Silver Threads

Unpaginated. This story describes how a brave young husband and wife leave Ukraine to avoid war, only to find themselves confronted with it again in Canada. They take their devotion to one another, their commitment to hard work, and their beloved traditions from the old country with them to their new home. Even when Ivan is placed in an internment camp, Anna lives in hope that the good luck of the spider's web in her house will restore their happiness. As the story unfolds, readers will find themselves learning about several interesting facets of Canadian history, including immigration, the Canadian frontier, the effect of World War I on settlers, and the imprisonment of Ukrainians as enemies. The language is simple enough for younger children to understand in a read-aloud, but the social and political history may be more appropriate for older students. Martchenko, who is well known for his cartoon illustrations, creates a different mood here. Without losing his unique style, he renders artwork that sensitively depicts this lovingly told story and captures period details. - Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada