scholarly journals Nokum is My Teacher by D. Bouchard

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudy Cardinal ◽  
Cindy Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Indigenous Youth ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
School Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Home And School

Bouchard, David. Nokum is My Teacher. Markham: Red Deer Press, 2006. Print.Through the creation of conversational inquiry, David Bouchard’s award-winning picture book Nokum is My Teacher carries the reader on a beautiful journey between a young Cree boy and his Nokum, his grandmother. The journey honours both the Cree and English languages by including the dual text in columns throughout the book.  This format invites us to imagine the dialogue occurring in either language as the boy questions his place on the school landscape. He asks his grandmother for guidance and wonders how relevant his school learning is in his life when held in contrast to his experiences and knowing alongside his Cree family. Interwoven throughout the conversation, his grandmother responds to his wonders with questions as she gently guides him to seek answers from within his heart. Recognizing the importance of his traditional knowledge and ways of living alongside his Nokum, he begins to also see the value of the knowledge he will gain from his experiences in school. The young boy, steeped in his Nokum’s wisdom comes to see how new ways of knowing are essential in his life so he may continue to share his stories and experiences in multiple ways. Allen Sapp’s picturesque illustrations exquisitely show both contemporary and traditional Cree lives and invites readers to reflect on their own stories around the importance of place, family and community. A compact disc is included containing a reading of the story in English and Cree with the Cree reading accompanied by the award-winning Aboriginal drumming group, Northern Cree.  The images in the book, the dual text, and the CD offer multiple ways for readers to experience this story with the rhythmic heartbeat of the drum bringing it to life.While this is a children's picture book it will appeal to all ages. We would recommend it be used in every classroom from elementary through to post-secondary as a way to invite conversation about the tensions children and families negotiate as they travel between home and school and as a way to honour multiple ways of knowing.Highly recommended:  4 out of 4 starsReviewers: Cindy Swanson & Trudy CardinalDoctoral candidate Cindy Swanson and Dr. Trudy Cardinal are Cree/Métis scholars from the University of Alberta whose research interests center on the experiences of Indigenous children and families on and off school landscapes. Both share a passion for children’s literature, especially literature written by and portraying the multiplicities in the lives of Indigenous youth and families.

scholarly journals The Song Within My Heart by D. Bouchard

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudy Cardinal ◽  
Sulya Fenichel
Keyword(s):  
Children And Families ◽  
Indigenous Youth ◽  
Oral Storytelling ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Indigenous Children ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Equal Space ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning To Listen

Bouchard, David. The Song Within My Heart. Markham: Red Deer Press, 2015. Print.Similar to Nokum is My Teacher, David Bouchard and Allen Sapp team up to tell the story of a young boy and his Nokum, his grandmother.  Drawing upon his memories, illustrator Allen Sapp paints rich, expressive images of his own Nokum while Bouchard, in the form of a poem, tells the story of a young boy’s first experience of a Pow-wow. Bouchard and Sapp warmly guide the reader to more deeply understand the sacredness of story and song.  They highlight the importance of learning to listen with one’s whole being and not just with one’s ears; to crave more than a direct understanding of the words of a story or a song, but to feel its broader presence as a teaching, as a living part of the teller, and as part of an ongoing journey of learning and self-discovery. Through the wisdom of his Nokum both the narrator and we, as readers, come to know that “[a] story is a sacred thing,” and that stories – especially those we carry in our hearts and “call our own” – are more valuable than “toys or clothes,” than “jewels or cars.”  Given the sacredness of stories, we are cautioned to “never use another’s tale, [u]nless he knows and he approves.” The book, along with the drum beats and voices present on the accompanying CD, invites us to think differently about what it means to learn and what it means to respect our own voices and internal knowing. As if to remind us that gentleness is always required in processes of learning, the book ends with a reminder not to worry if we cannot yet understand its message and encourages its readers to continue to listen in these more complex ways, to keep listening for a story they might come to hear, that no one else hears - a story of their very own. The book is written for elementary children and yet appeals to all ages.  For those wanting to create spaces for the stories of Indigenous children and families, books such as The Song Within My Heart are essential. Not only does it give equal space upon the page for both English and Cree text but with the CD, also inclusive of both English and Cree Language versions and the music of Northern Cree, it also honours oral storytelling traditions.Recommended:  4 out of 4 starsReviewers:  Trudy Cardinal & Sulya FenichelDr. Trudy Cardinal is a Cree/Métis scholar from the University of Alberta whose research interests center on the experiences of Indigenous children and families on and off school landscapes. Her passion for stories and storytelling includes a love of children’s literature especially literature written by and portraying the multiplicities in the lives of Indigenous youth and families.Sulya Fenichel is a doctoral student at the University of Alberta. Mindful of important, and increasing, mandates to include Indigenous approaches to living and learning into contemporary curricula she is fascinated by the ‘how’ of interconnection and communication between people(s) and disciplines.  In her research, she hopes to explore the ways in which key, and sometimes ideologically entrenched, ‘stakeholder’ groups might improve communication and collaboration in processes of education and sees storytelling, in all its forms, as central to this process.

Catch That Baby! by N. Coffelt

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Visual Detail ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Book Award ◽  
The University

Coffelt, Nancy.  Catch That Baby! Toronto: Aladdin, 2011. Print. There comes a point in every toddler’s life when he or she just needs to make a break for it and run away from Mom; if naked, after a bath, so much the better.  Nancy Coffelt captures that moment in this delightful book.  Rudy tosses his towel at the dog, shouts, “No dressed” and the romp begins.  Mom chases, clothing in hand, and is joined in successive panels by other family members all of whom try, but not too hard, to “catch that naked baby”. This is primarily a picture book.  Award-winning illustrator Scott Nash has drawn cartoon style illustrations, with large blocks of bright colour, little visual detail and speech bubbles.   The simple presentation is perfect for toddlers, who will be able to completely relate to “Nudie Rudy” pelting around the house in the buff, although most pre-readers will not end up swinging from vines in the conservatory. Young children will enjoy the repetition in the little bit of text on each page and will love finding Rudy on each page, particularly on pages where those silly adults cannot see him, even though he is so obviously in plain sight that a baby could find him. Catch That Baby! is a gem that will become a favourite read aloud book in many families.  It would make an excellent gift for a toddler and belongs in every public library collection. Highly recommended:  4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: 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 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 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 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 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.

scholarly journals I Like Vegetables: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book by L. Siminovich

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
The Other ◽  
Learning Method ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Dinner Table ◽  
Wood Grain ◽  
The University

Siminovich, Lorena. I Like Vegetables: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2011. Print.“I Like Vegetables” is a dream come true for any nutritionally conscience parent, children’s librarian or teacher. The brightly hued collage illustrations are intriguingly textured with patterns and “touch & feel” inlays. Silky peas and rough-skinned carrots invite young readers to learn about vegetables. The layout is quite clever as it leverages contrast and comparison as a learning method. On one side of the page vegetables are depicted as they would appear growing in the garden while on the other side they are in the home being prepared for the dinner table. In addition, the nature side of the page illustrates the concept of opposites. For example, there are “tall” and “short” cornstalks. Orange carrot roots are “below” the ground, while the feathery green tops are “above”. The indoor side of the page features close-ups of vegetables against a wood-grain background that evokes a cutting board. Here children get a different perspective on the harvested veggies. We see shelled peas, open cornhusks and a cross-section of a pumpkin. The concluding series of images features an “empty” gardener’s basket next to a basket “full” of colourful vegetables on a blue and white gingham picnic tablecloth inlay.  This is primarily a picture book with only the names of the vegetables and the two opposing concepts appearing on each page. The typeset is Helvetica and is large and easy to read.  It is a sturdy board book and the inlays could not be easily ripped out or damaged. It is therefore a welcome addition to any toddler’s library. Other titles in the “I Like” series by Siminovich include: “I Like Toys “, “I Like Bugs” and “I Like Fruit”. “I Like Vegetables” is sure to engage children from ages 1-3. 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 two-year old. 

scholarly journals Who Do I Want To Become? by R. Billan

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Aitken
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Central Character ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
Inherent Nature ◽  
The University

Billan, Rumeet. Who Do I Want To Become?  Illustrated by Michelle Clement. Page Two Books, 2018. This picture book conveys an important approach to problem solving. When asked by his teacher, Mr. Janzen, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” the central character, Dylan, initially thinks in narrow terms: career choices. He is stymied. When he reframes the question as “Who do I want to become?” he arrives at a thoughtful answer.             “I want to be someone who tries new things and isn’t afraid to fail. I want to be someone who helps others and makes a difference in the world. Someone who isn’t afraid to be me.” [p.31] Dylan clearly has changed the problem from “What do I want to do for a living?” to “What kind of person do I want to be?” It should be pointed out that the actual words of his reframing are no guarantee of a philosophical result. Many children would still respond to the question, “Who do I want to become?” in terms of role models, generic or specific: “I want to become Prime Minister.” “Chris Hadfield.” “Tessa Virtue.” (Certainly, had I been asked that question at eight years of age as I struggled, in my brother’s old hockey skates, to navigate the frozen puddle that was our “rink” I would have replied, “Barbara Ann Scott.”) The culminating focus of the storyline is character development; parents and teachers could use this book to begin discussion of it. They may have to do some prompting, even a little rewording of the central question, to achieve that focus. It is worth the effort. Dillan’s answer opens up issues of self-acceptance, self-direction, and self-actualization in a manner suitable for school aged children. His conclusion also emphasizes that the business of childhood is personal growth and development, not career planning. Though this is a picture book, the inherent nature of its topic, as well as Billan’s writing vocabulary, suggest its use with children eight to twelve years of age. Michelle Clement’s humorous cartoon-style drawings should appeal to that age group as well.  In sum, the total package seems age appropriate for pre-adolescent youngsters. Reviewer:  Leslie AitkenRecommended: 3 out of 4 stars Leslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship included selection of children’s literature for school, public, special and academic libraries. She is a former Curriculum Librarian of the University of Alberta.

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 The Best Birthday Party Ever by J. LaRue Huget

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

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

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