It never occurred to me that it would hurt so much. ( )

The Dear Canada series has without a doubt become one of my favourite series of Canadian children's books. Conceptualised and presented as "historical" diaries, these books not only present and portray interesting, often thought-provoking historical episodes and facts pertaining to Canadian history, they generally also feature both charming and very believable, historically authentic characters (both the narrators themselves, the diarists, but also the individuals described by the former). I have, to date, read quite a number of these fictionalised diaries (I am kind of obsessive about collecting the entire series), and while there are certainly some that I have enjoyed more than others, I can honestly say that of the books in the Dear Canada series I have read so far, I would not hesitate to strongly recommend most of them. The series manages to be historically interesting and informative, while at the same time showing the observations, joys, tragedies and triumphs of the young "diarists" in an engaging, emotionally realistic and believable fashion; these are not dry historical documents, but engaging and emotional stories of hope and despair, of triumph and tragedy (and of everyday events, such as school, chores, family outings etc.).

An added bonus of this series are the historical notes, documents and photographs that are included at the back of each of the diaries, making this series not only a wonderful reading experience (for both children and adults), but also providing interesting and valuable historical documentation and facts. This makes the Dear Canada series not only a wonderful series for anyone interested in Canadian history and/or historical fiction, it also turns the entire series a great teaching resource for both homeschooling as well as elementary and middle grade history or social studies classes.

To Stand On My Own: The Polio Epidemic Diary of Noreen Robertson, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 1937 is one of the most recent publications in the "Dear Canada" series and has rapidly become one of my favourites. An engaging, at times emotionally wrenching, but in the end triumphant account of twelve-year-old Noreen Robertson's struggle with polio, this story also provides valuable historical background information on both the polio epidemic of 1937 and the devastating effects of the Great Depression, especially the devastation caused by the "Dust-Bowl" droughts on a primarily agricultural province like Saskatchewan.

Barbara Haworth-Attard has really managed to capture the voice of Noreen, of a young girl struggling with a disease that she cannot fully understand, although she does realise that polio might prove fatal, and that it could leave her with permanent physical challenges. Noreen's diary account truly reads like the diary of a child; one never has the impression as though one is simply reading an author's attempt to appear and/or sound like a young twelve-year-old girl (Noreen's narrative feels one hundred percent authentic). I was, and still am, completely immersed in this story, personally feeling Noreen's emotions, her pain, her fears, her doubts, her anger, her frustrations, and finally, her triumphs and joys (as well as those of the other characters described by Noreen in her diary). In my opinion, one of the best and most emotionally engaging diaries in the Dear Canada series to date, To Stand On My Own: The Polio Epidemic Diary of Noreen Robertson, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1937 will make you cry, laugh, cheery wildly, as well as exclaim in anger and frustration. You will fall in love with the characters and care immensely about Noreen and her friends at the Regina hospital (you will want to scream happily when Edna is finally able to move her fingers and arms, you will simply hate the fact that Thelma's parents abandoned her when she became ill, you will feel as proud as Noreen when she is finally able to walk down the hall using her crutches). And finally, this book will also cause readers to think about and to appreciate how fortunate much of the world is today, how because of the polio epidemics of the early and middle 20th Century, we now have ways to prevent this dread disease, we now have vaccinations, as well as better treatment options. ( )