by Catherine Cox.

** /4

Aimed at children aged eleven to fourteen, Pierre Berton's "Adventures in Canadian History" series is reminiscent of the sort of adventure books Berton might have read growing up. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings by Paul McCusker, this series does little to attract the reader (or non-reader) who is growing up on interactive CD-ROM.

However, the descriptions of life in an army camp in 1813 might be disgusting enough to hook a young reader who does find the book -- the latrines, for example, were so close to the water supply that the bread had human excrement in it; soldiers died of related diseases.

The Battle of Chrysler's Farm in 1813 is not one of my favourite stories from Canadian history, but if you are interested in battle-by-battle detail of the War of 1812 (Attack on Montreal is the seventh volume in the series) these "Adventures in Canadian History" are readable and serves their purpose. But I doubt that the intended audience will read it.

Not recommended.

Catherine Cox is a Teacher-Librarian in Moncton High School in New Brunswick.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cmeditor@mts.net

Copyright © 1996 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

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