I remember going to the RCMP’s Musical Ride at least once when I was growing up. We watched the Mounties display their equestrian skills, and also saw a canine agility show, and were allowed to buy a souvenir from the sea of vendor tents.
The Mounties are more than a picturesque symbol of Canada. They have a long history that I hope you will share with your kids. Here are some books to get you started.
M is for Mountie: An RCMP Alphabet by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Lorna Bennett (Sleeping Bear Press, 2008)
Polly Horvath has written one short rhyming verse for each letter of the alphabet. The book covers both historical and current topics. Because each page also has a sidebar, which gives much more information, this picture book can be shared with younger or older children. I appreciate the realistic illustrations. Recommended for ages 4 to 10. (Bonus: Since I really enjoyed Horvath’s children’s novels, I’m including a plug for them: read my take in this blog post.)
Under a Prairie Sky by Anne Laurel Carter, illustrated by Alan and Lea Daniel (Orca, 2001)
As a storm looms, a boy pretends to be a Mountie while he rides over the prairie in search of his little brother. The text is short and dramatic with subtle references to formations from the Musical Ride (I didn’t realize this until I read the book jacket!). The illustrations are lovely watercolours. Since there is no historical note, I would pair this book with M is for Mounties to introduce kids to the RCMP. Recommended for ages 4 to 8.
The Ghost Horse of the Mounties by sean o huigin, illustrated by Barry Moser (Black Moss Press, 1983) (David A. Godine, 1991)
With only six illustrations in a 66-page book, it’s a bit of a stretch to call this a picture book, but picture books about the Mounties are scarcer than I expected. The Ghost Horse of the Mounties is written in short lines of free verse with no capitalization or punctuation. The point of view is second person, asking you to imagine that you are a horse belonging to the North West Mounted Police. [The NWMP became the RCMP in 1920.] It tells the true story of a storm and stampede in June 1874 at Dufferin, Manitoba, after which one horse was never recovered. I enjoyed the repetition, vivid descriptions of nature, and emotional nature of the poem, but wasn’t keen on the ending, in which the horse finds the grave of his owner and their spirits join to soar across the prairie sky. This book would be most enjoyed by older children and adults. Recommended for ages 9 and up.
Do you have any Canadian history picture books to recommend?
My Uncle was Mountie in the forties and on. He waited, because he had to, seven years to marry his sweetheart ! The force was strict then. I grew up with some dramatic stories about him fighting to restrain a criminal who had become unhinged and broken loose in a small plane. Very exciting . My Uncle was successful in calming the man down and back into handcuffs .
@Beverly Troup You should write a picture book!
A truly amazing Mountie story follows.
It was 1876 and after the death of Custer at the battle of the Little Big Horn, the Indians rode north in all their gore and the glory of the victory. John Macdonald the PM heard of this and ordered the Mounties to mass at the border-something rather difficult as there were only a few hundred Mounties (then called the NWMounted police) and a lot of border!! Three intrepid Mounties found the Indian camp and asked to speak to the chief ! They informed this unruly, excited mob that they were about to enter the land of the great white Queen and were not allowed! The Indians being more sophisticated than we realized then, knew about treaties and boundaries and agreed to turn around! Then an officer noted that one of the Indians was riding a horse that belonged to the USCavalry and noted that the horse had to be returned-that it was not their property and the chief gave it into the hands of the Mounties ! They were all intrepid men armed with the law and the truth.
We heard this story from the Commissioner of the RCMP a few years ago.
@Beverly Troup Thanks for sharing this story.