scholarly journals Treasure by M. K. Doman

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Hammond
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Full Time ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
High Interest ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
Penn State ◽  
Interest Level ◽  
Simple Language ◽  
The University

Doman, Mary Kate. Treasure. Costa Mesa: Saddleback, 2013. Print.Treasure, one installment from The Heights series, is the story of Todd Bardo Jr., a junior at Penn State and his adventure diving for treasure off the shore of Ecuador.  As a thank you for his work with the poor in that country, Todd’s father, a prominent and respected doctor, was awarded salvage rights to five miles of the reef by the Ecuadorian government. Todd inherits the salvage rights at his father’s death, and needs to complete the dive before his rights expire.  With the help of a diving team headed by his best friend’s father, he and his team attempt the impossible – to find and claim treasure from a sunken ship.  With her audience in mind, Doman has woven an adventure story driven by plot, dialogue, and simple language.  This high-interest low-vocabulary book introduces readers to the country of Ecuador and its colourful history. Through Todd’s eyes we experience the excitement of organizing a treasure dive and some of its challenges.  Will Todd find enough money to fund the expedition?  Will his ship be targeted by thieves?  Will his team be attacked by sharks?  Ultimately, will he succeed and find a treasure?Students who appreciate simpler text and an exciting plot will enjoy this read.  The resolution of some conflicts seems a bit convenient, but certainly keeps the story moving.  The interest level is grade 5 to 8; the reading level is grade 1 to 2.  This book is available at Saddleback Educational Publishing.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Anita HammondAnita Hammond taught English Language Arts and music with Regina Catholic Schools for eleven years.  Currently, as a full-time mother, she has returned to Education studies at the University of Alberta in the Masters of Education program specializing in teacher-librarian studies.  She has enjoyed the opportunity to read numerous high-interest low-vocabulary titles, and hopes to share these titles and others with colleagues and students to support literacy goals.

scholarly journals Gallery Interactives: From Grizzlies to Polar Bears by Canadian Museum of Nature

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Norlander
Keyword(s):  
Educational Game ◽  
Grizzly Bear ◽  
Polar Bears ◽  
Blue Color ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Wrong Side ◽  
Simple Language ◽  
Static Images ◽  
Color Scheme ◽  
The University

“Gallery Interactives: From Grizzlies to Polar Bears”. Canadian Museum of Nature, 16 Dec. 2009, http://nature.ca/discover/exm/frmgrzzlstplrbrs/index_e.html. Accessed 14 Feb. 2017.This short, educational game is designed to teach children about both polar and grizzly bears’ adaptations. It uses matching to allow users to choose between two different versions of an adaptation and drag them to either the polar or grizzly bear side. With the correct answer, a picture demonstrating that adaptation will appear and a box will pop up that explains in more detail the different adaptations. This game is educational in that it provides detailed information explained in simple language. It is also clear the user must drag the answer to a side, and what buttons to press once the box of information comes up. It holds the user’s hand almost too much but does not disrupt interaction. The interactivity of the game is limited because the only decisions users can make are by choosing the answers and if the wrong side is chosen, it moves back to the center. The graphic design is simple, using a muted blue color scheme, simple shapes, and a few static images but it could have used brighter colours or videos with audio to bring the animals to life. There also does not seem to be anything inventive because it is simply a matching game, with only two choices for each of the five levels, three of which focus on appearance. By having some incentive for the user to learn about each of the bears such as a mission or a problem to be solved, or by having more intuitive ways of choosing the answers, it would allow users to demonstrate their perceptiveness, build confidence and give them a feeling of investment in the material. For example, they could learn about the claws/pads by examining a trail of bear tracks. Overall this game is sufficient in its educational purpose but could do more to engage users.Recommended with reservations: 2 stars out of 4 Reviewer: Ellen NorlanderEllen Norlander is currently an MLIS student at the University of Alberta and hopes to enter the fields of either health sciences or academic librarianship. Her interests are reading anything and everything, playing piano, and blogging.

scholarly journals Down by the River: A Family Fly Fishing Story by A. Weiner

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Fishing Trip ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Fly Fishing ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
The University ◽  
Riverine Landscapes

Weiner, Andrew.  Down by the River: A Family Fly Fishing Story. Harry N. Abrams, 2018.  This is a beautifully illustrated book that tells a simple story about a boy, Art, who goes on a fly-fishing trip with his mother and grandfather. The story recalls a time when Art’s grandfather taught his mother to fish.  April Chu has used a subdued palette for her two-page riverine landscapes, with lots of green and rich autumn colours in the environment. The book has a calm and peaceful feel about it that mirrors the contemplative nature of fly-fishing.  The text is simple and descriptive of a day spent on the river. The reading level is too difficult for the intended Kindergarten to Grade 2 audience, so an adult will need to read the book aloud, especially those sentences that could confuse young readers with difficult concepts or complicated jargon: “The line arced forward and the fly landed softly a few feet above the rock. It drifted with the current past the rock. There was a splash and the line went tight.”  The last three pages contain information about fly fishing, the clothing worn by fly fishers and where to get more information about the sport. The end pages are decorated with images of intricate flys with such fun and mysterious names as: “Ian’s Crunch Caddis,” “Black Fur Ant,” and “Purple Parachute Adams.” This book is a good introduction to fly fishing for younger children that also tells a charming story. Highly recommended for school and public libraries. Highly Recommended: 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 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 Fishing with Grandma by S. Avingaq & M. Vsetula

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Reading Level ◽  
License Plate ◽  
Family Needs ◽  
Intended Audience ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Sled Dogs ◽  
The Family ◽  
The University ◽  
Adult Reader

Fishing with Grandma is another lovely book from Nunavut’s Inhabit Media.  There are pictures on every page.  The overprinted text is a story that describes Inuit ice-fishing practices.  Through the dialog between a grandmother and her two grandchildren, we learn details of how to cut holes in the ice, what kinds of lures to use, how far down to drop the line and how to bop a fish on the head to kill it.  One of the most important teachings from this book comes at the end, when the children and their grandmother have caught far more Arctic Char than their family needs. On their way home they distribute the fish to people who cannot get out to go fishing. The images tell as much of the story as the text.  They are fun and show us small details that are authentic to the environment.  The family rides an ATV to the lake while the sled dogs watch, the ATV has a polar bear shaped license plate and when the family gets hot from chipping the ice, they take off their parkas and lay them on the ice.  Through the story and the images, we not only learn how to fish, but we also vicariously experience the environment:  “I would look up from my fishing hole and listen to the sound of the lake.  Ravens flew by, calling “kak, kak. I could also hear Skidoos and ATVs in the distance….”While a valuable contribution documenting ice fishing at a child’s level, the reading level is too high for the intended audience, so for younger children, an adult reader will be required.  Overall an excellent book both in terms of content and appeal.  Highly recommended for school and public libraries.Highly Recommended: 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 The People of the Sea by D. Uluadluak

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Elementary Children ◽  
Intended Audience ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The People ◽  
The University

Uluadluak, Donald.  The People of the Sea, illustrated by Mike Motz, Inhabit Media, 2017The People of the Sea is a recollection by the late Inuit elder, Donald Uluadluak, of seeing an arnajuinnaq or a sea person, while he and his friends played on the beach near Arviat. The story is a simple retelling of the adventure which highlights the presence of sea-people in Inuit culture.  Unlike the vicious mermaids or tuutaliit of books such as Kiviuq and the Mermaids, who have frightening appearances and want to destroy kayaks and kill hunters, the sea-people in this story seem benign and simply curious. Mike Motz has drawn them as almost-expressionless creatures who look like fair-skinned women with long dark hair and facial tattoos – just as Uluadluak describes them. The two-page images are multi-coloured and do a good job of reflecting the sea and tundra environments. Text is overprinted on the images. The text is simple and comprehensible to the intended audience of 5 to 7 year-olds, but is above their reading level, so an adult would need to read this book aloud. The People of the Sea would also be appropriate for upper elementary children who are interested in traditional myths and legends.  Highly recommended for 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 Hedge Hog! by A. Anstee

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Reading Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
Young Reader ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Strong Point ◽  
Political Allegory ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Cover Art ◽  
The University

Anstee, Ashlyn. Hedge Hog! Illustrated by Ashlyn Anstee. Tundra Books, 2018.After Are We There, Yeti? and No, No, Gnome!, Canadian born author/illustrator/animator Ashlyn Anstee presents us with the delightfully punny Hedge Hog!. In this story, our titular main character Hedgehog tries to keep all the other yard animals away from his hedge. Can the other animals convince him to open up his doors before winter comes? Not if Hedgehog has anything to say about it. The author tells a simple, yet charming story that can be used to teach a young reader about the importance of sharing and caring for your neighbours or as a political allegory dealing with immigration. Some readers will also enjoy the tale for what it is, a fun and entertaining story. The art is the real strong point of this story. The charming and pleasant looking characters, and the world of the yard that the author creates are sure to appeal to anyone reading through this book. Just the cover art alone is likely to pique anyone's interest. The illustrations are not only cute, but they also do a wonderful job of conveying the story. Regardless of the reader's reading level, they are sure to get something out of this tale.With strong, yet easily digestible writing and charming illustrations, this story is perfect for new readers. Whether they are reading by themselves or along with their parents, there is lots to fall in love with here.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Adam CohenAdam has his BSc in archaeology from the University of Calgary and is a current graduate student in the University of Alberta’s Masters of Library and Information Studies program. He is also a member of Future Librarians for Intellectual Freedom, and works as a metadata assistant at the University of Alberta Libraries. 

scholarly journals Akilak’s Adventure by D. Kigjugalik Webster

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

Kigjugalik Webster, Deborah.  Akilak’s Adventure.  Inhabit Media, 2016.This is a first children’s book from Deborah Kigjugalik Webster, who grew up in Baker Lake, Nunavut.  It is a story of a little Inuit girl navigating the tundra by herself to reach her uncle’s camp.  As the child walks, she is joined by a caribou, who mysteriously knows her grandmother’s saying, “Your destination did not run away, you will reach it soon.”  The conversation between the two is about people changing into animals, but Akilak in the end decides to remain a person.   The story is deceptively simple.  On the surface, children will understand it as a little girl’s adventure.  However, it encompasses several important aspects of Inuit culture:  the relationship between grandparent and child, the importance of extended family support, the prominence of animals and the stories of people taking the shape of animals, the distance of travel across the tundra and the related concept of taulittuq or the sense of moving but not getting closer to your destination.Charlene Chua’s artwork is charming. Each two pages are an image with text overprinted on one page, often shaped to fit around parts of the image.  The images are simple and cartoon-like, but good representations of the tundra and its creatures.  While this is mainly a picture book with an intended audience of children ages 5 to 7, the reading level is upper elementary, so younger children will definitely need an adult to read it to them.Akilak’s Adventure would be an excellent addition to public libraries 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 The Rule of Three by E. Walters

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marylou Dickson
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Adolescent Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Police Chief ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Division Iii ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Rule Of Three ◽  
The University

Walters, Eric. The Rule of Three. Toronto: Penguin Canada Books Inc., 2014. PrintWith all the dystopian novels written over the last ten, years Eric Walters has composed a refreshing and believable look at how a community survives after the world has been changed by a computer virus which has immobilized any vehicle, utility, or device that requires computer technology.  The villains the community members have to face are not zombies or other fantasy creatures but humans.  How long will this disaster last?  They don’t know.The “rule of three” is an idea that we can live for three seconds without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food.  Keeping this in mind, the protagonist, sixteen-year-old Adam Daley, his mom, the police chief, and neighbour Herb, an ex-spy, must come up with ways to keep their community of Eden Mills safe and self-reliant.  Three days after the outage, people begin to panic because the basics of life – water and food – become either inaccessible or depleted.  The protection of one’s own family becomes the priority and mob mentality and the survival of the fittest become paramount obstacles that Eden Mills residents must endure.  There is a fight for power both figuratively and literally.  They must get energy to survive and also have the physical, mental, and social power to live.In some ways, The Rule of Three takes an idealistic view of how a community could band together to survive after a disastrous event.  I would hope that if this happened in any community that citizens would have the same attitude and skills. Following Eric Walter’s style, the characters are realistic, relatable, and believable.  Like We All Fall Down and many of Walters’ other books, reluctant readers would find the book both readable and interesting.  Readers looking for high vocabulary and intricate plot may find this read disappointing. The Rule of Three has suspense, drama, likable characters, and even a little romance; ages 13 and up would enjoy this novel.  I am looking forward to the sequel The Rule of Three: The Fight for Power.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Marylou DicksonTeaching Division III English Language Arts and impacting students’ abilities to improve their literacy practices are passions of Marylou Dickson.  She is a teacher in the Edmonton Public School Board and is also a doctoral student at the University of Alberta researching adolescent literacy.  When not teaching or studying, you can find Marylou and her husband Al watching movies, enjoying friends, and/or working on their homestead.

scholarly journals InvisiBill by M. Fergus

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Aitken
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Peanut Butter ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The One ◽  
The Individual ◽  
End Of Grade ◽  
The University ◽  
Scientific Name

Fergus, Maureen. InvisiBill. Illus. Dušan Petričić. Tundra Books, 2015.The plot of this amusing picture book is simple: Bill would like someone at the dinner table to pass him the potatoes; he is repeatedly ignored. Bill mutters,                “What am I. Invisible?... PLEASE PASS THE POTATOES!”In response, Mother continues checking messages on her “whatchamacallit,” and Father answers his “thingamajiggy.” (We have to admire the use of the terms “whatchamacallit” and “thingamajiggy;” Fergus deftly avoids the stale dating that comes with naming current technologies!) The story proceeds: Bill’s brother declares the scientific name for potatoes to be “SOLANUM TUBEROSUM.” His little sister begins to juggle the tubers. No one passes the potatoes. Bill’s fate is sealed; he becomes invisible.The romp through Bill’s family’s solutions and sorrows as they try to regain their invisible child and brother is complemented by the witty cartoons of Dušan Petričić.  Only a few of these drawings are large and distinct enough to share in a group storytelling session; none-the-less, they would be much appreciated by the individual reader.That reader might easily be a child of eight years of age—the approximate age of “Bill,” as Petričić depicts him. By the end of grade three, and certainly at the grade four reading level, most children could handle independently such passages as the one below:               Bill was in no mood to eat dinner with his family who had, after all, caused his invisibleness. So he took three peanut-butter-and-pickle sandwiches up to his room and spent the evening with his gerbil, Gerard.The humour in this story, however, is not for the exclusive delight of the primary school-aged; if you are a “middle child” of any age, you might just think that Maureen Fergus wrote the book with you in mind!Home, school, and public libraries should find this a popular addition to their collections. Depending on the ages involved, it might also prove a helpful gift for that once-youngest child whose family position has been “reordered” by a newcomer. Reviewer: Leslie AitkenRecommended: 3 out of 4 starsLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special and academic libraries. She is a former Curriculum Librarian for the University of Alberta.

scholarly journals A is for activist by I. Nagar

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Aitken
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
English Language ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
School Students ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Alphabet Books ◽  
Book Format ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The University

Nagar, Innosanto.  A is for activist.  Mississauga, Ontario: Random House, 2013. Print.A publisher’s release indicates that Innosanto Nagar is the founder of “…The Design Action Collective, a worker-owned cooperative design studio in Oakland, California, that is dedicated to “serving the movement…” (Enclosure dated November 16, 2013).  It is not the least bit surprising, then, that he would produce a book in the cause of activism; in fact, he would appear singularly qualified to do so.  But that he should, in good conscience, produce this particular book is baffling.At times political propaganda, always a diatribe, A is for activism comes in the form of a board book for tiny hands, and in the guise of an ABC book.  Who is Nagar’s intended audience?  Or, more cynically, just whom is his publisher trying to kid?The underlying intent of English language alphabet books is to introduce preschoolers to phonics.  Typically, words and illustrations are kept within the young child’s own experience level, real or vicarious.  One is free to agree with the following sentiment; it is, however, absurd to suggest it as an appropriate mnemonic for fastening the sound of the letter “d” in the mind of a three-year-old:            “Little d democracy            More than voting, you’ll agree.            Dictators Detest it. Donkeys Don’t get it.            But you and me? We Demand equality!” It also strains credibility to think that the symbolism of the illustration accompanying this stanza, a donkey and an elephant butting heads, will be grasped by American infants. This mnemonic for “n,” I grant you, might appeal to a two-year-old; but his mother?  Not so much.            “N is for NO             No! No! No!            Yes, to what we want.             No to what must go!             No! No! No!” Finally, if you are seriously opposed to the expanding use of fossil fuels, join the adult conversation.  Sell your car.  Install some solar panels. Vote.  Don’t waste time teaching your babies to chant,            “Silly Selfish Scoundrels Sucking on dinosaur Sludge!”Some of Nagar’s ideas would be worth presenting to high school students—but not in board book format.   For young children, there are excellent picture books about people who have championed human causes with courage and conviction; for example, Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney.  Don’t buy A is for activist for a little child.  If you must have it, buy it as a gift for your adult friend who joins causes.  With this last possibility in mind, I am awarding the book one out of four stars.Not Recommended: 1 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.

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