The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Lightfoot, Gordon

Canadian Railroad Trilogy

56 pp. | Groundwood | November, 2010 | Trade ISBN 978-0-88899-953-5 $24.95

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ian Wallace. The lyrics of Lightfoot's 1967 song about the history of the Canadian railroad are here illustrated with expansive pastels. Wallace's pictures display the unspoiled natural world, the encroachment of industrialization, and its effects on workers and indigenous people. Extensive endnotes explain the symbolism and history of each illustration. Music for the song and a brief history of the railroad are included. Reading list.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth