Memorial

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
pp. 760-760
Author(s):  
Nancy House
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Geophysical Data ◽  
Fort Worth ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The World ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The University

Donald Macpherson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on 6 October 1941. He passed on 20 August 2020. Though he was a proud Canadian till the end, he clung to his Scottish culture and became a fixture with his bagpipes at many events throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area. He attended the University of Alberta, initially studying music and fine arts and earning a bachelor's degree in 1964 with a minor in math and chemistry. He graduated with a master's degree in isotope geochemistry and geophysics from the University of Alberta in 1965. Don walked into the “best job in the world” as a geophysicist at Mobil Oil Canada in 1965. There, he was responsible for seismic acquisition crews, processing, and interpretation of geophysical data.

scholarly journals Commentary: The Transgender Child: A Lesson in Acceptance

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Wren Kauffman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Critical Importance ◽  
Transgender People ◽  
Minority Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Transgender Children ◽  
The World ◽  
Gender Neutral ◽  
The University

In this interview, 12-year-old Wren Kauffman shares his earliest memories of "not feel[ing] right" in his body and how he conveyed this powerful sentiment to his parents. Wren and his mother Wendy discuss the transgender journey their family has gone on, which initially started by contacting the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta. Wren recounts how he told friends and classmates that he was transgender, talks about the support and openness he has received from teachers, friends, and schools, and of the critical importance of acceptance. Issues such as bullying, gender-neutral spaces, and diversity are also discussed. In addition, Wendy emphasizes the key role education plays in the inclusion of transgender children: "If we can start from a place of education, and explain that there is a really wide kind of variety of different ways that people can be born, that’s going to help society and people in general understand that transgender people are in the world."

scholarly journals Green by L. V. Seeger

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ortensia Norton
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Science Class ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Green Is ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Stop And Go ◽  
The World ◽  
The University

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Green. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012. Print. The book, Green reminds us that green is a pervasive colour in the world. Like her book, Black, White, Day, Night: A Book of Opposites, the die cuts will astonish you as two leaves turn into fish on the next page, making you anxious to flip the pages quickly to view the next image. But refrain from flipping too quickly or you will miss the beauty of the acrylic paintings on each page. Only gather a couple children around you as you read, or they will fight over who gets to have it in their arms. With only 38 words, the illustrations need to be looked at carefully. Allow time for their eyes to take in all the details. Be prepared to stop and go back to the previous page because they will realize that somehow they missed something important. Don’t be surprised if the children grab for the lime, reach down to smell the flower, or are scared by the tiger. They will rub the pages; they will feel the texture and might be disappointed that the page is smooth. Younger students will enjoy the predictability of the word ‘green’ on each page. It won’t take them long to recite the book with you, with only two or three syllables per page. Older students will be inspired by the art work and could use the book as an exemplar for an art project. Other students could pick a different colour and find words and pictures to describe the different hues of their chosen colour. Green could be used in science class, to discuss how each hue is created. I would love to see Ms. Seeger create a whole series of colour books!! Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 Stars Reviewer: Ortensia Norton Ortensia Norton is a Teacher Librarian with Edmonton Public Schools. She is currently enrolled in the TL-DL program through the University of Alberta. She thinks that her jobs as mom and librarian are the best jobs in the world because you get to see the delight on children's faces when they fall in love with a book.

scholarly journals Mingan: my village

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Writing Workshop ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Art Collections ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
North Shore ◽  
The North ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
The Village

Mingan:  my village. Illus. Rogé. Trans. Solange Messier.  Markham, ON:  Fifth House Publishers, 2014.  Print.This is one of the most unusual Canadian Indigenous children’s books to have been published recently.  It is an art book composed of fifteen of illustrator Rogé's portraits of Innu children from the village of Mingan (“Ekuantshit” in the Innu-aimun language) on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  The images are accompanied by fifteen poems written by the children.  Each of the portraits covers an 8.5 X 14’ page and is an almost life-sized likeness painted from a photograph.  The images are mainly sepia tones with some orange, blue and red highlights.  These portraits will allow children elsewhere in the world to see what an Innu child looks like. The poems are the result of a poetry writing workshop led by Laurel Morali and Rita Mestokosho at Mingan.  They are also published in the back of the book in Innu-aimun.  The works are simple, unsophisticated and present a child’s view of the world.  Nature and grandparents figure prominently in the works.   For example:                        In the wind's light, the pain of the heart                        The blue river                        When I listen                        I have a memory of my grandfather                        He tells me he is well                        This comforts me                        I know he protects me                        That he watches me                        I cry when he is not beside me                                                                       Sabrina                       Overall this is a striking work that could fit both in to art collections and children’s libraries as well as those collecting Canadian Indigenous materials. Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 

scholarly journals Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack by G. Joyce

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
Thoroughbred Racing

Joyce, Gare.  Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack.  Markham, ON:  Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2012. Print.It is not often that you find a biography of an animal, but in this case, the animal was a national icon.  According to Gare Joyce, Northern Dancer, the great racehorse “made more money as an accomplished racehorse and sire than any Canadian athlete in history – even more than Wayne Gretzky ”.  The book begins with a genealogical chart that shows that of the 19 horses starting in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, 18 were descended from Northern Dancer.This book chronicles Northern Dancer from his birth through to his wins and standing at stud until his death at age 29.  Through his story, the reader also learns about the world of North American thoroughbred racing.  We meet the great jockeys:  Ron Turcotte, Willie Shoemaker and Bill Hardtack who all rode Northern Dancer to victories. We learn about the development of racehorses and the major races:  The Preakness, The Belmont, The Kentucky Derby and the Queen’s Plate.   Joyce writes informally and conversationally, as though he is telling one long story.  For example, he tells us that Northern Dancer “became unruly around his stall…At least once he ripped the shirt off his trainer.” Later we are told that a trainer inadvertently let Northern Dancer run hard the day before a race and people thought that no thoroughbred could “run the equivalent of two races on two consecutive days.   As it turned out, the only ones hurting after the Florida Derby were those who hadn’t bet on the heavily favoured Northern Dancer.”  The text is accompanied by many photos of Northern Dancer, including archival images of horse and jockey in races, at the wire and in the winners’ circle.           Overall, this is an enjoyable story of a remarkable horse.  Northern Dancer: King of the Racetrack is highly recommended for junior high school libraries and public libraries everywhere.  Highly recommended:  4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 

Abdel Aleem, Mariam (1930–2010)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dwider
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
University Of Southern California ◽  
Folk Culture ◽  
Graphic Arts ◽  
Founding Member ◽  
The University ◽  
Venice Biennale

Mariam Abdel Aleem was a prominent Egyptian graphic artist known for her printed works and engraving that stitched together symbols from ancient and contemporary Egypt to create abstracted compositions. These compositions often incorporated Arabic text and featured both hand-written calligraphy and appropriated or collaged text. In addition to her printed works, Abdel Aleem also produced paintings that focused on representations of Egyptian folk culture. Abdel Aleem graduated from the Higher Institute of Art Education in Cairo with a bachelor’s degree in 1954. In the years following, she studied graphic arts at the University of Southern California and received a master’s degree in Fine Arts in 1957. While in the United States, Abdel Aleem also studied at the Pratt Institute in New York. She taught printmaking as a member of Alexandria University’s Faculty of Fine Arts from its founding in 1958, and was appointed director of the Faculty in 1981. Mariam Abdel Aleem also served as a founding member of both the Association of Fine Artists in Alexandria and the Egyptian Art of Engraving Society. She frequently represented Egypt at international biennials including the Venice Biennale, the Sao Paulo Biennial, and the Graphics Biennial in Norway.

Testimonial: Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on One Artist's Body of Work

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (S2) ◽  
pp. 19-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Utermohlen
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Vietnam War ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Fine Arts ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
War Veterans ◽  
University Of Oxford ◽  
Vietnam War Veterans ◽  
The University ◽  
Pennsylvania Academy

William Utermohlen was born in 1933. Upon completing his Bachelor's degree at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, he joined the Army and then moved to England to study at the University of Oxford. This is where he met his wife, Patricia. Bill painted scenes from his childhood in Philadelphia, images of Vietnam War veterans, and pictures inspired by Dante's Inferno. Later, many of his paintings depicted family life, conversations with friends, and his home—they were happy pictures.

scholarly journals Mudkin by S. Gammell

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mead-Willis
Keyword(s):  
English Literature ◽  
Young Girl ◽  
Rare Book ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Single Night ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The University

Gammell, Stephen. Mudkin. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2011. Print.Kids love mud. Of this there is no doubt. There is nothing like an afternoon spent knee-deep in ooze to undo the adult tyranny of cleanliness and crown a child king— or queen, as in the case of Mudkin. In this latest offering by Caldecott-winning illustrator Stephen Gammell, an imaginative young girl teams up with a playful sprite whose onion-shaped head and squat, gnomelike body are comprised, it would seem, entirely of mud. Mud-made too are the robe and crown he offers the girl, who gladly accepts her newfound role as monarch of muck. Together, the two of them caper and romp through a backyard mud-kingdom, until the rainclouds gather and wash Mudkin and his mud-realm away. The story’s premise – a child conjuring a magical playmate out of the elements – seems familiar, echoing as it does an illustrated masterwork of an earlier generation: Raymond Briggs’s wordless classic, The Snowman. Yet while Briggs’s story ends in a minor key (the snowman, wondrously alive for a single night, melts away in the morning sun), Mudkin’s watery fate carries no sadness; nor does it offer, as The Snowman does, a tacit elegy on the transience of childhood. Gammell’s riotous watercolours (so ecstatically fluid they erupt like geysers on the page) affirm this distinction: mud, unlike snow, is chaotic and unsentimental. Not a medium for reflection, it is the stuff of pure play. As a result, Mudkin is nothing more and nothing less than a bit of good – if not entirely clean – fun. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars.Reviewer: Sarah Mead-WillisSarah is the Rare Book Cataloguer at the University of Alberta's Bruce Peel Special Collections Library. She holds a BA and an MLIS from the University of Alberta and an MA in English Literature from the University of Victoria.

scholarly journals My Name is Parvana by D. Ellis

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Book Club ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
American Military ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
South Park ◽  
The World ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Distance Learning Program ◽  
The University

Ellis, Deborah. My Name is Parvana. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2012. Print. In this final book in the The Breadwinner series, we meet the indomitable Afghani protagonist, Parvana, again, at the age of 15. The story begins with Parvana being interrogated in an American military base after she is discovered in a bombed out school.  She refuses to acknowledge her captors and remains silent. The story unfolds through Parvana’s flashbacks as she endures the various methods employed to make her talk, including food and sleep deprivation.. We learn that Parvana’s family has left the refugee camp and started a school for girls. It seems their dreams have come true, but there is danger everywhere. New laws are in place to protect women’s rights, but old habits and beliefs, die hard. Threatening notes begin to arrive. Parvana is accosted in the streets.  Students and teachers are driven away by the threats, and without students the school will lose its funding.  The setbacks continue to pile up until at last we realize why Parvana is alone and imprisoned. Through careful crafting, Ellis creates a story that is heartrending without being horrific. Skillful use of flashbacks and foreshadowing soften the shock of atrocities by giving us clues before they occur. She shows respect for her young readers by giving enough detail for them to understand what is happening without becoming gory. Despite the incredible challenges she faces, Parvana finds hope, and new dream, in the end. This novel also provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss the use of voice in writing.  Some people would say Ellis, a white, Canadian woman, has no right to use an Afghani voice. Yet Ellis’ is an educated voice. She has spent time travelling in Afghanistan and interviewing Afghani children.  In an interview for Page Turners Book Club, Ellis asserts that she is giving voices to people who do not usually appear in books and providing information for children and teens who are “hungry to find out about how the world works and how they can create their own place in the world”. My Name is Parvana is an appropriate companion for Ellis’ non-fiction book Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-ending War and other information texts about children’s lives in Afghanistan.  While Ellis should not be the only voice for Afghani women and children, hers is certainly a powerful and effective one.  Her goal of building connections for young Canadians and creating a climate for understanding is laudable. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer:  Kathy Inglis Kathy Inglis is a teacher-librarian and kindergarten teacher at South Park Family School in Victoria, BC and a Masters student in the Teacher-Librarianship through Distance Learning Program at the University of Alberta. Her favourite part of the job is seeing the excited look on the faces of students who have found that perfect book.

scholarly journals Bug in a Vacuum by M. Watt

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Public Service ◽  
Graphic Design ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Unexpected Event ◽  
Entire Life ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Complex Emotions ◽  
The World ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University

Watt, Mélanie. Bug in a Vacuum. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books, 2015. Print.“It was on top of the world when it happened. Its entire life changed with the switch of a button.” – So begins Bug in a Vacuum, a fun yet serious exploration of the range of emotions one can feel when coping with an unexpected event. A bug’s life is suddenly interrupted when it is sucked up into a vacuum while flying about a house. Tossed and turned, it awakes inside the vacuum and becomes aware of its confinement.  As the bug comes to terms with his predicament, it undergoes an emotional journey of denial, bargaining, anger, despair and acceptance. Interlaced between the bug’s journey, a small dog undergoes the same emotions as it copes with the loss of a toy that was also sucked up by the vacuum.Watt, who is well known for her work on the Scaredy Squirrel series, has truly achieved a golden mean with Bug in a Vacuum. The story is simple and yet deals with very complex emotions. It would be an excellent way to broach the subject of coping and emotions with children, especially those confronting a loss or change. Children can laugh at the bug’s struggles but then also relate to them. The text flows at a good pace, while the illustrations draw you in to explore extra details.The artwork of Bug in Vacuum is particularly unique in that it uses mixed media. The colors are muted and earthy in quality. The textures of furniture, carpets and the interior of the vacuum contrast against the glossy super-large eyes of both the bug and his canine companion. The mixture of artistic and digital textures creates a visually stimulating story of its own, that the reader will want to revisit.With such an excellent narrative and engaging illustrations Bug in Vacuum is bound to become a favorite of children and adults alike.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Hanne PearceHanne Pearce has worked at the University of Alberta Libraries in various support staff positions since 2004 and is currently a Public Service Librarian at the HT Coutts Education and Physical Education Library. Aside from being an avid reader she has continuing interests in writing, photography, graphic design and knitting.

scholarly journals Awake and Dreaming by K. Pearson

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlene Slobodian
Keyword(s):  
Peer Group ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Young Mother ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
Low Pay

Pearson, Kit. Awake and Dreaming. Toronto: Puffin Classics, 2013. Print.Recently published in a new edition by Puffin Classics, Awake and Dreaming feels just as relevant to lonely children as it did when it was first published in 1996. One of Canada’s favourite authors of junior fiction, Pearson’s award-winning tale of a lonely girl, Theo, will wrench at the heartstrings of readers of all ages.Nine-year-old Theo longs to be part of a large family, with brothers and sisters to play with, living a stable life that does not involve moving from apartment to apartment. Her young mother works long hours for low pay, and is focused on her own problems and wants, neglectful, at times, of Theo’s desire to be cared for. Theo uses books as an escape from her dreary and lonely life, daydreaming during school of the kind of large, caring family she reads about in library books.Shortly after Theo and her mother move to their new Vancouver neighbourhood, her mother, Rae, runs into an old friend and they begin to date. Soon Theo is shuttled onto a ferry to Victoria to live with an aunt she barely remembers, until Rae and her boyfriend can “get used to living with each other” and she can return to her mother. While on the ferry, Theo meets her perfect idea of a family, and they welcome her into her home. She lives a wonderful, stable life for a few months, before she starts to be ignored again, this time by the only people whom she thought truly cared about her. A sharp return to her old life leaves her feeling miserable and more lonely than ever. Was her dream family just that, a dream? Will she ever find them again? Who was that strange woman staring at her on the ferry? Readers will have to finish the book to discover the startling and intricate tale behind Theo’s unusual circumstances.Awake and Dreaming is similar in tone to some of Pearson’s other works, which tend to feature lonely and, at times, frightened children, who are forced to confront the harsh realities of the world in which they live. Although this book was published almost twenty years ago, the majority of the content is still relevant and applicable to children growing up across Canada  today. Though the magic in the plot twist is dubious even for those die-hard believers in magic, the message of hope and of Theo’s desperation to belong to her peer group are strongly enforced throughout the novel. A new introduction written by Kenneth Oppel, as well as a character list, author profile, and discussion questions are included in this edition, making it a useful addition to classrooms, libraries, and book clubs.Reviewer: Carlene SlobodianRecommended: 3 stars out of 4Carlene Slobodian is an MLIS candidate at the University of Alberta with a lifelong passion for children’s literature. When not devouring books, she can be found knitting, cooking, or discovering new kinds of tea to sample.

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