Weaving a country

"This book is a collection of authentic writing for students in grades 5-7 about the wide range of people's experiences as immigrants to Canada. A carefully chosen selection of excerpts and short pieces from a variety of genres-poetry, novels, journals, newspapers-is included. They are arranged thematically so that readers can explore the reasons people have for leaving their original homes, their journeys to a new land, the strange, often exciting, and sometimes unpleasant experiences they have adjusting to a new social milieu, and the impact they have on this milieu. Accounts from both past and present add a historical dimension to the book. The original writing and documents are accompanied by short factual accounts to provide context for readers. Immigrants from Cuba, Poland, Vietnam, Scotland, India, Hong Kong, Russia, Finland, Africa, Ukraine, Japan, and China are represented and their new homes range from large Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver to small cities like Yorkton, Saskatchewan to rural communities such as Cape Breton in Nova Scotia and Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. Wilma Maki has many years of teaching experience and is currently completing a PHD in education history at the University of British Columbia."--Publisher's website (http://pep.educ.ubc.ca/)