bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of LFCI, LAT and ELISA for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in goats
Authors: Niaz Sadaf , Ullah Rafi , Said Bahrawar , Shams Sumaira , AbdEl-Salam Naser M. , Ullah Riaz
Published: April 2016

This study was carried out in order to investigate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in goats of seven different regions of District Dir (Lower), Pakistan. Lateral Flow Chromatographic Immunoassay (LFCI), Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) were used for the detection of T. gondii infection in goats. A total of 175 blood samples were collected from goats. Out of which 70 (40%) were found positive for T. gondii. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis among goats in seven areas of District Dir (Lower) was found high at Samarbagh (48%), Balambat (44%) followed by khall (40%), Munda (40%), LalQilla (36%) and lowest in Adenzai and Timergara (36%). This study demonstrated that the prevalence in older goats was significantly (P< 0.05) higher (48.91%) than younger ones (30.12%). The seroprevalence in male and female goats were 16 (29%) and 54 (45%) respectively.
Effect of graded concentration of organic Zinc (Zinc glycinate) on antioxidants status and immune response in commercial broilers
Authors: Sridhar K. , Nagalakshmi D. , Rao D. Srinivasa , Rao S. V. Rama
Published: April 2016

One hundred and twenty day old commercial broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 4 dietary groups, with 6 replicates of 5 birds in each and reared for 42 days under uniform management conditions to study the effect of organic zinc (zinc glycinate; Zn-gly) supplemented at lower levels (30, 20 and 10 ppm) on antioxidant status and immune response in comparison to NRC (1994) recommended levels (40 ppm) of Zn supplemented from inorganic source (ZnSO4). The dietary treatments were corn soybean meal basal diet supplemented with 40 ppm Zn from ZnSO4 (inorganic) (control) and 30, 20 and 10 ppm Zn from Zn-gly (organic). Antioxidant enzyme levels and antibody titres against New castle disease (ND) vaccine (humoral immunity) were estimated on 35th d and oxidative stress markers from liver on 42nd d. On 40th d, the cell mediated immunity (CMI) was assessed as cutaneous basophilic hypertrophy to phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P). The lipid peroxidation in haemolysate (P<0.05) lowered in birds with 30 ppm Zn supplemented as Zn-gly compared to 20 and 10 ppm Zn from Zn-gly and 40 ppm Zn from ZnSO4. The Glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity was higher (P<0.05) with 30 ppm Zn as Zn-gly compared to control. The CMI was sgnificantly (P<0.05) high at 30 ppm Zn supplemented as Zn-gly compared to 40 ppm Zn as ZnSO4 and other organic Zn groups. The SOD activity, humoral and cell mediated immune resonse when fed 20 ppm Zn as Zn-gly was comparable to those on 40 ppm Zn as ZnSO4. The results of the study indicated that reducing the level of Zn from inorganic source (40 ppm) to 50 % (20 ppm) supplementation from Zn-gly can result in comparable immune and antioxidant status in broiler chicks.
Post harvest seed quality of greengram as influenced by pre-harvest spray of insecticides
Authors: Raghu B. N. , Kumar Rai Prashant , Gowda Basave , Manjunatha N. , Alur Rajeshwari S.
Published: April 2016

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of insecticides and stages of insecticidal sprays on seed yield and yield components in greengram. The investigation was carried out in Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, during Kharif 2012. The experiment was laid in factorial randomized block design (FRBD) consisted of 15 treatment combinations involving two factors with three replications. Among the five test insecticides, spraying of malathion @ 2 ml/l recorded significantly more number of pods/plant (20.75), pod weight (20.45g), seed yield/plant (3.17 g), seed yield/hectare (949 kg) and less percentage of infested pods (5.35%) as well as infested seeds/plant (2.66%). It was followed by nimbicidine and methyl parathion. Whereas reciprocal values for these seed yield parameters were noticed in the unsprayed control plants (16.13, 16.53g, 1.84g, 725 kg, 14.13% and 7.89%, respectively). Similar results were recorded in spraying of insecticides at 20 and 10 Days before harvest compare to 20 or 10 Days before harvest. Interaction effect between insecticides and stages of insecticidal spraying were found non-significant for most of the seed yield and quality parameters.
Developing and Validating an Instrument to Assess the Nurses’ Professional Competence in Spiritual Care
Authors: Adib-Hajbaghery Mohsen , Zehtabchi Samira
Published: April 2016

Background and Purpose: Spiritual care is an important issue in health-related professions and has significant effects on patients’ psychological well-being. This study aimed to develop an instrument for assessing Iranian nurses’ professional competence in spiritual care. Methods: First, extensive reviewing of articles and books on spirituality and spiritual care was performed to extract the primary items and then validation tests were conducted. Results: A 38-item instrument was developed for assessing nurses’ professional competence in providing spiritual care. The content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) values of the final instrument were .90 and .75, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total instrument was .934. Conclusions: The instrument developed in this study has good CVI and CVR values and is useful in assessing nurses’ competence in providing spiritual care.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile-Revised 2 for Middle Adolescents
Authors: Scoloveno Robert
Published: April 2016

Background and Purpose: The purposes of this methodological study were to factor analyze the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile-Revised 2 (ALP-R2) and to assess construct validity of the instrument with a sample of middle adolescents. Methods: A sample of 311 urban middle adolescents responded to the ALP-R2, to the Adolescent General Well-Being Questionnaire, and to the Anticipation of a Personal Future subscale on the Hopefulness Scale for Adolescents. Data obtained on the ALP-R2 were subjected to principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation. Results: A 5-factor solution was accepted. Construct validity was provided by statistically significant positive correlations between the ALP-R2 and two theoretically relevant variables. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the ALP-R2 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing health-promoting lifestyle in adolescents.
Developmental and Initial Validation of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Symptom Interference Scale
Authors: Matura Lea Ann , McDonough Annette , Hanlon Alexandra L , Carroll Diane L.
Published: April 2016

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a chronic illness that produces multiple symptoms and impairs quality of life. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the initial psychometric properties of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Symptom Interference Scale (PAHSIS). Methods: Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical data form: the PAHSIS and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson r correlations. Results: PCA revealed a 3-factor solution: Cardiopulmonary, Weary, and Gastric. Correlations between the 3 factors and the SF-36 subscales and composite summary scores ranged from acceptable to high. Conclusions: These findings support the initial validity and reliability of the PAHSIS. Nursing can use the PAHSIS to assess the impact of patient symptoms to deploy effective, targeted interventions.
Development and Psychometric Testing of the Criterion-Referenced Measurement Tool for Genetics
Authors: Santelli Jeanine Seguin
Published: April 2016

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a criterion-referenced instrument to provide effective documentation of knowledge of advanced practice nursing in genetics. Methods: This is a methodological psychometric study. Results: The Criterion-Referenced Measurement Tool for Genetics (CRMTG) was found to be valid with a content validity index of .88 and reliable with a Cronbach’s alpha of .99 based on the findings of this study. The CRMTG pass rates indicated a significant difference between nurses who practice in a genetic setting and nurses who do not practice in a genetic setting (p< .001). Conclusions: The CRMTG was found to be a valid and reliable instrument to provide effective documentation of knowledge of advanced practice nursing in genetics.
Rendimento escolar e seus determinantes sociais no Brasil
Authors: Júnior Fernando Tavares , Mont'Alvão Arnaldo , Neubert Luiz Flávio
Published: April 2016

Este estudo analisa o rendimento educacional a partir das chances de estudantes realizarem as transições na educação básica (fundamental e média) no Brasil. Baseando-se em dados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios de 1999 e 2013, foram computados modelos logit sequenciais no intuito de estimar as mudanças no efeito das origens sociais sobre as transições. Os principais resultados apontam que, embora ainda persistam desigualdades socioeconômicas e de cor, houve diminuição desses efeitos ao longo dos últimos anos, o que indica a diminuição das barreiras socioeconômicas para o fluxo dos estudantes.
Navigating Mandates: Teachers Face "Troubled Seas"
Authors: Cobb Jeanne Beck
Published: April 2016

This descriptive research study presents the voices of four participating teachers who share how mandates have affected their classroom practices and their students. The teachers describe how they have struggled to maintain effective best literacy practices within this “pressure cooker” accountability culture. They discuss tools and coping strategies used by literacy specialists and classroom teachers to deal with conflicts and communicate with multiple stakeholders. The article describes Phase III of a longitudinal investigation conducted by a research team from 10 States (Phase I and II), focusing only on the mandates data from the large-scale study. Three of the 11 original literacy professors of the team who began Phase I of this research, conducted a more in-depth investigation of four cases/teachers who represented varying stances in response to the mandates. A continuum of teacher responses to restrictive mandates is presented.
Revision and Participation Patterns in Grades 5 and 6 Wiki Writing
Authors: Portier Christine , Stagg Peterson Shelley
Published: April 2016

Our study examined middle grade students’ participation in wikis during their two-month social studies unit co-taught by two teachers as part of a larger action research project. Using an analysis of 42 grades 5 and 6 students working together in eight wiki writing groups, we report on the frequency and types of revisions they made to collaboratively-written essays, and the distribution of the workload across group members in each of the wiki groups. Discussion data with 16 students from these wiki groups helps contextualize our analysis.Our findings suggest that given their extended time to write, students revised frequently, making replacements more often than they deleted, added or moved content. Students indicated a willingness to change others’ contributions and to have their own contributions revised by others in order to improve the quality of the essays. The majority of their revisions were at the word level, rather than at sentence, paragraph, and whole-text levels. One student in each group contributed significantly more frequently than any other group member. There were no gender or grade patterns in the frequencies or types of contributions that students made to the wikis.
What kind of pen do I need to use to write my culture and my language?
Authors: Nakagawa Satoru
Published: April 2016

Through a form of narrative inquiry involving the use of vignettes and ruminations about present and past, the author examines the role(s) of orality, literacy, and aurality in the intergenerational transmission of his language and culture. Weaving together stories from childhood, memories, and translations of his grandmother’s poetry, the author raises questions about how we, as Indigenous peoples, might ensure that we are able to teach our own next generations our spirits, hearts, being/knowing of the world and who we are as human beings now that oral cultures are being discarded--or worse, written down.
Interpreting Lived Experience through Writing Online in a Graduate Seminar
Authors: Courtland Mary  Clare , Novak John , LaFleur Gail , McClelland Ken , Sider Steve  R. , Shaw Joan
Published: April 2016

Participants in an online doctoral seminar participated in the use of a writing strategy to explore the sociocultural contexts of their lived experience. Creating literary texts in three forms was an effective strategy in mediating participants' understanding. Each form provided a new lens through which to interpret experience. Participants functioned as an interpretive community. The final papers, autobiographical narratives, illuminated the complex relations among prediscursive experience, reflection on experience, distancing, and the iterative transformational quality of time. The online format embodied a virtual interpretive location which allowed participants to revisit texts and postings over time.
Preparing Teachers to Become Lifelong Learners: Exploring the Use of Fiction to Develop Multiliteracies and Critical Thinking
Authors: Gouthro Patricia , Holloway Susan
Published: April 2016

Drawing upon research from a SSHRC grant entitled Creating a Canadian “Voice”: Lifelong Learning, the Craft of Fiction Writing, and Citizenship, we examine how multiliteracies and critical thinking can be fostered using a framework of lifelong learning for teachers. We provide examples from authors and key informants who discuss learning and fiction writing to argue that there are benefits for diverse learners in using wider, more inclusive definitions of literacy associated with multiliteracies. We also provide examples of how multimodal technologies can foster learning connected to critical thinking and multiliteracies.
An Analysis of Human Images and Advertisements in Four Popular Children’s Magazines
Authors: Chick Kay A. , Hunter Maxwell W.
Published: April 2016

Magazines are among the most widely read literacy materials for students, and visual imagery in magazines is a significant element in communication. This pilot study analyzes the human images and advertisements in four popular children’s magazines. Images were assessed for age, gender, action portrayed, and advertising status. Advertisements were also analyzed for type of product. Findings indicate significant gender and age differences, and more human images engaged in sports than any other activity. Advertisements incorporated significantly more male images and products mostoften promoted included computer games, candy and gum, and TV, movies, and videos. Implications for schools, teachers, and librarians are considered.
Complex language encounters: Observations from linguistically diverse South African classrooms
Authors: Evans Rinelle , Cleghorn Ailie
Published: April 2016

This article reports on the initial observation phase of a larger, longitudinal project that explores complex language encounters in grades R (Reception) to 3 classrooms in South Africa. Complex language encounters refer to teacher-learner exchanges that take place when neither teachers nor learners are first language speakers of the language of instruction, in this case English.  Observations during teaching practice visits to linguistically and culturally diverse South African urban classrooms yielded several vignettes that illustrate the need for teachers to be provided with strategies to lessen the confusion of some language encounters. Although preliminary, our findings underline how critical it is for teachers to possess full proficiency in the language of instruction as well as cross-cultural competence. That is, in order to attend adequately to diverse learners’ sense-making efforts, teachers need to know how to relate to learners by ‘border crossing’ linguistically, culturally and conceptually.
Rethinking Difference in the iWorld: Possibilities, Challenges and ‘Unexpected Consequences’ of Digital Tools in Literacy Education
Authors: Laidlaw Linda , O'Mara Joanne
Published: April 2016

Within contemporary literacy classrooms, mobile touchscreen devices are occupying a more prominent place. For children who have disabilities or learning differences, such devices can offer increased participation and access and may also provide social capital to users. We share examples of how iPads and iPods were successfully used in classrooms by children who might be categorized as experiencing various challenges, as well as autobiographical examples we have experienced as parents of children with disabilities. Through these illustrations, we examine the possibilities of ‘new tools’ as well as challenges encountered in changing existing literacy practices.
Family Literacy Programs as Intersubjective Spaces: Insights from Three Decades of Working in Culturally, Linguistically and Socially Diverse Communities
Authors: Anderson Ann , Anderson Jim , Gear Alison
Published: April 2016

In this article we draw on our three decades of work in culturally, linguistically, and socially diverse communities – an economically depressed, rural community in Eastern Canada, a culturally and linguistically diverse metropolitan area of western Canada and a First Nations community in north-western Canada – to document the development and evolution of a social-contextually responsive family literacy program. We propose that family literacy programs can build on the strengths that families bring and provide an intersubjective space where families and schools can share knowledge in a reciprocal, respectful manner.
Affinity Spaces and Ecologies of Practice: Digital Composing Processes of Pre-service English Teachers
Authors: Howard Patrick
Published: April 2016

English educators are responsible for preparing pre-service and in-service teachers to consider the ways in which people engage in meaning making by using a variety of representation, interpretive and communication systems. Today new technologies are radically changing the types of texts people create and interpret even as they are influencing the social, political and cultural contexts in which texts are shared. This research project was designed to immerse pre-service English education students in the creation of multimodal, multimedia texts as part of a digital composing workshop. For the purposes of this paper, three student experiences were drawn from a group of twelve pre-service English education students participating in the project. Each student represents a unique experience from which we may draw insight and direction as English educators. Despite the ever present barriers to integrating afterschool (Prensky, 2010) literacy practices into traditional schools and to ensure what we are teaching has the important element of “life validity” ( Mills, 2010) and reflects the evolving socio cultural literacy practices of contemporary society, English educators  must provide authentic, engaging opportunities for pre-service teachers to learn about and through multimedia, multimodal digital technologies.
Narrative Inquiry: Attending to the Art of Discourse
Authors: Leggo Carl
Published: April 2016

At least once a year, I teach a graduate course titled Narrative Inquiry. At the beginning of the course I always inform students that they will not likely learn how to do narrative inquiry in the narrative inquiry course. Instead they will interrogate the strategies, purposes, practices, and challenges of narrativeinquiry, and they will learn how complicated, even messy, the whole business of narrative inquiry really is. I organize the course around an investigation of three principal dynamics involved in narrative inquiry: story, interpretation, and discourse. I invite students to consider matters related to story and interpretation, but I encourage them especially to attend to the art of discourse.
Shifting identities, literacy, and a/r/t/ography: Exploring an educational theatre company
Authors: Winters Kari-Lynn , Belliveau George , Sherritt-Fleming Lori
Published: April 2016

This article explores an emerging educational theatre company in Vancouver, British Columbia by investigating how the creators embrace their multiple roles as artists, researchers, and teachersin their effort to promote literacy in schools. The authors begin by exploring notions of identity within an a/r/tographic framework. They then define their understanding and usage ofa/r/tography—a practitioner-based methodology that emphasizes living inquiry and reflective practice. They conclude with a dramatized dialogue about the process of researching, creating, and producing two touring theatre shows about literacy for young children. Using a/r/tography as a methodology allowed the authors of this paper to observe and pay close attention to the research data while still honoring the creative process of making theatre.
Potential for the Role of School-Based Animal-Assisted Literacy Mentoring Programs
Authors: Friesen Lori
Published: April 2016

This article explores how current research into school-based mentorship programs might inform the adult’s role as mentor in animal-assisted literacy programs and thereby offer children a unique and valuable form of support for learning. An examination of the goals and best practices of school-based mentorship programs alongside animal-assisted literacy mentorship programs opens space for an in-depth exploration into possibilities for how an animal might enhance the mentorship experience for children.
Ten Years of Adult Literacy Policy and Practice in Canada: Literacy Policy Tensions and Workarounds
Authors: Smythe Suzanne
Published: April 2016

The years 2003 – 2013 marked a coming-of-age in the adult literacy field in Canada, as it reconciled the politics of international literacy surveys and their accountability regimes with the actualities of literacy work among people caught in the nets of neoliberal economics. The concepts of policy networks, powerful literacies and workarounds are used to capture how educators attempt to escape or repair the effects of standardized accountability regimes to create new networks of adult literacy practice that reflect local learning needs and interests. The nexus of this struggle suggests consequences for the work of all educators within an emerging ‘new precariat’ and downgrading of public education spaces.
Brave Music of a Distant Drum by M. Herbstein
Authors: Sivak Allison
Published: April 2016

Herbstein, Manu. Brave Music of a Distant Drum. Red Deer, AB: Red Deer Press. 2012. Print. A young African-American man, Zachariah Wiliams, comes to visit his mother, who has been enslaved all her adult life. He, too, is a slave, but views his Brazilian owners as benevolent Christians, who have taught him how to read and write, gave him some pay for his bookkeeping work, and have promised to set him free in the coming years. He is reticent to meet with his mother who has never converted to Christianity, and with whom he is not close; she calls him by the name Kwame Zumbi, and she is uninterested in his successes working for his owners. She has asked him to smuggle some paper from his office, for she is going to tell a story she wishes him to write down for his own daughter to read when she is older.Ama's story is brutal in a way that is familiar to many readers, but not predictable. She tells of a failed rebellion on the slave ship, the beatings and sexual assaults that were a part of her everyday life, and of her love for Tomba, Zacharias' father. She writes of her intimacy with the daughter of her owners, emphasizing the strangeness of a girl who attempts to treat Ama well as a slave, but who does not truly want Ama to have her freedom. Although Ama has some momentary victories against people involved in the slave trade, she is never ultimately free. The novel does not attempt to fulfill a reader's hope for Ama's emancipation, and in this way, is more realistic than some fictional narratives of slavery in the Americas; it also avoids 'containing' the issue of slavery by ending with an individual's escape. This makes for a difficult, but strong novel.This young adult novel is based on author Herbstein's earlier historical novel for adults, Ama: A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Herbstein has made an unusual move here, revising the original novel for a younger audience, and has made thoughtful choices in doing so. He has shortened the story significantly, skimming over much of Ama's experiences that take place between her kidnapping in her village, and her forced placement on a slave ship headed for Brazil. (He skillfully explains this change as the limited amount of paper that Zachariah been able to procure; Ama wishes to retain only the details of her brutal enslavement in Brazil.) Herbstein's use of shifting first-person perspective, alternating between Ama and Zacharias, efficiently conveys Ama's blunt telling with her son's change from disbelief to anger at the injustice she has endured—an injustice that implicates his Brazilian owners. Brave Music of a Distant Drum is a brutal, thoughtful, well-written book that would be excellent for teenage readers.Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Allison SivakAllison Sivak is the Public Services 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.
Pirate Cinema by C. Doctorow
Authors: Davis Lissa
Published: April 2016

Doctorow, Cory. Pirate Cinema. New York, NY: Tor Teen, 2012. Print. In the near future, the Internet is not an extra, but a necessity. Without access, not only will you lose the ability to connect with friends and surf for entertainment, but you will be unable to graduate because you can’t hand in your assignments, you will lose your health benefits, and perhaps even lose your job. In Cory Doctorow’s Pirate Cinema, this disaster overtakes Trent McCauley’s family. Trent loves to make movies. Unfortunately, like many of today’s teens, he creates his content by ‘remixing’ others’ videos, images and music. In a world where copyright laws have become oppressive and corporations rule the government, Trent is seen as a thief. He is caught, and as a consequence, his family is cut off from Internet service for a year, and they suffer for his crimes. Feeling guilty and distraught Trent runs away to the streets of London. There, he hooks up with Jem Dodger (a nod to Dickens here), learns the ins and outs of street living, and discovers a vibrant and thriving underground community of artists and activists. Hooking up with the savvy and beautiful 26, Trent adopts the name Cecil B. DeVil and is soon creating movies with pirated material once again. This time, however, his videos have a purpose beyond entertainment; the downfall of the aggressive and brutal copyright laws that lead to his family’s predicament. Doctorow, a blogger and an activist for changing copyright laws, and a proponent of the Creative Commons model of intellectual property, is not subtle with his message, and presents only one side of the copyright issue. Yet, given the direction copyright law is taking in response to the changing landscape of media and the Internet, and the looming specter of a ‘Big Brother’ Internet that can find out everything about you from your digital footprint, this is a message that teens should hear. Doctorow also puts his money where his mouth is: all of his books are available for free online, including this one. One of Doctorow's strengths is his ability to draw characters that are fully realized and that pull you into their story and their cause. His book is not all heavy doom and gloom, either. Doctorow knows his teens and their language, and the book has off-beat characters, hip slang and humour. Recommended for teens who are interested in social media and justice issues. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Lissa Davis Lissa Davies is an elementary teacher-librarian in Edmonton, Ab. She is a passionate reader, and is always excited to share new books and engage readers!
Rrralph by L. Ehlert
Authors: Frail Kim
Published: April 2016

Ehlert, Lois. Rrralph. New York: Beach Lane Books, 2011. Print. “Would you like to meet a talking dog?” According to the author’s note, this book was based on jokes that her brother told his grandchildren. The humour translates well into the story as the narrator uses a series of onomatopoeic word-play to explain how Ralph the dog “talks”.  For example, when asked where he is, Ralph answers that he is on the “Roof” of the dog house. When asked what is on a tree, he replies “Bark, Bark, Bark”. The story even includes a somewhat scary encounter between Ralph and a “Wolf! Wolf!” This book will definitely be a story-time favourite for younger children. The large format and brightly coloured pages make it ideal for displaying to groups. The super-size font alternates on each page between black and white, creating high contrasts. The illustrations were created from: “zippers, wood, buttons, twine, metal, tree bark, screws, hand-painted and home-made papers, and textile fragments”. This creates layers of interesting textures and gives the book a “home-spun” appeal. It would also provide an interesting opportunity for educators or parents to talk about making art from found or recycled objects, or the benefits of recycling in general.  The highlight of the illustrations is Ralph’s multi-coloured textile collar and metal-heart shaped dog tag, which will remind readers of real beloved family pets. His zipper smile is pretty endearing as well. Other books by Lois Ehlert include: “Lots of Spots”, “Boo to You!” and “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”. According to the publisher Rrralph is recommended for ages 2-6. Highly recommended: four out of four starsReviewer: 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.
Arctic Thunder: A Novel by R. Feagan
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Feagan, Robert. Arctic Thunder: A Novel. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2010. Print. St. Albert is a small city, just north of Edmonton in Central Alberta.  In the opening pages of this book, thirteen-year-old Mike Watson and his team, the St. Albert Rams, win the Alberta Bantam Provincial box lacrosse championship.  Then his father, an RCMP officer, announces that they’ve been posted to Inuvik, which Mike describes as a place “somewhere inside the Arctic Circle and makes winter in St. Albert seem like summer”. The author, Robert Feagan, who lives in St. Albert, but spent much of his youth in RCMP posts across the Canadian Western Arctic, does a good job of presenting the struggles of a thirteen year old boy from the South trying to fit into the largely Inuit and Dene community in Inuvik. The story is definitely told from the point of view of a “white kid from the South”, except that Mike is part Zulu, so he sort of looks like he might fit in. Mike finds that teenagers are teenagers everywhere and when he goes to school he meets: the bully, the nerd whom everyone avoids and the super athletes, who in this case compete in the Arctic Games.  There is even a beautiful female nemesis, Gwen, who is one of the best basketball players Mike has every encountered. While well written and engaging, Feagan sometimes becomes a little didactic in educating the reader about the North.  Characters occasionally launch into unnaturally detailed explanations about things northern. Much of the tension between characters is also resolved too neatly.  Most of the core characters acquire self-understanding, turn over new leaves, and apologize to each other within a very few pages.  Much more realistic is the portrayal of the typical teenager, Mike, whispering a “Thank-you” to his Mom, long after she’s out of earshot. Through the course of the book, Mike (and the reader) come to appreciate what Inuvik, with its single traffic light and one retail store, has to offer.  Feagan works in a sensitive treatment of the role of the elders in the community and the healthy effects of living close to the land.  Of course, lacrosse, which no one plays in Inuvik, is an important thread through the story. Adult readers should not be put off by the fact that this is a young adult novel; it is a good Arctic read for anyone. 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.
Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods by J. Torres & F. E. Hicks
Authors: Jobagy Shelly
Published: April 2016

Torres, J. & Hicks, Faith Erin. Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2012. Print. As a child growing up in a small mountain town, the mystery of the Sasquatch captured my imagination. I searched for him whenever we explored in the woods behind our house, and imagined this creature watching us through the windows at night. So I was delighted to read this collaboration between writer J. Torres and illustrator Faith Erin Hicks, a graphic novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. The story begins when ten-year-old Rufus is dropped off at his grandmother’s house for the long weekend. He becomes bored and decides to explore the woods, where he meets a girl named Penny and follows her deep into the woods. The discovery of a legendary totem, inscribed with a special word, provides Rufus with special powers and a magical adventure involving a Sasquatch that he will never forget. The story, although simply told, conveys humour, mystery, and a sense of wonder as Rufus and Penny must overcome obstacles and scheming enemies. Character dialogue is authentic as to how a ten-year-old would speak, and the illustrations by Hicks enhance the humour and charm of the story. From Rufus, the freckle-faced lead, to the feisty Penny who does not slide into a stereotype of a First Nations character, their expressions and interactions feel real and the forest setting simultaneously magical and sinister. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Shelly Jobagy Shelly Jobagy is a teacher-librarian and administrator at a K-9 school in Edmonton, Alberta.
Joy of Apex by N. Folger
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Folger, Napatsi.  Joy of Apex.  Iqaluit:  Inhabit Media, Inc., 2011. Print. This is a first novel from Napatsi Folger, who grew up in Iqaluit, moved to Vancouver and then returned as an adult to work in Iqaluit.  She has given us a bright new heroine in Joy, a ten-year old girl who lives in Apex, just outside of Iqaluit in Nunavut.  Joy, who tells the story in the first person, is quite a normal pre-teen.  She generally wants to do well, but occasionally does silly things like calling little sister, Allusha, by the nickname “ALLA SUCKS”. From the beginning of the novel, it is clear that Joy has a heavier than normal family workload for a ten-year old.  Her dad is doing most of the cooking and cleaning and Joy and her older brother, Alex, are looking after each other and Alla.  They look out for each other at school, make their own Halloween costumes and solve their own problems.  Their mother, Mary, who spends most of her time with her sisters, does come home occasionally. When she does, she and her husband fight, with predictable effects on the children. “They are fighting again.  This time it sounds like a big one. The yelling wakes Allusha and we are so frightened that we creep into Alex’s room and crawl into bed with him.  After Alex and I calm Allusha’s quite sobs, the three of us sleep together in a little nest for the rest of the night.” Joy’s voice is authentic for a ten year old, who is doing her best to cope while her parents’ marriage falls apart.  It is hard not to be moved by her humiliation, anger and pain when her best attempts fail and there is no mom to prevent the disaster or pick up the pieces. Folger’s humour often provides some relief from the weight of the difficulties that Joy faces.  For example, when Allusha eats too much candy, throws up and bursts the capillaries in her face, she tells her mother, “Don’t worry, Mama.  It’s just burst caterpillars in my face.” This is a well-written volume and an engaging read.  The work is clearly rooted in the author’s personal experience growing up in the Eastern Arctic. Pre-teens through adult readers will enjoy this book.  Highly recommended for public libraries and school libraries everywhere. Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellHighly recommended:  4 stars out of 4Sandy 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.
Gem by H. Hobbie
Authors: Hamel Hali
Published: April 2016

Hobbie, Holly.  Gem.  New York: Little, Brown, 2012. Print. When we are stuck in a long, cold winter, the beauty of spring seems almost like another world. The story of Gem is told wordlessly, although it is set between two letters shared between Hobbie and her granddaughter Hope.  The pictures convey the beauty and possibilities of spring, as well as the curiosity and compassion of a young girl, but the letters are key to understanding the heart behind the story.     We are introduced to Gem in a letter from Hobbie to her granddaughter Hope, explaining that the long winter had inspired her to think about spring and the toad that Hope had discovered the previous year.  Hobby has spent the winter painting the journey that Gem, the toad, may have experienced on his way to Hobbie’s garden.  We then meet Gem, as he emerges in the spring and experiences a world full of danger, beauty, mating, and humans.  Hobbie’s expressive toad hops through the pages, at times surrounded by the radiance of spring and at times highlighted on a clean, white background.  Her use of watercolour, pen, and ink allows for lively paintings with detailed images of main characters.  We cheer as Gem escapes run-ins with a vehicle and a hawk, and smile as he finds himself surrounded by his lively offspring.  We eventually witness as Hope finds Gem in the garden, releasing him after an inquisitive encounter.  The closing images show us the toad enjoying his freedom in the evening light, reaffirming that Hope has made a kind decision.  The book closes with a letter from Hope to her grandmother, thanking her for the book and thoughtfully concluding that “Toads are not pets.  They want to be free, like everything does”. Hobbie, author of the popular Toot & Puddle series, showcases her ability to tell a moving story through her vivid artwork.  Although Gem is targeted at the two-to-five age range, it could also be used with older children when discussing topics such as spring, nature, and the environment.     Gem transports readers to a world of beauty and compassion, perhaps a place in which we all need to spend a little more time. Recommended:  3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Hali Hamel Hali Hamel is a teacher-librarian at Perdue School in Prairie Spirit School Division and is also a graduate student in the University of Alberta’s TLDL program.  She lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she is enjoying the thrill of rediscovering the world with her young daughter.
Switch by T. Cohen
Authors: Sivak Allison
Published: April 2016

Cohen, Tish. Switch. Toronto: HarperCollinsCanada, 2011. Print. This novel is a light, contemporary retelling of Mary Rodgers' “Freaky Friday”, with the body-switch occurring between two teenage girls. Andrea Birch lives with her parents and varying numbers of foster-siblings in a messy, eccentric household. Her father is a kind, nerdy man obsessed with the weather channel and her mother spends her time parenting children who have come to stay with the Birches from their own troubled homes. In contrast, Joules Adams lives in a huge house with her rock-star father and seems to have everything that Andrea does not: glamour, money, and a boyfriend who is coincidentally the object of Andrea's unrequited love. When the magical switch happens, Andrea learns how much she really values her own, unglamourous home. Switch is a smooth, fast-paced read. Cohen has written a believable, likable character in Andrea, and presents nuanced portraits of other, flawed characters, such as the aging star Nigel Adams. However, Andrea comes to recognize what her family gives her almost too quickly; her eagerness to enjoy some of the benefits of Joules' life is continuously constrained by her own sense of morality and obedience. The switch seems uncomfortable for her almost from the start. I also found an irritation in the switch catalyst, a pair of “magic” red rubber gloves that Andrea's grandmother bought from a “fortune-teller” in Africa; Cohen presents the continent of Africa as a prop to explain the switch, in a way that serves only to suggest “Africa” as a mysterious, othered culture. This seems flippant and is a shame, as Cohen has written other aspects of the story in a more socially-realistic manner, such as her allusions to the stories of the Birch foster kids and parents. The ending is also summarized too quickly and too neatly in comparison to the rest of the story. Recommended with reservations: 2.5 stars out of 4 Reviewer: Allison Sivak
Baby’s Got the Blues by C. Diggory Shields
Authors: Newbury Sheena
Published: April 2016

Diggory Shields, Carol. Baby’s Got the Blues. Illus. Lauren Tobia. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.With the word Baby in the title, one might believe that this book is suitable only for pre-school children. The author, Carol Shields, erases this assumption with the first sentence: “You think babies have it easy?” The book, Baby’s Got the Blues, is told from the perspective of the youngest in the family, and pays tribute to all the trials and tribulations that Baby encounters- full diapers, the inability to talk, eat pizza, walk, and having to sleep in a crib. In the end, all of Baby’s blues are wiped away when the best part of being a baby is revealed- cuddles.Written in the Blues musical style, with rhythm and  beat, those who are inclined could easily find themselves singing this story out loud, even improvising their own lines. The repeated refrain, “Cause I’m a baby, And I’ve got those baby blues. B-A-B-Y, baby, Got the poor little baby blues,” changes slightly after each verse to reflect Baby’s blues. For example, the word “blues” in the first line of the refrain is substituted for “stinkeroos” after Baby deals with a stinky diaper.The illustrations of this picture book highlight Baby’s world and help to tell Baby’s story in a fun way that includes Baby’s rabbit stuffy, which seems to experience the same trials and tribulations that Baby does. I highly recommend this book for babies, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and budding Blues musicians alike. Shield’s tells of Baby’s blues in a way that is enjoyable and will get even the most non-musical tapping their foot.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sheena NewburySheena is an elementary music teacher with Edmonton Catholic School and is currently working on completing her Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She loves reading and sharing literature with her music classes.
La mystérieuse boutique de Monsieur Bottom par C. Hurtut & M. Ben
Authors: Gomez Leticia
Published: April 2016

Hurtut, Caroline & Magali Ben. La mystérieuse boutique de Monsieur Bottom. Moncton : Bouton d’or Acadie, 2015. ImpriméCette année Caroline Hurtut a écrit son deuxième album jeunesse intitulé La mystérieuse boutique de Monsieur Bottom. Même si l’auteur vit présentement à Paris, son livre parait aux éditions Bouton d’or d’Acadie dans la collection Étagère trottinette.La mystérieuse boutique de Monsieur Bottom c’est l’histoire d’un petit garçon, un peu timide, nommé Benoît et dont le voisin d’en face vend des chaises… Cependant, Benoît a remarqué que les clients ressortent toujours les mains vides mais le sourire aux lèvres. Malgré sa timidité, Benoît est bien décidé à « percer le mystère ». En effet, M. Bottom, ce n’est pas vraiment des chaises qu’il vend… Il offre plutôt à ses clients la chance de se retrouver, l’espace d’un instant, « à la place de quelqu’un d’autre ».L’histoire cache une morale qui laissera petits et grands réfléchir aux choses dont ils ont vraiment envie. Et parce que M. Bottom est plus psychologue que vendeur, il amène aussi Benoît à comprendre l’importance de l’amour de soi. Quant aux aquarelles, elles sont à l’image du récit, bien travaillées et font preuves d’une certaine fantaisie.Bref, La mystérieuse boutique de Monsieur Bottom est une jolie petite histoire d’une quinzaine de pages qui alterne récit et dialogue pour mieux capter l’attention du lecteur.Note : 4 étoilesAuteur de la critique : Leticia GomezLeticia étudie au Campus Saint-Jean depuis trois ans où elle effectue un baccalauréat en éducation secondaire avec une majeure en littérature. Elle écrit également des critiques littéraires pour le Franco, un journal francophone local.
The Worm by E. Gravel
Authors: Thorlakson Jessica
Published: April 2016

Gravel, Elise. The Worm. Ed. S. Swenson. Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 2014. Print.Elise Gravel is a Quebec based author and illustrator known for producing original, quirky picture books.  In 2012 she won the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Illustration in French for her book "La clé à molette". Her background in graphic design easily lends itself to illustration and is exemplified in her latest work, The Worm.First in Gravel’s Disgusting Critters series, The Worm humorously introduces its readers to the history and lifestyle of the worm. The narrative is both informative and playful, balancing each worm-fact with a pithy commentary from the worms themselves, saying things like “Hey…I’m not disgusting!” and “Feel these [muscles].” Different types of worms are given a quick spotlight, such as the tapeworm, flatworm, and white worm, and extra attention is paid to the earthworm because, as an image of the worm exclaims, “[its] the most popular!” Gravel’s text is highly stylized, using different yet consistent typeface throughout to emphasize key words and concepts; the worms themselves are depicted in pink and can be seen looking into a little blue purse, flexing its (metaphorical) biceps, and dining inside the belly of animal (parasites!).The Worm seamlessly introduces interesting and important worm-facts (like the fact that earthworms are “basically a long digestive tract” and that they sense light via their photoreceptors because they have no eyes), and it does so in a medium that is delightful and downright charming. What’s even better is that it is available in both English and French, making it a perfect candidate for any bilingual classroom or home. This picture book is appropriate for early readers, ages 6-8, or anyone wanting to learn about worms. Other books in the Disgusting Critters series like The Fly, are also worth exploring.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Jessica ThorlaksonJessica Thorlakson is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta’s H. T. Coutts Education and Physical Education Library. She has a background in English Literature and enjoys little more than reading a good book and drinking some tea.