The last decade has seen an unprecedented number of good books for kids about Canada, and one of the latest, Christopher Moore’s The Big Book of Canada, adds substantially to this field. At a hefty 256 pages, The Big Book lives up to its name; no current text matches its depth and breadth. Though written for ages eight and up, Moore’s text will engross readers much younger and older, making it an excellent family as well as library resource.

The Big Book’s concentration on the provinces and territories rather than on the country as a whole enables it to provide in-depth regional coverage. However, a national context – some sense of how all these stories fit together into the history of Canada – was lacking.

Each chapter covers one province or territory’s history, population, and geography, incorporating a range of formats to make the book accessible and fun. The “Peoples” sections document the indigenous groups and immigrants that make up each territory, saluting Canada’s multicultural make-up. Moore’s even-handed narrative does not shy away from the shameful periods of our history, including the treatment of the Métis, the internment of Japanese-Canadians, and the forced relocation of Inuit families in the 1950s.

Extensive colour as well as black-and-white illustrations give the volume high visual appeal, with Bill Slavin’s drawings and maps alongside historical photographs and portraits. For once, Canada’s writers and artists get plenty of attention, and teachers in particular will appreciate the list of suggested fiction about each territory. Additions could certainly be made to this list, but it is just one of many good starting points The Big Book presents.