Dear Canada: Brothers Far From Home

I decided it was finally time for me to bite the bullet and read one of the Dear Canada books that are so popular with a particular set of girls these days. I can tell you I wasn't looking forward to it. Not only did the intensity of the series marketing make me a little ill, but the form itself (diary entries with lots of "dear reader" direct addresses) isn't, and never was, a favourite of mine. But Jean Little is no small potatoes in Canadian children's lit and I was interested to see what all the fuss was about. I must admit that I didn't have a conversion experience after which I suddenly enjoy the diary-novel, but I was impressed by what Jean Little was able to accomplish within the form. It took about a third of the book for me to stop being distracted by the format, but after that I found myself drawn into the story and eagerly waiting to see how the events of Eliza's life would unfold.

Little, Jean. Brothers Far From Home: The World War I Diary of Eliza Bates, Uxbridge Ontario, 1916. Markham, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2003.

The year is 1916 and the Great War is the first thing on most people's minds in Uxbridge, Ontario. When twelve-year old Eliza Bates starts writing in her new Christmas diary, her biggest concern is her infuriating older sister Verity. Before she fills the final pages on Christmas day exactly two years later, Eliza will have documented the everyday trials of a family in war-time, sibling bonds and grievances, the unthinkable losses of a family with two sons away at war, and the life-affirming surprises that weave their way into even the most difficult times.

Following the template that has garnered such commercial success for the Dear Canada series, this book is told in first person diary entries, follows the life of a young Canadian girl as it is affected by events on the world stage, and is presented in a hard-cover diary-like form complete with matching ribbon bookmark. But part of the success of the series has also been Scholastic's choice of authors from among the very best of Canadian children's writers, and Jean Little is no exception.

Other than extensive research, Little's strength here is her use of character to ground the larger drama in the life of a single girl. The story's immersion in the events and flavour of the historical period is complete and convincing, but the focus is on their relevance to one family and to a single child trying to find her way through a difficult time. Eliza's character and the drama within her own family circle act as effective entry points to larger world events. The tangible and believable changes in Eliza's character over the two years also give the story a satisfying narrative arc and move the story beyond a simple tool of historical curiosity to a real coming-of-age story.

The language is noticeably more formal than a contemporary diary voice, and the diction is constant reminder of the era. The narrative makes several passing mentions of other historical events that die-hard Dear Canada fans will enjoy tracing back to other books in the series, such as the Halifax harbour explosion (No Safe Harbour: The Halifax Explosion Diary of Charlotte Blackburn, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1917). The book also includes end-notes with more in-depth historical background and photos from the time of the First World War.

For fans of the series, or those who love to read in the diary format, this book is sure to be an instant hit. But even for those who are less convinced about the series and format, this book is well-written enough that it just may surprise some readers if they can get beyond the distraction of the form.