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2003
finalists.

2003 Hackmatack

Children's Choice Book Award/Prix littéraire - le choix de jeunes

Ivy Weatherall and her family leave a comfortable life in London for the promised riches of Canada's expanding West. Expecting to make their fortunes on Uncle Alf's ranch, the Weatheralls are shocked to find themselves living in a sod hut on a rented farm. Ivy is determined to taste life to the fullest, whatever hardships she may encounter. Writing in her diary, she recounts learning the new skills expected of a young farm girl. She struggles to help the family survive, but ultimately learns that responsibility brings its rewards.

This title is part of Scholastic's Dear Canada series, which features fictional diaries of girls living through different times in Canadian history.

Award-winning author Sarah Ellis has written many young adult novels, including Pick-Up Sticks, winner of the Governor General's Award, Out of the Blue, which received the Mr. Christie's Book Award, and The Baby Project, recipient of the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Book Prize. In 1995, Sarah was honoured with the Vicky Metcalf Award for her outstanding body of work. In addition to her own writing, Sarah reviews children's literature for various publications, and works as a librarian. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Suggested Activities

• What are your grandchildren going to think of your life? Pick three days and write diary entries for those days. Record what you did and how you felt about it.
• Grab a grandparent or a great-aunt or an elderly neighbour. Ask them about what their life was like when they were young. They might need some questions to get them started. Try:
     What did you have that I don't have?
     Did you ever have a weird neighbour?
     Were you ever in an accident?
     Did you have a pet?