All 37 Dear Canada Books in Order for History Buffs
Published:
March 27, 2024
Contributor:
Sarah Shelton
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If you have a young girl that has a love of history and of reading books, they may be interested in learning about the Dear Canada Series. There are 37 Dear Canada books in the complete series published by Scholastic Books. We have put together a printable checklist of the books in order, to help you with your history reading lesson plans.
List of Dear Canada Books in Order
The Dear Canada Series will teach young people about Canadian history and give them a love of history as they read these books. They are written from the view point of fictional young girls writing a diary entry during an important event that happened in different time periods of Canadian history.
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for a printable list of the Dear Canada books in order, with a book tracker and book rating pages.
What is the Reading Level for the Dear Canada Series?
The books in the Dear Canada Series are geared towards children ages 9-12 or the 4th-6th grade reading level. These are also great as read-alouds, especially if you have a sensitive child. Since these books cover heavy topics that include sickness, death and political strife.
What is the order of the Dear Canada books?
There are 37 books in this historical fiction series that covers the time periods of the mid 1600’s to the mid 1900’s. When these books were originally published they were not released in any specific order. This has always made it difficult to know which books covered which time period, especially if you are wanting to use them alongside a Canadian history curriculum.
Upon a reader’s request, we have broken down the name of each book in the series by time period, the setting and year that each book takes place in.
Dear Canada Books Set in the 1600’s
Orphaned Hélène St. Onge travels to New France with her sister Catherine, a fille du roi bride—but when Catherine dies on the journey, Hélène must face the harsh realities of the new land alone. Battling bitter winters and danger, she must rely on newfound friendships to survive.
Set in Montréal, New France in 1666
Dear Canada Books Set in the 1700’s
When Sophie Loveridge’s father moves the family from England to remote Newfoundland to chase his dream of writing an epic poem, their survival is soon tested. After the loss of their only helper, Sophie and her mother must brave the harsh winter until help arrives in the spring.
Set in Mairie’s Cove, New-Found-Land in 1721
This Dear Canada book follows Angélique as she faces the turmoil of the French-English conflict in Acadia, fearing for her brother in battle and the future of her family as they risk being separated forever.
Set in Grande Pre Acadia in 1755.
Geneviève Aubuchon, orphaned when her Abenaki village is attacked, is taken to a convent in Québec with her brother. As she adjusts to life with the sisters, her brother runs off to rejoin their people, and Geneviève fears for him as he takes part in the battle to defend Québec from the British.
Set in Quebec, New France in 1759.
When Mary’s family is forced to flee after siding with the British during the American Revolution, they journey north to Québec with hopes of starting over. Facing a harsh winter and a difficult journey, they must rely on courage and perseverance to build a new life from scratch.
Set in Johnstown, Quebec in 1783
Dear Canada Books Set in the 1800’s
In the summer of 1812, as war breaks out, Susanna struggles with fear for her father and brother fighting for the British, while also feeling torn between divided loyalties at home. As the Battle of Queenston Heights unfolds, survival becomes her most urgent concern.
The War of 1812 Diary of Susanna Merritt set in Niagara, Upper Canada in 1812.
Isobel’s hopes of a new life in Canada are dashed when her mother dies before they even reach the coast, and misfortune follows them as they arrive. Caught in a fur trade rivalry and facing harsh conditions, Isobel’s family struggles to survive until they finally find help from the local Cree and establish a home in the Red River Valley.
The Red River Diary of Isobel Scott set in Rupert’s Land in 1815.
After her father is jailed for his role in the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion, 12-year-old Arabella must step up to support her family, finding a new home and a way to make ends meet. As she struggles to keep her family together and cope with the disappearance of her brother, readers will root for her determination to survive.
The 1837 Rebellion Diary of Arabella Stevenson set in Toronto, Upper Canada in 1837.
fter a potato famine forces 13-year-old Johanna and her family to flee Ireland, they face illness and death aboard the “coffin ships.” Johanna loses her parents and baby brother during the journey, and when her remaining brother believes she’s dead, he sets off alone. Johanna is left to face a new life in Canada, completely alone.
The Typhus Epidemic Diary of Johanna Leary takes place in travel from Ireland to Canada East in 1847.
Jenna Sinclair, an adventurous girl living at Hudson’s Bay Company posts, longs for more freedom than her strict aunt allows. After her father’s death, Jenna moves to Fort Colvile and dreams of attending a “real” school in Fort Victoria. During her journey, she seeks excitement by sneaking around and spying on officers, discovering more about herself and the world along the way.
The Hudson’s Bay Diary of Jenna Sinclair set in Fort Victoria, Vancouver’s Island in 1849.
Grieving her mother’s death, Harriet disguises herself as a boy and embarks on a perilous journey to find her missing father in British Columbia’s Cariboo gold fields. Facing harsh conditions and racing against winter, she must reach him before it’s too late.
The Gold Rush Diary of Harriet Palmer takes place in travel from Overland to the Caribou in 1862.
ulia May and her family escape slavery on a Virginia plantation, embarking on a dangerous journey north to freedom in Canada. Told through Julia May’s secret journal, their harrowing trek through swamps and hiding by day reveals both their courage and the challenges of breaking free from the past.
The Underground Railroad Diary of Julia May Jackson takes place in travel from Virginia to Canada West in 1864.
In 1866, just before Confederation, Rosie begins work as a maid for a civil servant in Quebec City. When the capital moves to Ottawa, she must leave her family behind, struggling to find her place in a new city—and in her own changing world.
The Confederation Diary of Rosie Dunn set in Ottawa, Province of Canada in 1866.
Kate’s father is helping build the Canadian Pacific Railway through the dangerous Fraser Canyon, and she constantly worries about his safety. Despite the risks, Kate and her community are filled with excitement as they witness the historic creation of the transcontinental railroad.
The Railway Diary of Kate Cameron set in Yale, British Columbia, 1882.
In 1885 Batoche, tension is rising as the Métis struggle to protect their land and way of life. Thirteen-year-old Josephine is caught between loyalty, fear, and love as her community faces the possibility of another uprising led by Louis Riel.
The North West Resistance Diary of Josephine Bouvier set in Batoche, District of Saskatchewan in 1885.
Eleven-year-old Flora, an orphan, is thrilled to leave the orphanage and live with her aunt and uncle in Almonte, Ontario—but her new life means working long hours in a dangerous textile mill. As hardships mount, Flora’s courage is tested as she and her aunt fight to keep their small family together.
The Child Labour Diary of Flora Rutherford set in Almonte, Ontario in 1887.
17. Flame and Ashes
Eleven-year-old Triffie’s comfortable life is shattered when the great fire of 1892 destroys most of St. John’s, Newfoundland, leaving her family homeless. As they struggle to rebuild, Triffie learns what it truly means to survive—and gains a deeper understanding of hardship and compassion.
The Great Fire Diary of Teiffe Winsor set in St. John’s Newfoundland in 1892.
Through 10-year-old Victoria Cope’s diary, we meet Mary Anna, a British child sent to Canada to work as a servant. As Mary Anna adjusts to her new life and longs to find her lost brother, Victoria is determined to help reunite them and bring hope to her new friend.
The Home Child Diary of Victoria Cope set in Guelph, Ontario in 1897.
Dear Canada Books Set in 1900’s
19. All Fall Down
After moving to the mining town of Frank, Alberta, Abby helps her family run a hotel and cares for her younger brother—until the deadly Frank Slide changes everything. In the midst of the disaster, Abby must stay strong while waiting for answers to a family secret that could change her life.
The Landslide Diary of Abby Roberts set in Frank District of Alberta in 1902.
20. That Fatal Night
One month after surviving the Titanic disaster, twelve-year-old Dorothy is encouraged to write about her experience to cope with the trauma. As she recalls the voyage and its aftermath, a painful secret about that night slowly comes to light—one that may change everything she believes about herself.
The Titanic Diary of Dorothy Wilton set in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1912.
During World War I, Anya and her Ukrainian-Canadian family are labeled “enemy aliens” and sent to the Spirit Lake internment camp in Quebec. Despite the harsh conditions, Anya finds strength in friendship and hope as she adjusts to life behind barbed wire.
The Ukrainian Interment Diary of Anya Soloniuk set in Spirit Lake, Quebec in 1914.
Eliza misses her older brother Hugo, who left to fight in the war two years ago, and now her younger brother Jack has joined too. As she worries for their safety, Eliza longs for a friend to share her fears and hopes.
The World War 1 Diary of Eliza Bates set in Spirit Lake Quebec in 1914.
23. No Safe Harbour
After the devastating Halifax explosion kills her family, Charlotte turns to her diary to cope with the loss and the search for her twin brother, the only family she has left. Set during the aftermath of the 1917 tragedy, Charlotte’s story is one of survival, grief, and hope.
The Halifax Explosion Diary of Charlotte Blackburn set in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1917.
Fee uses her diary to document her fears and hopes as the Spanish Flu devastates Toronto, threatening her twin sister Fanny and ultimately taking their older sister, Jemma. In the face of loss, Fee’s writing helps her cope with the heart-wrenching challenges of the pandemic.
The Flu Epidemic Diary of Fiona Macgregor set in Toronto, Ontario in 1918.
25. An Ocean Apart
Mei-ling and her father are struggling to pay the Chinese Head Tax so that her mother and brother can join them in Canada before the Exclusion Act makes further immigration impossible. As they race against time, Mei-ling worries about what will happen if they can’t reunite their family.
The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin-Mei Ling set in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1922.
At just 11 years old, Ivy Weatherall moves with her family from England to Canada, hoping for a better life in the West. But when they arrive in Milorie, Saskatchewan, their dreams are shattered, and only Ivy’s determination and love for her new home help her find hope in the face of hardship.
The Immigrant Diary of Ivy Weatherall set in Milorie, Saskatchewan in1926.
During the Great Depression, Sally struggles with poverty and the rise of anti-Semitism in Toronto. As she deals with family challenges and her cousin Benny’s wild schemes, he helps her understand the wider world, including the dangers of Hitler’s rise and the importance of standing up for herself in the face of prejudice.
The Great Depression Diary of Sally Cohen set in Toronto, Canada in 1932.
In 1937, during the Great Depression, young Noreen contracts polio and is separated from her family for treatment after a partial recovery, facing the harsh realities of isolation and hardship on the Canadian Prairies.
The Polio Epidemic Diary of Noreen Robertson set in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in1937.
During World War II, Charlotte must comfort two frightened children evacuated from the Blitz, while also grappling with her brother George’s decision to enlist in the Navy, and the fear that he may have been lost at sea after a sudden silence from his letters.
The War Guests Diary of Charlotte Mary Twiss set in Guelph, Ontario in 1940.
30. Turned Away
1-year-old Devorah fights to help her cousin Sarah escape Nazi-occupied Paris by lobbying the Canadian government to allow Jewish children to emigrate, after learning that 5,000 children are trapped due to strict immigration policies.
The World War 2 Diary of Devorah Berenstein set in Winnipeg, Mantoba in 1941.
In 1941, Mary Kobayashi’s life in Vancouver is shattered after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as she and her Japanese-Canadian family are torn apart and sent to internment camps, facing fear, injustice, and isolation during a dark chapter of WWII in Canada.
The Interment Diary of Mary Kobayashi set in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1941.
Haunted by her past, young Holocaust survivor Rose begins a diary in Winnipeg, recounting her traumatic experiences hiding in Poland during the war—and slowly confronting the painful memories of loss, survival, and her mother’s ultimate sacrifice.
The Holocaust Diary of Rose Rabinowitz set in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1948.
At residential school, Violet Pesheens feels lost and stripped of her identity, clinging to her notebook to preserve her Anishnabe language, memories, and traditions as she struggles with fear, loneliness, and the hope of finding herself again.
The Residential School Diary of Violet Presheens set in Northern Ontario in 1966.
Short Story Collections
The Dear Canada Series also has a companion collection of short stories. Hoping for Home has 11 original stories of characters that bravely face the challenges of settling into a new life. There are 3 holiday collections that have original holiday stories which makes the perfect Christmas gift for Canadian readers.
This short story anthology features eleven powerful first-person narratives of young people across Canadian history, each navigating immigration, displacement, and identity—from a Holocaust survivor in Montreal to a Chinese boy facing racism in Saskatchewan, and an Ojibwe girl visiting a “white” town for the first time.
This heartwarming holiday anthology revisits beloved characters from the Dear Canada series, offering eleven original Christmas stories that stand alone while providing a touching “next chapter” for longtime fans of the historical fiction series.
This festive collection features twelve original Christmas stories starring beloved girls from the Dear Canada series, offering fans a heartwarming glimpse into each character’s life after their diary ends—and a perfect introduction for new readers to fall in love with the series.
A Time for Giving includes ten tales of Christmas, following the most recent Dear Canada diarists “the Christmas after” their diary ends. Johanna Leary is reunited with her brother after they were separated at Grosse-Île; Mary Kobayashi spends a second Christmas at a Japanese internment camp; Rose Rabinowitz finds some surprising challenges in her new country, and many more!
Dear Canada Books in Order Printable Checklist
If you would like to incorporate these books into your Canadian History studies we have created a helpful printable for your homeschool. This is a printable checklist of all of the Dear Canada Books in order of year and time period.
Keep track of the books that you have read and rate them by giving them up to a 5 star rating. These printables would be great to add to an end of the year homeschool portfolio as well.
Dear Canada Books in Order
Do your children like to learn with living books? Grab this list to see all the Dear Canada books in order and easily find a new book to enjoy. List and tracker will be an easy way to record books for your homeschool portfolio.
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Sarah Shelton
Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (two homeschool graduates) She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for over 20 years. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and gardens. She can only do it by the Grace of God, coffee and green juice!
