My Canada: An Illustrated Atlas. Written by Katherine Dearlove and illustrated by Lori Joy Smith. Owlkids Books, 2017. $2017. $18.67 ages 5 and up

"My Canada takes you across our amazing country, stopping in each province and territory. The museums and monuments, wildlife and waterways, sights and shorelines all tell a story about Canada and the many different people, places, and landscapes you'll find here. Are you ready to explore Canada from coast to coast to coast? Let's get going!"

This is a terrific new book for younger children wanting to know about Canada - the country they live in. It is an important addition to the books being published in celebration of Canada's 150th birthday. I love that the cost to purchase is $18.67!

It begins with a Did you know that Canada has: 3 territories and 10 provinces; more lakes than any other country; the world's longest coastline; the world's longest international border; more than 36 million people ... "

The author follows up her introductory page with a Canadian map (with capital cities marked for each province and territory) first, and then a map of each of the provinces from west to east and finally, the territories. An accompanying legend assures that readers know what the federal capital city is and where each provincial capital is situated, as well as pointing out other cities and national parks. The provincial flag, bird, flower and tree are also mentioned. An inset points out exactly where the province lies on the map of Canada, occasionally adding another to show something else of particular interest to all.

Originally, the artist Lori Joy Smith did an illustration of her home province, P.E.I.. It proved so appealing and popular that she decided to expand her repertoire to include all provinces and territories, in a special tribute to this year's  sesquicentennial. Perfect for young learners interested in geography, it will be a welcome addition personal and school libraries.