scholarly journals Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend by A. Yabuki

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberlee Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School District ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Real Life ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Main Character ◽  
Public School District ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Curriculum And Pedagogy ◽  
The University

Yabuki, Akiko. Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend. POW!, 2016.The motivational picture book, Ishi, written and illustrated by Akiko Yabuki, with art direction from Yuko Brown, demonstrates to the reader how to cope with everyday feelings and experiences. The main character, Ishi, is a rock who encounters situations in the story that all readers would likely experience and shows the reader how he manages them. Ishi is illustrated using distinct real life photographs that specifically match the text, making it an appropriate text for all readers. Ishi is found in numerous familiar settings throughout the book that the reader would recognize: a road, a pile of leaves, a plate of food. The author informs readers that everyone has “gloomy” days and educates them on methods to use to get through the dark days. For example, when Ishi feels hopeless, he surrounds himself with dreamers.The storybook is simple, yet engaging as it encourages the reader to reflect on the situations that Ishi is in and develop coping strategies to deal with them. By the end of the book, readers should have a calm presence, and a toolbox full of techniques to use when they themselves are in difficult situations.Ishi is a book that elementary school libraries and teachers should have. The limited text and language used clearly describes each illustration so even young children can read this book. Children who are upset or sad would benefit from reading this book. This inspirational picture book also can give children ideas as to how they can handle their situations.Readers could find their own Ishi rock and photograph situations where they feel solemn and what they do in order to feel better.Recommended 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kimberlee JohnsonKimberlee Johnson is a grade three teacher in the St. Albert Public School District and is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of Alberta. Kimberlee loves how her students give her honest and true opinions about each and every book they read.

scholarly journals Lesson for the Wolf by R. & S. Qitsualik-Tinsley

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Face Length ◽  
Good Starting Point ◽  
The University

Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley.  Lesson for the Wolf.  Illus. Alan Cook. Iqaluit, NU:  Inhabit Media, 2015. Print.The writing duo of Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley are back with a story about being comfortable in your own skin, literally.  The wolf in this story is not happy to be a wolf, so with the help of “the magic of the land”, he acquires owl’s feathers, the wolverine’s tail and the caribou’s antlers.  But he cannot fly like the owl or eat lichen like the caribou and he is too different from the wolves, so he becomes sad, lonely and starves.  Eventually he learns the beauty of being himself and the magic of the land restores him.  The story is a lovely Arctic fable on the lesson of being true to one’s self. Alan Cook’s paintings capture the wildness of the Arctic, with sweeping brush-strokes and suggestions of distant landscapes.  The animals are all cartoon-like creatures, sometimes verging on caricature.  Both the wolves and the caribou are drawn with over-accentuated face length and extreme thinness of the abdomen. Children who are struggling to be satisfied with and confident in their identities may be able to identify with the wolf.  This book would be a good starting point for discussion.  Highly recommended for elementary school libraries and public libraries.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 Mamaqtuq! by The Jerry Cans

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Throat Singing ◽  
The University ◽  
Early Reader ◽  
Good Presentation

The Jerry Cans. Mamaqtuq! Illustrated by Eric Kim. Inhabit Media, 2018.Mamaqtuq! means “delicious”.  This delightful Inuit board book tells a simple story of hunting all day for seal, running out of provisions and finally finding and catching a seal. It is written in Inuktitut and English, appropriately, at an early reader level. Erik Kim’s cartoon-like illustrations are bright, fun, and representative of the hunters, their clothing, and the environment. The book contains images of people using hunting rifles, but there are no images of seals being killed. As a stand-alone book it is a very good presentation of traditional hunting. However, the book is just one half of the story. The authors, The Jerry Cans, are a band from Iqualuit, whose music is a “unique mix of Inuktitut alt-country, throat singing and reggae.” The words in the Mamaqtuq! are the lyrics to a song. You can see the YouTube video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DueVqYKWQxE. The piece looks like a skit, with a cardboard boat and people waving cloth to make waves. The seal is played by a young man, so the shooting part is a little more disturbing than in the book. There is also a realistic scene of lead vocalist, Andrew Morrison, eating raw, bloody meat. However, the production is exuberant, even festive, fun, and true to the culture. The book is highly recommended for elementary school libraries and public libraries.Recommendation: 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 Monkey’s Friends by R. Brown

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Young Children ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University

Brown, Ruth. Monkey’s Friends.  [London, England], Andersen Press Ltd, 2012. Print. Prolific English children’s author/illustrator Ruth Brown has created a delightful book in Monkey’s Friends. It is a simple rhymed text telling the story of monkey going through the forest, meeting different animals and greeting them. Each two page spread shows monkey greeting an animal whom we can see peeking out of the bushes. Every facing page is covered by a half-page flap. When the half-page is turned, the hidden animal is revealed and the animal’s name is printed on the flap. Brown’s acrylic paintings are fun. Monkey is doing something different in each image.  Sometimes he hangs by his tail. Other times he is sitting on a branch or a rock or peering through grass. Each time his expression is alive. Brown also does an excellent job of communicating motion in her paintings. When you lift the flap to see crocodile, he seems to explode out of the water and you see water flying in all directions. While Brown’s animals are realistic, her vegetation is quite unusual. The leaves are highly-textured and look like they might have been done with block prints. The vegetation seems to be simultaneously dense and see-through. The result is a bright and colourful environment for Monkey and his friends. Young children will enjoy looking for the hidden animals and finding them when the flap is turned. Highly recommended for public and elementary school libraries. Recommendation:  4 stars out of 4 Reviewer:  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 We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by R.T. Higgins

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Education ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Main Character ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
New Students ◽  
Making Friends ◽  
Fitting In ◽  
The University

Higgins, Ryan T. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates. Disney-Hyperion, 2018. Ryan T. Higgins writes highly rated children’s books dealing with common elementary school conflicts. The picture book, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, will capture all readers, no matter the age. The main character, Penelope, is an adorable T-rex who wears pink coveralls. She was designed by the illustrator and a group of children so it has features that will appeal to all and capture your heart immediately. Penelope is a having a rough first day of school because she keeps eating all her classmates; she struggles with fitting in but learns that it is not fun when you get bit. The story uses humorous hyperboles and the element of surprise that will keep the reader engaged until the end of the story. The humour is exemplified through the beautifully illustrated representations of the story. The illustrations capture the situations through simple images that show the character’s expressions and intentionally incorporate colours to emphasize the characters or the problem at hand. This picture book would make a fantastic addition to any early elementary classroom and would make a great read aloud because it uses humour to address the themes of new students, making friends, and learning to treat others the way you want to be treated. Its huge font will allow younger readers to follow along. The humour and overemphasis in the story is what makes it a truly engaging and fun read while hitting on the feelings of being different and excluded that many students face. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Haley Oliver Haley Oliver is a fourth year Bachelor of Elementary Education student at the University of Alberta. She is interested in encouraging young child to love reading through entertaining and meaningful literature.

scholarly journals Picture a Tree by B. Reid

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The People ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Shadow Cast ◽  
Street Scene ◽  
The University ◽  
Modeling Clay

Reid, Barbara. Picture a Tree. Toronto: North Winds Press, 2011. Print. The cover notes for this picture book tell us to “Picture a tree – now look again!”  Award winning Toronto author and illustrator, Barbara Reid, encourages readers to see not just the trees, but how people use them, what they mean and what we can see in them.  However it is not just the trees that demand a second look.  The book itself is the most amazing collection of artwork – all made of plasticine, a modeling clay!  On each page showing a tree in leaf, there are hundreds of tiny plasticine leaves.  When Reid shows us a street scene where the trees make a leafy tunnel, the street, the cars, the house fronts and the people walking their dog are all fine plasticine work.  When she shows us shade trees as umbrellas, not only is the woman with the baby and the man on a scooter made of the plasticine, the shadow cast by the tree is, too. As the book moves through the seasons from spring to winter, Reid really does find many different ways to look at trees. She sees the leafless branches as a drawing against the sky, falling leaves as a good-bye party and snow-covered trees as trees in snowsuits.  The text is brief and easy to read; no more than a single sentence on each page.  The concepts and words are simple enough for children ages three and up to enjoy. Most children reading this book will not see the artwork as different from any other illustration.  It is only in the expanses of sky or snow that it is easy to see the plasticine.  Because of this, parents will enjoy Picture a Tree on a different level from the children with whom they share it.   Highly recommended for public and elementary school libraries. 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 The Spirit Trackers by J. Waboose

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
Her Family ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Cautionary Tales ◽  
The University

Waboose, Jan Bourdeau. The Spirit Trackers. Fifth House Publishers, 2017.In this volume, Jan Bourdeau Waboose introduces the Anishanaabe version of the Windigo legend and also celebrates the skill of tracking.  Waboose is Anishanaabe from Northern Ontario. In this story, Uncle tells Tom and Will the scary story of the Windigo, the Wandering Night Spirit of Winter that “has a heart of ice, and … teeth … like steel. It will eat anything in its way!” Windigo stories are cautionary tales designed to keep children from wandering off in the forest and becoming lost. In this story the Windigo and winter are almost synonymous. Uncle tells the boys, too, that “winter can be dangerous to all things. Respect it and always honour the animals who face the Windigo.” But these boys want to grow up to be trackers, so when they hear what they think is the Windigo out in the darkness, they decide to track it. The tracks lead to a young moose, stuck in the snow. The boys free it, honouring the animal. Waboose has written several other books that reflect “the Native life she sees in her family, friends and community”. In keeping with that, this is not so much a retelling of the Windigo story as a narrative that shows the importance of the Windigo in traditional Anishanaabe life today. The artwork emphasizes the darkness of winter and the scariness of the Windigo. The blues, blacks and browns complement the wintery themes. Illustrator Francois Thisdale has also hidden animal tracks into most of the pictures. Young, would-be trackers will be kept entertained trying to find them. This book is highly recommended for public and elementary school libraries. 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 Cub’s Journey Home by G. Graham

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Running Water ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University

Graham, Georgia.  Cub’s Journey Home. Markham, ON:  Red Deer Press, 2015.  Print.Georgia Graham is a fine artist, but as a writer, needs a good editor.  Like her earlier work Where Wild Horses Run, this is a beautifully illustrated book.  Graham’s landscapes, trees, rivers, rocks, bears and flowers are all highly realistic. She tackles a variety of environments including snow, running water, forest fire, a burnt landscape and a garbage dump. Many of the images are frame-worthy.  There are flaws in the flames of her forest fire, some of which look like they belong on racing cars; however, in the next image, she absolutely captures the complexity of the fire reflected on swamp water.  Unfortunately, the text is an amalgamation of strange images and unusual or extravagant word choices. Why, for example, is a baby bear growing inside the mother called a “speck”?  There is so much purple prose that the reader is constantly distracted.  There are “long needles of sunlight” that “stab”.  The snow covering the den is “a curtain of lacy ice”. “A breeze runs its icy fingers through his fur.”  The cub “skedaddles”.  “A dark blanket [of smoke] rises up and steals the stars from the sky.” The whole text would have been much better if Graham had just written in her natural voice, as she occasionally does, to good effect.While the unusual word choices make the reading level of the text much too advanced for a picture book, the images, with their excellent rendering of Alberta landscapes, make it valuable.  This book is recommended with reservations for elementary school libraries and public libraries. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 starsReviewer:  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 My Heart Fills with Happiness by M. Gray Smith

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
First Person ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The University ◽  
Book Publishers

Gray Smith, Monique.  My Heart Fills with Happiness.  Victoria, B.C.:  Orca Book Publishers, 2016.  Print.Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith has created a positive and up-beat board book showing how to find happiness in simple pleasures.  While the book has an Indigenous flavour, the contents are universal.  The book is written in the first person: “My heart fills with happiness when…..” and then each page lists something that makes the speaker happy.  The facing page is filled with one of Julie Flett’s simple but evocative illustrations.  The illustrations are of Indigenous people doing ordinary things:   baking bannock, walking on the grass, listening to stories and drumming.  The images have blocks of bold primary colours and simple uncluttered backgrounds. Recommended for elementary 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.

scholarly journals I Want My Mommy! by T. Corderoy

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Picket Fence ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The University

Corderoy,Tracey. I Want My Mommy!  Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2013. Print.This charming picture book addresses separation anxiety, which is common among young children being left with occasional caregivers.  The story is depicted with mice playing the roles of people.  Arthur is a small mouse, who is staying with his grandmother while his mother goes out for the day.  Arthur has "never been apart from Mommy for the whole day before".  He misses her a lot.  Although his grandmother distracts him with dragons, sword fights and lunch, Arthur is still sometimes sad and thinks that his mom has returned every time the doorbell rings.  Allison Edgson's illustrations are bright, attractive and somewhat romantic.  Grandma's garden has a white picket fence with an arched trellis, hollyhocks and climbing roses.  Throughout, Arthur is dressed in a green dragon suit.   The images are sometimes two-page spreads with text over-printed or smaller round pictures with in text the white spaces around them. The text is a large font, with a few words bolded or capitalized for effect.  The text is age appropriate for pre-kindergarten to grade three, but intended to be read aloud by an adult.I Want My Mommy! allows children to see their own situation depicted in a story.  Children can  empathize with Arthur and see that he does cope with being away from his mother and that his mother does return. This is an excellent book for public libraries and elementary school libraries and pediatric health collections. 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 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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document