The Halifax Explosion

On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax harbour, resulting in the largest man-made explosion prior to the development of the atomic bomb. The story and scope of the disaster and its aftermath is revealed in fiction and non-fiction narratives for both adults and children. PLEASE NOTE: if the catalogue address for the book does not include "samepagecbrl.bibliocommons.com", go to the cbrl.ca link and search for the item by title or author to access current services to place holds, etc.

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Cape Breton Regional Library

the book cover for togo to the rescue, with an airplane flying over it

TOGO to the Rescue

This is a story of TOGO, a grocery delivery horse and his owner (Uncle Arthur) in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 6, 1917. Their world is turned upside-down at precisely 9:04:35 AM on that fateful day by a cataclysmic event – the Halifax Explosion. In an instant, their world is turned upside-down, but they quickly spring into action to save a young boy trapped in the rubble.

As news broke, newspapers from Toronto to Hawaii and France to Australia scrambled to provide readers with updated information. These and other stories gave face to a disaster which, at the time, was a mix of ever-changing statistics, details, and questions about blame. Often the reports were exaggerated and erroneous. Ingram traces these details and stories as she pieces together the different narratives, many of which have long faded into the larger story of the Halifax Explosion. Ruins, Books, Mont Blanc, Halifax Harbour, Long Fade, The Face

Breaking Disaster

As news broke, newspapers from Toronto to Hawaii and France to Australia scrambled to provide readers with updated information. These and other stories gave face to a disaster which, at the time, was a mix of ever-changing statistics, details, and questions about blame. Often the reports were exaggerated and erroneous. Ingram traces these details and stories as she pieces together the different narratives, many of which have long faded into the larger story of the Halifax Explosion.

a book cover with an old building in the background

Rebuilding Halifax

Barry Cahill describes the complex activities of an almost-unaccountable agency which took the place of municipal, provincial and federal governments in addressing the needs of the citizens and the city after the Explosion. He provides new insight into the pioneering town planning and construction of the Hydrostone neighbourhood in Halifax. He also explains why an ad-hoc disaster agency continued to operate for nearly sixty years after the catastrophic event which precipitated its establishment.

The Halifax Explosion is a fresh, revealing account that finally answers questions that have lingered for a century: Was the explosion a disaster triggered by simple human error? Was it caused by the negligence of the ships' pilots or captains? Was it the result of shortcomings in harbour practices and protocols? Or was the blast--as many people at the time insisted--the result of sabotage carried out by wartime German agents? Hiroshima, Canadian History, Award Winning Books, Book Awards, What To Read

Availability: The Halifax explosion : Canada's worst disaster / Ken Cuthbertson.

The Halifax Explosion is a fresh, revealing account that finally answers questions that have lingered for a century: Was the explosion a disaster triggered by simple human error? Was it caused by the negligence of the ships' pilots or captains? Was it the result of shortcomings in harbour practices and protocols? Or was the blast--as many people at the time insisted--the result of sabotage carried out by wartime German agents?

the book cover for survivor children of the halifax explosion by janen kitz, with an image of people

Availability: Survivors : children of the Halifax explosion / Janet Kitz.

Survivors: Children of the Halifax Explosion by Janet Kitz. Survivors tells the story of seven children who survived the Halifax Explosion. All seven lived close to the spot where Imo collided with Mont Blanc, causing the fore that ignited the tons of explosives in its hold. The book describes the children's family, school, and social life before the explosion: their activities on that day; their experiences of the explosion itself; and the difference it has made to their lives.

the blind mechanic by marilyn davidson elliott, author of the amazing story of eric davidsonon, survivor of the 1917 halifaxx explosion

Eric Davidson lost both eyes in the Halifax Explosion when he was two years old. Against all odds, he taught himself to become an auto mechanic and had a successful decades-long career as "one of the boys". This book does not gloss over the challenges faced by Eric and by his parents. Written by his daughter Marilyn, it gives new insights into the story of the 1917 Halifax Explosion and contains never-before-seen documents and photographs.

the cover of a book with two children looking at an analog clock on top of it

Search Results - A blinding light lawson

It's 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The First World War is raging, and despite its distance from the conflict, the Halifax Harbour is bustling with activity. On the morning of December 6, Will Schneider is atop Citadel Hill reporting for the school paper, when he sees two ships collide. A flash of light, then thunder from underground: the Halifax Explosion hits.

On December 6, 1917, two tramp steamers, the Mont-Blanc and the Imo, collided in wartime Halifax Harbour, creating what became the largest man-made explosion of its time. More than 2000 people died, 9,000 were injured, 6,000 people were left homeless and an additional 19,000 were left without adequate shelter. In a combination of images and text, John Boileau delivers a breathtaking account of the magnitude of this event. Large Man

Large Man

Availability: 6/12/17 : the Halifax explosion / John Boileau.

On December 6, 1917, two tramp steamers, the Mont-Blanc and the Imo, collided in wartime Halifax Harbour, creating what became the largest man-made explosion of its time. More than 2000 people died, 9,000 were injured, 6,000 people were left homeless and an additional 19,000 were left without adequate shelter. In a combination of images and text, John Boileau delivers a breathtaking account of the magnitude of this event.

the cover of dazzle patterns by alon watt, with an image of buildings

Availability: Dazzle patterns : [a novel] / Alison Watt.

Beginning in Halifax on December 6, 1917 -- the day of the devastating Halifax Explosion -- this is a novel about war, the transformative power of art, and the resilience of the human spirit. It introduces us to Clare Holmes, a flaw-checker working at the glassworks, who loses an eye in the explosion; her fiance, Leo, stationed in France; and her new friend Fred, a German-Canadian glass-maker who introduces Clare to the School of Art and Design.

the cover of broken pieces an opphaant of the halifax explosion

Reading Bingo

Kindness Of Strangers

Availability: Broken pieces : an orphan of the Halifax explosion / Allison Lawlor.

Amid the confusion and devastation that followed the Haliofax Explosion was fourteen-year-old Barbara Orr, who had been walking from her neighbourhood in Richmond to a friend's house. Follow Barbara as she navigates post-explosion Halifax, learning about rescue efforts, the kindness of strangers, and the bravery of heroes like Vincent Coleman along the way.

a book cover for hope and survival, with an image of a woman holding a clock

Availability: Hope and survival : a story of the Halifax explosion / story and quilt art by Laurie Swim.

This is the story of 11-year-old Jess. She lives with her family in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in a house overlooking Halifax Harbour. The First World War is raging in Europe, and the harbour has become a shelter for supply ships. It is there that they form convoys for the long and dangerous voyage across the Atlantic. One morning in December 1917, everything changes and Jess's world is turned upside down. Gr. 2-4

an old book with the title explosion in halifax harbour 1917

Human Suffering

Canadian Things

Canada History

Availability: Explosion in Halifax Harbour, 1917 / Dan Soucoup.

On December 6, 1917, Canada's worst disaster struck, as two ships -- one carrying high explosives -- collided. The explosion killed and injured thousands, razing the city's North End and destroying nearly everything in its path. The story of the worst human-made explosion before Hiroshima is the account of tremendous human suffering and devastation, yet also of human bravery and survival against all odds.

Availability: Scapegoat : the extraordinary legal proceedings following the 1917 Halifax Explosion / Joel Zemel.

Scapegoat. The Extraordinary Legal Proceedings Following the 1917 Halifax Explosion . The vilification of harbour Pilot Francis Mackey.

Availability: Little tree by the sea : from Halifax to Boston with love / John DeMont ; illustrated by Belle DeMont.

The little tree in this story that grew on a hill in a city by the sea, becomes a beacon of hope, perseverance and the human spirit. This tale follows a little tree who with the help of some friends will connect with the people of Boston, who's kindness was felt immediately after the explosion, creating a special friendship that will last for years to come.

Availability: Black snow : a story of love and destruction / Jon Tattrie.

Black Snow is a love story set during the Halifax Explosion. The 1917 disaster was the largest man-made blast the world had ever known, and it cut Halifax off from the rest of the world for the darkest thirty-six hours in its history. Rich in fact and shocking images, the story sets a blistering pace following one man's search through a ruined city for the love of his life as he confronts the wreckage of his past.