bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Middle School: Get me out of Here by J. Patterson and C. Tebbetts
Authors: Boyd Kelly
Published: April 2016

Patterson, James and Tebbetts, Chris. Middle School: Get me out of Here. Illus. Laura Parker. New York: Little, Brown Company, 2012. Print. Middle School: Get me out of Here is an illustrated novel, the second in a series, about Rafe Khatchadorian, a mischievous middle school student.  Rafe has survived the worst year of his life and is now looking forward to seventh grade.  But when Swifty’s Diner burns to the ground and his mom is left without work, Rafe and his family are forced to move to the city to live with Grandma Dotty.  Cramped quarters at Grandma’s finds Rafe sleeping on a couch in the living room. Could life get any worse?  As Rafe struggles with his newfound situation, he is unexpectedly accepted to attend Cathedral Academy, an art school in the city. Rafe jumps at the chance.  But when his first art critique goes horribly wrong Rafe begins to think that perhaps he is not quite talented enough for the Academy.  Enter Matty the Freak, Rafe’s first real live friend.  Matty helps Rafe turn his boring life into inspiration for his artwork. The plan, Operation: Get a Life, to do 195 new things before the spring art show, only 195 days away.  But Rafe just can’t seem to stay out of trouble! Will Operation: Get a Life be a bust or will Rafe be able to create a masterpiece and get his life back on track?   Authors Patterson and Tebbetts have created a cast of likeable characters that will appeal to the target audience and particularly resonate with male readers.  The first person narrative draws the reader into the story and helps add credence to Rafe’s struggles. Along with humorous narrative, zany artwork by Laura Park helps propel the reader through the text. Park’s attention to detail is flawless and her sketched illustrations bring the story to life. This book would be a great addition to any middle school library. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Kelly Boyd Kelly Boyd is a teacher-librarian and Social Studies teacher at Summerside Intermediate School in Summerside, PEI.  She loves to read and sharing this passion with her students is one of the highlights of her job.  She is excited to make selections and recommend books that will hook reluctant readers and open the world of reading to them.
Oddfellow's Orphanage by E.W. Martin
Authors: Dalmer Nicole
Published: April 2016

Martin, Emily Winfield. Oddfellow's Orphanage. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2012. Print. Emily Winfield Martin crafts a whimsical, imaginative read in her debut novel, Oddfellow’s Orphanage, that is sure to delight readers of all ages. As Delia, the newest member of the Oddfellow’s Orphanage quickly discovers, the members living at the orphanage are anything but ordinary. Under the guidance of Headmaster Oddfellow Bluebeard, her new family includes an onion-headed boy, a blue tattooed girl, a child-sized hedgehog, and a family of three dancing bears. While Delia is unable to speak and must instead write to communicate, she is immediately accepted into her new family. The oddities and peculiarities of each of the children residing at the orphanage are matched in the school classes they take, including Professor Flockheart’s F. T. Studies (fairy tales and folktales) and Professor Silas’ cryptozoology class. In this rather unorthodox orphanage, the school year passes with one quirky adventure after another. Each bizarre yet entertaining escapade allows the author to develop each character’s personality as well as friendships between the children, endearing the reader to each of the orphans. With Haircut Day, a grand picnic, a fieldtrip to see the Great Comet and an expedition to locate lake M.O.N.S.T.E.R.S. (Mysterious or Nonexistent Subjects Thoroughly Examined Really Scientifically), nothing is ever ordinary at Oddfellow’s Orphanage. While comical and curious, the story, at times, appears to unfold in isolated vignettes, with each chapter a discrete event, making for less-than-smooth plot continuity. Quite impressively, the author manages to pepper the story with an appropriate amount of bizarre and peculiar elements, never once does the plot appear to be overly outlandish. While the writing itself is sweet and simple with perfectly proportioned chapters, lending itself to a fantastic first reader or a read-aloud story, it is Martin’s illustrations that accentuate the writing and highlight the whimsy found within the pages. The soft, sepia-coloured pencil drawings that appear on nearly every page give off a vintage aesthetic and confer just the right amount of detail to the story, allowing the reader to invent and imagine the rest. With overarching themes of acceptance and perseverance, both girls and boys will fall in love with the charming and unique characters and the impressive illustrations. Highly recommended for elementary school libraries as well as public libraries. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Nicole Dalmer Nicole Dalmer is a Public Services Librarian at H.T. Coutts Education & Physical Education Library at the University of Alberta. She is interested in health literacy, pinball, and finding the perfect cup of coffee to accompany a good read.
Underground to Canada by B. Smucker
Authors: Quirk Linda
Published: April 2016

Smucker, Barbara. Underground to Canada. Toronto: Penguin, 2013. Print.A reprint of a historical novel first published in 1977, Underground to Canada is the gripping story of two young girls who rely on the secret network of courageous and sympathetic people which helped thousands of fugitive slaves on their dangerous journey from the American south to Canada and freedom. This covert network came to be known as the “Underground Railroad.” In his introduction, award-winning author Lawrence Hill notes that after being in print for decades, “Underground to Canada still serves as a wonderful introduction to a vital and fascinating element of Canadian history.” In an excerpt from his 1967 Massey Lectures reprinted here, Martin Luther King Jr. says, “Deep in our history of struggle for freedom Canada was the North Star. The Negro slave, denied education, de-humanized, imprisoned on cruel plantations, knew that far to the north a land existed where a fugitive slave, if he survived the horrors of the journey, could find freedom.”The subject matter of this novel is challenging, but, in a world which has yet to put an end to childhood slavery, its message is an important one. As Lawrence Hill notes, referring to the institution of slavery and the horrors of the Holocaust, “writers, teachers and parents do no one a favour by pretending that such things didn’t exist.” Written with young readers in mind, this novel avoids delving into the worst elements of the institution of slavery. It is, however, subtle enough to acknowledge the many difficulties faced by former slaves as they began new lives in Canada. In addition to the words of Martin Luther King Jr. and the introduction by Lawrence Hill, this edition includes thought-provoking questions and activities in the back of the book which may help children to think about the novel’s difficult topics, either individually or with classmates. This is a powerful, essential, novel for the education of young readers—it is recommended for readers over nine years of age—but this particular edition is shoddily produced. I could not help but notice obvious significant errors on pages 27, 84, 133, and 151, and I suspect that I could find many more if I tried. While I cannot give such a substandard edition four stars, I whole-heartedly recommend this title and urge readers to choose a different edition.Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Linda QuirkLinda taught courses in Multicultural Canadian Literature, Women's Writing, and Children's Literature at Queen's University (Kingston) and at Seneca College (Toronto) before moving to Edmonton to become the Assistant Special Collections Librarian at the Bruce Peel Special Collections Library at the University of Alberta.  Her favourite children's book to teach is Hana's Suitcase, not only because Hana's story is so compelling, but because the format of this non-fiction book teaches students of all ages about historical investigation and reveals that it is possible to recover the stories of those who have been forgotten by history.
Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything by S. Colter
Authors: Storie Dale
Published: April 2016

Cotler, Steve.  Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything. Illus. Adam McCauley.  New York: Random House, 2011. Print. The protagonist of this story is Ronald “Cheesie” Mack, an energetic boy who, at ten years and ten months of age, has just finished Grade 5.  In his own words, his story is about “a mysterious old coin, an evil sister…a dead sister…runaway rodents, a super-best friend, a fifth-grade graduation disaster, some really unusual words (including a few that I made up), and The Haunted Toad”. The plot is equal parts mystery novel, elementary school pranks, and sibling rivalry, with a running commentary on friendship woven through the book. The strength of this novel is the first-person narration, which stays lively from Chapter 0 (“This Story is Over!”) to the very last page (“This is not a Chapter. Visit CheesieMack.com if…”).  Cheesie Mack is a self-aware narrator who makes frequent asides to the reader, in order to provide foreshadowing, define words, explain character motives, and encourage readers to visit his website.  Readers who enjoy plot-driven books may find Cheesie’s interludes annoying, since they act as frequent distractions from a plot that seems meandering at times.  The book weaves multiple plot threads together, but takes its time doing so.  Readers may feel as though the author will never return to earlier plot threads to resolve them (although he does successfully tie these pieces together at the end). However, young readers who appreciate a light-hearted character-driven story will definitely enjoy this book.  Readers of a similar age will be able to relate to Cheesie’s sentiments towards his best friend and to his ongoing battles with his sister.  His comical interjections and mock dialogue with his readers ensure that the book remains playful and engaging, even when the plot may not be.  For those who don’t want the story to end, there is always the CheesieMack.com website. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Dale StorieDale Storie is Public Services Librarian at the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. He has a BA in English, and has also worked in a public library as a children's programming coordinator, where he was involved with story times, puppet shows, and book talks.
Munsch at Play Act Two: Eight More Stage Adaptations by I. Watts & R. Munsch
Authors: Polkinghorne Sarah
Published: April 2016

Watts, Irene N., and Robert Munsch. Munsch at Play Act Two: Eight More Stage Adaptations. Illus. Michael Marchenko. Toronto: Annick, 2011. Print. Which child should inhabit the role of the protagonist Andrew (“No, no, no, no, no”) in “I Have to Go”? What could be used to make the “sound” in “Jonathan Cleaned Up — Then He Heard a Sound”? How could you dress the titular character of “David’s Father” so that everyone can tell he’s a giant? Munsch at Play Act Two will have your imagination firing with questions such as these. As with the original Munsch at Play, this volume gives readers/thespians eight of Robert Munsch’s tales transformed into stage plays for young performers. Readers familiar with Munsch’s live performances will recognize his distinct rhythmic and participatory elements within Watts’ adaptations. Readers will also enjoy Michael Martchenko’s kinetic illustrations, in his style so well-known from so many Munsch storybooks. Having said this, plays are to be performed on the stage, not just admired on the page. Irene N. Watts’ adaptations succeed for a variety of reasons. The stories have been thoughtfully selected and adapted to provide the variety that makes this sort of book worthwhile. There are stories that can be performed with a finite handful of players, such as “I Have to Go,” and there are stories whose castings can expand as much as you like, including “Pigs,” in which you may include “any number that the pigpen can accommodate.” Watts also includes detailed, approachable notes about staging. She tells readers about suitable spaces for staging each play, such as “works well as a theatre in the round” (“Show and Tell”). She also provides exhaustive lists of sets, costumes, and props for each play. Most stories require quite a few props, but these are often indicated as optional, and could be scavenged, made into a craft project, or conjured via imagination. Watts’ supporting documentation (lists, guidance, and recommendations) lessens the effort involved with getting each play “up on its feet.” This enables everyone involved to focus on the excitement of stories and vocal participation. It’s not likely that anybody will say “No, no, no, no, no” to Munsch at Play Act Two. Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sarah PolkinghorneSarah is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta. She enjoys all sorts of books.
How do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies? by J. Yolen
Authors: Feisst Debbi
Published: April 2016

Yolen, Jane. How do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies? Illus. Mark Teague. New York: Scholastic, 2012. Print. If you have ever set foot in the children’s section of a public library or bookstore, you will likely recognize the dinosaur on the cover of this book. Yolen, a much-lauded author who has also penned science fiction and fantasy, has over 300 children’s books to her name and is the author of How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? and many others in the wildly successful How Do Dinosaurs… franchise created by bestselling author Jane Yolen and illustrator Mark Teague. The familiar classic dinosaur characters from Yolen and Teague’s books try their hands at baking and eating cookies while learning some ‘cookie etiquette’ along the way.  While Yolen’s prose is fun and lively, in general the images of the dinosaurs have been ‘re-purposed’ from other titles in the series save for the addition of a cookie here and there. The book is also marketed as a scratch-and-sniff and according to the Scholastic web site, includes 3 cookie recipes.  Sadly the 5 scratch-and-sniff scents have almost no scent at all, even in a brand new copy with minimal scratching, and there are only 2 recipes included.  If your young readers are excited about the scratch-and-sniff potential they will be sorely disappointed.  The recipes look easy enough and will be fun for kids to assist with in the kitchen but you will require dinosaur-shaped cookie cutters (not included) to get the full effect. There is no denying, however, the uniqueness of Mark Teague’s illustrations as well as his award-winning talent.  The dinosaurs are realistic-enough looking to get slightly older kids’ attention but friendly enough for the younger set. The sturdy board-book binding, smaller size and aesthetic design make for an attractive book but the displeasure in the quality of the scratch-and-sniff and the general feeling of ‘I’ve seen this somewhere before’ is reason enough to bypass this title. Not Recommended: 1 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.
Awards, Announcements, and News
Authors: Sulz David
Published: April 2016

The Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) recently released the finalists for the 2012 Governor General’s Literary Awards. Twenty books were nominated between the Children’s Text and Children’s Illustration categories with five nominees each in English and French. Barbara Reid’s Picture a Tree appears in the children’s illustration (English) category and was previously reviewed in our pages here: http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/deakinreview/article/view/17101. The CCA website also notes a new annual award named the Burt Award for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Literature. It consists of three prizes totaling $25,000 and a guaranteed purchase of at least 2500 copies for distribution across Canada. English literary works for young adults written or translated by First Nations, Métis or Inuit authors/translators are eligible. Applications are due May 1, 2013. We look forward to reviewing some of these titles in the future. (http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/Prizes/dw129905679931884714.htm). An interesting website to explore is CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators, and Performers). Two sections of particular note relate to booking members for presentations/workshops and hosting the travelling art collection (CANSCAIP collection). The “school/library visits” section includes a searchable directory of members available to book: http://www.canscaip.org . At the massive-scale end of the children’s literature spectrum, Scholastic has announced Infinity Ring as a “multi-platform time travel adventure series” that apparently creates a “fully immersive reading experience” incorporating books, an interactive map, and online game episodes. It will encompass seven books and game episodes where readers travel back in time to help fix “great breaks” in history created by a nefarious and mysterious group. Each book will be written by a different author starting and ending with James Dashner at roughly 3-4 month intervals stretching until 2014. A quick look at the website suggests this might be a project to explore during the coldest days of our upcoming winter (www.infinityring.com). Finally, the winners of the seven children’s book awards from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (www.bookcentre.ca/award ) mentioned in the last Deakin Review (2:1) will be announced on November 21, 2012. Happy winter reading (but don’t forget to get out and enjoy all the season has to offer).David Sulz, Communications Editor
Cat Comes Too by H. Hutchins and Dog Comes Too by same author
Authors: Banski Erika
Published: April 2016

Hutchins, Hazel.  Cat Comes Too. Illus. Gosia Mosz.   Toronto: Annick Press, 2013._____________  Dog Comes Too.  Toronto: Annick Press, 2013.Nicely sized for children’s hands, these two little board books should delight both pre-schoolers and beginning readers. Their story lines are simple and humorous.In the first, a curious kitten follows a pair of human feet (the entire body is never revealed but seems feminine) up the stairs to the attic and, there, has a fine frolic amidst the storage.  In the second, a puppy follows a heavy-booted pair of legs (gender unclear) on an outdoor hike that proves challenging, but not impossible, for the small canine striver.Gosia Mosz’s colorful line drawings give us, simultaneously, both the world view of each young pet and a sense of its indomitable personality.  With very few words, and a vocabulary level well within the range of most three- to six-year-olds, Hazel Hutchins produces a delightful amount of word play, particularly in Dog Comes Too:            “Too far                        Too hot            Too tired, pup?                        Big rest             Two friends                        To the top             Together”   (Dog…pp.15-19)(For the children who read this book, a formal lesson on homonyms may come years later, if at all; no matter. They will have internalized the concept, anyway.)In these works, Hutchins and Mosz demonstrate the features of good composition for the very young: simple plotlines; recognizable settings; text that is readily memorized, then read; illustrations that are wedded to the text; characters that are lovable; and a viewpoint not unlike their own--all this and witty wording, too.  Brilliant.Highly Recommended: 4 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.
Mousetronaut by M. Kelly
Authors: Chatterley Trish
Published: April 2016

Kelly, Mark. Mousetronaut. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012.Several mice are training hard in the hope of being chosen to take part in a NASA space flight. Meteor the Mouse is much smaller than the others, but his hard work is recognized by the Shuttle Commander who chooses him as one of the six lucky mice to board the shuttle! Only Meteor adapts well to zero-gravity. He saves the mission when, because of his small size, he is able to rescue the key to the control panel when it gets stuck between two monitors.While kind of cute, especially when you learn the story is loosely based on a real mouse, I was left underwhelmed. It is a picture book, so the story is very short and more suited to the younger children in the recommended age range of 4-8. There’s no mention of why the mice were taken to space in the first place. While the story has a somewhat positive message in that sometimes the underdog can save the day, it wasn’t the fact that Meteor was a hard worker that led to his success but merely the fact that he was small.The illustrations by C.F. Payne vary in their appeal. The images of the space shuttle at lift-off and the astronauts floating in their spacesuits have an authentic feel, and the facial expressions of the mice in space are priceless. The human faces, however, are more like caricatures for an older audience with their sometimes oddly shaped faces and exaggerated noses. It was great to see a female among the astronauts, but the use of shading made her look as though she had as much five o’clock shadow as the men.The best part of the work is the afterword where the author, a retired astronaut, shares facts about the NASA program and life in space. Kids will learn some fun details, like that astronauts have to swallow their toothpaste! There is a list of recommended reading for further information, as well as a list of websites with videos or interactive games. This was the first installment of what might become a series of adventures (Mousetronaut Goes to Mars was released October 2013) so one hopes for more riveting plots in the further stories.Recommended with Reservations - 2 out of 4 starsReviewer: Trish ChatterleyTrish is a Public Services Librarian for the John W. Scott Health Sciences Library at the University of Alberta. In her free time she enjoys dancing, gardening, and reading books of all types.
Certainly, kids can be authors!
Authors: Desmarais Robert
Published: April 2016

Dear Readers,I had lunch the other day with a colleague who told me of her interest in doing research about an obscure and forgotten author from long ago who wrote and published a novel at the age of twelve. How fascinating, I thought, that this young girl was inspired and determined to submit her manuscript to a publisher in the 1920s, a time when few children could call themselves published authors.But what kind of support exists today for young scribblers? Perhaps not surprisingly, it all begins with you, whether you are a parent, aunt, uncle, teacher, librarian, or adult friend of a child, all of you can make a difference by encouraging children to read and write. You can also let children know about online resources devoted to helping young authors develop their writing and illustration skills. For example, I discovered Scribblitt.com, which is a terrific website where kids can use free online tools to write and illustrate their own stories; they also have the option of collaborating with other kids and writers using cloud-based technology. Furthermore, you can help children to develop their writing skills by proofreading their stories and offering them helpful advice about spelling, character development, narrative structure, and so on.Another way for children to get inspired about reading and writing is to check the websites of their favourite authors, which are generally chock-full of activities and information about children’s writers and illustrators. To wit, I had the great pleasure of recently meeting and interviewing Jill Bryant, a Canadian writer who specializes in children’s nonfiction, when she was visiting the University of Alberta and meeting with numerous groups of children, inspiring them to read and write. Her website, Jillbryant.ca, has some excellent teacher resources that encourage students in grades four to eight to write about their role models, using her books about real entrepreneurs, athletes, and designers for inspiration. When you begin looking at author websites and other online resources (e.g., directories, readers’ advisory services, webcasts, etc.) for information about writing children’s books, it becomes readily apparent that there is a plethora of writing support tools for budding young authors.Enjoy the summer issue, and please take note that we have also included a review in French of a French language book for children. We are delighted to announce that the Deakin Review will continue to review books in French as our resources permit.Happy reading!Robert DesmaraisManaging EditorClick here to watch the interview with Jill Bryant.
Awards
Authors: Mead-Willis Sarah
Published: April 2016

With the beginning of summer came many exciting announcements in the world of children’s and young adult book awards. In the United Kingdom, the prestigious Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals were awarded. Canada saw the announcement of the BC Book Prizes and Jewish Book Awards, while in the United States, the Locus Award for young adult science fiction was conferred. Also announced were the much-anticipated Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards. Below is a complete list of the prize winners for each competition. Canada BC Book Prizes: Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize: Maggie de Vries, Hunger Journeys (HarperCollins Canada)   Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize: Julie Flett. Owls See Clearly at Night: A Michif Alphabet / Lii Yiiboo Nayaapiwak lii Swer: L’alfabet di Michif. (Simply Read Books)   Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards (youth category) Judie Oron, Cry of the Giraffe (Annick Press)   United Kingdom CILIP Carnegie Medal Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men (Walker Books)   CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal (for book illustration)   Grahame Baker-Smith, FArTHER (Templar)   United States: Locus Awards (youth category) Paolo Bacigalupi, Ship Breaker (Little, Brown)   Boston Globe – Horn Book Awards Fiction: Tim Wynne-Jones, Blink & Caution (Candlewick)   Nonfiction: Steve Sheinkin, The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery (Flash Point/Roaring Brook)   Picture book: Salley Mavor Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes (Houghton)
Breakfast on a Dragon’s Tail: and Other Book Bites by M. Springett
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Springett, Martin. Breakfast on a Dragon’s Tail: and Other Book Bites. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2011. Print. This unusual volume by award-winning illustrator/author Martin Springett takes the “choose your own ending” idea to a whole new level by not providing an ending at all. In fact the whole book is made up of thirteen beginnings of stories, each accompanied by a full-page illustration, which might have served as a book cover. The book is designed to promote creative activities.  Springett tells children that each story “should have a beginning, a middle and an end” and that he has provided the beginning. He encourages children to finish the stories in any way they like, through creative endeavors ranging from poetry to a “chalk drawing on the sidewalk”. Children are also encouraged to post their stories to publisher Fitzhenry and Whiteside’s website, where “teachers and parents will also find useful information and classroom activities”. Springett’s art-work depicts the fantastic in each story. The first image, accompanying Breakfast on a Dragon’s Tail, is bordered by patterns that recall a medieval illuminated manuscript. In the same vein, the letter “O” which begins the story is embellished with a dragon curled around it. The others are more cartoon-like. Springett’s writing is very good . His story beginnings are engaging. In the Twelve Dancing Crocodiles the reader finds out that a magician and twelve dancing princesses have disappeared.   Are they the twelve dancing crocodiles? They are if you want them to be.  In The Nattering Tree, people sit under a tree and listen as the tree talks to itself. There are also lots of good one-line jokes in the story beginnings. In the Dithering Ducks of Deptford, one of the ducks says, “Never listen to a gnome! They are born naughty!” Another story, which has nothing to do with computers, is called Chip and Pin. In Dracula and Son, Springett irreverently refers to the characters as “Papa Drac” and “Drac Junior”. It would have been entertaining to read Springett’s versions of the endings. In fact, some children may be put off by the fact that they have to think up their own endings and entertain themselves. Because of that, this book will probably work best in a structured environment, where children have a reason to stay on track and complete the stories. Overall this book is an interesting concept, that is probably best suited to the classroom environment, so it is recommended with that reservation.Recommendation:  3 stars out of 4 Reviewer:  Sandy Campbell Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
Cloudwalker by R.H. Vickers and R. Budd
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Vickers, Roy Henry and Robert Budd.  Cloudwalker.  Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2014. Print.This is a stunning new book from painter, print maker, carver, author and member of the Orders of Canada and British Columbia, Roy Henry Vickers.  It contains 18 new prints from this innovative Indigenous artist, which accompany the retelling of a traditional story.  The story explains the origin of the three great rivers: The Nass, The Stikine and the Skeena (or Ksien, which means "juice from the clouds”).  It is the story of a young man who is carried up to the clouds by swans and wanders around on the clouds.  He carries a box of water, which spills when he falls.  The spills form the lakes and rivers on the land.  While the text tells the story, it also incorporates cultural knowledge including the cycle of the salmon and the importance of marmot hides as symbols of wealth.  The text is simple and readable at the upper elementary level. While the story is important, it is the sophisticated artwork that makes this book stand out.  Vickers has used flat designs, incorporating the familiar formlines and ovoids found in traditional North coastal Indigenous art.  Ovoids are the rounded shapes used to portray joints  and sometimes eyes.   Some of the paintings show the familiar red and black figures on simple backgrounds of strong colours.  However  other figures are printed in shiny overlay most visible as you move the book to catch the light, creating hidden treasures for children to find.  For example the image on page 28 shows a figure by the river;  shiny streaks cross the page to represent rain and shiny fish are printed on the surface of the river. This book, which reminds us that picture books and traditional stories are not just for children, would be an excellent addition to public and school libraries everywhere, as well as to collections that specialize in Canadian Indigenous traditional stories. Highly recommended:  4 stars out of 4 Reviewer:  Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
Gerbil, Uncurled by A. Hughes
Authors: Feisst Debbie
Published: April 2016

Hughes, Alison. Gerbil, Uncurled. Illus. Suzanne Del Rizzo. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2015. Print.Gerbil, Uncurled is the latest in Fitzhenry & Whiteside’s ‘Tell-Me-More! Storybook’ series and the 2nd title to use award-winning children’s book illustrator Suzanne Del Rizzo’s unique plasticine dimensional illustrations, the 1st being Skink on the Brink. The ‘Tell-Me-More! Storybook’ series is a set of fictional picture books that tell a tale about our natural world and include additional activities and brief informational text.This is award-winning writer Alison Hughes’ first foray into picture book territory, and she succeeds.  The storyline is sweet: Little Gerbil is trying her very best to fit in with her gerbil family by following the Gerbil Mottos. The Gerbil Mottos are the basic life rules that her extended family follow daily, and include keeping one’s whiskers clean and ‘celery tops come to those who wait,’ among others.  Little Gerbil is having a hard time with a specific motto, though; ‘curl up nose to toes’ while sleeping, as she finds it too restrictive and enjoys sleeping stretched out. Little Gerbil confides in wise Grandpa Gerbil who is ‘five whole years old’ and while he is sensitive to her predicament, she still can’t sleep curled up nose to toes though she certainly tries.  But our Little Gerbil is brave, and in her willingness to stand up for herself and question the world, others are able to question the mottos, too.This delightful and visually appealing book encourages young readers to be themselves, ask questions and respond positively to suggestions if it can make you happier.  The factual information about gerbils and other rodents as well as the instructions on making a clay gerbil are great endings to the book.Recommended: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer:  Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta.  When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.
Puckster’s First Hockey Sweater and Puckster’s First Hockey Game by L. Schulz Nicholson
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Schultz Nicholson, Lorna.  Puckster’s First Hockey Sweater and Puckster’s First Hockey Game. Toronto:  Fenn/Tundra, 2011.  Print. These two volumes are the first in the new Puckster series, a collaboration between Fenn/Tundra of Tundra Books and Hockey Canada.  The stories are about an after-school team of hockey-playing animals.  The team is inclusive in terms of gender, ability, colour and species, being comprised of  a raccoon, a squirrel, a brown bear, a moose who plays on a sledge, a pink fox who is female, and of course, Puckster, who is a polar bear.  The dressing room also appears to be unisex. Each book tells a story that also teaches values.  In Puckster’s First Hockey Sweater, the animals want team sweaters, so they work as a team to make enough money by shoveling snow.  In Puckster’s First Hockey Game, they play a see-saw game which ends in a tie.  Throughout they console and encourage each other as they score and are scored upon.  Each player is shown making an important contribution to the team. On the last page of each book is a definition or a hockey tip. Lorna Schultz Nicholson includes lots of hockey detail and authentic “hockey talk”.  For example, Francois “blasted a shot right into the five-hole, between the goalie’s pads”. Puckster wonders “…what should he do.  Deke or shoot?” Parents who are fans will find the text comfortable and familiar. Kelly Findley’s cartoon illustrations are bright and her characters are expressive.  She has worked as a graphic designer with Hockey Canada, which probably accounts for the fact that the team wears current Team Canada sweaters. Both the use of the current Team Canada images and references to players such as Hayley Wickenheiser and Roberto Luongo will date these books in time.  However, they are fun books for today’s young hockey fans and players and the values they teach are laudable.  Highly recommended for elementary school and public libraries. Highly recommended:  4 stars out of 4 Reviewer:  Sandy Campbell Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines.  Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
The Walrus Who Escaped by R. & S. Qitsualik-Tinsley
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: April 2016

Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley.  The Walrus Who Escaped. Illus. Anthony Brennan.  Iqualuit, NU:  Inhabit Media Inc., 2014. Print.In this book, Rachael and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley retell another of the many Inuit legends that explain why things are the way they are.   According to this story, walruses used to have spiral tusks.  Raven, who is always a bit of a trouble maker and looking for a free meal, imprisons the walrus in ice because she wants his clams.  Imprisoning the walrus doesn’t get the raven any clams, but when the walrus gets free, the force straightens his tusks.The most interesting theme in this story is that of the “Strength in the Land”, which the authors explain variously as something that would be ill-described as “magic” and could be thought of as a “special kind of dream”.  Even in today’s Inuit culture, land strength is an important concept that is implied in many works, but is rarely directly addressed.  Qitsualik-Tinsleys deserve kudos for attempting to capture it in a children’s book.The text is overprinted on Anthony Brennan’s cartoon-like images which show the animals demonstrating human emotions such as contentment, frustration, anger and fear.  The colours are generally bright, with the light blues of the sea and the ice predominating. Highly recommended for public libraries, elementary education libraries and libraries that collect Canadian Indigenous Children’s works.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.
Follow Your Money: Who Gets it, Who Spends It, Where Does it Go? by M. Hlinka
Authors: Sherbaniuk Patti
Published: April 2016

Hlinka, Michael.  Follow Your Money: Who Gets it, Who Spends It, Where Does it Go?  Illus. Kevin Sylvester. Annick Press, New York, 2013. Print.Follow Your Money is a fairly basic yet informative examination of the economy and its complexities, aimed at older kids and teens. The book starts off with a quick synopsis of the “spider web” of the economy and a brief rundown of the history of money and the concept of profit.  The author then breaks down the costs of various activities (a bus ride for example) and objects (baseball caps, sneakers), from raw materials to manufacturing costs, labour, transport, store markups, profits, etc. The author (a CBC commentator on business) is clever in what he has chosen, selecting objects and activities that are of interest to older kids and teens (computers, designer jeans, chocolate, cell phones, music, etc.).  There are also a couple of pages on fuel and its importance to the economy. The book then takes a brief look at banking and the pros and cons of credit and debit cards, and then finishes with resource suggestions for additional information and an index.The cost breakdowns may be too numerous and a little dry for some readers (depending on their interest and attention level), but they are a very effective method of getting the reader to think about where things come from, how various economic factors affect prices, and who gets the profits. The author includes interesting sidebars of historical facts and trivia about particular subjects- tea, for example, or disposable bags-adding a bit of humour in the process.  The illustrations are colourful and quirky and help clarify the points the author is making.Ideal for upper elementary and teen readers.Highly recommended:  4 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Patti SherbaniukPatti is a Liaison Librarian at the Winspear School of Business at the University of Alberta. She holds a BA in English and an MLIS, both from the University of Alberta. She is passionate about food, travel, the arts and reading books of all shapes and sizes.
This Book is Gay by J. Dawson
Authors: Marshall Kyle
Published: April 2016

Dawson, James. This Book is Gay. London: Hot Key Books, 2014. Print.As North American jurisdictions play host to battles over proposed sex education curricula, barriers to providing basic sexual health information to youth are becoming painfully evident. In the place of strong classroom instruction, many governments expect parents to engage in these conversations, but even progressive parents may feel inadequately prepared for discussing sex education with their LGBT children. Similar issues exist surrounding cultural identification and attainment; where most youth simply observe or take part in family and societal practices, queer youth must undertake greater lengths to self-educate and identify.Enter James Dawson’s publication, This Book is Gay, which serves as part sex education, part cultural information manual for all things LGBT. With strong credentials as a former teacher and YA author, Dawson also deployed an international survey and conducted interviews to add statistics and quotations that expand and diversify the experiences captured within the book. The book covers a vast array of topics complete with catchy chapter titles, including terminology (“The Name Game”), homophobia and transphobia (“The Fear” and “Haterz Gonna Hate”) and, a topic of interest to most LGBT teens, same sex education (“The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex”). Within these chapters is a balance of reader empowerment, stereotype dismantling, community building and jokes - lots of jokes - to keep the reader entertained and informed throughout. Adding to the levity and frankness of Dawson’s tone are illustrator Spike Gerrell’s ebullient comics (think lightning bolts retreating from a gonorrhea patient’s groin).An uplifting read that will inform and entertain all types of readers, I highly recommend This Book is Gay. The book does use certain colloquialisms native to Dawson’s United Kingdom, but these should serve as only very minor distractions - or even points of curiosity - to the non-British reader. This Book is Gay would work as a very thoughtful gift to a newly out or questioning teen, but there needs to be a place for it in every junior high and high school library. As a stand-in for a funny, frank and extremely knowledgeable older sibling, this book should do the trick.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Kyle MarshallKyle Marshall is the School-Aged Services Intern Librarian for Edmonton Public Library. He graduated with his MLIS from the University of Alberta in June 2015, and is passionate about diversity in children's and youth literature.
The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices From The Titanic by A. Wolf
Authors: Polkinghorne Sarah
Published: April 2016

Wolf, Allan. The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices From The Titanic. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2011. Print. If you are searching for a way to mark April 14, 2012, the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic’s striking of the iceberg, consider settling into a comfortable chair with The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices From The Titanic. You may wish to choose a chair with secure footing on solid ground. Formally, The Watch That Ends The Night is a novel consisting of poems, primarily in free verse, along with a variety of other styles suiting the two dozen “voices” who tell the story. This book stands out in large part thanks to Wolf’s resonant crafting of these voices. We hear from the crew, including an engine room man, a violinist, and the Captain himself. We hear from a range of passengers, including some of the richest and some of the poorest. We hear from men working in the aftermath of the collision, including a sailor on board the RMS Carpathia, the ship that rescued the Titanic’s survivors. The observations of a Nova Scotian undertaker, tasked with cataloguing the bodies and effects of the dead, are interspersed throughout, providing suspense despite the familiarity of the narrative. We read the wireless transmissions, most of which, Wolf mentions, are real: “From: RMS Titanic. To: All Ships at Sea. […] I require immediate assistance”. Wolf enriches the reader’s experience further by giving voice to the ominous perspective of the iceberg: “The lookouts on her mast can’t make me out”. Even “The Ship Rat” appears, scurrying along on a quest for survival whose symbolic importance increases as events unfold. Taken individually, each poem is an engaging insight into a particular perspective at a given moment within the voyage. Taken as a whole, Wolf’s poems build the tension that befits this story while capturing the stratification and diversity that existed on the ship in its time. The back matter is wonderful. Wolf provides details on each character and clarifies what is fact and what is fiction. There is also an extensive bibliography. The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices From The Titanic has many potential classroom applications. Hopefully, many young adult and adult readers will also read it purely for enjoyment. Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sarah PolkinghorneSarah is a Public Services Librarian at the University of Alberta. She enjoys all sorts of books.
Crazy by A. Reed
Authors: Sivak Allison
Published: April 2016

Reed, Amy. Crazy. New York: Simon Pulse, 2013. Print.Isabel and Connor hit it off at camp, where they worked as art counsellors for the summer. Now Isabel is back with her dysfunctional family in Seattle, and Connor is living with his idealistic activist single mother on Bainbridge Island. They communicate by email, since Isabel hates the phone, and only occasionally does Connor 'catch' her on chat. Isabel, or “Izzy,” sets the conditions and the scope of their communications, acting as a brash, blunt foil to Connor's more serious discussions. As very different people, they are intrigued with one another, although Connor becomes frustrated when Izzy refuses to respond to his questions that probe the surface below her bright chatter. As the school year progresses, each of them deal with sex, school friendships (or lack of them), and the pressures they feel from their families. But although they cling to one another, Izzy's emails become angrier and more desperate, and her silences become longer when Connor tries to find out what is really going on with her.Reed uses the form of the epistolary novel, using emails and instant messages to build her characters. This technique allows their characterizations to come through clearly, and also help to convey Izzy's state of mind, alternating between manic and depressed. At times, each character seems a bit too self-aware for her or his age and situation. Although their writing reads authentically as what I might expect of contemporary 18-year-olds, some of their insights seem to be forced; take, for example, Connor's recognition that both he and his mother try to take care of others without taking care of themselves – or each other. Connor is a particularly sensitive and open teenager, but this kind of insight sounds more adult than I think is warranted.The novel overall deals with issues of young people with bipolar disorder, without making the book seem like a “single-issue” story. Reed has created two distinctive characters who talk about issues without shying away from issues that other authors might avoid; for example, how Isabel and Connor speak frankly about sex is one detail that contributes to a three-dimensional characterization. I would recommend this novel for both its approach to mental health, as well as its memorable protagonists.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.