Emily Carr's "The Book of Small"

This made for a fascinating read, bringing the reader into the Victorian era into what could be more English? Victoria, British Columbia, of course!  Carr captures perfectly the atmosphere of a little town growing slowly into what will become one of Canada's most picturesque cities. Told from the point of view of Carr as a small child, this story is told in the most charming way.
I used the chapter called "Servants" to design a lesson plan on immigration for my Social Studies class. This chapter tells of how young Chinese boys of twelve were hired by the "Victorian matrons", to help with laundry and the other numerous chores large households had back then.  English servants were a waste of time, as the women "had the firm detrmination of finding husbands in a hurry and making homes and raising families who would be not servants but masters."  I particularly like how she observed that the Chinese went "to Chinatown to be completely Chinese till next morning."
Emily Carr is known as Canada's most famous female painter,but she was also a most gifted writer.