scholarly journals The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by J. Bryant

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Mixed Media ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Right ◽  
The University

Bryant, Jen. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. Illus. M. Sweet. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 2014. Print.Although it is difficult to find the ‘right word’ to describe this book, thanks to Peter Roget, it is much easier … exceptional, marvelous, superb, pleasing, or wonderful. Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet have teamed up to write their third picture book biography, this time about Peter Mark Roget and the journey that culminated with the publication of his Thesaurus.The story takes us through the life of Peter Roget, from a shy and lonely child to a successful doctor. Peter discovered as a child that books made good friends, and he developed a love of words. Throughout his life and experiences, Peter organized words into lists, enabling him to find the right words when he needed them. With the encouragement of his children much later in life, Peter spent three more years finalizing and organizing his many lists. In 1852, his Thesaurus was published.Complimenting this story is a visual experience comprised of a collage of paintings and mixed media. The effect is entrancing, giving the eye so many wonderful treasures to discover to go along with the text. While the magic of getting the answer to a question you did not know you had may be lost on children who have never seen a Roget’s Thesaurus, it is still a delightful book. Younger children will connect with one of the many aspects of Peter’s life growing up and the wide array of illustrations. Older children will connect with deeper themes, and pour over the many facets of the mixed media illustrations. And don’t miss the timeline, author’s note, and illustrator’s note at the end!As soon as I finished the book, I immediately turned to the beginning to read through again and see what I might discover the second time through.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Cindy JacksonCindy loved to read to her children as they were growing up, and now continues to impart her love of stories as a teacher with her grade six students. One of Cindy’s claims to fame is her daughter, who now carries on the tradition of storytelling with HER grade two students! Cindy is currently working on her Masters at the University of Alberta, focusing on language and literacy.

scholarly journals In the Red Canoe by L. Davidson

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Skow
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
French Immersion ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University ◽  
Book Publishers

Davidson, Leslie A. In The Red Canoe, illustrated by Laura Bifano. Orca Book Publishers, 2016.“In the Red Canoe” is a fictional picture book written by Leslie A. Davidson and illustrated by Laura Bifano. This beautiful story takes place by a lakeside cottage and follows the magical exploration of nature by a grandfather and his grandchild. As they paddle along the lake in a red canoe, they are surrounded by the many delightful elements of nature including vibrant flowers, elusive frogs and soaring birds. Written in first person through the eyes of a young child, this book engages all readers who may have grown up with a family cottage and stimulates the curiosity of readers who may have not yet had the chance to explore nature.The poetic pattern of this text is presented in a smooth, rhythmic way. The descriptive language is delicate and the beauty of nature is captured through strong imagery. The author’s chosen words of “We don’t say much we mostly look” represent the magic of this book as the elegance of this story could have been depicted solely with the images.The vivid illustrations of this story capture the breathtaking scenery that exists in the outdoors and celebrate the personal connection of grandparent and grandchild through painted images of physical and emotional closeness. The pictures do not clearly specify the gender of the grandchild which make this story easy for most children to connect with.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kerstin SkowKerstin Skow is a grade 2 french immersion teacher with Edmonton Public Schools and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at the University of Alberta. Kerstin was an avid reader growing up and enjoys fostering a love of reading in her students.

scholarly journals Black Cat Bone: the Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson by J. P. Lewis

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Sivak
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
The United States ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Poetic Text ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University

Lewis, J. P. Black Cat Bone: the Life of Blues Legend Robert Johnson. Illus. Gary Kelley. Mankato: Creative Editions, 2006. Print.Although this book is designed as a large-format picture book, Black Cat Bone is more likely to appeal to older children (middle school and adolescents) as a poetic text, with its rich illustrations and unusual narrative flow. The foreword of the book addresses a reader who knows some about blues musicians, as well as has some hint of the history of blues music in the United States. The language of the text is not trying to tell a linear story, but to be more evocative of a time, and of some of the historical context. The book actually has several texts: the address of the historical context that bookends the work, the bluesy poems which make up the majority of the text, excerpts from Johnson's own lyrics, and a footer running throughout the book, which provides aphoristic summaries of Johnson's story: “He was destined for legend not a field hand's work.” Each text tells a part of the interpretation of Johnson's story. With the images, it adds up to a faceted narrative of the man and his musical legacy. The illustrations alternate between impressionistic pastels in deep dark colours, reinforcing the air of mystery around Johnson's life as understood by popular culture. Kelley's other illustrative style is reminiscent of Indonesian shadow-puppets, dramatic and exaggerated in their execution. A particularly lovely example is show in full on the cover, a depiction of Johnson and the devil facing each other, each with a hand on the guitar. This image is reproduced in the text, split by the page turn in a clever design turn. Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer: Allison SivakAllison Sivak is the Assessment Librarian at the University of Alberta Libraries. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Library and Information Studies and Elementary Education, focusing on how the aesthetics of information design influence young people’s trust in the credibility of information content.

scholarly journals Kiviuq and the Bee Woman by N. McDermott

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
School Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Human Skulls ◽  
The University ◽  
Library Collections

McDermott, Noel.  Kiviuq and the Bee Woman. Iqauit, NU, Inhabit Media, 2019. When we last heard of Kiviuq, he had just survived a harrowing encounter with scary monster mermaids or tuutalik (Deakin Review by Kirk MacLeod). In Kiviuq and the Bee Woman, the grandfather who narrated Kiviuq and the Mermaid continues the bedtime story to his grandchildren. Kiviuq begins paddling home, but comes upon a tent where an old woman invites him to rest and dry his clothing. She turns out to be a giant Bee Woman who wants to cut up Kiviuq and put him in her cooking pot. For a bedtime story, both the text and the illustrations are quite scary. Illustrator Toma Feizo Gas lets us see into the dark, dramatic and frightening world of the Bee Woman, who is a determined killer. “She shouted, ‘I am Iguttarjuaq, the Bee Woman, and I am going to kill you with my ulu’.”  The accompanying image shows a woman with pointy teeth and insect mouth pincers, who is shaking a sharp ulu (knife) at Kiviuq. As is the case with many of Inhabit Media’s publications, the reading level is higher than one would expect to find in a picture book. For younger children, this book will need some adult intervention. In addition to the scary content, human skulls talk, the woman eats her own eyelids and “Kiviuq, realized the woman was boiling human meat.” Some of the language is difficult. For example, Kiviuq “fainted” of fright, but “feinted” to get away. McDermott also intersperses many Inuktitut words, which will slow down younger readers. These are defined at the end of the book. Overall, this excellent product from Inhabit Media should be included in public library collections and school library collections, but should probably be placed in collections designed for older children.  Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell Sandy 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 Snail & Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends by T. Kügler

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Jin
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Children's Picture Books ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Master's Thesis ◽  
Inner Child ◽  
The University

Kügler, Tina. Snail & Worm: Three Stories about Two Friends. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.Author, illustrator, and perhaps the friend of snails and worms in her backyard, Tina Kügler introduces readers to this hilarious book with three little stories of two best friends—a lovely Snail with a droll sense of humor and imagination, and a friendly Worm with a generous heart. In the first story, when Snail joyously plays with the rock, Bob, and the stick, Ann, we can see our lovely and naïve toddlers, and even our inner child. In the next story, when Worm warmly encourages Snail to climb to the top of a tall flower, we can recall how our families, teachers, and friends firmly support us even when we do silly things. And finally, when Snail and Worm have the interesting conversation about their pets, no one can refuse but smile sentimentally. They are not invertebrates anymore, but are as lively as our children, our friends, and ourselves.The dialogic text as well as the storyboard-style illustration adds a flavour of children’s comic-strip to this picture book. The fresh yet soft colour of the drawings creates a snug feeling like spring for readers. Its funny plot, vivid illustrations, and simple vocabulary will definitely be loved by pre-school and kindergarten children. The text and the illustrations are perfectly married with each other. The hilarious dialogues can be easily memorized by young students and even pre-readers, but would also fit well for a drama performance in the classroom.This book will make you giggle with your toddlers or even with your adult family and friends; I can’t wait to read more Snail & Worm adventures!Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Jing JinJing Jin is a doctoral student at University of Alberta, studying and working in the fields of language and literacy in elementary education. She received her M.A. degree in children’s literature from Ocean University of China, and her M.Ed. degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Her master’s thesis is a comparative study of selected award-winning Canadian and Chinese children’s picture books.

scholarly journals Wall by T. M. Cole

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Chavda
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
School Level ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Berlin Wall ◽  
Public School District ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University

Cole, Tom Clohosy. Wall. London: Templar Books, 2014. Print.Author and illustrator Tom Clohosy Cole tells a poignant story about a little boy separated from his father by the Berlin Wall. The boy worries about his father on the other side of the great divide and dreams of the day when they will find each other again, all with the looming presence of the barb-wired Wall in the background of every page. Inspired by true stories of people being reunited with their loved ones, Cole writes from a little boy’s perspective about hope and his courageous journey with his family to find his father.Although there are very few words in this picture book, the mood is captured with Cole’s use of simple and dark illustrations that evoke a sense of sadness then eloquently juxtaposes these images with brighter pictures of the opposite side of the Wall representing the possibility of hope. You will need time to read these images as they truly capture the treacherous passage that many people risked their lives to take to find peace for themselves. Cole focalizes his illustrations from the perspective of the boy looking out into his world and suddenly manages to shift this perspective as if the reader is the boy looking out during one of the most dramatic scenes in the story. Will this family be unified at last? Find out when you read this story of enduring hope in a seemingly impossible situation.I strongly recommend this story for upper elementary students as they may relate to the idea of separation from family, but they may struggle with understanding the political themes within this story.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Krishna ChavdaKrishna Chavda is an elementary school teacher for the Elk Island Public School District. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in the area of Language and Literacy at the University of Alberta. She is passionate about the area of literacy at the primary school level.

Going Ape! by E. Bustos & L. Rodríguez

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trish Chatterley
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Age Group ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Full Page ◽  
Group I ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University

Bustos, Eduardo and Lucho Rodríguez. Going Ape! Toronto: Tundra Books, 2012. Print.There are many playful stories about monkeys available for young children, so it’s an asset to have this non-fiction picture book for the same age group where the primates are depicted as they are in nature rather than as characters in a narrative. This is an English translation of a Spanish book originally published in 2004.In two to three sentences, author Eduardo Bustos highlights a couple of unique points of interest for each of ten ape species. While jumping so quickly from one ape to another makes the text seem a little disjointed, the short length is appropriate for young readers. I appreciated that the work includes not just the commonly known apes like chimpanzees and gorillas, but also lesser known species like the Allen’s Swamp Monkey that has webbed feet! The text on the last page breaks from the format used previously; the full page highlights the variation that can be witnessed among the many ape species in the world in terms of size, coloring, and diet. Since the style already diverges significantly and seems aimed at a slightly older age group, I was left wanting more elaboration. For instance, following the statement, “It is interesting to learn about their habits,” I would have liked further details.The illustrations are the best feature of the book. The stylized images capture the recognizable looks of the various species. Each is represented by a full-page illustration of the ape’s face, as well as a smaller image of the full ape in its natural habitat on the opposing page with the text. There are over 200 species of primates in the world. The title page depicts twelve different types of apes, so I was disappointed that descriptions of only ten were included. Overall, though, it provides a nicely illustrated introduction to the world of primates.Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Trish ChatterleyTrish is a Public Services Librarian for the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. In her free time she enjoys dancing, gardening, and reading books of all types.

scholarly journals Why Did Grandma Put Her Underwear In The Refrigerator?: An Explanation Of Alzheimer's Disease For Children by M. Wallack & C. Given

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Loved One ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Boston University ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Right ◽  
The University

Wallack, Max, and Carolyn Given. Why Did Grandma Put Her Underwear In The Refrigerator?: An Explanation Of Alzheimer's Disease For Children.  n.p.: [United States] : Puzzles To Remember, Inc., 2013. Print.This book is a must read for any family affected by Alzheimer’s with elementary school- aged children. Co-author Max Wallack has the right credentials for this project both personally and professionally. At the time the book was published, Max was a 17 year old junior and researcher in the Molecular Psychiatry in Aging Laboratory at Boston University School of Medicine. He was also caregiver to his great grandmother who had Alzheimer's disease and foundedwww.PuzzlesToRemember.org.The book is told from the point of view of 7 year old Julie, who recounts her experiences over the past three years of living with her grandmother who has Alzheimer's.  It conveys several important and complex themes in crayon-like drawings and simple text that would appeal to children. Some of the images also appear to be a combination of drawing and somewhat pixelated computer generated images. However, on the whole it fits with the child’s perspective. In addition, it states in the inside flap that 50% of the proceeds from the book will support Alzheimer’s research and the care of Alzheimer’s patients.When Grandma first comes to live with them she and Julie are very close and do lots of activities together. As the disease progresses, Grandma is able to do less but Julie finds new ways of maintaining their relationship such as: taking walks outside, telling her Grandma happy stories when she becomes confused or afraid, getting her a special red plate and cutting her food to help her remember to eat, and colouring or drawing together.The stressful and embarrassing situations presented in the book would be particularly useful in helping children to understand what can happen, why and ways to address these types of issues. When grandma leaves the house by herself in the middle of the night without her coat and is brought home by the police, Julie’s mother explains: “Grandma is probably having beautiful memories of her childhood and she wanted to find the place where she used to live so she could enjoy more of those happy, wonderful times.” The family then installs a bell on the door so they always know when someone is going in or out. Through Julie, the authors acknowledge that it is normal for children to feel worried, embarrassed and upset in these types of situations. Grandma is so terrified of Julie’s Halloween costume that she begins to cry. Julie has to remove it and cannot go trick or treating. Julie’s reaction is honest: “I was really angry at Grandma...the next day I felt sorry...I know it’s not her fault...but I’m also sad that my Halloween was spoiled”.The authors use kid-friendly metaphors to explain how the disease affects the brain. For example, one illustration depicts the transmission of messages across brain cells as a baseball being pitched and caught. In the cells affected by Alzheimer’s the pitcher drops the ball.The authors also highlight the humorous side of things such as when Grandma puts her underwear in the refrigerator or a toothbrush in the toaster. The book concludes with a brief section about the role of medicine, scientists and research studies.On a personal note, as someone who has also been a caregiver for a grandmother with Alzheimer's disease, the most touching aspect is that it teaches children how to maintain a close bond with a loved one in spite of the many challenges they will face together.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Kim FrailKim is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. Children’s literature is a big part of her world at work and at home. She also enjoys gardening, renovating and keeping up with her kids.

scholarly journals Wear a Helmet! Healthy Safety Habits by M.E. Salzmann

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Borle
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Older Children ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Balanced Approach ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Average Readers

Salzmann, Mary Elizabeth.  Wear a Helmet!  Healthy Safety Habits.  Minneapolis, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2015, Print.This small picture book is levelled to the third or “transitional” reading level defined in the Sandcastle series.  This series is designed for use in “shared, guided and independent reading and writing activities to support a balanced approach to literacy instruction”.  The subject of the book is health and safety.   Each photograph shows a child doing something that promotes safety:  wearing a bike helmet, a life preserver or a seatbelt.  Other children are shown washing hands, using a pot holder and seated at a computer to illustrate online safety.  The children featured are in the 7-9 age range and are named to allow readers to relate to them more easily.  Younger children will look up to older children pictured doing the right things. The text is short and very simple, designed for children who are not yet fluent readers.  However, for average readers, who might pick up this book in a library, the text would be most appropriate for the lower end of the recommended age 4-9 audience.   There is a brief quiz at the end of the book, aimed at a low comprehension level.  Strangely, some of the definitions in the glossary contain words that are well above the reading level of the book.  For example, the definition of the word “germ” includes the word “organism”.  While this book is designed for reading enhancement programs, it does model useful health and safety ideas, so would be a good addition for school and public libraries.Recommendation:   3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sean BorleSean Borle is a University of Alberta undergraduate student who is an advocate for child health and safety.

scholarly journals Work: An Occupational ABC by K. Hatanaka

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Short Description ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Full Page ◽  
Coffee Table ◽  
The Many ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

Hatanaka, Kellen. Work: An Occupational ABC. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014. Print.At first glance, you may look at this book and think it just like the myriad of other ABC books for young children and preschoolers, but you would be delightfully wrong!  Yes, of course, each letter from A to Z is represented and indeed each letter is accompanied by an image that characterizes the letter.  But that is where the similarities end. Toronto-based designer, illustrator and artist Kellen Hatanaka, who can now also call himself a first time author, has created a beautiful and unexpected piece of art for the youngest readers and it is as much a delight to read as it is to behold.  With creamy paper and softly-coloured images, created digitally after first creating ‘hand-drawn patterns and images’, it is reminiscent of a small person’s version of a coffee table book, if said coffee table were in a nursery.It starts out simple enough, with A for Aviator and a full page spread with a boldly-coloured A as well as mountain tops that echo the A’s shape.  The next page, however, alerts the reader to the fun in store – B is for Butcher, shown chasing after a group of raccoons who have absconded with a string of sausages. Yes, there are occupations like Grocer and Tailor but there are also the Ice Cream Vendor, K-9 Officer and the Wedding Singer! What’s wonderful to note are the many alternative occupations, some that you may have not have heard of, and that there is a nice mix of women, men, and cultures taking part. For the curious reader, there is a section of funny ‘Want Ads’ which provides a short description of the occupation.This would make a wonderful new baby gift and is an excellent addition to a home or public library.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 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 Long, Long Line by T. Ohmura

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Long Line ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The University

Ohmura, Tomoko. The Long, Long Line. Toronto, ON: OwlKids Books, 2013. Print."Thank you for waiting, and welcome aboard! One at a time, please!" mentions the bird, who is the ride guide on this mysterious ride for which 50 different animals have patiently lined up. As they wait, the bird flies amongst them, offering reassuring words as they guess as to what they may be in line for and play word games to pass the time.  The anticipation builds, and finally they start boarding the ride, which turns out to be a very large whale on which the animals ride while the whale performs somersaults, dives and sprays. Children will be delighted by all 50 animals represented on the large gatefold spread in the center of the book, from the smallest frog to the largest elephant.Children will love the small details such as the tail of the next animal in line ‘peeking’ around the corner of the page and the size of the animals increasing as they get closer to the ride giving perspective of size. A list of all 50 animals is included at the back for easy reference when young readers get stumped by a species. While this is indeed a picture book aimed at young children it is no quick read – children will want to hear every word of the animals’ conversations as they wait and will want to count as they go, and likely once all the animals are aboard the whale they will want to confirm there are indeed 50 animals present, perhaps multiple times.The colourful illustrations by the author are cute and engaging and show a wide range of expressions and interplay between the animals.  The language felt slightly unnatural but this may be a result of this edition being a translation of the original Japanese work Nanno Gyoretsu? A fun book for public and elementary schools as well as a nice addition to science or math based storytime in lower elementary grades.The Long, Long Line was selected as one of the best children’s books of 2013 by Kirkus Reviews.Recommended: 3 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.

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