Ever since you've been old enough to walk, your parents have taught you that a policeman is your friend.

If you're lost, look for a policeman or woman to help you find your way home. When you're in trouble, you can dial 9-1-1 and the police will help you. Even at school, I'll bet someone in law enforcement talked to you about staying away from drugs.

But what if the officer showed up riding a horse? Read more about it in "M is for Mountie: An RCMP Alphabet" by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Lorna Bennett.

Almost 150 years ago, settlers arrived in the Canadian West just as they had in the American West, and with them came whiskey traders. Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald knew he'd need good law enforcement in the newlysettled area, so he created an elite military force to keep the peace. The members rode horses across the regions and in 1920, they officially became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Mounties get their starts at school, just like you do. They work hard to become cadets; they learn how to chase a criminal or climb fences safely, and they learn to see both sides of every disagreement. Wouldn't that be handy when you have arguments with your sister?

While you might think only of Mounties on horseback, there are lots of jobs in the RCMP. There are Mounties in forensics (like on TV), Mounties who do labwork, and there's a fleet of Mountie airplanes! A highly-specialized group of Mounties called the ERT (Emergency Response Team) is always ready to go in an emergency or dangerous situation.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police have kept the peace during the Klondike Gold Rush. They've made dogsled journeys in very, very cold weather. They've helped keep trouble from happening during the construction of the railroad. They've helped avoid war through their International Peace Operations Branch. You'll see their bright red uniforms on parade and on Musical Ride, when they perform with special highly trained horses. And according to a saying that came from Montana in 1877, the Mounties "always get their man", but they can arrest women, too.

So you think you know everything there is to know about the RCMP? Think again, because this book may have some interesting tidbits and surprises for you as well as for your kids.

Using gentle rhymes and sidebar information, author and British Columbia resident Polly Horvath gives kids an easy-to-understand overview of the RCMP.

The narrative is supported by full-color, detailed drawings from Alberta resident Lorna Bennett. What I really like about this book is that it can be enjoyed by kids of any age: little ones can follow along with the pictures as you read the rhymes aloud, and older kids won't feel babied by the lengthier, more informative text on each page.

Bonus: they'll actually learn something.

If you've got a child who loves cop shows or wants to be a law officer someday, pick up this book. For them, "M is for Mountie" is quite arresting.

"M is for Mountie" by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Lorna Bennett, c.2008, Sleeping Bear Press, $19.95, 40 pages