Up in Arms

Name: Up in Arms
Brand: Amanda Spottiswoode
SKU: 9781772032024
Price: 12.95 CAD
Availability: InStock

SKU: 9781772032024

Amanda Spottiswoode

$12.95

Paperback / softback Trade paperback (US)

A rollicking wartime adventure on the BC coast.

A lot has changed in the world since Sophie, Molly, Mark, Harriet, Leticia, and Posy’s last adventure in The Silver Lining. Now it’s 1940, and the Second World War is making life back home in the United Kingdom very dangerous indeed. Although our intrepid crew has seen their fair share of precarious situations, from being chased by pirates to making harrowing rescues in abandoned mine shafts, their parents decide to once again send them across the ocean and into the care of the eccentric Captain Gunn. This time they head back to the BC coast, making stops in Hesquiat Harbour, Estevan Point Lighthouse, Cape Scott, and Alert Bay. There, they meet real-life historical figures such as Cougar Annie and aviator Jim Spilsbury, and help to recover a precious artifact from a local Indigenous community. Rather than sitting out the war in a safe, quiet place, captain and crew could be in for their biggest adventure yet!

Kudos to the author for weaving references to Indigenous history and the impact of colonial policies, such as the potlatch ban and the confiscation of Indigenous regalia, into the story. Having our parentless evacuee children learn about this part of Canada’s past is an effective means of exploring our darker history through fresh eyes and of exposing today’s Canadian children to these difficult subjects.

This fast-paced book is packed with historical information, all delivered with the hindsight of current perspectives. This book would enhance discussions in Grade 4 Social Studies about interactions between First Nations and settlers.