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The Story of Canada
From the epic journeys into the unknown by the first people who crossed the Bering land bridge thousands of years ago to Roberta Bondar's landmark voyage into space, The Story of Canada is as vast in scope as the country itself. Authors Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore tell the country's story through rich narrative, recreations of daily life, folk tales, and fascinating facts. The book is splendidly illustrated with original paintings by Alan Daniel, as well as hundreds of historical photographs, maps, paintings, posters, and cartoons. And this updated edition takes Canada's story right up to the present day, with new material on the Charlottetown Accord, the resurgence of Quebec separatism, and Canadian peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia. The result is a highly readable history that is as beautiful as it is informative, an essential reference for every Canadian family.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1992
15 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Janet Lunn
30 books36 followersJanet was born Janet Louise Swoboda on December 28, 1928 in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A, moved to Vermont when she was two and lived there until she was ten when the family moved to the outskirts of New York City. She came to Canada in 1946 to go to Notre Dame College in Ottawa and then to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. There she met and married Richard Lunn, a fellow student. She has lived in Canada ever since. Janet has five children, ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her husband died in 1987.
"Those," she says, "are the bare bones of my life story. The part that's interesting to readers has to do with reading, writing and daydreaming which are all, in my case, one and the same." She calls herself a dedicated daydreamer and says she has been that, "almost from the moment I was born. Even before I could read I was dreaming up stories. The sound of the wind in the ancient pine tree outside my window in our old farmhouse accompanied all my childhood imaginings. When I was in my teens and living far from that beloved home, I began writing stories with the sound of that tree still singing in my head."
Years later, in Canada, when her children were in their school years, the Lunn family went to live in an old farmhouse at the edge of a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario. "I loved that house, too, she says, "and I began writing stories about it and the people who might once have lived in it. The stories I made up about the Vermont house have long since vanished but the ones I wrote about the Ontario-house families are The Root Cellar, Shadow in Hawthorn Bay and The Hollow Tree."
Janet lives in Ottawa now in a small city house but, chances are, her stories will still reflect her love of the countryside and those old farmhouses.
"Those," she says, "are the bare bones of my life story. The part that's interesting to readers has to do with reading, writing and daydreaming which are all, in my case, one and the same." She calls herself a dedicated daydreamer and says she has been that, "almost from the moment I was born. Even before I could read I was dreaming up stories. The sound of the wind in the ancient pine tree outside my window in our old farmhouse accompanied all my childhood imaginings. When I was in my teens and living far from that beloved home, I began writing stories with the sound of that tree still singing in my head."
Years later, in Canada, when her children were in their school years, the Lunn family went to live in an old farmhouse at the edge of a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario. "I loved that house, too, she says, "and I began writing stories about it and the people who might once have lived in it. The stories I made up about the Vermont house have long since vanished but the ones I wrote about the Ontario-house families are The Root Cellar, Shadow in Hawthorn Bay and The Hollow Tree."
Janet lives in Ottawa now in a small city house but, chances are, her stories will still reflect her love of the countryside and those old farmhouses.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 8, 2021
Well I guess for a basic and general introduction to Canadian history (for children, for readers from about the age of nine or so onwards, although teenagers and definitely most adult readers probably would want and require more specifics, a bit more detail, debate and analysis) Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore’s 2016 The Story of Canada (and supposedly fully updated from the original 1996 edition) does indeed present itself as a readable and educational text, sufficiently extensive for the intended audience, engagingly penned, as well as not textually overwhelming and accompanied by a multitude of photographs, pieces of artwork and Alan Daniel’s visually appealing, sometimes downright stunning illustrations (although personally, I would actually much rather have more text for The Story of Canada, I would definitely want increased printed information supplied by Lunn and Moore and considerably less visuals).
However, and this is indeed a very much annoyed and frustrated however, I really do not think that I would in fact ever consider recommending The Story of Canada and even the updated 2016 edition I read (on Open Library) and especially NOT for use in the classroom or for homeschooling purposes. For while The Story of Canada is certainly informative and educational, it is also in my humble opinion much too inherently optimistic and positive. And yes, I do find it a huge and heavy duty shortcoming and in fact pretty much insulting and unacceptable that many of the more problematic aspects of Canadian history authors Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore either choose to ignore or to only cover very much on the surface in The Story of Canada. I mean, why are the disgusting and totally horrid expulsion of the Acadians by the British and the internment in concentration camp like structures of Japanese Canadians during WWII only mentioned in passing (only covered in but a few meagre pages), and why is the fact that Ukrainian Canadians during WWI were also arrested en masse and shipped like cattle to terrible and dangerous camps in the Canadian Rockies not textually covered AT ALL in The Story of Canada (and not to mention that both authors do not EVEN ONCE point out the horrors of the Residential School system and the relentless cultural genocide endured by Canada’s First Nations).
So yes, the above mentioned problematic issues and with in my opinion Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore actually and seemingly kind of trying to almost sweep some if not much of what is or might be blameworthy and nasty regarding Canada’s past under the proverbial carpet so to speak (and in particular regarding WWI, WWII and French and Native Canadian situations), combined with the fact that Lunn and Moore also have not bothered to include a bibliography, for me, The Story of Canada is really just not all that factually and historically adequate and is thus and most definitely not something to really be considering for educational use.
However, and this is indeed a very much annoyed and frustrated however, I really do not think that I would in fact ever consider recommending The Story of Canada and even the updated 2016 edition I read (on Open Library) and especially NOT for use in the classroom or for homeschooling purposes. For while The Story of Canada is certainly informative and educational, it is also in my humble opinion much too inherently optimistic and positive. And yes, I do find it a huge and heavy duty shortcoming and in fact pretty much insulting and unacceptable that many of the more problematic aspects of Canadian history authors Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore either choose to ignore or to only cover very much on the surface in The Story of Canada. I mean, why are the disgusting and totally horrid expulsion of the Acadians by the British and the internment in concentration camp like structures of Japanese Canadians during WWII only mentioned in passing (only covered in but a few meagre pages), and why is the fact that Ukrainian Canadians during WWI were also arrested en masse and shipped like cattle to terrible and dangerous camps in the Canadian Rockies not textually covered AT ALL in The Story of Canada (and not to mention that both authors do not EVEN ONCE point out the horrors of the Residential School system and the relentless cultural genocide endured by Canada’s First Nations).
So yes, the above mentioned problematic issues and with in my opinion Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore actually and seemingly kind of trying to almost sweep some if not much of what is or might be blameworthy and nasty regarding Canada’s past under the proverbial carpet so to speak (and in particular regarding WWI, WWII and French and Native Canadian situations), combined with the fact that Lunn and Moore also have not bothered to include a bibliography, for me, The Story of Canada is really just not all that factually and historically adequate and is thus and most definitely not something to really be considering for educational use.
December 31, 2013
Our family owns all kinds of Canadian history books, but for a readable overview that appeals to all ages we prefer The Story of Canada by Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore.
This large, colorful book is full of detailed illustrations and interesting stories as well as basic Canadian history. In ten chapters it goes from the earliest times to the year 2000, telling Canada’s story in words, photographs, many fascinating inserts, and cheerful illustrations that sometimes cover two full pages.
- See more at: http://anniekateshomeschoolreviews.co...
This large, colorful book is full of detailed illustrations and interesting stories as well as basic Canadian history. In ten chapters it goes from the earliest times to the year 2000, telling Canada’s story in words, photographs, many fascinating inserts, and cheerful illustrations that sometimes cover two full pages.
- See more at: http://anniekateshomeschoolreviews.co...
August 5, 2014
This was a nice, comprehensive overview of Canada's rich history. I love history, and after moving to Canada last year, I felt so ignorant about my country of birth, having grown up state side and learning mostly American history. This book was easy enough to read (middle school level) and had beautiful artwork, informative maps, and great chapter organization. There are certainly areas I would like more depth of knowledge, but I plan to seek that out from other sources. As far as using it for grade level, I think it's a great text for upper elementary students, and could be taught piecemeal as well. So glad I read this.
November 22, 2012
Fabulous resource for students or adults looking to refresh or enhance their knowledge of Canada's foundations. Covers topics from the last ice age straight through to modern times. Very easy to read with many illustrations and supporting anecdotes/stories. Highly recommend as a resource for any Canadian family.
August 18, 2012
Really nice, easy to read book that covers the subject of Canada's history. I read this book several times when I was a child.
September 18, 2025
Published in 1992, Janet Lunn's "The Story of Canada" is an illustrated history of Canada that covers the history of this country from the settlers of the first humans who crossed the land bridge into North America down through modern day. The book itself is an interesting read for anyone not familiar with the history of our neighbor to the north; however, from a formatting standpoint things can get a bit distracting by stories off the sides as well as on overlay maps. Overall, though, this is still a good way to get introduced to Canadian history.
October 15, 2016
Read Aloud: 10 yrs +
Independent Reader: 12 yrs +
Worldview - Secular, Old Earth Theory
Location - Canada
Time Period - Pre-Contact - 1996
Review
Although the sheer size of the book may intimidate some children the easy to read narrative style is much more engaging than a text book. The conversational tone makes this book not only ideal to read with children, but it is also a great way for adults to brush up on their knowledge of Canada.
Written in Chronological order, as much as possible, the book covers from prehistory through 1996. The beautiful art work, maps and photographs make this book a feast for the eyes and a treat for a visual learner. The book gives an overview of the history of Canada, focusing less heavily on modern history and politics. It is a wonderful jumping off point or “spine” to use with additional supplemental resources to create a compete picture of Canadian history. The book ends with a time line and a helpful, although not exhaustive index.
The opening chapter displays a rather strong old world evolutionary slant, but after that the subject is not discussed again to any great extent. The sometimes overly politically correct leaning of the book at times leads to an over emphasis on aboriginal issues, minority groups and feminism creating a biased and slightly skewed telling of the history. The book also tends to emphasize the environment without always balancing this with the economical necessity of industry.
The book often gives the impression that all First Peoples were peaceful and the arrival of white Europeans created all the tension between the tribes. The lack of pre-contact information included in the book increases this misconception. Certainly the white settlers caused many of the conflicts between the people groups and did terrible things to the tribes, however there were preexisting and longstanding tribal conflicts and wars which had been going on prior to the arrival of the Europeans.
Some of Canada’s most shameful moments are glossed over with brief mention after the settlement of Canada. The Residential school system has not even merited mention in the index, although there is very brief mention in the text itself. Neither are the Chinese Canadian railroad workers, the Jewish refugees sent back to Europe in WWII, or Interned Italian and Japanese Canadians given the attention the gravity of their treatment deserves.
Each of these flaws are minor in the scope of such a large book and can be used as an opportunity to teach students about bias and how each author writes from their own perception and world view.
Overall this is a wonderful resource which will help Canadians better understand who we are, and how our past has made the country we live in today.
Teacher Application
If this book is the basis for teaching Canadian history it is always wise to use multiple resources from differing points of view to supplement and find the most unbiased truth that is available.
A student could use this book as the spine of a one to two year literature based study of Canadian history.
Index
A Hundred Centuries
Strangers on the Coast
Habitants and Voyageurs
The Colonists
The Great Northwest
Mountains and Oceans
Confederation Days
Sunny Ways
Stormy Times
The Flying Years
Northern Voyagers
Parental Warning
There are subtle biases included throughout the book, please see review above.
Independent Reader: 12 yrs +
Worldview - Secular, Old Earth Theory
Location - Canada
Time Period - Pre-Contact - 1996
Review
Although the sheer size of the book may intimidate some children the easy to read narrative style is much more engaging than a text book. The conversational tone makes this book not only ideal to read with children, but it is also a great way for adults to brush up on their knowledge of Canada.
Written in Chronological order, as much as possible, the book covers from prehistory through 1996. The beautiful art work, maps and photographs make this book a feast for the eyes and a treat for a visual learner. The book gives an overview of the history of Canada, focusing less heavily on modern history and politics. It is a wonderful jumping off point or “spine” to use with additional supplemental resources to create a compete picture of Canadian history. The book ends with a time line and a helpful, although not exhaustive index.
The opening chapter displays a rather strong old world evolutionary slant, but after that the subject is not discussed again to any great extent. The sometimes overly politically correct leaning of the book at times leads to an over emphasis on aboriginal issues, minority groups and feminism creating a biased and slightly skewed telling of the history. The book also tends to emphasize the environment without always balancing this with the economical necessity of industry.
The book often gives the impression that all First Peoples were peaceful and the arrival of white Europeans created all the tension between the tribes. The lack of pre-contact information included in the book increases this misconception. Certainly the white settlers caused many of the conflicts between the people groups and did terrible things to the tribes, however there were preexisting and longstanding tribal conflicts and wars which had been going on prior to the arrival of the Europeans.
Some of Canada’s most shameful moments are glossed over with brief mention after the settlement of Canada. The Residential school system has not even merited mention in the index, although there is very brief mention in the text itself. Neither are the Chinese Canadian railroad workers, the Jewish refugees sent back to Europe in WWII, or Interned Italian and Japanese Canadians given the attention the gravity of their treatment deserves.
Each of these flaws are minor in the scope of such a large book and can be used as an opportunity to teach students about bias and how each author writes from their own perception and world view.
Overall this is a wonderful resource which will help Canadians better understand who we are, and how our past has made the country we live in today.
Teacher Application
If this book is the basis for teaching Canadian history it is always wise to use multiple resources from differing points of view to supplement and find the most unbiased truth that is available.
A student could use this book as the spine of a one to two year literature based study of Canadian history.
Index
A Hundred Centuries
Strangers on the Coast
Habitants and Voyageurs
The Colonists
The Great Northwest
Mountains and Oceans
Confederation Days
Sunny Ways
Stormy Times
The Flying Years
Northern Voyagers
Parental Warning
There are subtle biases included throughout the book, please see review above.
March 7, 2023
As a general review of Canadian national history written for general audiences (it seems primarily targeted at middle school level readers) that does its job in about 300 pages, including numerous photographs and illustrations, this book fills the bill nicely. The prose is lucid and fluid, the graphics are engaging, and the point of view is inclusive and relatively bias-free (at least in any blatant ways). My only criticism, apart from wishing that it had been a more college-level text, is that it spends so much time on the early history of Canada up to confederation and during the two world wars that the more recent history of Canada gets dealt with in a hasty and somewhat scattershot way. Still, a good general reference text to have on hand.
October 14, 2017
My kids have read this so I didn't want to miss out! As a history lover, I liked that this was a "one-stop shop" for readers.
May 30, 2018
Good introduction to the history of Canada.
July 13, 2022
Bottom line, Canadians don't know history. Their own or that of others. I've read 13 books on Canadian history alone and include this one on my recommended list.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews