I Am Not a Ghost: The Canadian Pacific Railway
Written by David Bouchard with Zhong-Yang Huang
Illustrated by Sean Huang
i. A CCBC BEST BOOK
ii. RECOMMENDED BY GLOBE AND MAIL
I Am Not A Ghost tells the story of a Chinese railway worker who comes to Canada to work on the Great Canadian Pacific Railway. He, like all the others, came in search of a better life but would have died if not for the benevolence of Amelia Douglas, wife of the former governor of British Columbia. A fictional but historically accurate story with an important message, I Am Not A Ghost t describes the racism and hardship that these newcomers to Canada faced and should be required reading for anyone who wants to learn about this troubling period in Canada’s history.
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$24.95
I Am Not A Ghost tells the story of a Chinese railway worker who comes to Canada to work on the Great Canadian Pacific Railway. He, like all the others, came in search of a better life but would have died if not for the benevolence of Amelia Douglas, wife of the former governor of British Columbia. A fictional but historically accurate story with an important message, I Am Not A Ghost describes the racism and hardship that these newcomers to Canada faced and should be required reading for anyone who wants to learn about this troubling period in Canada’s history.
Additional information
| Weight | .36 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 27.94 × 20.32 × 1.3 cm |
| Author | David Bouchard |
| Illustrator | Sean Huang |
| Specs | Trade, Casebound, 8" X 11", 40 pages |
Brandt C Louie –
Canada is still writing its story as a nation, and this book is an important part of that story.
—Brandt C Louie, Chairman and CEO of the H.Y. Louie Co. Limited and ninth Chancellor of Simon Fraser University
Larry Swartz –
This is a beautiful, beautiful publication with a rich narrative and rich pictorial images that illuminate a period in Canadian and Chinese history. The story (collaboratively written by David Bouchard and Zhong Yang Huang) is told in the voice of an elderly Chinese grandfather recounting (to his granddaughter) his countrymen’s legacy as builders of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Perhaps an unknown piece of history is the fact that the Indigenous people helped Chinese newcomers to survive life-threatening conditions. This picture book is a testimony to the roots that are part of our identity and culture and the essential need to pass stories on to future generations. I Am Not a Ghost is a historical account of racism, a tribute to the courage and tenacity of Chinese immigrants from 100 years ago, a story of forgiveness and a story of never forgetting. Such stories help readers to understand the past and support us in moving forward to combat obstacles that we encounter. As far as picture books go, this is a work of art in words and illustrations.
This book is vital “as a starting point for gathering your own knowledge of the history of Chinese Canadians. Make it a doorway to opening up new perspectives on how we must all remember and share our stories.”
from the Foreword by Dr. Brandt C. Louise, ninth Chancellor of Simon Fraser University.
Special note: The book includes a two page spread of Historical notes, summarizing the harrowing plight of Chinese workers who were about three-quarters of the workforce on the CPR>
~ Larry Swartz, Educational Consultant
Helen Kubiw, CanLit for Little Canadians –
Non-fiction books that teach history, especially those used in schools, tend to be verbose and comprehensive, skimming over many topics, using dense text, and leaving no memorable impression. I Am Not a Ghost is not such a text. By focusing on the immigrant experience of one Chinese Canadian in the 1880s, Victoria’s David Bouchard with Regina’s Zhong-Yang Huang effectively place young readers into the treacherous life of working on the railway as a Chinese immigrant in the 1880s. The toil, the racism, and the unfairness of conditions and treatments all speak to oppression and perseverance in that oppression. The story of this man is heartbreaking and very real, as is the true story of the building of the railway and Mrs. Douglas with her compassionate nature.
With the seriousness of the story and the realism of a historical narrative, the art of Sean Huang adds to the story, taking us from frozen landscapes of workers in canvas tents or collapsed in snowbanks, to the opulence of a fine lady’s Victorian home, to the busyness of countless workers on the railway. Combining both a heaviness and lightness to his brushstrokes and the classic palette of old masters, Sean Huang takes us into the past of David Bouchard and Zhong-Yang Huang’s story, and tells a history where a man is disregarded because of his heritage and taken for dead because he might not have mattered enough to be helped
The Globe and Mail –
This tells the story of one of the 17,000 Chinese workers who put their lives in danger in building the railroad in the 1880s and the racism and poverty they were forced to suffer. It’s also a story of the kindness and empathy of Amelia Douglas, wife of the former governor of B.C.