Perhaps you’ve seen the chocolate shops in malls around Canada. The first one opened in Toronto in 1913, the centennial year of Laura Secord’s legendary 32 km walk to warn British forces of a surprise attack at Beaver Dams.
Today her name may be better known for the chocolate than her role in the War of 1812. I don’t think that’s a terrible way to be remembered, but if you’d like your children to know about the actual Laura Secord, you should check out one or more of these picture books.
Laura Secord’s Brave Walk by Connie Brummel Cook, illustrated by June Lawrason (Second Story Press, 2000)
This lengthy picture book tells the story of Laura Secord’s famous walk with plenty of dialogue and description. The context of the war is explained with names of specific people and places. The illustrations are fairly realistic, but not outstanding. Included are a brief historical note and endnotes regarding the dialogue the author quoted from a Laura Secord biography. Recommended for ages six to nine.
Laura Secord: A Story of Courage by Janet Lunn, illustrated by Maxwell Newhouse (Tundra Books, 2001)
This book is similar in length and approach to Laura Secord’s Brave Walk but illustrated in a colourful folk-art style. It includes a map of “Laura’s Journey” as well as a one-page epilogue. Since it contains the same level of historical detail I recommend it for the same age group.
Laura: A Childhood Tale of Laura Secord by Maxine Trottier; illustrated by Karen Reczuch (North Winds Press, 2000)
This shorter picture book tells a fictional story of a young Laura Secord braving the dark woods to find the family cow that had wandered off. The illustrations are calm, tender paintings. It is definitely aimed at younger children and focuses on the qualities of love and bravery rather than historical facts. It does end with a one-page historical note that summarizes Laura Secord’s life, including her famous walk, so it could be used as an introduction to the historical figure.
Why not have the best of both worlds and share some chocolate while you read to your kids?
The question is, why is the chocolate shop named after her at all?!