bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
My Name is Parvana by D. Ellis
Authors: Inglis Kathy
Published: April 2016

Ellis, Deborah. My Name is Parvana. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2012. Print. In this final book in the The Breadwinner series, we meet the indomitable Afghani protagonist, Parvana, again, at the age of 15. The story begins with Parvana being interrogated in an American military base after she is discovered in a bombed out school.  She refuses to acknowledge her captors and remains silent. The story unfolds through Parvana’s flashbacks as she endures the various methods employed to make her talk, including food and sleep deprivation.. We learn that Parvana’s family has left the refugee camp and started a school for girls. It seems their dreams have come true, but there is danger everywhere. New laws are in place to protect women’s rights, but old habits and beliefs, die hard. Threatening notes begin to arrive. Parvana is accosted in the streets.  Students and teachers are driven away by the threats, and without students the school will lose its funding.  The setbacks continue to pile up until at last we realize why Parvana is alone and imprisoned. Through careful crafting, Ellis creates a story that is heartrending without being horrific. Skillful use of flashbacks and foreshadowing soften the shock of atrocities by giving us clues before they occur. She shows respect for her young readers by giving enough detail for them to understand what is happening without becoming gory. Despite the incredible challenges she faces, Parvana finds hope, and new dream, in the end. This novel also provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss the use of voice in writing.  Some people would say Ellis, a white, Canadian woman, has no right to use an Afghani voice. Yet Ellis’ is an educated voice. She has spent time travelling in Afghanistan and interviewing Afghani children.  In an interview for Page Turners Book Club, Ellis asserts that she is giving voices to people who do not usually appear in books and providing information for children and teens who are “hungry to find out about how the world works and how they can create their own place in the world”. My Name is Parvana is an appropriate companion for Ellis’ non-fiction book Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-ending War and other information texts about children’s lives in Afghanistan.  While Ellis should not be the only voice for Afghani women and children, hers is certainly a powerful and effective one.  Her goal of building connections for young Canadians and creating a climate for understanding is laudable. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer:  Kathy Inglis Kathy Inglis is a teacher-librarian and kindergarten teacher at South Park Family School in Victoria, BC and a Masters student in the Teacher-Librarianship through Distance Learning Program at the University of Alberta. Her favourite part of the job is seeing the excited look on the faces of students who have found that perfect book.
Virginia Wolf by K. Maclear.
Authors: Roche Matilda
Published: April 2016

Maclear, Kyo. Virginia Wolf. Illus. Isabelle Arsenault. Toronto : Kids Can Press, 2010. Print. Vanessa awakes one morning to find her sister, Virginia, transformed. Virginia is not herself. She has become furtive and embittered, snippy and distinctly wolfish. While Isabelle Arsenault's illustrations have a consistent prettiness and amiable levity, the ambiguous and slightly sinister nature of Virginia's' transformation is undeniable. Kyo Maclear's narrative balances how children will interpret the change that has come over Virginia and Vanessa's attempts to return her sister to herself and how adults will understand the allusions to depression and alienation. Virginia is literally - in the context of a child's understanding and the illustrations - a wolf in an archetypal little girl's dress. She is also genuinely frightening in the depths and intensity of her withdrawal and this gives Virginia Wolf a lovely little frisson of fairy tale dread. Vanessa perseveres in trying to redeem her sister and rescue her from her dour transformation. It is creativity, honesty of self-expression and love that eventually reestablish the sister's rapport. As Maclear elegantly conveys, accompanied by an inspired and expressive page design, “Down became up. Dim became bright. Gloom became glad.” Inspired by Maclear's creative interpretation of the relationship between Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell, the story can be enjoyed at many different levels. The reader can certainly intuit how much the writer and artist enjoy each other’s work and are relishing the imaginative potential of their subject matter. The layered complexity of the text is enriched by the intuitive collaboration between artist and writer evident in the evocative text and toothsomely vivid illustrations.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Matilda Roche Matilda spends her days lavishing attention on the University of Alberta’s metadata but children’s illustrated books, literature for young adults and graphic novels also make her heart sing. Her reviews benefit from the critical influence of a four year old daughter and a one year old son – both geniuses. Matilda’s super power is the ability to read comic books aloud.
The Sniffles for Bear by B. Becker
Authors: Roche Matilda
Published: April 2016

Becker, Bonny. The Sniffles for Bear. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2011. Print Any book featuring the shenanigans of curmudgeonly Bear and winsome Mouse is met with enthusiasm in my house. Bear has a terrible cold and he responds to his condition with his usual verbose intolerance. Again, it is utterly creative and unstoppably committed Mouse - every introvert’s secret fantasy friend - to the rescue. While the dialogue is as snappy and satisfying as ever, it is Denton’s illustrations, their clean, clear detail and spot-on visual characterization that put these excellent books over the top. Has there ever been a cold suffered more intensely than Bear’s? The physical language and facial expressions on the cover alone speak to the depths Bear’s lethargy and irritation and Mouse’s unquenchable joie de vivre. Becker’s willingness to use evocative, mildly esoteric words, rather than baffling children, engages them with exotic cadence and apt expressions of the characters’ compelling idiosyncrasies. The mood and temperament of the books is unfailingly cozy and pastoral. (Is it Upper Canada or New England pastoral, though? I can’t decide.) One always worries that the return of appealing characters in new stories will dilute their charms but that has, luckily, not been the case with Becker and Denton’s collaboration; the dynamic between Bear and Mouse continues to be clever and delightful. The exploration of friendships between the sort of oppositional temperaments that Bear and Mouse embody is a familiar theme in children’s literature. While only time will tell, there is potential that Bear and Mouse are developing as enduring a partnership as Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad. One keenly hopes for many more little domestic adventures to come. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Matilda Roche Matilda spends her days lavishing attention on the University of Alberta’s metadata but children’s illustrated books, literature for young adults and graphic novels also make her heart sing. Her reviews benefit from the critical influence of a four year old daughter and a one year old son – both geniuses. Matilda’s super power is the ability to read comic books aloud.
Not Your Typical Dragon by D. Bar-el
Authors: Aitken Leslie
Published: April 2016

Bar-el, Dan.  Not Your Typical Dragon. Illus. Tim Bowers. New York: Viking-Penguin Young Readers Group, 2013. Without didacticism, this picture book explores the plight of those who are not “typical;” along the way, it highlights the value of peacemaking.  Crispin Blaze, the child of a long, proud line of dragons who breathe fire, breathes everything but.  Band-Aids, bubbles and teddy bears are amongst his pacifying emissions.  Finding acceptance in a world of knights and dragons becomes his challenge.Not intended as “beginning-to-read” material, the text is still admirably written for oral presentation by either a proficient reader or a storyteller.  Phrasing and structure promote the build up of suspense.  Sentences are generally short and crisp, allowing, as appropriate, for the dramatic pause.  The vocabulary is well chosen, varied, and unpretentious.  The storyline should prove both amusing and satisfying to kindergarten and primary school children.Tim Bower’s illustrations add to the humour of the tale.  They are large and clearly delineated—a good accompaniment to the text when seen at normal reading distance. Bower’s colour palette, however, is sometimes delicate.  Viewed from the distance at which a story hour audience might see them, some images seem to meld.  Others are perfectly fine for group viewing: good choices would be Crispin’s exhalations of both birthday streamers and teddy bears.All in all, this book provokes spontaneous laughter and subtle reflection.  Parents, teachers and librarians will find many occasions on which to present it.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.
Granta 114: Aliens
Authors: Sivak Allison
Published: April 2016

Aliens. Thematic issue of Granta: The Magazine of New Writing. 114 (Spring 2011)   Granta is a quarterly magazine of new writing from both established and emerging writers; although aimed primarily at adult audiences, it could easily be considered as a journal with appeal to young adults particularly due to its diverse content and style, offering readers a greater scope of choice. Granta could often, I suspect, serve to pique the interest of older adolescents  due in part to the periodical's contemporary approach to cover design, and its integration of visual art and poetry with prose, along with the obvious diversity and strength of the writing in general. An issue organized around the theme of 'Aliens' seems tailor-made to easily cross over from an adult to an adolescent audience. The black and silver cover with the hovering planet suggests science fiction; however, on closer look, the figures walking towards the planet wear suits and head coverings, and suggest displacement in earthly realms rather than within the final frontier. Indeed, most of the writings in this issue speak to feelings of alienation and alien environments. While stories are united by the emotional impacts of the characters’ strangeness in new environments, the works cover a broad scope; compare, for example, Chris Dennis’ fiction piece on a young drug addict facing life in prison, with Ann Patchett’s observations of a nun who taught her in childhood, who is now facing life outside the convent.  The writing in this issue is strong, and at times, explicit in its sexuality and violence, although not gratuitously so. Librarians and teachers may feel some hesitation in subscribing to Granta for their students due to restrictions around students’ reading materials; this would be unfortunate, as such a publication provides students exposure to such important contemporary writers as Roberto Bolaño, Madeleine Thien, and Paul Theroux. Recommended: 2 out of 4 stars Reviewer: 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.
Louis Jolliet, Explorateur et cartographe par M. Plouffe
Authors: Flamand Hélène
Published: April 2016

Plouffe, Manon. Louis Jolliet, Explorateur et cartographe. Québec : Éditions de l’isatis. 2014 http://www.editionsdelisatis.com/les-collections/bonjour-lhistoire/louis-jolliet/Le nom de Louis Jolliet m’était familier, comme pour beaucoup de Canadiens-français et comme beaucoup de Canadiens-français, je ne connaissais à peu près rien des exploits de cet explorateur, de l’époque de la Nouvelle-France, né en 1645 et mort en 1700, qui a traversé des distances impressionnantes en canot et par bateau à la fois au nord et au sud du continent nord-américain. Saviez-vous qu’il s’était rendu aussi loin que le Nouveau-Québec et l’actuelle Louisiane, un parcours très impressionnant quand on connait les moyens de transport de l’époque.De ce livre, apprend bien des faits intéressants et méconnus sur ce héros, de sa naissance à sa mystérieuse disparition en 1700. Saviez-vous qu’il était aussi musicien, qu’il fut le premier organiste de la cathédrale de Québec et le premier seigneur de l’île d’Anticosti? Louis Jolliet, Explorateur et cartographe est présenté comme un récit, mais comporte de courts dialogues, sans toutefois être un roman. L’auteure y emploie des termes d’époque, tels que « lieues » et « Sauvages » (en référence aux Amérindiens), bien indiqués par un astérisque, qui nous renvoie à un lexique à la fin de l’ouvrage. Des termes spécialisés sont aussi compris dans ce lexique. A la toute fin de l’ouvrage, on y décrit également des personnages contemporains à Jolliet et on fournit des repères chronologiques de cette époque.Si  l’ensemble a le pouvoir de rendre tout amateur d’histoire nostalgique, l’ouvrage paraîtra cependant  vieillot aux yeux du lecteur juvénile. Les illustrations sont également plutôt vieillottes dans leur style et leur monochromie : seuls le noir, le gris et le rouge sont utilisés dans les illustrations.Note : Trois étoilesCritique par : Hélène FlamandDr. Flamand est psychologue scolaire de formation. Elle enseigne présentement à la Faculté St-Jean (University of Alberta), en plus de maintenir une pratique privée. Mme Flamand est mère de famille. Elle est également auteure d'une série de livres pour enfants.
Bumble-Ardy by M. Sendak
Authors: Paterson Amy
Published: April 2016

Sendak, Maurice. Bumble-Ardy. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011. Print. Maurice Sendak’s devotion to chaos, revelry, and the inherent wildness of children is present once again in Bumble-Ardy, the story of a little pig intent on celebrating his ninth birthday. Having had his first eight birthdays summarily passed over by an immediate family who “frowned on fun,” Bumble-Ardy is overjoyed when he is adopted by his “devine” Aunt Adeline. Like the doting relative she is, Adeline throws Ardy a sweet and thoughtful (though low-key) birthday party; however, Ardy, unsatisfied with his aunt’s efforts, decides to throw his own party, without his aunt’s permission. Having invited all of his most unsavoury friends, Bumble-Ardy’s party crescendos into a chaotic whirlwind until Aunt Adeline finally arrives home to break up the shenanigans. Many children will have been introduced to Sendak’s work through the classic Where the Wild Things Are, and superficially at least, many of the same elements are at work in Bumble-Ardy. The art style remains raw, colourful, and roughly executed, as a complement to the subject matter. However, the wildness on display in Bumble-Ardy is written to very different effect than that of Where the Wild Things Are. Whereas Wild Things’ Max was instantly relatable to young children—his mischief presented as harmless escapism and the product of a healthy and flourishing imagination—Ardy lacks the character definition necessary both to connect with readers and to excuse his behavior. While being deprived of birthday parties for nine years could certainly make a little boy act out, Ardy’s actions in the story feel especially deceptive, almost crossing a line from mischief into malice. Though Aunt Adeline forgives her nephew, of course, the emotional coda of the story feels tacked on. Instead, Adeline’s almost-terrifying outburst at arriving home, her house in shambles, is far more likely to stick with readers. The scenes of emotion, wildness, and chaos show glimpses of Sendak’s best work; however, the story itself makes a poor and lazy showcase for these talents. Flip through Bumble-Ardy to appreciate Sendak’s artwork, but when it comes time to read your child a bedtime story, go with Where the Wild Things Are instead. Recommended with reservations: 2 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Amy PatersonAmy Paterson is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta’s H. T. Coutts Education Library. She was previously the Editor of the Dalhousie Journal of Interdisciplinary Management and is very happy to be involved in the Deakin Review and the delightful world of children’s literature.
Poindexter Makes a Friend by M. Twohy
Authors: Polkinghorne Sarah
Published: April 2016

Twohy, Mike. Poindexter Makes a Friend. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2011. Print. Full disclosure: this is a book, reviewed by a librarian, about making a friend at the library. However, the gentle charms of Poindexter Makes a Friend will appeal to most everyone, regardless of the size of one’s soft spot for libraries. Poindexter is an introverted young pig who would rather read a story to his stuffed animals than go out to play in his neighbourhood. His adores his local public library, where he helps to shelve books and push the book cart. Poindexter’s comfortable life of library volunteerism is interrupted when Shelby, a shy turtle, asks for help finding a book about how to make friends. Some children make friends easily, and some do not. Either way, friends are a pressing concern for the pre-school and early elementary crowd, the audience for Poindexter Makes a Friend. The book’s appeals include the friendly, expressive watercolours of author Mike Twohy, a veteran New Yorker cartoonist. However, the book’s most valuable facet is its discussion of how to make friends, which takes place, not pedantically, between Poindexter and Shelby. This discussion includes concrete, age-appropriate parsing of concepts such as “sharing” and “being nice,” and could make a good launching point for a group discussion at a library story hour or at the beginning of a new school year. This is a tale that is simple, but not simplistic. As Poindexter helps Shelby, so will Poindexter Makes a Friend help bashful souls to emerge a little bit from their shells. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sarah PolkinghorneSarah is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta. She enjoys all sorts of books.
Little Chicken Duck by T. Beiser
Authors: Deakin Andrea
Published: April 2016

Beiser.Tim. Little Chicken Duck. Illus. Bill Slavin. Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 2013. Print. When a duckling refuses a frog’s invitation to jump into the water and paddle, the frog introduces her to the other birds and asks them to reassure her. One by one they confess the fears they faced when they were young. The owl mistook fireflies for goblins’ eyes, the lark was afraid to sing, and the robin hated getting wet. Each bird they meet tells a tale of overcoming their fears until the duckling is playing happily in the water. But what, the duckling wonders, made the frog afraid when he was a pollywog? The frog admits it was ducks.Little Chicken Duck is an amusing introduction to facing one’s fears. The rhymes are strong and designed to allow young voices to join in while an adult reads aloud, and Bill Slavin’s illustrations are, as always, bold, brightly coloured and inviting. The animals’ fears are portrayed with character and humour. My favourite, an American bald eagle, dramatically pronounces his fear of thunderstorms as if he were holding forth on centre stage: with his beak powerfully declaiming, his wing thrust out for emphasis and with pointed claws. A child may not catch all of what Slavin is portraying, but then something must be left to trigger an adult’s sense of humour as they read.Recommended stars: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Andrea DeakinAndrea has been involved with books since she was class librarian in Primary School, Student Librarian in Grammar School, student librarian for the Education Faculty when she was a student, and school librarian in schools both in England and in Canada, except for the first two years in Canada where she arrived in 1959. When she retired from teaching ( English and History) she was invited to review in February 1971, and continued to review for press, radio, and finally on the Internet (Deakin Newsletter from Okanagan College) until she retired in 2011. Forty years seemed sufficient- although she still cannot keep her nose out of good children's and YA fare.
V is for Vegan: The ABCs of Being Kind by R. Roth
Authors: Smith Jorden
Published: April 2016

Roth, Ruby. V is for Vegan: The ABCs of Being Kind. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 2013. Print.With adorable illustrations, bright colours, and brief, engaging text, this book would be a welcome addition to any library collection. Roth’s newest book, V is for Vegan, is a quirky and entertaining guide to human-animal relations and the vegan lifestyle.  This book is a gentle and informative introduction to the vegan lifestyle, incorporating important vocabulary all vegans should know. It introduces the reader to major food groups in a vegan diet: legumes, grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables; as well as touching on animal rights. This book is a brilliant resource to help children learn about their or their classmate’s dietary needs. The illustrations, also done by Roth, and rhymes garnered lots of laughs. My 4-year old niece’s favorite page: “Ee is for eggs-- from a chicken’s butt?! Wow.” For vegan and vegetarian parents, this book is a must have.This book was sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, an educational nonprofit corporation established to “develop an educational and cross-cultural perspective that links scientific, social, and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind, body, and nature.” Their publishing house, North Atlantic Books, publishes many books on alternative health.Recommended: 3 of out 4 starsReviewer: Jorden SmithJorden is a Public Services Librarian in Rutherford Humanities and Social Sciences Library at the University of Alberta.  She is an avid fiction reader and subscribes to Hemingway’s belief that “there is no friend as loyal as a book.”
Dorothy Must Die by D. Paige
Authors: Buch-Goncalves Rachelle
Published: April 2016

Paige, D. Dorothy Must Die.  Full Fathom Five: Harper Collins, 2014. Print.Once you enter Oz there is no turning back.  Be Brave.  Be Angry.  Don’t trust anyone.  Trust yourself.  You’ll know what to do.  Danielle Paige takes the classic tale of the Wizard of Oz and twists the characters with evil to leave the reader anxiously waiting for the next magical revelation in her novel Dorothy Must Die.As an average teen from a trailer park in Kansas, Amy Gumm believes that the realities of her mother’s addiction, an absent father and the bully at school are the worst scenario a girl could face.  She couldn’t be more wrong.  The collision of a classic tale with the magic and horror that Amy requires to fulfill her destiny forms a novel that is a fast paced adventure along the yellow brick road.  Amy considers the storm rolling in on her life in the trailer park, and the possibility of life as someone other than Salvation Amy: Bring it on. There’s no place like anywhere but here.  When she is swept away in the tornado and lands in the Land of Oz she is met with something more sinister than she can imagine.  It turns out that all Amy finds in this new version of Oz has been created by her predecessor Dorothy, the other girl from Kansas.  With acts of evil and desperation, Dorothy's attempt to harness all magic and power over the land have caused desolation.   With such a dismal reality for the Land of Oz, Amy is recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked with a single mission: Dorothy must die.As Amy asks the question “Who am I supposed to be?” she deals with her haunting past back home, her identity as a teen, lessons in managing magic, and ultimately her role as an assassin.  But Dorothy has clearly declared that there can only be one, and both Amy and Dorothy intend for that one to be them.  In Danielle Paige's debut as a YA writer she creates a tornado in its own right, carrying the reader up and away only to drop them on their head when the storm dies down.   Oz - Where all your worst nightmares can come true.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Rachelle Buch-GoncalvesRachelle is the Teacher Librarian at Southern Okanagan Secondary School in Oliver, BC.  She is currently completing her Masters degree in Teacher Librarianship and enjoys sharing her studies with her colleagues, students, and her two young daughters who are reading ‘just like mom’.
A is for activist by I. Nagar
Authors: Aitken Leslie
Published: April 2016

Nagar, Innosanto.  A is for activist.  Mississauga, Ontario: Random House, 2013. Print.A publisher’s release indicates that Innosanto Nagar is the founder of “…The Design Action Collective, a worker-owned cooperative design studio in Oakland, California, that is dedicated to “serving the movement…” (Enclosure dated November 16, 2013).  It is not the least bit surprising, then, that he would produce a book in the cause of activism; in fact, he would appear singularly qualified to do so.  But that he should, in good conscience, produce this particular book is baffling.At times political propaganda, always a diatribe, A is for activism comes in the form of a board book for tiny hands, and in the guise of an ABC book.  Who is Nagar’s intended audience?  Or, more cynically, just whom is his publisher trying to kid?The underlying intent of English language alphabet books is to introduce preschoolers to phonics.  Typically, words and illustrations are kept within the young child’s own experience level, real or vicarious.  One is free to agree with the following sentiment; it is, however, absurd to suggest it as an appropriate mnemonic for fastening the sound of the letter “d” in the mind of a three-year-old:            “Little d democracy            More than voting, you’ll agree.            Dictators Detest it. Donkeys Don’t get it.            But you and me? We Demand equality!” It also strains credibility to think that the symbolism of the illustration accompanying this stanza, a donkey and an elephant butting heads, will be grasped by American infants. This mnemonic for “n,” I grant you, might appeal to a two-year-old; but his mother?  Not so much.            “N is for NO             No! No! No!            Yes, to what we want.             No to what must go!             No! No! No!” Finally, if you are seriously opposed to the expanding use of fossil fuels, join the adult conversation.  Sell your car.  Install some solar panels. Vote.  Don’t waste time teaching your babies to chant,            “Silly Selfish Scoundrels Sucking on dinosaur Sludge!”Some of Nagar’s ideas would be worth presenting to high school students—but not in board book format.   For young children, there are excellent picture books about people who have championed human causes with courage and conviction; for example, Every Day is Malala Day by Rosemary McCarney.  Don’t buy A is for activist for a little child.  If you must have it, buy it as a gift for your adult friend who joins causes.  With this last possibility in mind, I am awarding the book one out of four stars.Not Recommended: 1 out of 4 starsReviewer:  Leslie AitkenLeslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.
Cats' Night Out by C. Stutson
Authors: Roche Matilda
Published: April 2016

Stutson, Caroline. Cats’ Night Out. Jon Klassen.  Illus. Toronto: Simon & Schuster, 2010. Print.   This is an immediately appealing and well designed book – a pleasing convergence of balanced palettes and retro details. Sophisticated and stylish little urban cats cavort throught an overview of twentieth century dance styles against the backdrop of an understatedly cool Gotham night. The minimal text is mindfully integrated into the page design and its counting rhyme cadence comes to an enjoyable visually unstructured, cartoonish climax. When I read Cats’… to myself I was concerned that it shared one short coming with other attractive children’s books. Did the level of textual comprehension required, complexity of the popular culture references and the dark, low contrast palette cohere into a narrative and visual text that is holistically appropriate for a particular children’s age group? It’s discouraging when artful and ambitious books elude toddlers and preschool age audiences while seeming too simplistic to older children to offer sufficient engagement. Such books wash over children leaving them unmoved. Creating a beautiful picture book - which Cats’ Night Out certainly is - is a great accomplishment. Creating a picture book that is beautiful and that is truly directed at and calibrated for children is even more challenging. I knew that Cats’ Night Out would please discerning adults but, what little sartorialist cat-lover and junior aficionado of dance and monochromatic retro architecture would have an affinity for this book? Well, as it turns out, my four year old loves it and goes back through the book  to examine all the details and explain which shoes, clothes and colours are the best and ask me baffling questions about “polka dotted Swiss” (I had to look it up – it’s a vintage fabric style). Very well done,  indeed. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Matilda RocheMatilda spends her days lavishing attention on the University of Alberta’s metadata but children’s illustrated books, literature for young adults and graphic novels also make her heart sing. Her reviews benefit from the critical influence of a four year old daughter and a one year old son – both geniuses. Matilda’s super power is the ability to read comic books aloud.
Welcome, Baby by B. Reid
Authors: Frail Kim
Published: April 2016

Reid, Barbara. Welcome, Baby. Toronto: Scholastic Canada, 2013. Print.As with Reid's other books, the focus of Welcome Baby is the author's superb hand-sculpted plasticine illustrations. They are all bright, colourful and contain small charming details such as: framed family photos, the stubble on a new father's unshaven face, and a baby's missing sock and tiny bare foot. The story is addressed to a new baby and presents the joys of welcoming the new arrival into the family. There are images of babies snuggling with Moms and Dads, interacting with grandparents, playing with siblings and friends and enjoying the great outdoors in all four seasons.The characters are racially diverse and household scenes are very realistic. A father and baby nap in the couch amidst a sea of toys and clothes strewn about the living room carpet. The narrative features a simple rhyme scheme that would appeal to young children. There are usually only 5-7 words per page and it alternates between text and image. The colour of the textual pages alternates between yellow and blue to create interest without overwhelming the images on the opposite side.  The meaning of the text corresponds well to the images and conveys playful metaphors. For example, in one image we see rain and clouds through a large window. In the foreground a baby flashes a joyful smile while holding her father's finger. He is wearing a sports jersey. The text reads: "You will be our sunshine, We'll be your biggest fans."  This book is ideal for the nursery or preschool library. It would make a fantastic gift for parents-to-be and could also be read to a sibling before the birth to allow them to share in the excitement and anticipation.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 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 kids.
One Cool Friend by T. Buzzeo
Authors: Tan Maria
Published: April 2016

Buzzeo, Toni, and David Small. One Cool Friend. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012. Print. Hailing from Michigan, former teacher and children’s librarian Toni Buzzeo has been writing children’s literature since 1995. Ms. Buzzeo has published over 20 picture books and has written or co-written curriculum support materials and professional books for teachers and teacher librarians. One Cool Friend was named a 2013 Caldecott Honor book. Eliot, “a very proper young man” politely asks his father, “May I have a penguin?” His father acquiesces and Eliot takes home a unique memento of his visit to the aquarium. A humorous and unexpected adventure unfolds as Magellan, Eliot’s new pet penguin, gets settled in his new home. The interactions between Eliot and his father are entertaining and full of double meaning. David Small’s clever illustrations and strategic use of colour and texture provide hints to the surprise ending. Although targeted at children aged 5-9, readers of all ages will enjoy this book, gleaning different meanings from the illustrations and text. This story invites repeated readings; readers are sure to pick up details that they missed previously. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Maria Tan Maria is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta’s H. T. Coutts Education Library. She enjoys travelling and visiting unique and far-flung libraries. An avid foodie, Maria’s motto is, “There’s really no good reason to stop the flow of snacks”.
I Want My Mommy! by T. Corderoy
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Corderoy,Tracey. I Want My Mommy!  Wilton, CT: Tiger Tales, 2013. Print.This charming picture book addresses separation anxiety, which is common among young children being left with occasional caregivers.  The story is depicted with mice playing the roles of people.  Arthur is a small mouse, who is staying with his grandmother while his mother goes out for the day.  Arthur has "never been apart from Mommy for the whole day before".  He misses her a lot.  Although his grandmother distracts him with dragons, sword fights and lunch, Arthur is still sometimes sad and thinks that his mom has returned every time the doorbell rings.  Allison Edgson's illustrations are bright, attractive and somewhat romantic.  Grandma's garden has a white picket fence with an arched trellis, hollyhocks and climbing roses.  Throughout, Arthur is dressed in a green dragon suit.   The images are sometimes two-page spreads with text over-printed or smaller round pictures with in text the white spaces around them. The text is a large font, with a few words bolded or capitalized for effect.  The text is age appropriate for pre-kindergarten to grade three, but intended to be read aloud by an adult.I Want My Mommy! allows children to see their own situation depicted in a story.  Children can  empathize with Arthur and see that he does cope with being away from his mother and that his mother does return. This is an excellent book for public libraries and elementary school libraries and pediatric health collections. Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
A New Season for Reading Great Books!
Authors: Desmarais Robert
Published: April 2016

Spring is upon us, and the new season has ushered in a splendid assortment of books to captivate children of all ages. In this issue, we are delighted to provide our first video-recorded author interview, which can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlink in the review of Thomas Wharton’s The Fathomless Fire. Wharton is a highly accomplished author and assistant professor of English at the University of Alberta who is currently working on a fantasy trilogy for young readers. We are thrilled that he granted us an interview in December 2012 to discuss his latest book and love of storytelling. We plan to offer additional video content in future issues whenever opportunities arise for our reviewers and editors to speak with storytellers, illustrators or publishers. If you believe, like I do, that young readers reap significant benefits by having access to a wide variety of books, then you’ll certainly be pleased to see the range of titles in this issue. If you’re looking for stories from the steampunk genre, do have a look at the highly recommended stories in Steampunk! (Our reviewer awarded it four stars!). If a dystopian novel is more to your taste, you may find enjoyment in reading Carrie Ryan’s The Dark and Hollow Places if you don’t mind that a legion of terrorizing zombies features prominently in the plot. Granted, reading about the living dead is not for everyone, so you might also consider Maile Meloy’s The Apothecary, a prize-winning work of historical fiction, or Kelly Armstrong’s The Calling, the second installment of her Darkness Rising trilogy. Of course, there are numerous picture books in this issue that deserve your consideration, such as Dream Away and The Great Sheep Shenanigans; both were awarded the highest rating by our reviewers. There are many more excellent books that explore a range of themes like health and nutrition, team sports, fun facts, and historical events, but for more topics you’ll have to check out the issue yourself. Enjoy! Best wishes, Robert DesmaraisManaging Editor
I Like Vegetables: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book by L. Siminovich
Authors: Frail Kim
Published: April 2016

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.
Mimi's Village and How Basic Health Care Transformed It by K. Smith Milway
Authors: Genuis Shelagh K.
Published: April 2016

Smith Milway, Katie. Mimi's Village and How Basic Health Care Transformed It. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2012. Print.Mimi’s Village is part of the CitizenKid series, a collection that seeks to inspire children to be better global citizens. Based on Katie Smith Milway’s experiences working for non-profit organizations, the story is set in Western Kenya – a real-world context that is vividly supported by Eugenie Fernandes’ colourful full-page illustrations of flora, fauna and village life.Told in simple one-page chapters, this story introduces children to the health challenges experienced by Mimi and her family: unsafe drinking water, a child’s life-threatening illness, and travel through the night to a distant health clinic. As the story develops, readers begin to see that small steps can radically improve health in the village: clean water, vaccinations and mosquito nets. Perhaps most importantly, Mimi’s inspirational role – she asks her father, “Could you build a clinic too? Maybe then a nurse would come” – demonstrates that children can make meaningful contributions to their communities. This theme is carried into the book’s final seven pages, which include the story of a “real village health worker,” as well as concrete suggestions that answer the question, “How can you help?”The writing in this book is not the strongest and the title may not inspire child readers. In addition, younger readers will benefit from reading this with an adult. These shortcomings are, however, fully mitigated by Mimi’s engaging story and the book’s two important messages: simple public health measures will dramatically improve the lives of many children living throughout the world; and children everywhere can positively impact their world.  This juvenile nonfiction book will make a compelling addition to any library collection.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Shelagh K. GenuisShelagh K. Genuis is an Alberta Innovates–Health Solutions Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health. Although an avid reader of biography, she has never stopped reading children’s fiction.
Welcome to our inaugural issue!
Authors: Desmarais Robert
Published: April 2016

The University of Alberta Libraries (UAL) is delighted to have the blessing of Dr Andrea Deakin and the Okanagan College Library to assume all responsibilities of the eponymous “Deakin Newsletter” (www.okanagan.bc.ca), which is now renamed “The Deakin Review of Children’s Literature”. An enthusiastic team of book reviewers and editors from UAL will review English language children’s books and publish thoughtful reviews and recommendations using a four star system (four stars: highly recommended; three stars: recommended; two stars: recommended with reservations; one star: not recommended). With so many children’s books published each year we know that it can be a dizzying task to find the good ones, so we will make every effort to review at least 25 books in each issue (published quarterly), including pop-ups, ABCs, young adult fiction, picture books, ebooks, board books, and works of non-fiction. Nearly a year ago I had the opportunity to meet Dr Andrea Deakin over lunch and we talked for hours about children’s books. Her enthusiasm was infectious and I was in awe when I learned that she had been reviewing children’s literature in Canada for nearly half a century. She explained that her career as a teacher and book reviewer had offered so many rewarding opportunities to promote children’s literature, and in retirement she continued her prolific book reviewing activities in an electronic newsletter hosted by the Okanagan College Library. She was recognized for her exemplary contribution to the humanities when Okanagan College awarded her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 2004. Dr Deakin has earned her reputation as one of the great champions of children’s literature and we are greatly honoured that she has given us this wonderful opportunity to launch a new journal in her honour. The reviewed books will be catalogued and processed as a non-circulating special collection, The Dr Andrea Deakin Collection of Children’s Literature, which will be stored at the University of Alberta’s Book and Record Depository, and made available to researchers in the reading room of the Bruce Peel Special Collections Library. We welcome your comments and suggestions about our publication, so please send me an email if you wish to get in touch. Best wishes for a pleasant summer, filled with splendid children’s books! Robert DesmaraisManaging Editor
Sweetest Kulu by C. Kalluk
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Kalluk, Celina.  Sweetest Kulu. Illus. Alexandria Neonakis.  Iqaluit, NU:  Inhabit Media Inc., 2014.  Print.“Kulu” is an Inuktitut term of endearment for babies and small children.  In this work, traditional throat singer and author, Celina Kalluk, shows all of the gifts that nature brings to a newborn baby.  The images show the baby cradled and adored by many creatures.  Each creature brings a character trait as a gift for the baby.  “Caribou chose patience for you, cutest Kulu.  He gave you the ability to look to the stars, so that you will always know where you are and may gently lead the way”.  With each gift, Kalluk uses a different adjective to describe the baby – happy Kulu, admired Kulu, beloved Kulu. Illustrator, Alexandria Neonakis has created an image for each animal in rich and deep colours.  The images spread over two facing pages with text over-printed. Each image is gentle and tender.  The baby is shown nestled between the front hooves of a musk-ox, curled up against a polar bear or snuggled up in the paws of an Arctic hare.  The baby is reflected in the water when the Arctic char brings a gift of tenderness.This book is a beautiful representation of a mother’s love for her baby reflected in the traditional Inuit connection to the land and nature.  It is a calming and peaceful book, which will become a bedtime read-aloud favourite. Highly recommended for elementary school libraries, public libraries and babies’ rooms everywhere.Highly Recommended:   4 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.