scholarly journals Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by M.L. Shetterly and W. Conkling

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Kim
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Black Women ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Difficult Situation ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
True Story ◽  
Space Race ◽  
Arts And Health ◽  
Bachelor Of Education

Shetterly, Margot L and Winifred Conkling. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race. Illustrated by Laura Freeman, Harper, 2018. Based on The New York Times bestselling book and Academy Award-nominated movie, this historical picture book was inspired from the true story of the first four black women who worked at NASA. Author Margot Lee Shetterly follows the careers of these women who were really good at math, and their achievements as black women. Hidden Figures is illustrated by Laura Freeman, who has illustrated over twenty children’s books. To illustrate this book, she read the original book, watched the movie, and did research on NASA’s website to view archival photos. Freeman’s in-depth research has resulted in powerful images that enable the reader to feel the racial discrimination of the time. In addition, through the illustrations, the reader is able to see what the machine computers looked like at the time. An illustrated timeline and glossary page are provided at the end of the book; these pages will help readers to visualize the story. These illustrations will provide interest for all ages. The text is written in simple English. However, there are some scientific terms. Therefore, for younger children, reading this book with adults or reading buddies is recommended. Moreover, going over the glossary pages with children before they read the book will help children to understand the story better. Overall, this book will help children to be aware of sexism and racism and the achievements of black women in the past. Hidden figures is highly recommended for school libraries. Teachers can use this book as a cross-curricular resource for social studies, language arts, and health classes. The message from this book is for readers not to give up on achieving their goals. When children read this book, they can substitute their own difficult situation and get the courage to overcome obstacles. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Melanie Kim Melanie Kim is a University of Alberta Bachelor of Education undergraduate student, who encourages children to learn about children’s literature. Melanie thinks the best way to learn requires reading. 

Polar Bear Morning by L. Thompson

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Polar Bear ◽  
Book History ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
English Literature ◽  
New York Times ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
The University

Thompson, Lauren. Polar Bear Morning. Illus. Stephen Savage. New York: Scholastic Press, 2013. Print.Ten years ago, Lauren Thompson and Stephen Savage collaborated on “Polar Bear Night”, which was a splendid picture book that swiftly became a New York Times best seller. “Polar Bear Morning” follows up on the simple story of a polar bear cub that ventures out onto the arctic tundra for an adventure, but this time our favourite cub meets a new friend. The story begins when the cub emerges from her dark den, peeks out at the clear blue sky, and follows the sound of seagulls. Soon after heading out into the snow and ice, she notices something tumbling down a snow hill. It’s a snow cub! The moment when the cubs first meet is beautifully portrayed in a two-page spread that shows two furry faces in profile looking at each other without words on the pages, which perfectly captures a child’s speechless, wide-eyed bliss upon meeting a new friend.The story continues with several charming scenes that show how the friendship develops: they climb the snow hill and tumble down together; they sprint beside the sea; they race past seals, walruses and whales; they pause at the ice’s edge; and finally, they jump into the sea together. It’s a delightful portrayal of a budding friendship, with simple, yet charming illustrations rendered in a gentle palette of soft blues, greys, pinks, and browns. This picture book is a joy to read and has all the makings of a beloved classic, including frolicsome illustrations, thoughtful design, and a captivating story. It’s a wholly satisfying picture book that will be a pleasure to read again and again.Recommendation: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Robert DesmaraisRobert Desmarais is Head of Special Collections at the University of Alberta and Managing Editor of The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature. A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Studies, with a Book History and Print Culture designation, he also has university degrees in English literature and publishing. He has been collecting and enjoying children’s books for as long as he can remember.

Long live the picture book!

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Special Collections

Ever since The New York Times published an article in October 2010 about the impending demise of the picture book, I have wanted to publish a short screed in its defense. I thought this was an opportune time because so many splendid picture books are featured in our spring issue. Let it be known that I am a devoted fan of children’s picture books. I read them voraciously as an adult, and have done so for as long as I can remember. I collect them. I purchase them in stores and from online booksellers. I present them to friends and little ones as gifts. As a special collections librarian, I also purchase them to complement and strengthen our antiquarian collections. To my immense satisfaction, I am literally surrounded by them. I understand that my passion for picture books is intense, but picture books are essential to feeding the child’s imagination and developing his or her critical thinking skills. A simple keyword search on the University of Alberta Libraries’ online catalogue revealed numerous peer-reviewed articles about the ways that picture books open up imaginative worlds to children; with this richer understanding of stories, children gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world they live in. If we acknowledge that picture books encourage children to construct meaning about characters, events, settings, and so on, then it seems only natural to conclude that picture books are essential to preparing beginning readers for pictureless chapter books. The author of the Times article reported that many parents are saying “My kid doesn’t need books with pictures anymore”, which is utterly shocking especially when we know the important role that pictures play in communication. When we introduce picture books to young readers, we allow them to make connections between their own life experiences and the illustrator’s use of colour, imagery, perspective, characterization, and dramatization. Picture books can provide powerful learning opportunities for children. I am always astonished at how much there is to learn about reading pictures. Whenever I open a picture book, I take great delight in the interpretive process. Indeed, interpretation is the essence of picture books, which is why sharing picture books with children is one of the best ways to develop their critical thinking skills. Are picture books dying “a sad little death”? The answer is obvious. I think not. I hope you enjoy this issue and please do get in touch if you have comments or questions. Robert Desmarais, Managing Editor

scholarly journals I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! by L. Davick

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Young Children ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Series Books ◽  
Words And Images ◽  
The University

Davick, Linda. I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! New York: Simon & Schuster-Beach Lane Books, 2013. Print.Graphic artist, illustrator and animator Linda Davick, whose colourful images have appeared in several seasonal counting series books such as the New York Times bestselling 10 Trick-or-Treaters, has penned her first book for children aimed at celebrating the unique qualities we all have. Starting from our head right down to our toes, the simply drawn children, with fun disproportionately-scaled features and descriptions to portray many kids, show off their various body parts. The book is essentially a whimsical love poem to our bodies that children will find entertaining, both in the prose and the illustrations.  Take this stanza as an example:I love you, nose, though there’s no doubt that when you sneeze some stuff comes out.The images are great, too: a little girl covering her nose to the smell of her baby sibling’s diaper, a child thinking about smelling pepper (spoiler alert: she sneezes), a stinky sock and fragrant flowers; young children will enjoy the interplay of words and images, especially about body parts and functions that are generally not discussed:I love the parts my friends don’t see: the parts that poop, the parts that pee.Ending with a sleepy boy drifting off to sleep, this would be a fun book to read with young children at night as part of a bedtime routine or even as part of an early-years story time, though the latter would certainly create a memorable experience for the students! Highly recommended: 4 stars of out 4 Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.

scholarly journals The Best Birthday Party Ever by J. LaRue Huget

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Elementary Grades ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Birthday Party ◽  
Layer Cake ◽  
The University

Huget, Jennifer LaRue. The Best Birthday Party Ever. Illus. LeUyen Pham. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2011. Print. “My birthday is 5 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, and 8 hours away.  Today I started to plan my party.” And so the planning begins for the 5-year-old soon-to-be birthday girl in this charming picture book.  She has to start planning early if she wants the best birthday party ever.  She is going to invite all 57 of her friends including the mailman and the invitations will be sprinkled with fairy dust.  She will have 9 thousand balloons, streamers and napkins: all in pink.  On the menu is a 17-layer cake, each layer a different flavour, with 6 zillion candles on top.  Not only will there be: a magician, camel rides and a Ferris wheel, but each lucky guest will receive a hamster as a party favour. In a kid-friendly countdown style towards the big day, our sweet party planner gets more and more excited as her birthday approaches and the plans get more and more grandiose.  Only after her mother comments that this birthday party is “getting out of hand” does she agree to skip the sparkly necklaces.  The day finally arrives and while it may not be the party she dreamed of, she is appreciative and enjoys her day so much that she immediately begins plans for her next birthday. This beautifully illustrated read-aloud captures the excitement of a child as she looks forward to her special day and will appeal to lower elementary grades as well as preschoolers.  The whimsical mostly-pink drawings may be initially off-putting to boys but they are certain to relate and enjoy the story. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction. 

Bad Company: The Business of Toxicity

ReAction! ◽  
2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Griep ◽  
Marjorie L. Mikasen
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York Times ◽  
American Film ◽  
Corporate Structure ◽  
Civil Action ◽  
True Story ◽  
Chemical Company ◽  
Knowing That ◽  
Artistic Vision ◽  
Chemical Companies

In the movies, chemical companies maximize profits by poisoning their customers, workers, neighbors, and the environment, or they terrorize or outright kill the heroic insider who becomes a whistleblower. English professor Phillip Lopate argued in the New York Times that movies about business in general present a cartoon view of corporate structure (usually there isn’t one), making them the “fantasy villain,” a nearly faceless evil represented in the narrative by a “wall of Suits” (Lopate 2000). Business professor Ribstein goes further and asserts that the overwhelmingly negative view of business in American film narratives is fueled by filmmakers who feel their artistic vision is constrained by profit-making capitalists (Ribstein 2005). Ribstein begins his argument with a summary of nine movies about “Evil Corporations.” He doesn’t appear to realize that seven of them were companies that handle or produce chemicals: The China Syndrome (1979), Silkwood (1983), The Fugitive (1993), A Civil Action (1998), The Insider (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), and Mission: Impossible II (2000). All of these films, and many others, were considered for inclusion in this chapter but, as the fastest growing category of chemistry in the movies, only two from this evil seven made it into the present chapter: Silkwood (1983) and Erin Brockovich (2000). The evil chemical company theme plays out in several ways. In the deeply satiric comedy Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1998), the pharmaceutical company’s happiness drug provides a foundation upon which the comedy troupe bases their humor. This chemical gravitas also lends weight to a number of fictional dramas that explore the theme of toxicity, such as One Man (1977), I Love Trouble (1994), and The Constant Gardener (2005). The company presidents in these movies murder, or hire thugs to murder, the individuals who choose to expose the toxicity of their products. Evil chemical companies are found in “based on a true story” dramas such as in Silkwood (1983), Erin Brockovich (2000), and Bhopal Express (2001). Knowing that the story is based on true tales of toxic chemicals lends considerable weight to these story lines.

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? by B. Sayers

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Good Night ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Heavy Equipment ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

Sayres, Brianna K. Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? Illus. Christian Slade.  New York: Random House, 2012. Print.If the title Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? seems a tad familiar, well, it probably is.  In the same vein as the ultra-popular Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site, Diggers presents the sweet nighttime rituals of diggers, trucks and other heavy machinery.  At first I thought this was a simple effort to take advantage of a similar, bestselling title however Sayres’ work does indeed hold its own.In this picture book aimed at ages 3-6, first time picture book author Sayres gives young heavy equipment aficionados a delightful take on the bedtime story.  In rhyming couplets and often in a humorous manner, all sorts of trucks, cranes and tractors get ready for rest under the watchful headlamps of their caregivers: “Where do garbage trucks sleep / when they’re done collecting trash? / Do their dads sniff their load and say, / ‘Pee-yew—time to take a bath’?”  Sure to get the young ones giggling.The sleepy-eyed dozers and tow trucks eventually give way to an equally sleepy young boy in his cozy bed, with a reminder that the trucks will be waiting for him when he wakes.  Save for one naughty truck, winking, under the bed (my five-year-old happily pointed this out).Though the illustrations by former Disney animator Christian Slade are rather cartoon-like and not realistic, they match the text well, are in soothing nighttime colours and allow for the trucks to have droopy eyes and smiling faces. Read in a lyrical fashion, or even as a song, this would be a nice end to any wee truck lover’s day.  This would make a nice addition to any public library or as a gift.Reviewer: Debbie Feisst Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Debbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.

scholarly journals Out of the woods: a true story of an unforgettable event bu R. Bond

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Pearce
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Canadian History ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
True Story ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Early Grade ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
The University ◽  
Hotel Workers

Bond, Rebecca. Out of the woods: a true story of an unforgettable event. New York: Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015. Print.The year is 1914 and Antonio lives in Ontario on the edge of lake Gowganda in a hotel run by his mother. The hotel is a curious place to live, with workers who make food, clean and keep things working. There are also all kinds of guests who pass through the hotel that Antonio finds fascinating. Some visitors are sportsmen out to hunt and fish, others are workers who stay longer and have interesting stories to tell. While there are not many children to play with, Antonio’s time is divided by exploring the woods around the hotel and engaging with the hotel workers and guests. When Antonio is only five, a serious forest fire causes all the hotel guests to take refuge in the waters of the lake. Some unlikely visitors join them: the woodland animals from all around them. As they wait for the fire to end, the humans and animals wait in the water. All are held hostage by this catastrophic event.Rebecca Bond has captured this striking story from her grandfather’s life and retold it in a way that reaches out to young readers. The story itself is quite striking as it causes the reader to think about the broad sweeping effects a natural disaster can have. It also makes one reconsider our connection to animals and how we are all vulnerable when it comes to nature. The sketched illustrations in this book have a sense of warmth mixed with dark detail so that children and adults will both enjoy reading the images as much as the text. The images of Antonio’s life come alive in great detail, especially when the forest fire is depicted, with its ominous browns and oranges, which really sets the appropriate mood. This book is likely best for children in early grade school, as younger children may not fully grasp the story.Out of the Woods captures a small piece of Canadian history and presents it alongside a pivotal moment in a young boy’s life. This would be an excellent book for parents and children to read together, so they can discuss it afterwards.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 The Honeybee Man by L. Nargi

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mead-Willis
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Rare Book ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Spare Time ◽  
The University ◽  
Local Ecology ◽  
Wild Blueberry

Nargi, Lela. The Honeybee Man. Illus. Kyrsten Brooker. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2011. Print. This charming picture book chronicles the unconventional cottage industry of Fred, a Brooklynite who spends his spare time tending three colonies of honeybees housed on the roof of his townhouse. As the day unfolds, we follow Fred’s bees as they fan out across the borough, bringing back nectar from the herb gardens, flower pots, and even wild blueberry bushes flowering therein. Fred then harvests the honey and distributes jars of it to his neighbours. With this growing popularity of urban agriculture (and urban apiculture), Nargi’s story is a timely one, clearly aimed at progressive young families interested in the connection between local ecology and human community. The book is transparently but not disagreeably didactic: bee behaviour is examined and explained (both within the context of the story and in a two-page appendix), and the processes of beekeeping and honeymaking are illuminated through Fred’s perambulations within his apartment-cum-apiary. Brooker’s illustrations, a combination of gestural painting and collage, have a patchwork, handmade quality well suited to the book’s overarching preoccupation with all things organic and homespun. Her renderings of Brooklyn’s brownstone vistas are simple in their bright, flat planes of colour, but also satisfyingly dense with decoupaged texture and detail. Like the honey made by Fred’s “tireless Brooklyn bees,” her artwork is both a concentration - and a sweetening - of the teeming heterogeneity of urban life.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Sarah Mead-Willis Sarah 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 The Calling by K. Armstrong

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Character Development ◽  
New York Times ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Biological Father ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Rescue Helicopter ◽  
The University ◽  
Urban Fantasy

Armstrong, Kelley. The Calling. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2012. Print. Ontario writer, Kelley Armstrong, author of the New York Times and Globe and Mail bestselling Darkest Powers young adult urban fantasy trilogy, brings us the second offering of her Darkness Rising trilogy.  The first in the trilogy, 2011’s The Gathering, was previously reviewed in the inaugural issue of Deakin, Vol. 1 No 1. This book is not recommended as a standalone, as The Calling starts immediately where we left off with The Gathering and the author’s recap on events and characters is minimal, which for fans of series is refreshing. Sixteen-year-old Maya Delaney and her friends have been forced to flee from their community of Salmon Creek, a small town on Vancouver Island, during a forest fire that was surely deliberately set.  After their rescue helicopter makes an emergency landing in the remote wilderness, the group is on the run and forced to survive using nothing but their wits and their supernatural abilities that begin to unfold as they find themselves in danger.  Through this we learn more about Maya’s friends as well as the circumstances surrounding the death of her best friend, Serena, in a bizarre swimming accident the previous year. Maya also learns a lot about her own powers but perhaps the most mysterious event is the introduction of Calvin Antone, a man who is pursuing Maya, and who admits to being her biological father. Teen readers will certainly delight in the run-and-hide action as well as the intensifying romance, but I couldn’t help feeling a little let down by The Calling.  After the adrenaline-fuelled and plot-driven action of The Gathering, the lack of storyline and character development in this book was disappointing. With that said, however, we don’t have long to wait to see how things turn out for Maya - the final title in the trilogy, The Rising, is set for release in April 2013. As such, I am giving it three stars out of four on the promise of the final book. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Debbie Feisst Debbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.

scholarly journals The Lonely Book by K. Bernheimer

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Book History ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Public Library ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The Public ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The University

Bernheimer, Kate. The Lonely Book. Illus. Chris Sheban. New York: Random House, 2012. Print.This charming story about a well-loved book will not easily be forgotten. It’s the sort of picture book I would have loved to discover during my childhood visits to the public library. The tale begins in a classic fairytale style, “Once there was a brand-new book that arrived at the library.” As the story unfolds, young readers learn all sorts of details about the inner workings of a public library, including the custom that many of the newest books are placed on a special shelf in a high traffic area.The “lonely book” of this story initially had a popular and fulfilling life on the new book shelf but eventually it is relegated to the children’s section, along with countless other well-loved titles. Years pass, the book becomes a little tattered and worn, and is now checked out all too infrequently. Then, one morning, a little girl named Alice discovers it and falls in love with the story about the girl and her life under a toadstool, and so she takes it home. “The book had never felt so beloved.” Readers will discover how lonely it becomes when Alice forgets to renew her old book, and especially so when it begins a new life in the library’s storage basement. In time, Alice longs for her favourite book and despairs that she may never see it again. The story ends on a cheerful note, however, when Alice is reunited with her once cherished book at the library’s big book sale.For those of us who understand what it is like to cherish a book from our childhood, this book will bring back fond memories. The soft watercolour illustrations complement the story beautifully and they evoke a magical time when children fall in love with books, read them late into the night, fall asleep with them under their pillows, and dream sweet dreams about favourite characters and events.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Robert DesmaraisRobert Desmarais is Head of Special Collections at the University of Alberta and Managing Editor of The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature. A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Studies, with a Book History and Print Culture designation, he also has university degrees in English literature and publishing. He has been collecting and enjoying children’s books for as long as he can remember.

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