Heavy Burdens on Small Shoulders

Focusing on children’s work on family farms in western Canada, an “absolutely fascinating . . . marvellously fresh account of the lives of prairie pioneers.” — The Calgary Herald The phrase “child labour” carries negative undertones in today’s society. However, only a century ago on the Canadian Prairies, youngsters laboured alongside their parents, working the land, cleaning stovepipes, and chopping wood. By shouldering their share of the chores, these children learned the domestic an