Just in time for summer come several inexpensive non-fiction books about Canada to accompany families on cross-country journeys or to help while away rainy afternoons, all aimed at seven- to 12-year-olds. Where once there was a drought, we’ve now got a flood of Canadiana that strives to entertain as well as inform. One approach has been to sell Canada and Canadians as uniquely quirky, an idea used in Crazy Canadian Triva 2, Wacky Canada, and Sir John A. Macdonald: The Rascal Who Built Canada.

In her trivia sequel, Crazy Canadian Trivia 2, established writer Pat Hancock relates more than 100 eclectic facts, grouped loosely together in such categories as odd culinary and cultural customs, strange monuments, and bizarre animal actions. With plenty of gross as well as engrossing material, this fluffy pocket book will satisfy trivia buffs with a taste for the unusual and arcane.

B.C. writer-illustrator Jeff Sinclair combines trivia and activities in his Wacky Canada, which includes puzzles, quizzes, and games with an outrageous national bent. Though the text is lighthearted, its relentless over-the-top silliness detracts from the fun of the games. Correct answers stand out like sore thumbs amid punny options on multiple-choice quizzes, and fill-in-the-blank activities have limited re-use potential. Sinclair’s voice sounds outdated when he uses the word “thong” to describe beach footwear, and this and other lapses may turn off his target readership. Though the wacky tone wears thin quickly and doesn’t apply equally to all the material, the Canadian-focused concept and inexpensive price may compensate for these shortcomings.

Sir John, the first in a new series about Canadian prime ministers from writer-publisher Jacqueline Brown’s new JackFruit Press, promises a “warts and all” look at this Father of Confederation, examining his personal demons and bad behaviour as well as his many talents and accomplishments. In a stab at hipness, a beaver with attitude contributes flippant commentary from the margins, while other sidebars adopt more suitably serious tones to discuss related topics, including alcoholism and the experiences of Chinese CPR workers. Supported by an extensive website, the series tries hard to make this distant Canadian icon relevant and meaningful to today’s youth. Other texts have taken this “flawed heroes” approach to the stories of Canadian politicians, who seem to resolutely resist rehabilitation into engaging subjects, and this biography offers nothing new except, perhaps, the sardonic beaver.

In a more traditional non-fiction vein, accomplished author Maxine Trottier’s Canadian Explorers features six men whose colonial voyages made significant contributions to post-contact Canada. Starting with Cartier, the book moves westward with each chapter and explorer, featuring Samuel de Champlain, Pierre de la Verendrye, Samuel Hearne, and David Thompson, a nice combination of the frequently heralded and the often overlooked. Maps and illustrations break up the text, which gives a fairly balanced perspective on the colonial enterprise, including the explorers‚ maltreatment of the First Nations, and general pillaging of natural resources. While this book is not a particularly exciting read, its solid research and accessibility will be welcomed by teachers and children interested in early exploration and settlement. It also reinforces the idea that kids can still be engaged by our past without the lure of “crazy” Canucks or sassy animals.