By Hugh Brewster
Published by Scholastic Canada
ISBN 13: 978-1-4431-2461-4

As seen in his previous award-winning books At Vimy Ridge and Dieppe, Hugh Brewster, is known for his ability to capture the essence of important turning points in Canadian history for young people. In From Vimy to Victory, Brewster has once again crafted a magnificent gift for Canadians of all ages. By piecing together photographs, maps, personal accounts, paintings and quotations, Brewster has woven together the story of the end of WWI with great clarity, poignancy and inspiration returning it back to a new generation lest they forget.

It begins with a ghost. Will Bird’s near escape from death in a bivouac immediately draws readers into the mayhem, terror and frustration of the trenches. Readers can feel the mud in their boots as Will’s regiment fights their way from Vimy to Hill 70, then to Ypres  (called Wipers because it “was a likely place to get wiped out”) and finally Passchendaele. Strategy is considered from the point of view of Lt-General Arthur Currie, the first Canadian to command the 100,000 men of the Canadian Corps. Adding to the realism is the changing dynamic of the front line, clearly illustrated in colourful maps, and archival photographs. Sidebars celebrate the heroism of ordinary men and women as the story marches towards the eleventh hour of the eleventh day.

It is said that WWI was the war that made Canada into a country. In this cohesive and moving retelling of events, Brewster tells us how the incredible accomplishments of the Canadian Corps made it possible.

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Filed under: Book Reviews Tagged: book review, children's book reviews, Hugh Brewster, National Reading Campaign, picture book, Vimy, war, World War I, WW1