The innovative minds at JackFruit Press know the secret to engaging kids in their own country’s history: take the subject out of the school textbooks and turn it into a tale teeming with conspiracy, bravery, and humour. JackFruit’s Warts & All series first focused on Canada’s prime ministers. Now educator Paul Keery and illustrator Michael Wyatt present a kid-friendly account of Confederation loaded with well-known and obscure characters and events.

Keery does a great job of harnessing a huge subject and presenting it lightly and logically in a style that children can easily digest. He relies on questions to the reader, short sentences that don’t skimp on detail, and language that contemporary kids understand. “Macdonald pulls a fast one!” he writes about one political battle. The tone is consistently upbeat and enthusiastic, although the overuse of exclamation marks is annoying.

The story is supported by frequent asides to explain essential details. Assisting in the explanations are Wyatt’s lively illustrations and comic strips, as well as sidebars and archival photographs. The What If? cartoons explore the roads not taken, such as “What if Canada had been called by another name instead?” As well as being comical, these additions are a jumping-off point for discussion and debate.

The author steers clear of apparent political bias or interpretation, presenting historical figures and events with
factual detail. This approach works very well in a story that has its share of both bad behaviour and honourable intentions, not to mention its moments of comedy. Maple Leaf Forever? is exactly what’s needed to move history out of the classroom and into the minds of Canadian children.