Near and Far: History on Both Sides of the Ocean

This review article examines Mateusz Świetlicki’s (2023) monograph, Next-Generation Memory and Ukrainian Canadian Children’s Historical Fiction: The Seeds of Memory. The publication opens with the author’s own childhood memories and takes readers on a journey through various periods of Ukrainian Canadian and Ukrainian history as portrayed in children’s historical fiction. Across five chapters, Świetlicki explores the works of Canadian children’s authors who depict Ukrainian emigration to Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the role of Ukrainian immigrants in settling the prairies. He also considers how these books portray relationships between Ukrainian settlers and Indigenous Peoples, rework narratives about internment camps during World War I, and explore the cultural significance of Ukrainian “seeds of memory,” symbolised by Easter pysanky. Turning to 20th-century Ukrainian history, Świetlicki explores representations of Soviet atrocities, including the Holodomor, along with World War II, the Nazi occupation of Ukraine, and the Holocaust. Throughout his work, he highlights the complexities of these historical events and emphasises the key role of children’s literature in fostering a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the past among young readers.