• Age: 10 to 18
• Grade: 4 to 6

After travelling thousands of miles, Dorothy Bolton is still getting used to her new home in Canada — and on the prairies no less. The Barr Colonists who arrived with Dorothy and her family are getting restless. Fires and floods consume homes and resources, and many promises made to them before leaving England have proven false.

But Dorothy's father has always dreamed of having his own farm. So, with the help of Dorothy, her family, and a community that comes together despite their different backgrounds, the Bolton's set out to create a life for themselves on the vast prairie landscape.

Anne Patton’s books for children include Fiddle Dancer and Dancing in My Bones – books that explore Metis culture through the world of dance – and the Tyler collection for Scholastic Education.

Fiddle Dancer was nominated for a Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award, while Dancing in My Bones was the recipient of the 2010 Moonbeam Spirit Award. Full Steam to Canada, the first book in the Barr Colony series, was the winner of the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild John V Hicks Unpublished Long Manuscript Award. The second book, Through Flood and Fire, was a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award Silver Medalist.

Born in Ontario, Anne taught elementary school in Regina for many years, before retirement launched her into a career as a prolific children’s author. She now makes her home in Victoria, British Columbia.

Anne Patton's profile page

Through Flood and Fire

After travelling thousands of miles, Dorothy Bolton is still getting used to her new home on the prairies. The landscape proves hard to tame – fire and flood consumes everything, and the Barr Colonists who arrived with Dorothy are growing restless. But Dorothy’s father has always dreamed of having his own farm. So, with the help of a community that comes together despite their different backgrounds, the Bolton’s set out to create a new life. Also available: Full Steam to Canada by Anne Patton Author available for school visits

History comes to life in this story about a ten year old girl and her family’s settlement in Saskatchewan at the beginning of the 20th Century. This story can help students learn about the conditions and turmoil many immigrants faced when coming to Canada, and draw links to contemporary immigrant experiences. This book is a good example of how historical fiction can be made appealing to students by combining a strong narrative with historical facts.