scholarly journals The Promise by N. Davies

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Wilson McCune
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Catholic School ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
School Division ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Award Winning

Davies, Nicola. The Promise. Illus. Laura Carlin. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.This is a picture book that may be read again and again.  Its meaning and message has several layers and needs to be peeled like an onion.  Davies and Carlin work together seamlessly to create and build tone and mood throughout the book while the reader is taken on a journey.The Promise is the story of a young girl living and growing up in a “mean and hard and ugly” city who has a chance encounter with an old lady.  A promise is made that will change everything.Davies, a zoologist, is an award winning author and has written several other children’s books about nature and animals.  In The Promise she develops a story that emphasizes the importance of our relationship with nature, particularly in the urban setting. The illustrations by Laura Carlin, are beautifully crafted from mixed media.  For a children’s book, they are at first shockingly gloomy and depressing. This however, perfectly matches Davies descriptive and figurative language of an ugly city where, the “streets were dry as dust… never blessed with rain” and “a gritty yellow wind blew constantly, scratching around the buildings like a hungry dog.”  The pages are initially dark, moody and mysterious, playing with various shades of gray and sepia. As the story line becomes more uplifting and lively, so do the pictures with pops of colour. Bright reds, greens, oranges and yellows, show bright displays of life and activity as “Green spread through the city like a song”. Carlin’s illustrations not only enhance the messages portrayed in the words of the book, but also build mood and evoke emotion.The Promise is a story of hope and how one person can be the change in this world.  This book is appropriate for all ages, but the depth of the messages and multiple layers make it well suited for upper elementary.  Teachers and librarians will want this book in their library.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Michele Wilson McCuneAs an elementary school teacher for Edmonton Catholic School Division and a mother of four, Michele loves reading and sharing literature with the important children in her life.  She is currently working on completing her master’s degree in Elementary Education with a focus in Language and Literacy.

scholarly journals Drawn Together by M. Le

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darcy Courtland
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Indigenous Education ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Good Picture ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Linguistic Barriers ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Linguistic Divide

Le, Minh. Drawn Together. Illustrated by Dan Santat, Disney Hyperion, 2018. Drawn Together is a work of art created by Minh Le, author of award winning, Let Me Finish!, and illustrated by Caldecott Medalist, Dan Santat. This beautiful story depicts the cultural and linguistic divide between a young boy and his grandfather. The book invites the reader to walk alongside these two characters as they struggle with their differences only to stumble upon their similarities. Bringing together two generations of artists, the story revels in the characters’ imaginations as they create a vivid world of artistic adventures and compassion. Inhibited by the linguistic barriers that once isolated the characters, Minh Le’s limited, yet well crafted, text serves to support Dan Santat’s captivating illustrations that “draw” the grandfather and young boy closer. Detailed facial expressions and rich illustrations heighten the reading experience and weave together a story that both literally and metaphorically bridges the space between a grandfather and his grandson. Whether you are curling up with young ones at home or searching for a beautiful book for your classroom library, look no further. This one is guaranteed to draw you in! Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 StarsReviewer: Darcy Courtland Darcy Courtland loves a good picture book! After seven years in the classroom, Darcy has returned to the University of Alberta to pursue a PhD in Elementary Education. Always up for a new adventure, Darcy is excited to be furthering her education in language and literacy and Indigenous education.

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 New Zealand's award winning children's books 1982-1992 : is there any correlation between adult choice and children's preferences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Helen Beckingsale
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
North Shore ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Government Printer ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government

<p>This is a study of New Zealand children's book awards from 1982-1992. It compares the popularity of award winning and shortlisted titles for the Esther Glen and Russell Clark Awards, administered by the New Zealand Library Association, the Government Printer Awards for Children's Book of the Year and Picture Book of the Year, 1982-1988, and the first three years of the AIM Children's Book Awards when there were two categories only. The popularity of the books has been assessed using borrowing records from North Shore Public Libraries. A brief overview is given of the history of children's book awards and what qualities are considered to make a good children's book and which geres are most popular. Judges comments, reviews and the popularity rank of each book are presented in a year by year analysis. The study concludes that fantasy, followed by realism are the most popular genres and that historical fiction written during this time has been unpopular with library borrowers. The readership of some picture books has been affected by their non-fiction classification. There is a strong preference for particular authors and author/illustrators regardless of which books have won awards.</p>

scholarly journals News and Announcements

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sulz
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
American Literature ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Website Design ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Caldecott Medal ◽  
Summer Reading ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Library Studies

Welcome to spring for many of our readers - except those of us in northern Alberta where winter, beautiful winter, just won’t let go this year. You can be sure that we will appreciate spring all the more when it finally takes hold.On a sad note, Andrea Deakin (for whom this publication is named), informed us that Jan Ormerod recently passed away.  The Guardian’s obituary of Sunday, February 3, 2013 reminds us that Jan Ormerod “brought a fresh vision to children's picturebooks with her luminous images, storytelling genius and understanding of how children behave” and that she was “admired for her ability to cut away all that was unnecessary in her stories.” (www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/03/jan-ormerod).Although too late for interested groups to participate in the voting this year, the Rocky Mountain Book Award winners will be announced on April 23, 2013. This is a readers’ choice award in its 13th year where groups of students in grades 4-7 read, then vote for, their favourite book from a shortlist of “exemplary Canadian literature” chosen by a committee of teachers, librarians, parents, and students. The award is sponsored in part by the Lethbridge (Alberta) school district and the University of Lethbridge. All the information about participating and pervious winners is at http://rmba.lethsd.ab.ca/index.htm (although the website design is a little challenging to use).As indicated in our last issue, the various 2013 awards from the Association for Library Service to Children division of the American Library Association have been announced. The 2013 Newbery Medal (contribution to American literature for children) winner was The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. The 2013 Caldecott Medal (picture book artist) winner wasThis Is Not My Hat, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. For other medal winners as well as “honor book” recognition, see www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia.By the way, if keeping track of book awards is a favourite past-time, have a look at the Canadian Children’s Award Index posted by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre at www.bookcentre.ca/awards/canadian_awards_index. I hope you have lots of free time if you want to keep track of them all.On that note, have a wonderful spring and start setting aside piles of books for your summer reading pleasure.David Sulz, Communications EditorDavid is a Public Services Librarian at University of Alberta and liaison librarian to Economics, Religious Studies, and Social Work. He has university studies in Library Studies, History, Elementary Education, Japanese, and Economics;  he formerly taught in schools and museums. His interests include physical activity, music, home improvements, and above all, things Japanese.

scholarly journals Baby’s Got the Blues by C. Diggory Shields

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheena Newbury
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Catholic School ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Elementary Music ◽  
Musical Style ◽  
Carol Shields ◽  
Baby Blues ◽  
The Family ◽  
Title One

Diggory Shields, Carol. Baby’s Got the Blues. Illus. Lauren Tobia. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.With the word Baby in the title, one might believe that this book is suitable only for pre-school children. The author, Carol Shields, erases this assumption with the first sentence: “You think babies have it easy?” The book, Baby’s Got the Blues, is told from the perspective of the youngest in the family, and pays tribute to all the trials and tribulations that Baby encounters- full diapers, the inability to talk, eat pizza, walk, and having to sleep in a crib. In the end, all of Baby’s blues are wiped away when the best part of being a baby is revealed- cuddles.Written in the Blues musical style, with rhythm and  beat, those who are inclined could easily find themselves singing this story out loud, even improvising their own lines. The repeated refrain, “Cause I’m a baby, And I’ve got those baby blues. B-A-B-Y, baby, Got the poor little baby blues,” changes slightly after each verse to reflect Baby’s blues. For example, the word “blues” in the first line of the refrain is substituted for “stinkeroos” after Baby deals with a stinky diaper.The illustrations of this picture book highlight Baby’s world and help to tell Baby’s story in a fun way that includes Baby’s rabbit stuffy, which seems to experience the same trials and tribulations that Baby does. I highly recommend this book for babies, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and budding Blues musicians alike. Shield’s tells of Baby’s blues in a way that is enjoyable and will get even the most non-musical tapping their foot.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sheena NewburySheena is an elementary music teacher with Edmonton Catholic School and is currently working on completing her Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She loves reading and sharing literature with her music classes.

scholarly journals Gerbil, Uncurled by A. Hughes

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Hard Time ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
The University

Hughes, Alison. Gerbil, Uncurled. Illus. Suzanne Del Rizzo. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2015. Print.Gerbil, Uncurled is the latest in Fitzhenry & Whiteside’s ‘Tell-Me-More! Storybook’ series and the 2nd title to use award-winning children’s book illustrator Suzanne Del Rizzo’s unique plasticine dimensional illustrations, the 1st being Skink on the Brink. The ‘Tell-Me-More! Storybook’ series is a set of fictional picture books that tell a tale about our natural world and include additional activities and brief informational text.This is award-winning writer Alison Hughes’ first foray into picture book territory, and she succeeds.  The storyline is sweet: Little Gerbil is trying her very best to fit in with her gerbil family by following the Gerbil Mottos. The Gerbil Mottos are the basic life rules that her extended family follow daily, and include keeping one’s whiskers clean and ‘celery tops come to those who wait,’ among others.  Little Gerbil is having a hard time with a specific motto, though; ‘curl up nose to toes’ while sleeping, as she finds it too restrictive and enjoys sleeping stretched out. Little Gerbil confides in wise Grandpa Gerbil who is ‘five whole years old’ and while he is sensitive to her predicament, she still can’t sleep curled up nose to toes though she certainly tries.  But our Little Gerbil is brave, and in her willingness to stand up for herself and question the world, others are able to question the mottos, too.This delightful and visually appealing book encourages young readers to be themselves, ask questions and respond positively to suggestions if it can make you happier.  The factual information about gerbils and other rodents as well as the instructions on making a clay gerbil are great endings to the book.Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  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 New Zealand's award winning children's books 1982-1992 : is there any correlation between adult choice and children's preferences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Helen Beckingsale
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
North Shore ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Government Printer ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government

<p>This is a study of New Zealand children's book awards from 1982-1992. It compares the popularity of award winning and shortlisted titles for the Esther Glen and Russell Clark Awards, administered by the New Zealand Library Association, the Government Printer Awards for Children's Book of the Year and Picture Book of the Year, 1982-1988, and the first three years of the AIM Children's Book Awards when there were two categories only. The popularity of the books has been assessed using borrowing records from North Shore Public Libraries. A brief overview is given of the history of children's book awards and what qualities are considered to make a good children's book and which geres are most popular. Judges comments, reviews and the popularity rank of each book are presented in a year by year analysis. The study concludes that fantasy, followed by realism are the most popular genres and that historical fiction written during this time has been unpopular with library borrowers. The readership of some picture books has been affected by their non-fiction classification. There is a strong preference for particular authors and author/illustrators regardless of which books have won awards.</p>

scholarly journals What Do You Do With A Problem? by K. Yamada

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry Murugan
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Graduate Student ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Elementary School Teacher ◽  
White Space ◽  
Intended Audience

Yamada, Kobi. What Do You Do With A Problem?, illustrated by Mae Besom. Compendium, 2016.This second collaboration of Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom offers children and adults alike some advice on how to deal with the universal task of dealing with a problem. The story follows the struggle of a child who encounters a problem that just won’t go away. It is through the child’s narrative that we, immerse ourselves. We can feel this struggle, the immense pains and terrifying feelings because all humans big and small have all dealt with the same question “What do you do with a Problem?” Fortunately, Yamada offers readers a solution. Like with many things in life, we must face it. Once the child finds the courage to tackle the problem, it becomes something other than what the child first imagined it to be.The illustrations by Mae Besom beautifully capture the feelings and emotions that are present when someone finds themselves in the throes of a problem. The illustrator’s combination of pencil and water colours create strong images of the struggles and emotions that are displayed in the book. Her use of line and her specific use of colour in contrast with white space alerts the reader to the change in the problem solving stages, one of frustration and struggle to resolution.While this picture book has an intended audience of children ages 5 to 12, the story itself and the lesson learned will resonate with all children and the young at heart.What Do You Do with a Problem? would be an excellent addition to libraries and home collections.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sherry MuruganSherry is a Graduate student in the department of Elementary Education.  She is a mother of two and an elementary school teacher who loves to share stories with her children and students.

scholarly journals The Funeral by M. James

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yina Liu
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
First Year ◽  
Early Childhood Educator ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Church

James, Matt. The Funeral. Groundwood Books-House of Anansi Press, 2018. The Funeral, written by Matt James, focuses on a day that Norma goes to her Uncle Frank’s funeral. While this book will appeal to children, it is also good for adults to look at something heavy in life, such as a funeral, through a child’s eye. In a relaxed tone and cozy painting style, the story starts with Norma finding out that she won’t have to go to school on the day of her uncle’s funeral. She is excited about the day off and the “plan” of the day, playing with her cousin. Throughout the funeral, the story is developed through Norma’s eyes, showing how she experiences the time with her cousin. Before Norma leaves the funeral, she thinks Uncle Frank would have loved his funeral, since she noticed he was smiling right at her in his photo. Instead of a heavy, didactic teaching of the meaning of death, Matt explores a delicate way to describe a funeral from a child’s perspective. For example:  There was a little flag [which said FUNERAL] on the car that drove them to the church. Norma tried to sound out the word printed on it.“F-U-N,” she said.And then she said it again.   Matt James, a Canadian artist, is an illustrator of many picture books. With this picture book, James debuts as a writer and illustrator. The illustrations of the book are mostly acrylic and ink on masonite. Also, this book is the first time he combined a few digital pieces on the background illustrations. This book would tie in perfectly to a classroom talk about funerals and similar occasions and illustrates what a funeral is like from a child’s perspective.  Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Yina Liu Yina Liu is a first year PhD student in Language and Literacy, in the department of Elementary Education. Her research interests are digital literacies and children's literature, especially digital picture books. She finished her Master's degree at the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a preschool classroom as an early childhood educator for a year in Saskatchewan.   

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.

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