Remembrance Day is a day in Canada on November 11th. We stop and think about those who have served are are serving our country in times of war, conflict and peace. It is often a difficult topic to cover with children because war is not a positive experience. However, books are a great way to teach about such a heavy topic. Here we have gathered 5 Remembrance Day books to help you teach your elementary-aged children.
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Remembrance Day Books for Younger Elementary Students
Firstly, we have gathered a few recommendations for younger elementary students. These students need to understand the Remembrance Day message without being overwhelmed. Too much information or text can bore this age group!
Remembrance Day by Jill Foran
Age group: Grade 1-3
Remembrance Day is a book in the Canadian Celebrations series. Some books can be too detailed for younger children who need to start with simple explanations. This book has large text and a full colour photo on each opposite page. It covers topics such as What is Remembrance Day, A Symbol of Remembrance, In Flanders Fields and more. My favourite part about this book are the bright, full colour photos.
A Poppy is to Remember by Heather Patterson
Age range: Grade 1-4
A Poppy is to Remember is a beautiful picture book with little text and full colour photos on each page. I love how the book clearly outlines what a poppy is for. I also enjoy the appealing, engaging artwork!
Remembrance Day Books for Older Elementary Students
Older students can benefit from Remembrance Day books that contain more details and more text. Here are some recommendations for older elementary students.
In Flanders Fields: The Story of the poem by John McRae by Linda Granfield
Age Range: Grade 3-8
In Flanders Fields intersperses text with full colour illustrations and the words of the poem In Flanders Fields. I like how the book goes into detail about both the story behind the poem and the poppy.
Where Poppies Grow by Linda Granfield
Age Range: Grade 4-8
Where Poppies Grow focuses on World War 1. This book shows a real picture of the devastation that occurred during this war through text, photos and memorabilia. The photos and memorabilia on every page are my favourite part of this book and help to make a difficult topic engaging to learn about. Some of the included photos are a cartoon, postcards, a mourning locket, photos of soldiers and more.
The Unknown Solider by Linda Granfield
Age Range: Grade 4-8
The Unknown Soldier is a book to honour those who died in war yet their final resting place is unknown. The book has lots of details and contains many photos. It has sections for unknown soldiers from Canada, France, England, the USA, Japan, Russia and more. The book also explains how modern DNA science has helped identify some soldiers. There is even a section explaining about common symbols seen on tombs and gravestones. I like how there is so much information covered.
Are you looking for more Remembrance Day resources? Check out our post about Remembrance Day.
I hope these books help you teach your children about this important day in Canada!
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