I Am Not a Ghost
The Canadian Pacific Railway
- Publisher
- Plumleaf Press Inc.
- Initial publish date
- Apr 2023
- Category
- General, Prejudice & Racism
- Recommended Age
- 7 to 12
- Recommended Grade
- 2 to 7
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781778242816
- Publish Date
- Apr 2023
- List Price
- $24.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
I AM NOT A GHOST tells the story of a Chinese railway worker who comes to Canada to work on the Great Canadian Pacific Railway. He, like all the others, came in search of a better life but would have died if not for the benevolence of Amelia Douglas, wife of the former governor of British Columbia. A fictional but historically accurate story with an important message, I AM NOT A GHOST describes the racism and hardship that these newcomers to Canada faced and should be required reading for anyone who wants to learn about this troubling period in Canada’s history.
About the authors
British Columbia's best-selling author and most sought-after public speaker has presented to hundreds of thousands of educators, parents and students the world over. This former teacher and principal of 28 years champions literacy. His message is spelled out in his best selling books The Gift of Reading and For the Love of Reading.
"The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of reading and there is no magic in giving it. There is no toy or program that will do the job for us. It takes time, commitment and most of all, fire. We cannot hope to light a fire in the hearts of others without a fire burning in our own. Light and stoke yours, then spread the flame fast and furious. Let literacy be your legacy."
Bouchard outlines individual roles and responsibilities in ascertaining that all children are given the gift of reading. He inspires like none other and leaves his listeners with a concrete plan and the rejuvenation needed to face literacy issues head on.
Born and raised on the Canadian prairie, the author of over twenty five best selling books now lives in British Columbia with his wife Vicki and their combined family of seven.
David Bouchard's books have won several prestigious awards, among them: the Governor General's Award for The Song Within My Heart in 2004 and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry award for Voices From the Wild in 1997. If You're not from the Prairie is listed on MacLean's list of the Top Twenty Children's books in the history of Canada.
You can access his web page at www.davidbouchard.com.
Zhong-Yang Huang's profile page
Sean Huang is an artist and illustrator from Regina, Saskatchewan. His picture books include Molly Misses Nainai and I Am Not a Ghost: The Canadian Pacific Railway.
Excerpt: I Am Not a Ghost: The Canadian Pacific Railway (by (author) David Bouchard; with Zhong-Yang Huang; illustrated by Sean Huang)
While I Am Not A Ghost: The Canadian Pacific Railway is a work of fiction, it is based on a real event in history: the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Thousands of Chinese workers came to Canada to work on the railway, but the characters in this story are, for the most part, fictional, with one exception: Amelia Douglas, a Métis woman. Her mother was Cree and her father was Irish Canadian. She was married to James Douglas, who was the Governor of British Columbia from 1858 to 1864. His background was Scottish and Creole. They had thirteen children, only six of whom survived.
Amelia Douglas was a determined, helpful person whose caring and compassion for others was well known. After her husband died in 1877, she remained involved with her family and community until her death in 1890.
