How many kids know that the first Canadian to climb the dizzy heights of Mount Everest was Calgarian Laurie Skreslet in 1982? Or that Superman first flew in 1932 in the imagination of his creator, Torontonian Joe Shuster? Reading about these and other facts in The Kids Book of Canadian Firsts is stirring.

The book covers 150 events, discoveries, and inventions that changed Canada and the world from pre-recorded to modern times. Organized into 14 categories, the accomplishments are as diverse as the early Inuit use of sunglasses made from bone in “Wearables” to the 1972 launch of the world’s first regular communications satellite in “Communications.” Quotes and info boxes might spark kids to follow the path of people such as computer whiz James Gosling, who “got the bug” at age 14. A timeline at the back of the book and index are useful research features.

In addition to stamps and photographs, artist John Mantha’s colour images provide a cheery visual touch. Mantha, who specializes in painting historical figures (such as Louis Riel in Back to Batoche) does illustrations here that make readers feel they’re meeting the famous person face to face. The text, by Victoria book editor and author Valerie Wyatt, gives each topic minimal coverage. However, with only about one or two paragraphs per item, Wyatt writes efficiently and with an upbeat tone. Firsts gives project researchers a place to start – an overview of the marvellous constellation of stars in the Canadian sky of fame.