International Rights

Dear Canada: Pieces of the Past

  • ISBN 9781443113076, Hardcover
  • 168 Pages | Ages 9 to 12
A young Jewish girl recounts her experiences during a horrifying time in recent history.

As Rose begins her diary, she is in her third home since coming to Winnipeg. Traumatized by her experiences in the Holocaust, she struggles to connect with others, and above all, to trust again.

When her new guardian, Saul, tries to get Rose to deal with what happened to her during the war, she begins writing in her diary about how she survived the murder of the Jews in Poland by going into hiding.

Memories of herself and her mother being taken in by those willing to risk sheltering Jews, moving from place to place, being constantly on the run to escape capture, begin to flood her diary pages. Recalling those harrowing days, including when they stumbled on a resistance cell deep in the forest and lived underground in filthy conditions, begins to take its toll on Rose.

As she delves deeper into her past, she is haunted by the most terrifying memory of all. Will she find the courage to bear witness to her mother's ultimate sacrifice?

Awards

  • Winner, Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award, 2014
  • Short-listed, Diamond Willow Award (Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice), 2014
  • Short-listed, Red Cedar Award (BC Young Readers' Choice), 2014
  • Runner-up, Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers, 2014
  • Commended, Manitoba Day Award, Association for Manitoba Archives, 2014
  • Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, 2013
  • Commended, Resource Links, Best of the Year, 2013