I Read Canadian Day

Today is I Read Canadian Day, a day when Canadians celebrate Canadian children's books. This year I realized it was coming early enough to do some reading for it. I say "some" reading, because I haven't yet finished We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, an entertaining take on two classic middle grade character types. I will save a response to the book until I'm done.

My interest in Canadian literature goes back to my undergraduate years. I took two semesters of Canadian lit, hoping for some connection with my ethnic background. Unfortunately, neither of the courses The University of Vermont offered at that time included any French Canadian literature, either in French (which I wouldn't have been able to read) or in translation. But that was where I first read Margaret Atwood (her poetry, I believe) and Mordecai Richler who would both later write children's books, and many other writers who didn't.

If you happen to be Facebook friends, as I am, with Canadian authors Cheryl Rainfield or Debbie Ridpath Ohi, they have been posting about I Read Canadian Day with author suggestions. Check them out. You can find them tweeting about it, too.