scholarly journals Mitchell's License by H. Durand

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale Storie
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
White Space ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Driver's License ◽  
The University ◽  
Over Time

Durand, Hallie. Mitchell's License. Illus. Tony Fucile. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press, 2011. Print. Three and a half year old Mitchell, who never wants to go to bed, receives his “remote-controlled dad driver’s license”, which allows him to drive his father around the house like a car.  This delightful picture book features plenty of visual sight gags as Mitchell puts the car into gear (by pulling on his father’s ears), checks the tires (feet), cleans the windshield (eyeglasses), and honks the horn (nose).  Although Mitchell initially drives his dad straight into a wall, over time he learns how to avoid collisions and make hairpin turns.  The book concludes with the son trying to feed his dad some gas (a cookie) before being driven off to bed. This is the first picture book by author Durand (also known for the Just Desserts books), whose husband invented the “remote-controlled dad” game for their children.  There isn’t much of a story, nor does there need to be; the pleasure in the book is the driving game and the interaction between Mitchell and his dad.  Fucile, who is well known from his career in animation, is a perfect illustrator for bringing this high-speed adventure to life, especially the overtly slapstick scenes where Dad collides into the wall or has “oil” poured into his mouth.  Many pages use a lot of white space, which when combined with Fucile’s graphic style; make the illustrations look as though they were taken directly from a sketchbook.  This effect gives the whole book a feeling of fluidity and improvisation that complements the driving game being enacted, while never coming off as blatantly cartoony. This book is highly recommended, especially for any child who loves cars and driving.  However, parents should probably expect children to demand their own driver’s licenses after reading this book! Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Dale StorieDale is Public Services Librarian at the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. He has a BA in English, and has also worked in a public library as a children's programming coordinator, where he was involved with story times, puppet shows, and book talks. 

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 A Bedtime Yarn by N. Winstanley

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Kung
Keyword(s):  
Public Services ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
The Other ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Good Book ◽  
Falling Asleep ◽  
Unique Experience ◽  
The University

Winstanley, Nicola. A Bedtime Yarn, illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller, Tundra Books, 2017.This picture book explores the dreams of Frankie, a little bear who has trouble falling asleep at night. To help him sleep, his mother provides a ball of yarn for him to hold while she works on the other end, knitting a special surprise for Frankie. Each ball of yarn is a different colour with its own story that takes the young bear on incredible adventures. For instance, a sea-green yarn invokes a dream that takes him deep into underwater caverns and a brown yarn reminds him of cake as a result of his upcoming birthday celebrations. Every colour depicts a new dream and unique experience. The story concludes with Frankie’s mother surprising him with a multi-coloured blanket that was made from all the different colours of yarn that he held.   Beautiful artwork illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller accompanies the story, including strands of coloured yarn that surround the images. The author creatively used colour as the starting off point for representing the wide variety of dreams that the little bear encounters. This children’s book teaches readers about different colours and the imaginative element of dreams. This book is suitable for children from Kindergarten to Grade 2.     Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Janice KungJanice Kung is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta, John W. Scott Health Sciences Library. She obtained her undergraduate degree in commerce and completed her MLIS degree in 2013. She believes that the best thing to beat the winter blues is to cuddle up on a couch and lose oneself in a good book.

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. 

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? by B. Sayers

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Feisst
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Young Adult Fiction ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Good Night ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Heavy Equipment ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

Sayres, Brianna K. Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? Illus. Christian Slade.  New York: Random House, 2012. Print.If the title Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? seems a tad familiar, well, it probably is.  In the same vein as the ultra-popular Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site, Diggers presents the sweet nighttime rituals of diggers, trucks and other heavy machinery.  At first I thought this was a simple effort to take advantage of a similar, bestselling title however Sayres’ work does indeed hold its own.In this picture book aimed at ages 3-6, first time picture book author Sayres gives young heavy equipment aficionados a delightful take on the bedtime story.  In rhyming couplets and often in a humorous manner, all sorts of trucks, cranes and tractors get ready for rest under the watchful headlamps of their caregivers: “Where do garbage trucks sleep / when they’re done collecting trash? / Do their dads sniff their load and say, / ‘Pee-yew—time to take a bath’?”  Sure to get the young ones giggling.The sleepy-eyed dozers and tow trucks eventually give way to an equally sleepy young boy in his cozy bed, with a reminder that the trucks will be waiting for him when he wakes.  Save for one naughty truck, winking, under the bed (my five-year-old happily pointed this out).Though the illustrations by former Disney animator Christian Slade are rather cartoon-like and not realistic, they match the text well, are in soothing nighttime colours and allow for the trucks to have droopy eyes and smiling faces. Read in a lyrical fashion, or even as a song, this would be a nice end to any wee truck lover’s day.  This would make a nice addition to any public library or as a gift.Reviewer: Debbie Feisst Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Debbie 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.

At the Heart of It: Dene dzó t’áré by R. Taniton & M. Willett

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Book Series ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Bear Lake ◽  
The People ◽  
The University

Taniton, Raymond and Mindy Willett.  At the Heart of It: Dene dzó t’áré.  Markham, On:  Fifth   House, 2011.  Print. Indigenous author Raymond Taniton is a member of The Sahtugot’ine, or the “people of Great Bear Lake”.  In At the Heart of It, Taniton invites readers into his world.  We meet his family, see the Sahtu Region where he lives, meet the elders in the community, learn how to make a traditional hand drum, learn some games and read some of the stories.  The stories are particularly important. This book is the most recent in Fifth House’s “The Land is Our Story Book” series, all co-authored by writer Mindy Willett. Taniton concludes this volume by saying, “The land is our storybook. It is our school, our library, our church. It is where we learn our stories and where we discover who we are as true Dene people. The land is at the heart of it all”.  And in this book Taniton and Willett do succeed in helping us to understand “the land”. This is a picture book, an educational book and a celebration of what it means to be Satugot’ine. Tessa Macintosh’s photographs are used throughout. The top of each page has a border image of the beaded toes of twenty-one moccasins. Often a large image will form the background of a page with text and other images superimposed.  For example, for the story “The Lake is the Boss”, the background is an image which looks out through the mouth of a cave.  The story is about a giant wolf that lived in the cave. The text, along with smaller images of the island that the wolf became when he turned to stone, is superimposed on the cave photograph.  The images and text, taken together, form many lessons for young people.  The stories provide metaphorical and philosophical lessons, but the book also provides practical lessons, such as the illustrated steps to making a drum.  As a whole, the book celebrates Raymond Taniton’s family, the Sahtugot’ine people and their way of life.   Highly recommended for elementary school and public libraries. Highly Recommended:  4 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 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 Siuluk: The Last Tuniq by N. Sammurtok

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Children's Literature ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Children’S Literature ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Inuit People ◽  
The University

Sammurtok, Nadia. Siuluk: The Last Tuniq. Illustrated by Rob Nix. Inhabit Media, 2018.This picture book, published in both English and Inuktitut syllabic script, tells the story of the last of the Tuniit, or the giants of the Eastern Arctic. The story is connected to a large rock, near Chesterfied Inlet in Nunavut, which is called Siuluk’s Rock. Nadia Sammurtok who is from Rankin Inlet and heard the story from her father, recounts that people were unkind to Siuluk and teased him because he was different. Through a show of strength by lifting the very large rock, Siuluk convinced the Inuit people that he really was the strongest man and gained their respect.Both the language and the artwork in the book are simple. The clothing pictured is unadorned. Vegetation is suggested, but not detailed. Rob Nix has taken some liberties with the appearance of the individuals. Artwork left by the Tuniit (also known as the Dorset Culture), typically show rounded faces, similar to modern Inuit. Siuluk’s face is depicted as long and angular, with a prominent and high-bridged, convex nose, more common in some European people.Overall this is a good retelling of the traditional story and conveys the message of tolerance of difference. Libraries with children’s collections, and particularly those that collect polar children’s literature will want to include these volumes. Recommendation: 3 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 Night Sky Wheel Ride by S. Fitch

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Frail
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Everyday Objects ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Night Sky ◽  
Cotton Candy ◽  
Children First ◽  
The University

Fitch, Sheree. Night Sky Wheel Ride. Illus. Yayo. Vancouver : Tradewind Books, 2012. Print.Fans of Sheree Fitch will not be disappointed by the magical dream world circus presented in "Night Sky Wheel Ride". Young readers are drawn into the ethereal journey by the main characters as they wonder if they are up to the challenge of riding the big wheel: "Are we big enough this year, Mama? Are we brave enough, Brother? Sister are you ready to fly?"  This book will work well as a bedtime or naptime story as Fitch's rhymes and scenarios are a little softer and less gregarious than some of her other books. For example, the siblings contemplate the night sky as they enjoy the ride: "Swinging, swaying, staying / up top the stopped ferris wheel / Dizzy-dazed we gaze upfeel the moon's breath on our faces/soft as dandelion's fuzz". However, there are certainly bursts of action and energy often accented by onomatopoeic words, such as when the children first take flight: “Hop up to knee knock rockety rock swiggle sway creak squeak rickety ratcheting up! up! up!”Illustrator Yayo's images are bright, whimsical and echo a child's imagination and point of view where everyday objects morph into magic: a roller coaster glides along the curved edges of a laundry basket while the big wheel can be seen inside the spinning drum of a washing machine. There are forests of cotton candy, and the colourful dots of people “waayyy down on the ground” are drawn as "dancing jellybeans".  The back and front covers and inside pages are particularly attractive as they feature phosphorescent images on a dark background.Throughout the story the text is woven in and out of the illustrations to reflect the movements of the main characters and other objects. This helps to engage readers without hindering the storyteller as the text is large and legible. According the publisher's web site it is recommended for ages 3-4.  It would make an excellent addition to a home, school or public library picture book collection.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Kim FrailKim is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. Children’s literature is a big part of her world at work and at home. She also enjoys gardening, renovating and keeping up with her kids.

scholarly journals The Lonely Book by K. Bernheimer

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Desmarais
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Book History ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Public Library ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
The Public ◽  
Special Collections ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The University

Bernheimer, Kate. The Lonely Book. Illus. Chris Sheban. New York: Random House, 2012. Print.This charming story about a well-loved book will not easily be forgotten. It’s the sort of picture book I would have loved to discover during my childhood visits to the public library. The tale begins in a classic fairytale style, “Once there was a brand-new book that arrived at the library.” As the story unfolds, young readers learn all sorts of details about the inner workings of a public library, including the custom that many of the newest books are placed on a special shelf in a high traffic area.The “lonely book” of this story initially had a popular and fulfilling life on the new book shelf but eventually it is relegated to the children’s section, along with countless other well-loved titles. Years pass, the book becomes a little tattered and worn, and is now checked out all too infrequently. Then, one morning, a little girl named Alice discovers it and falls in love with the story about the girl and her life under a toadstool, and so she takes it home. “The book had never felt so beloved.” Readers will discover how lonely it becomes when Alice forgets to renew her old book, and especially so when it begins a new life in the library’s storage basement. In time, Alice longs for her favourite book and despairs that she may never see it again. The story ends on a cheerful note, however, when Alice is reunited with her once cherished book at the library’s big book sale.For those of us who understand what it is like to cherish a book from our childhood, this book will bring back fond memories. The soft watercolour illustrations complement the story beautifully and they evoke a magical time when children fall in love with books, read them late into the night, fall asleep with them under their pillows, and dream sweet dreams about favourite characters and events.Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Robert DesmaraisRobert Desmarais is Head of Special Collections at the University of Alberta and Managing Editor of The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature. A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Studies, with a Book History and Print Culture designation, he also has university degrees in English literature and publishing. He has been collecting and enjoying children’s books for as long as he can remember.

scholarly journals That’s Not Hockey! by A. Poulin

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Picture Book ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Standard Equipment ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Good Story ◽  
Hockey Player ◽  
The University ◽  
Bold Face

Poulin, Andrée. That’s Not Hockey! Annick Press, 2018 This picture book tells the story of the famous hockey player, Jacques Plante, who loved hockey as a child, but had to improvise because he did not have a lot of hockey gear. The title phrase “That’s Not Hockey” appears when Jacques uses a ball because he didn’t have a puck, uses a tree root for a goalie stick and has goalie pads made out of potato sacks and wooden slats. Andrée Poulin uses the bold-face phrase, “Hey, that’s not hockey” throughout the book, as though it had been shouted at the young Plante to indicate that people were not happy with his changes to the game. This foreshadows the reaction to one of Plante’s greatest and most memorable contributions to the game—the introduction of the goalie mask. While Plante initially faced booing, teasing, and taunting from “reporters, players, goaltenders and crowds”, helmets and facemasks became standard equipment in hockey and players now have far fewer head and face injuries as a result.   Félix Girard’s cartoon illustrations capture pond hockey in rural Quebec well. Girard also accurately portrays a bare-headed 1959 era hockey team hoisting the Stanley Cup. This is a good story about a Canadian hockey legend that also carries a lesson about continuing to work at making things better, even when most people seem to be against you.  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.  

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