Carson Crosses Canada: 09/19/17

Carson Crosses Canada by Linda Bailey is a picture book about Canada's provinces, presented as a west to east road trip. It starts in Tofino, BC and ends in Witless Bay, Newfoundland. The drive, like that in Cadillac Couches uses the Trans Canada Highway.

Carson is the dog on the cover. He's heading east because his owner's sister is sick and needs help. Each spread shows a different stopping place. The endpapers include a map and itinerary.

But the middle — the actual text that goes with the illustrations is rather sparse. Tofino to Witless Bay on the Trans-Canadian route is 94 hours of travel, covering 8,265 km. It also involves at least one ferry ride to get off Vancouver Island, to mainland British Columbia. None of that, though, is covered in the book and is only hinted at in the endpaper maps.

A cross continental road trip with a single drive isn't easy. With multiple drivers, it still isn't easy. It's hard work. Sure, it can also be fun — but it's still hard work. Making the same crossing with pets is even more work and more stress.

I'm surprised too that the ferry crossing isn't mentioned — or even the difference that P.E.I can be reached by a bridge, but Vancouver can't.

Four stars

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