bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.