Generally, in the past, when a Canadian reference work was published for the first time the reaction was It’s about time! With the publication of the Junior Encyclopedia of Canada we are no longer catching up; we are now leading the pack. Notwithstanding the media hype that announced its publication, this is an outstanding reference work; the claims made for it are generally warranted. “The text of the Junior Encyclopedia of Canada is entirely new,” claims the promotional material accompanying the review copy. This is no watered-down version of an adult forerunner; the difference between this and the earlier Canadian Encyclopedia (2nd ed., Hurtig Publishers, 1988) is obvious immediately from the beautiful cover illustration. The larger print, the many colour illustrations, and the emphasis on children’s points of view-the latter most clearly exhibited by the many reference to children’s literature and children’s books-identify this work as unique. For too long the Canadian education scene has been restricted to information sources that originate in other places and interpret information with other eyes; this encyclopedia will do much to change that situation significantly. -P.J. Hammed