Hey Canada!
by Vivien Bowers
illustrated by Milan Pavlovic
Gran has decided that she is taking nine-year-old Alice and eight-year-old Cal on a road trip across Canada “before she’s old and creaky.” With a sparkling combination of poems, silly songs, tweets and blogs, the trio records the trip for readers everywhere to share. Starting in St. John’s Newfoundland, where they have a “find-it” list that includes a moose and an iceberg and going all the way to the Pacific Ocean, the gang in Hey Canada! offers a delightful way to learn about vast, varied, and surprising Canada.
The book combines narrative, poems, photos, comics about historical events such as the battle at Fortress Louisburg, maps (including provincial flags, birds, and flowers), in a lively, easily accessible format. Not only great fun to read, this is a valuable resource for young Canadians and for visitors across the country.
close this panel
Vivien Bowers was born in Vancouver, Canada, and was a grade five teacher. She has been a freelance writer for more than twenty-five years, writing elementary and secondary school materials, as well as non-fiction books and magazine articles for both adults and children. She has garnered many awards for her work, including the Canadian Science Association “Science in Society” journalism award, the Red Cedar Book Award, the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award, and the BC Book Prize. Bowers has two grown sons and lives at the base of the mountains outside Nelson, BC.
Milan Pavlovic holds a Master’s degree in Illustration and is an award-winning illustrator for children. His work has been regularly published in Europe, in forms of children’s and educational books, kid’s reviews, daily newspapers, and comic magazines.
FINALIST, BC Book Prizes’ Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
"This is probably the best Canadian travel book written for pre-teens.... Filled with facts, simply related history, engaging tales and colour illustrations presented as souvenirs, postcards and slides, Hey Canada! is guaranteed to stimulate a youngster's urge to explore the country."
—The Globe and Mail
“…Observations about capital cities and tourist attractions are captured in Alice’s blog, Cal’s tweets, and their grandmother’s poetry…. Full-page comic strips interspersed throughout and the hamster updates keep the tone of the narration light. Color photographs, cartoon illustrations, and interactive sidebars entitled ‘Find It’ add visual appeal. Bowers gives readers an honest, attractive, and interesting glimpse into this nation’s geography and culture by highlighting the unique aspects of each province and territory.”
— School Library Journal
“[Hey Canada!] aims to both entertain and inform. A smattering of information about the country’s history, nature, landmarks, and geography is interspersed with the repartee of the three human travelers and reports on the shenanigans of the constantly escaping hamster. Illustrations depict the travelers as cartoon characters and frequently insert them into the abundant small photos and drawings of locations…. Students looking for an overview of Canada will find this useful….”
—Booklist
“…Geared for a younger audience, Hey Canada! is easier to read and will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike. The text flows with facts as well as humorous anecdotes made by the two kids and Gran…. Bowers has done a wonderful job of keeping the story flowing with information that could have become boring, but that stays alive because of the kids’ quips.”
—Recommended, CM Magazine
“… With poems, silly songs, tweets and blogs, the trio records the trip and offers a delightful way to learn about vast, varied, and surprising Canada.”
—The Calgary Sun
